利用COSMIC低轨卫星对GPS信号的顶部TEC观测资料研究等离子体层电子含量的变化特征

本文尝试利用COSMIC低轨卫星对GPS信号的顶部TEC观测资料研究等离子体层电子含量(简称PEC)的变化规律.首先介绍从低轨卫星对GPS的顶部TEC观测资料提取等离子体层垂直电子含量的方法,然后利用该方法提取2008年全年的PEC数据,进而研究了2008年这一太阳活动低年PEC随地磁纬度(MLAT)、磁地方时(MLT)以及不同季节的变化规律.此外,还利用提取的120°E和300°E经度链上的数据对比研究了PEC的经度变化情形.研究结果表明:(1)PEC主要集中分布在磁赤道±45°之间的一个绕地球的环带状区域中;(2)PEC表现出以下的昼夜变化规律特征:白天时段之值高于夜间,约在12—16MLT之间达到最高峰值,而最小PEC值出现在日出前大约4—5MLT左右的时段;(3)相比其他季节月份而言,PEC在北半球夏季月份(5—8月)具有最小值;(4)PEC存在明显的经度变化,不同经度链上的PEC存在不同的季节变化特征.     

地球等离子体层顶与地磁活动的关系研究

本文利用IMAGE卫星EUV相机观测的等离子体层图像，并采用最小L算法反演磁赤道面等离子体层顶位置.文中选取了2000-2002年间的3579幅等离子体层图像，并反演得到了时间间隔为1 h的等离子体层顶位置数据库，包含48899个等离子体层顶位置数据.利用该数据库统计研究了等离子体层顶位形随地磁活动的变化特性.统计发现等离子体层顶高度依赖地磁活动，与地磁指数Kp、Dst和AE均呈负相关，且等离子体层顶随地磁指数的变化趋势具有显著的MLT分布特性；亚暴活动对等离子体层顶演化的贡献在不同地磁活动期间有所不同，磁暴期间亚暴活动的贡献小，而地磁平静期亚暴的贡献大.本文研究工作为后续建立等离子体层顶模型和了解等离子体层顶的动态结构提供了重要研究基础.     

基于Van Allen Probes EMFISIS波动仪器观测的内磁层上频带哨声合声波全球分布的统计分析

基于Van Allen Probes近三年的EMFISIS仪器波动观测数据,针对内磁层上频带哨声模合声波幅度的全球分布特性对地磁活动水平的依赖性进行了详细的统计分析,着重研究上频带合声波平均场强幅度随磁壳值(L)、磁地方时(MLT)、地磁纬度(MLAT)的分布特征及不同强度区间的合声波的发生概率.结果表明,上频带合声波的平均场强幅度与地磁活动条件密切相关,在强磁扰期,平均幅度可达到40 pT以上.在外辐射带中心区域(L=4~6),上频带合声波的幅度最强;在L~3的区域,上频带磁层合声波没有分布.在夜侧至晨侧(22—09MLT),上频带合声波幅度最强;在下午侧至昏侧(15-19MLT),上频带合声波幅度最弱;日侧(10-14MLT)上频带合声波在不同地磁活动条件下都存在,幅度偏小.上频带合声波主要分布在|MLAT|10°,其中21-09MLT范围内、磁纬位于|MLAT丨5°的平均场强幅度最强,磁扰期间可达约100 pT.另外,统计而言,中等幅度(10~30 pT)的上频带合声波在夜侧至晨侧(23-09MLT)靠近磁赤道区域的发生率最高,可达15%左右.强幅度(30 pT)的上频带合声波普遍分布在夜侧(01-05MLT),发生率最小.本文建立的上频带哨声模合声波的全球分布模型结合已经建立的下频带合声波的全球分布模型,将有助于进一步深入理解该重要磁层等离子体波动对地球等离子体片、辐射带、环电流动力学过程的定量贡献.     

基于VAP卫星的等离子体层顶电子密度波动统计分析

基于范艾伦辐射带探测卫星的观测数据(2012年9月至2015年11月),收集了584个等离子体层顶密度波动事件,研究了这些事件分布随磁地方时、磁壳值以及地磁活动的变化关系,并使用快速傅里叶变换分析了全部事件平均功率谱.统计结果表明,等离子体层顶密度波动事件主要发生在磁地方时黄昏扇区,其分布与磁地方时和地磁活动具有明显的相关性.等离子体层顶密度波动在1～100mHz区间内具有接近-5/3的功率谱斜率,表明存在二维磁流体动力学湍流.本文统计结果将有助于进一步深入理解等离子体层顶密度波动在内磁层中能量传输的具体作用,并且将促进对等离子体层顶波动的激发、增强与传播过程的进一步研究.     

基于THEMIS卫星数据的等离子体层顶位置模型

利用2010~2011年的THEMIS卫星观测的卫星电位数据反演电子密度,并用来确定等离子层顶的位置,研究其与地磁指数的关系.利用观测数据得到了一个THEMIS卫星等离子体层顶位置数据库.利用该数据库建立了新的等离子体层顶位置的磁地方时经验模型,并比较了其与现有的四个等离子体层顶位置经验模型的优劣.发现新建立的等离子体层顶位置模型明显优于其余四个经验模型.在模型的三种输入参数中,Kp指数和Dst指数模型的预测效果相当,并明显优于AE指数的模型,这说明磁层的大尺度对流强度是影响等离子体层顶位置最主要的因素.     

顶部电离层和等离子体层电子密度分布——基于GRACE星载GPS信标测量的CT反演

本文利用两颗跟飞的GRACE卫星载GPS信标测量数据和基于差分相对TEC的层析算法,实现了全球范围的顶部电离层和等离子体层(450~5000 km) 层析成像.反演结果表明,利用低轨道卫星载GPS信标测量数据可以有效地重建顶部电离层和等离子体层的全球二维分布图像.对不同地磁活动条件下的天基层析反演结果表明,等离子体层电子密度随纬度的分布是不均匀的;在低纬赤道带,从顶部电离层向上延伸直到等离子体层,以及等离子体层中局地的电离增强云团,经常出现近似垂直于磁力线的电子密度柱状增强结构.     

基于LANL卫星的等离子体层顶位置模型改进

本文利用RBSP-A卫星在强磁暴和中等磁暴条件下测得的电子密度数据,对Goldstein等人在2019年构造的等离子体层顶位置动态解析模型进行了误差检验.发现在日侧区域,特别是羽状区的模型计算结果与观测数据存在较大误差,平均误差达到32.31%.为了改进模型的误差情况,我们利用LANL卫星数据对1998年到2006年间的14次中等磁暴情况下,日侧羽状区的等离子体层顶位置进行了统计.结果表明,随着磁暴时期(-12 h≤T epoch≤4 h)的变化,羽状区在接近磁暴峰值时会产生西漂,而在峰值之后迅速收缩并东漂.针对这种现象,我们分4个时段,对这一时期的模型进行了修改.改进后的模型在羽状区的平均误差从27.34%下降到20.2%,准确度提高了26%,得到的模型计算结果更符合卫星观测值.     

基于卫星观测的上游等离子体β与磁层顶厚度、速度等特征参数关系的统计研究

基于Cluster(C3)卫星的观测数据,本文统计分析了 2001年至2009年的低纬(GSE坐标系下纬度小于45°)侧翼晨(磁地方时MLT＜08)、昏(MLT＞16)两侧磁层顶的特征.分别用法拉第残差最小化分析法(MFR分析)和DeHoffmann-Teller分析法(HT分析)计算了磁层顶厚度、运动速度以及平均电流密度等参数.收集了近磁层顶磁鞘侧的β值(等离子体热压磁压之比),并应用瓦伦测试划分了磁层顶的旋转不连续和切向不连续.结果表示,磁层顶的晨昏两侧存在明显的不对称,即晨侧磁层顶厚度更厚、运动也更加活跃.上游β值由近日侧到磁尾整体上表现出下降趋势,但在昏侧部分区域出现异常升高,通过分析β值对磁层顶厚度和运动速度的影响发现,更高的上游β值对应的磁层顶厚度更薄,运动速度更高,但是上游β的晨昏不对称并不是造成磁层顶厚度和运动速度晨昏不对称的主要原因,本文认为,磁层顶参数的晨昏不对称可能并不是由单一的上游参数造成的.最后,高β对研究区域内的磁层顶瓦伦关系有破坏作用.     

地磁扰动期间等离子体层顶结构的模拟研究

本文选取2001年6月8-10日的一个亚暴事件,模拟了在这期间等离子体层的结构演化过程.选取Weimer(2001模式)电场和Tsyganenko(1996模式)磁场作为背景电磁场,基于E×B的漂移运动计算磁赤道面内的带电粒子分布,模拟磁扰期间的等离子体层变化.模拟了等离子体层顶的结构和形状,结果有羽状、肩状和通道状结构,与同一时间点的EUV/IMAGE探测结果一致.     

基于非相干散射雷达和GPS观测研究Millstone Hill地区等离子体层电子含量

本文尝试结合非相干散射雷达和GPS TEC观测数据提取等离子体层总电子含量(PTEC).我们首先描述所用的技术方法,然后具体利用了Millstone Hill台站的观测数据研究该地区上空等离子体层总电子含量(PTEC)的变化情况.我们采用变化标高的Chapman函数对非相干散射雷达测得的电子浓度剖面数据进行拟合,然后通过对剖面积分得到100 km到1000 km高度范围的电离层总电子含量.GPS提供的TEC数据为高度达20200 km的总电子含量,两者之差可近似看成等离子体层的电子含量.本文分别选取太阳活动高年(2000, 2002年)和太阳活动低年(2005,2008年)Millstone Hill台站的静日数据进行研究.结果表明,等离子体层电子含量及其所占GPS TEC的比例具有明显的周日变化.PTEC含量在白天高于夜间,而所占GPS TEC的百分比,夜间明显高于白天.太阳活动高年所选月份等离子体层电子含量在4~14 TECU (1TECU=10¹⁶el/m²) 范围内变化,夜间所占比例可达60%左右.太阳活动低年所选月份等离子体层电子含量在3~7 TECU范围内变化,所占比例夜间最高可达80%左右.我们所得到的结果与前人基于其它观测手段所得结果在变化趋势上一致,在量级上也大致相当.因此,这从一个侧面证明了我们所用方法的可靠性.非相干散射雷达能够探测包括F2层峰值以下及以上高度的电子浓度,利用这一设备所观测得到的资料来推算电离层电子含量将比前人基于电离层垂测仪观测资料进行的推算更具真实性,由此得到的等离子体层电子含量也将更为接近真实情况.     

利用IMAGE卫星观测数据重建地球等离子体层的磁赤道面分布

美国利用IMAGE卫星的极紫外辐射（EUV）探测器对地球等离子体层进行了连续5年的遥感成像观测。由于IMAGE卫星数据是沿观测路径上的积分投影数据，并且存在地球“遮挡”、“阴影”、“数据缺失”等问题，无法直接利用传统的CT方法对等离子体层进行三维重建。本文利用地球磁场模型，基于地球等离子体层的物理性质，建立一个联系地球磁赤道面密度与投影数据的EUV成像模型，实现了从单个角度的EUV观测图像进行地球等离子层三维重构的方法。      

Kalman filter-based algorithms for monitoring the ionosphere and plasmasphere with GPS in near-real time

Data collected from a GPS receiver located at low latitudes in the American sector are used to investigate the performance of the WinTEC algorithm [Anghel et al., 2008a, Kalman filter-based algorithm for near realtime monitoring of the ionosphere using dual frequency GPS data. GPS Solutions, accepted for publication; for different ionospheric modeling techniques: the single-shell linear, quadratic, and cubic approaches, and the multi-shell linear approach. Our results indicate that the quadratic and cubic approaches perform much better than the single-shell and multi-shell linear approaches in terms of post-fit residuals. The performance of the algorithm for the cubic approach is then further tested by comparing the vertical TEC predicted by WinTEC and USTEC [Spencer et al., 2004. Ionospheric data assimilation methods for geodetic applications. In: Proceedings of IEEE PLANS, Monterey, CA, 26–29 April, pp. 510–517] at five North American stations. In addition, since the GPS-derived total electron content (TEC) contains contributions from both ionospheric and plasmaspheric sections of the GPS ray paths, in an effort to improve the accuracy of the TEC retrievals, a new data assimilation module that uses background information from an empirical plasmaspheric model [Gallagher et al., 1988. An empirical model of the Earth's plasmasphere. Advances in Space Research 8, (8)15–(8)24] has been incorporated into the WinTEC algorithm. The new Kalman filter-based algorithm estimates both the ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron contents, the combined satellite and receiver biases, and the estimation error covariance matrix, in a single-site or network solution. To evaluate the effect of the plasmaspheric component on the estimated biases and total TEC and to assess the performance of the newly developed algorithm, we compare the WinTEC results, with and without the plasmaspheric term included, at three GPS receivers located at different latitudes in the American sector, during a solar minimum period characterized by quiet and moderate geomagnetic conditions. We also investigate the consistency of our plasmaspheric results by taking advantage of the specific donut-shaped geometry of the plasmasphere and applying the technique at 12 stations distributed roughly over four geomagnetic latitudes and three longitude sectors.     

Global plasmaspheric TEC and its relative contribution to GPS TEC

The plasmaspheric electron content is directly estimated from the global positioning system (GPS) data onboard JASON-1 Satellite for the first time. Similarly, the ground-based GPS total electron content (TEC) is estimated using about 1000 GPS receivers distributed around the globe. The relative contribution of the plasmaspheric electron content to the ground-based GPS TEC is then estimated globally using these two independent simultaneous measurements; namely ground-based GPS TEC and JASON-1 GPS TEC. Results presented here include data from 3 months of different solar cycle conditions (October 2003, May 2005, and December 2006). The global comparison between the two independent measurements was performed by dividing the data into three different regions; equatorial, mid- and high-latitude regions. This division is essential as the GPS raypaths traverse different distances through the plasmasphere at different latitudes. The raypath length through the plasmasphere decreases as latitude increases. The relative contribution of the plasmaspheric electron content exhibits a diurnal variation that depends on latitude with minimum contribution (10%) during daytime and maximum (up to 60%) at night. The contribution is also maximum at the equatorial region where the GPS raypath traverses a long distance through the plasmasphere compared to its length in mid- and high-latitude regions. Finally, the solar cycle variation of plasmaspheric contribution is also reported globally.     

Proposal for an ionosphere/plasmasphere monitoring system

A space-based satellite system suited for long-term monitoring of the Earth’s ionosphere/plasmasphere systems is proposed. The monitoring system consists of a network of radio beacon satellites capable of measuring the ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron content on a continuous base with high time resolution. It takes advantage of the geometrical relationship between the orbit of geostationary satellites and the position of the plasmapause region characterized by a steep electron density gradient. A combination of geostationary and nongeostationary satellites may explore the three-dimensional structure of the plasmasphere. Taking into account plasmaspheric characteristics some criteria for an effective arrangement of the satellites are derived and discussed. Since the plasmapause position is very sensitive to changes or distortions in the solar wind and the related geomagnetic activity, a continuous monitoring of the position of the plasmapause would be helpful in understanding solar-terrestrial relationships.     

Dynamics of the plasmasphere in the dusk sector as observed in the outer ionosphere

Summary Direct measurements of the thermal plasma parameters in the topside ionosphere reveal variations of the plasmasphere boundary in the dusk sector. The ACTIVE satellite's near-polar orbits at altitudes of 500 – 1800 km around winter solstice 1989 were used to study the bulge region of the plasmasphere during intervals with different levels of geomagnetic agitation. The narrow, sharply defined trough in electron concentration corresponding to the plasmapause under quiet conditions situated at L = 6 – 7 moved to lower L-values with increasing geomagnetic activity. This narrow trough can be found in all main ion constituents. During periods of moderate geomagnetic activity, following the onset of a weak magnetic storm, a portion of the plasmaspheric bulge region was separated from the main plasmaspheric body. This can be seen in the outer ionosphere as an inner narrow trough at lower L-value. Troughs in light ions need no longer coincide with this in electron concentration. He⁺ is the most sensitive constituent reflecting the dusk sector plasmaspheric situation at this altitude.Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Karel P     

Modeling of properties of the plasmasphere under quiet and disturbed conditions

Based on theoretical models of the ionosphere and the plasmasphere, the ion composition variations in the plasmasphere and the plasmapause structure were studied depending on the choice of the distribution model of the magnetospheric convection electric field at low and high geomagnetic activity at the equinox and the December solstice. Based on the model calculations performed, the plasmapause shape and size during an increase and decrease in geomagnetic activity were studied. It was revealed that the size of the plasmasphere mainly depends on the magnetic local time (MLT) sector and the level of geomagnetic activity, and it greatly depends on the maximum universal time during the equinox. The Earth’s plasmasphere asymmetry is manifested in the noon-midnight and morning-evening directions. The analysis results of daily and seasonal variations in the ionic composition of the Earth’s plasmasphere at a moderate solar activity level show that there is a certain increase in the ion concentrations of H⁺ and He⁺ in the winter period probably due to an increase in the exospheric density at the summer to winter transition. The data obtained are in good agreement with satellite observations which makes it possible to use the model proposed to study the plasmasphere under different geophysical conditions.     

On the role of collective interactions in asymmetric ring current formation

The contribution of resonant wave-particle interactions to the formation and decay of the magnetospheric ring current is analysed in the framework of a self-consistent set of equations which take into account azimuthal plasmasphere asymmetry. It is shown that the cyclotron interaction of westward drifting energetic protons with Alfven waves in the evening-side plasmaspheric bulge region leads to the formation of a ring current asymmetry located near 18:00 MLT. The time-scale of this asymmetry is determined by the proton drift time through the plasmaspheric bulge and is about 1 - 3 h. A symmetrical ring current decays mainly due to charge exchange processes. The theory is compared with known experimental data on ions and waves in the ring current and on low-latitude magnetic disturbances. New low-latitude magnetometer data on the magnetic storm of 24 - 26 July 1986 are also discussed. The model presented explains the observed localization of an asymmetrical ring current loop in the evening sector and the difference in relaxation time-scales of the asymmetry and the D_st index. It also explains measured wave turbulence levels in the evening-side plasmasphere and wave observation statistics.