Role of Equatorial Anomaly in Earthquake time precursive features: A few strong events over West Pacific zone

The earthquake (EQ) time coupling processes between equator-low-mid latitude ionosphere are complex due to inherent dynamical status of each latitudinal zone and qualified geomagnetic roles working in the system. In an attempt to identify such process, the paper presents temporal and latitudinal variations of ionization density (foF₂) covering 45°N to 35°S, during a number of earthquake events (M?>?5.5). The approaches adopted for extraction of features by the earthquake induced preparatory processes are discussed in the paper through identification of parameters like the ‘EQ time modification in density gradient’ defined by δ?=?(foF_{2 max}???foF_{2 min})∕τ_mm, where τ_mm – time span (in days) between EQ modified density maximum and minimum, and the Earthquake time Equatorial Anomaly, i.e. EEA, one of the most significant phenomenon which develops even during night time irrespective of epicenter position. Based on the observations, the paper presents the seismic time coupling dynamics through anomaly like manifestations between equator, low and mid latitude ionosphere bringing in the global Total Electron Content (TEC) features as supporting indices.     

Ballooning activities in Japan

The Scientific Balloon Center of ISAS/JAXA has carried out two balloon campaigns at Sanriku, Iwate, Japan every year. Ten to twelve balloon vehicles are launched annually for scientific and engineering experiments. Since 2005, a Brazilian balloon campaign has also been conducted in cooperation with INPE. In the 2006 Brazilian campaign, large and heavy payloads up to 1500 kg for astronomy will be launched. New generation balloons, such as super-pressure balloons and high-altitude balloons with ultra-thin films, are being developed. The current status and prospect of the Japanese scientific ballooning are discussed.     

Geostationary station acquisition maneuvers for the “CS” spin-stabilized communication satellite

Attitude reorientation maneuvers were conducted three times on the transfer orbit to obtain the apogee kick motor firing attitude of the Medium Capacity Geostationary Communication Satellite for Experimental Purposes (CS) on the third apogee. After two attitude and five orbit maneuvers on the drift orbit, the CS attained geostationary orbit with station keeping accuracy of ±0.1° seven days after launch.     

Deriving the Absolute Reflectance of Lunar Surface Using SELENE (Kaguya) Multiband Imager Data

The absolute reflectance of the Moon has long been debated because it has been suggested (Hillier et al. in Icarus 151:205–225, 1999) that there is a large discrepancy between the absolute reflectance of the Moon derived from Earth-based telescopic data and that derived from remote-sensing data which are calibrated using laboratory-measured reflectance spectra of Apollo 16 bulk soil 62231. Here we derive the absolute reflectance of the lunar surface using spectral data newly acquired by SELENE (Kaguya) Multiband Imager and Spectral Profiler. The results indicate that the reflectance of the Apollo 16 standard site, which has been widely used as an optical standard in previous Earth-based telescopic and remote-sensing observations derived by Multiband Imager, is 47% at 415 nm and 67% to 76% at 750 to 1550 nm of the value for the Apollo 16 mature soil measured in an Earth-based laboratory. The data also suggest that roughly 60% of the difference is caused by the difference in soil composition and/or maturity between the 62231 sampling site and the Apollo 16 standard site and that the remaining 40% difference can be explained by the difference between the compaction states of the laboratory and the actual lunar surface. Consideration of the compaction states of the surface soil demonstrates its importance for understanding the spectral characteristics of the lunar surface. We also explain and evaluate data analysis procedures to derive reflectance from Multiband Imager data.     

马赫数4二维直管内拟似冲击波实验和数值研究

通过计算流体力学数值仿真和高速彩色纹影照片显示技术对马赫数4拟似冲击波进行研究。实验是在日本室兰工业大学的压力—真空型超声速风洞中进行的。数值计算是采用三阶精度的QUICK格式和Spalart-Allmaras湍流模型进行的。用实验验证CFD模型,计算结果与实验显示出较好的一致性。可以得出结论,从目前的CFD模型获得的计算结果是精确的。因而,实验很难获得的拟似冲击波流场内部一些流动量可以通过数值仿真结果进行分析。另外,推测了马赫数4拟似冲击波非对称的原因。     

Generation of Atmospheric Gravity Waves in the Polar Thermosphere in Response to Auroral Activity

Atmospheric gravity wave (AGW) is a typical phenomenon in the upper atmosphere. At mid/low latitudes, climatological sources such as unstable barometric activity in the troposphere play an important role to generate AGWs in the thermosphere. While these sources are also important at high latitudes, energy input from the magnetosphere has additional large contributions to AGW generation. This paper reviews previous studies of AGWs associated with auroral activity at high latitudes. Theoretical studies have indicated that Joule/particle heating and the Lorentz force are major processes for generating AGWs in the thermosphere. Many observations show that AGWs can propagate horizontally for thousands of km from the source region. The paper summarizes equations regarding AGW generation by Joule/particle heating and the Lorentz force, and discusses the relative importance of these two processes.     

Sounding rocket experiment of bare electrodynamic tether system

An overview of a sounding rocket, S-520-25th, project on space tether technology experiment is presented. The project is prepared by an international research group consisting of Japanese, European, American, and Australian researchers. The sounding rocket will be assembled by the ISAS/JAXA and will be launched in the summer of 2009. The sounding rocket mission includes two engineering experiments and two scientific experiments. These experiments consist of the deployment of bare electrodynamic tape tether in space, a quick ignition test of hollow cathode system in space, the demonstration of bare electrodynamic tether system in space, and the test of the OML (orbital-motion-limit) current collection theory.     

Ballooning Instability as a Mechanism of the Near-Earth Onset of Substorms

After introducing a mathematical definition of the tail-like equilibrium and the dipole-like equilibrium in the magnetosphere, it is shown by using physical intuition based on the Energy Principle that the incompressible assumption for the ballooning instability is more valid for the tail-like configuration when the unstable ballooning mode is strongly localized near the equator. Therefore, before the substorm onset, the near-Earth plasma sheet becomes more tail-like and more likely to be subject to the ballooning instability without the stabilizing influence of the compressibility, when the critical plasma due to the stabilizing tension force is exceeded. The onset of the ballooning instability in the near-Earth plasma sheet seems promisingly relevant to the substorm onset phenomena. Also, the effect of the stochastic plasma dynamics on the ballooning and interchange instabilities is clearly shown.     

KIBO (Japanese Experiment Module in ISS) operations—2008/3–2009/10

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched its own first manned experiment facility in space called the KIBO (Japanese Experiment Module, JEM) in 2008 and 2009 and started operations as part of International Space Station (ISS). To accomplish this Operation, JAXA made its own ground facility in Tsukuba, Japan, called Space Station Integration and Promotion Center (SSIPC). Ground personnel at SSIPC called the JEM Flight Control Team (JFCT) operate the KIBO and have learnt many lessons during its operation. In this presentation, some topics are chosen and explained such as (1) crew/ground personnel interaction and (2) planning lessons learned for manned space activities.     

Verification of IRI plasma temperature at great altitude by satellite data

Electron temperature data obtained aboard two satellites are compared with the IRI model. Our comparison may serve as an input to a future version of IRI. HINOTORI data show IRI90 to predict night time T_e quite well with the exception of a few peculiar phenomena, in particular a morning overshoot at height around 600 km and anomalous T_e observations of AKEBONO for the first time allowed to extend reliably the temperature profile up to − 8000km. This profile clearly depends on local time at all invariant latitudes. The data suggest strong influence of solar activity on electron temperature.