Are small-scale field-aligned currents and magnetosheath-like particle precipitation signatures of the same low-altitude cusp?

We examined some 75 observations from the low-altitude Earth orbiting DMSP, Ørsted and CHAMP satellites which were taken in the region of the nominal cusp. Our objective was to determine whether the actually observed cusp locations as inferred from magnetosheath-like particle precipitation (“particle cusp”) and intense small-scale magnetic field variations (“current cusp”), respectively, were identical and were consistent with the statistically expected latitude of the cusp derived from a huge number of charged particle spectrograms (“statistical cusp”).     

考虑旋翼调制影响的直升机RCS特性分析及评估

考虑旋翼调制的影响,建立了适合于直升机全机雷达散射截面(RCS)特性计算的“面元-边缘法”.兼顾计算效率和精度,在外形变化剧烈地区域,网格进行加密处理,并保证电磁网格密度和尺度满足雷达波波长大小的比例关系.以桨盘倾倒方式计入桨叶的挥舞和变距运动,采用准静态法模拟旋翼对全机RCS特性的影响.分析了某直升机RCS极化、姿态、频率响应特性,并根据直升机RCS和雷达探测距离关系,提出了4级预警机制和角域范围.研究表明:旋翼转动时全机RCS动态响应具有连续性和对称性,振荡区散射水平强,RCS幅值为-5~12dB ·m2;奇数片桨叶比偶数片桨叶的RCS减缩2~5dB ·m2,且有利于控制直升机RCS包络线和散射峰值的时域响应,增强雷达隐身性能.      

Controlling factors of Region 2 field-aligned current and its relationship to the ring current: Model results

One essential component of magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling is the closure of the ring current through Region 2 field-aligned current (FAC). Using the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM), which includes magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling by solving the kinetic equation of ring current particles and the closure of the electric currents between the two regions, we have investigated the effects of high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity, plasma sheet density and different magnetic field models on the development of Region 2 field-aligned currents, and the relationship between R2 FACs and the ring current. It is shown that an increase in high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity or plasma sheet density generally results in an increase in Region 2 FACs’ intensity, but R2 FACs display different local time and latitudinal distributions for changes in each parameter due to the different mechanisms involved. Our simulation results show that the magnetic field configuration of the inner magnetosphere is also an important factor in the development of Region 2 field-aligned current. More numerical experiments and observational results are needed in further our understanding of the complex relationship of the two current systems.     

On electromagnetic phenomena in Mercury’s magnetosphere

Mercury has a small but intriguing magnetosphere. In this brief review, we discuss some similarities and differences between Mercury’s and Earth’s magnetospheres. In particular, we discuss how electric and magnetic field measurements can be used as a diagnostic tool to improve our understanding of the dynamics of Mercury’s magnetosphere. These points are of interest to the upcoming ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury.     

Electric currents from thunderstorms to the ionosphere during a solar cycle: Quasi-static modeling of the coupling mechanism

Conduction and displacement currents, and their sum the Maxwell current, generated over a thunderstorm (TS) with recurrent lightning discharges are investigated theoretically. The aim is to study better the influence of different factors on these currents, which form the link between thunderstorms and the ionosphere in the global atmospheric electrical circuit. The factors studied concern the thunderstorm characteristics (the charge separation current, and the lightning discharge parameters), as well as the atmospheric and cloud conductivity. Some of these factors may show long-term changes with the 11-year solar cycle, possibly realized through an inverse dependence of the cosmic ray flux on solar activity. Earlier investigations have suggested that the lightning-related charge redistribution and subsequent relaxation, rather than the high intensity current, is mainly the source of the energy coupled to the ionosphere. With respect to this, a quasi-electrostatic analytical model is proposed, based on Maxwell’s equations. The currents are generated by a TS modeled as a positive vertical dipole with charges which are first accumulated and then destroyed by lightning. Our computations show that the mean and peak values of the conduction and total Maxwell currents to the ionosphere depend significantly on the charge moment change. The mean currents are also sensitive to the reduction of the conductivity in thunderclouds. Small variations of the stratospheric conductivity (20% at geomagnetic latitude 40° and 40–50% at 55°) with the solar activity do not influence the currents to the ionosphere very much.     

地球磁层极尖区场向电子事件期间能量特性研究

根据Cluster卫星2001年9月30日在北半球极尖区观测到的一次强扰动场向电子事件数据,分析研究了这次事件期间场向电子的能量特性,讨论了场向电子对太阳风能量向磁层的传输和磁层-电离层耦合过程中能量传输的作用.分析认为,这次电子扰动事件期间电子速度和密度都具有很强的扰动变化,电子速度增加是一个主要特点.本次事件中低能段5~200eV和500~1500eV内的能谱分析结果表明,上行电子通量大于下行电子通量,上行电子主要来源于电离层,说明电离层上行电子在本次事件中具有非常活跃的作用.根据电离层中带电粒子的能量特征分析结果可知,这次事件中电离层起源的上行电子在上行过程中得到了加速.关于加速机制问题还有待深入研究.     

亚暴起始地磁指数判断的统计研究

利用2004年地磁西向电急流 AL指数, 亚暴电急流AE指数和场向电流AF指数来确定亚暴起始, 并与2004年亚暴极光起始进行对比. 研究发现, 如果以极光亚暴起始为时间零点, 亚暴的西向电急流AL起始和电急流AE起始主要分布于-5~+6 min的时间范围内, 但在-9~+9 min的时间范围内也有个别事例. 场向电流 AF 起始分布较宽, 可以分布于-8~+7 min的时间范围内. 平均西向电急流AL起始, 电急流AE起始和场向电流AF起始分别为0.5, 0.5, -0.1min. 通常西向电急流AL起始与极光起始同时的概率最高, 而多数情况下电急流AE起始和场向电流AF起始提前极光起始1min. 这些地面磁场指数确定的亚暴起始分布, 随着亚暴强度的增大(即最小AL指数减少, 最大AE指数增大, 最大AF指数增大)而向极光亚暴起始靠近. 对于5个超级亚暴来说, 其西向电急流AL起始和电急流AE起始都发生在极光起始之前. 这些结果说明对于大亚暴, 电急流的增加要早于极光爆发.     

带中心锥航空发动机腔体电磁散射特性数值研究

为了研究中心锥顶角和电磁波入射方位改变对航空发动机腔体的电磁散射特性的影响,采用物理光学(PO)法和等效棱边电磁流(EEC)法,对带中心锥发动机腔体在C波段入射频率f=6 GHz下进行电磁散射计算。计算结果表明:在水平极化下入射角为4°~28°范围内,中心锥顶角30°的发动机腔体的雷达散射截面(RCS)值较小;由等效电流图上得到特定角度下发动机腔体散射强弱分布,为发动机腔体关键散射区域采取隐身措施以提高隐身性能提供参考。     

直升机旋翼桨叶动态RCS特性研究

从时域和频域两方面,对直升机动态旋翼的RCS特征进行了较全面研究,即不仅考虑旋翼的旋转运动,而且还考虑桨叶的变距、挥舞和桨盘倾斜等引起RCS的动态效应。以NACA0012为翼型的直平翼作为直升机旋翼桨叶,建立旋翼桨叶的几何模型,采用物理光学和等效电磁流法,计算各种运动情况下旋翼RCS的时域曲线,然后,用准静态法计算一个周期内的平均多普勒频谱,最后,对连续的瞬时频谱进行时间-频谱分析,得到一些重要研究结果。     

球面收敛二元喷管电磁散射特性

采用迭代物理光学法和等效边缘电磁流法,对球面收敛二元喷管电磁散射特性进行研究.计算分析了该喷管电磁散射的构成及散射机理、散射场的空间分布特性、散射的频率特性,分别计算和对比分析了电磁波在俯仰平面和偏航平面入射时喷管在中间和最大两种状态下的电磁散射情况.研究表明该喷管在垂直极化下边缘绕射场对散射总场的贡献在大角度下体现.电磁波入射频率越高,该喷管后向散射越强烈,雷达散射截面分布对姿态角度越敏感.