Global characteristics of ionospheric electric fields and disturbances during the first hours of magnetic storms

The ionospheric plasma density can be significantly disturbed during magnetic storms. In the conventional scenario of ionospheric storms, the negative storm phases with plasma density decreases are caused by neutral composition changes, and the positive storm phases with plasma density increases are often related to atmospheric gravity waves. However, recent studies show that the global redistribution of the ionospheric plasma is dominated primarily by electric fields during the first hours of magnetic storms. In this paper, we present the measurements of ionospheric disturbances by the DMSP satellites and GPS network during the magnetic storm on 6 April 2000. The DMSP measurements include the F region ion velocity and density at the altitude of ∼840 km, and the GPS receiver network provides total electron content (TEC) measurements. The storm-time ionospheric disturbances show the following characteristics. The plasma density is deeply depleted in a latitudinal range of ∼20° over the equatorial region in the evening sector, and the depletions represent plasma bubbles. The ionospheric plasma density at middle latitudes (20°–40° magnetic latitudes) is significantly increased. The dayside TEC is increased simultaneously over a large latitudinal range. An enhanced TEC band forms in the afternoon sector, goes through the cusp region, and enters the polar cap. All the observed ionospheric disturbances occur within 1–5 h from the storm sudden commencement. The observations suggest that penetration electric fields play a major role in the rapid generation of equatorial plasma bubbles and the simultaneous increases of the dayside TEC within the first 2 h during the storm main phase. The ionospheric disturbances at later times may be caused by the combination of penetration electric fields and neutral wind dynamo process.     

The occurrence of the mid-latitude ionospheric trough in GPS-TEC measurements

Simultaneous GPS observations from about 150 stations of European Permanent Network (EPN) have been used for studying dynamics of latitudinal profiles and structure of mid-latitude ionospheric trough (MIT). For the analyses, the TEC maps over Europe were created with high spatial and temporal resolution. The latitudinal profiles were produced from TEC maps with one-hour interval for geographic latitude range from 35N to 75N. The structure of latitudinal profiles relates to the occurrence of the ionospheric trough. The location of the trough depends on season, local time, and both geophysical and geomagnetic conditions. The trough structure in GPS-TEC demonstrates a smooth shape. The trough occurrence as a distinguished structure is more distinct during winter. The relation of TEC in the trough minimum to the equator and polar walls amounted to a factor of 2–4.     

FDTD-PML方法在柱形散射体总场计算中的应用

利用时域有限差分（FDTD）方法,结合理想匹配层（PML）吸收边界条件,对无限长柱形散射体的总场计算进行分析并得出数值解。证明了该方法在散射体总场计算中的实用性和有效性,并在此基础上给出了不同入射波源及PML参数对计算结果的影响。     

Cosmic radiation exposure of aircraft occupants on simulated high-latitude flights during solar proton events from 1 January 1986 through 1 January 2008

From 1 January 1986 through 1 January 2008, GOES satellites recorded 170 solar proton events. For 169 of these events, we estimated effective and equivalent dose rates and doses of galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and solar cosmic radiation (SCR), received by aircraft occupants on simulated high-latitude flights. Dose rate and dose estimates that follow are for altitudes 30, 40, 50, and 60 kft, in that order.     

带电粒子在材料中的剂量深度分布计算

航天器在轨道运行期间,会受到各种带电粒子的作用,其能量沉积在表面材料中,对表面材料的性能有较大的损伤。文章介绍了剂量深度计算程序,利用SRIM及ITS软件的计算结果,计算出了带电粒子在材料中的剂量深度分布,并对空间轨道实际环境下材料中的剂量深度分布进行了计算。利用这一程序,在“东四”热控涂层试验中进行了剂量深度分布拟合,计算了多种能量电子拟合试验下荆量深度分布与空间实际环境的比较,得出了相关的试验参数。     

星载SAR多普勒频率计算与全零多普勒中心导引

讨论了在天线坐标系中多普勒频率的计算方法和全零多普勒中心的条件及其实现。证明对近圆轨道SAR卫星,采用与时间延迟积分-电荷耦合器件(TDI-CCD)空间相机相同的计算公式和偏流角补偿技术,能以偏航控制方式实现星载SAR的全零多普勒中心导引。由此可将回波多普勒中心频率的全球变化范围减至最小,显著降低了SAR成像处理的难度。研究具重要的应用价值。     

Experimental investigation of flow and distortion mitigation by mechanical vortex generators in a coupled serpentine inlet-turbofan engine system

The performance of compact, aggressive ducts in advanced propulsion systems is limited by the internal flow separation coupled with the formation of secondary counter-rotating vortices that give rise to intensive flow distortions at the duct exit. An experimental investigation was conducted to study the flow field and passive suppression of flow separation and Aerodynamic Interface Plane (AIP) distortion in a serpentine air inlet duct. Tests were performed by a turbofan engine at several Engine Operating Points (EOPs) from 56% (idle) to 100% (max). A large total pressure deficit region arose at the upper part of the AIP, which was associated with the upper surface flow separation. Using the new mechanical S-type vortex generators in two longitudinal positions (VG1 and VG2), separation and loss were diminished at the upper part of the duct and AIP. The VG2 arrangement attained the maximum reductions in distortion coefficients which were 73.72%, 60.7% and 37.8% in DC(90°), DC(60°) and ΔP_C/P metrics, respectively. In the next step of the study, some unsteady aspects of the flow field were analyzed inside the duct. The separation onset and reattachment points were determined by the standard deviation of static pressure on the upper surface. The AIP spectral distribution showed that the boundary of low pressure and high pressure recovery regions was dominated by the maximum fluctuations. Furthermore, the PSD diagram of several probes at AIP revealed the vortex shedding frequency and its higher harmonics at separation region. The energy content of distinct unsteady spectral features in the bare configuration was significantly reduced using VGs, which showed the improvement of flow at the duct exit.     

Improvement of the real time total electron content based on the International Reference Ionosphere model

One of the methods to adapt the International Reference Ionosphere model to real time conditions is to use instantaneous values of the critical frequency of the ionosphere foF2. It is shown that there can be large discrepancies between model and experimental values of the total electron content TEC after this adaptation. Improvement can be provided by the use of an empirical model of the ionospheric slab thickness τ. This conclusion is based on analysis of contributions of various correction factors connected with foF2 and τ into discrepancies between model and experimental values of TEC.     

Solar and magnetic control on night-time enhancement in TEC near the crest of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly

The ionospheric Total Electron Content (TECs), derived by dual frequency signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS) recorded near the Indian equatorial anomaly region, Bhopal (23.2°N, 77.4°E, Geomagnetic 14.2°N) were analyzed for the period of January, 2005 to February, 2008. The work deals with monthly, diurnal, solar and magnetic activity variations on night-time enhancement in TEC. From a total of 157 night-time enhancements, 75 occur during pre-midnight and 82 post-midnight hours. The occurrence of night-time enhancement in TEC is utmost during summer months, followed by equinox and winter months. The occurrence of night-time enhancement in TEC decreases with increase in solar and magnetic activities. We observed that peak size and half amplitude duration are positively correlated, while time of occurrence of night-time enhancement in TEC and time of peak enhancement are negatively correlated with solar activity. The peak size, half amplitude duration, time of peak enhancement and time of occurrence of night-time enhancement in TEC shows negative correlation with magnetic activity. The results have been compared with the earlier ones and discussed in terms of possible source mechanism responsible for the enhancement at anomaly crest region.     

Variation of ionospheric total electron content in Taiwan region of the equatorial anomaly from 1994 to 2003

The ionospheric total electron content (TEC) in the northern hemispheric equatorial ionospheric anomaly (EIA) region is studied by analyzing dual-frequency signals of the Global Position System (GPS) acquired from a chain of nine observational sites clustered around Taiwan (21.9–26.2°N, 118.4–112.6°E). In this study, we present results from a statistical study of seasonal and geomagnetic effects on the EIA during solar cycle 23: 1994–2003. It is found that TEC at equatorial anomaly crests yield their maximum values during the vernal and autumnal months and their minimum values during the summer (except 1998). Using monthly averaged I_c (magnitude of TEC at the northern anomaly crest), semi-annual variations is seen clearly with two maxima occurring in both spring and autumn. In addition, I_c is found to be greater in winter than in summer. Statistically monthly values of I_c were poorly correlated with the monthly Dst index (r = −0.22) but were well correlated with the solar emission F_10.7 index (r = 0.87) for the entire database for the period during 1994–2003. In contrast, monthly values of I_c were correlated better with Dst (r ? 0.72) than with F_10.7 (r ? 0.56) in every year during the low solar activity period (1994–1997). It suggests that the effect of solar activity on I_c is a longer term (years), whereas the effect of geomagnetic activity on I_c is a shorter term (months).