磁正午附近极光强度与沉降粒子能量关系的参数模型

极光是日地能量耦合过程中粒子沉降到极区电离层的最直观表现,对于理解地球空间环境及预测空间天气具有重要作用.本文利用2003-2009年的北极黄河站的多波段地面极光观测,结合DMSP卫星粒子沉降探测,对磁正午附近的极光强度与沉降粒子沉降能量之间的关系进行了定量研究.统计结果表明,在10-13磁地方时(MLT)630.0 nm的极光发光占主导,以低能粒子沉降为主;而在13-14MLT,630.0 nm/427.8 nm极光强度比值降低,沉降粒子能量较高.另外,利用极光强度与沉降电子的能通量以及极光强度比值与平均能量之间的函数关系,初步建立了北极黄河站磁正午附近极光强度与沉降粒子能量关系的反演参数模型,为将来空间天气的监测服务.     

基于星点的全天空极光图像参数标定及其验证

全天空极光成像仪是地基极光观测研究的重要仪器设备,从其拍摄的全天空图像数据中能获得极光形态、尺度、激发强度等重要物理参数,因而精确标定全天空图像,对准确获取极光相关物理参数极为重要.本文提出了一种基于星点位置信息对全天空图像进行标定的方法,通过该方法可以确定全天空图像参数(天顶在全天空图像中的像素点位置,地理方位以及视野范围内成像半径与天顶角的关系).利用电离层卫星探测到的极光沉降电子能谱中的"倒V"结构与极光弧之间的对应关系,对星点标定方法获取的全天空图像参数进行了验证.结果显示卫星穿越的"倒V"结构宽度(60±6km、102±6km)与同时全天空极光成像仪观测到的卫星穿越的极光弧宽度(64.7±7km、111.6±7km)几乎一致,这表明本文提出的全天空极光图像参数的星点标定方法是有效和准确的.     

午后极光强度与行星际磁场的相关

利用1997年和199年南极中山站多通道扫描光度计的地面观测数据和WIND卫星在弓激波上游对行星际磁场(IMF)的观测数据,对午后高纬极光强度与IMF各分量、以及时钟角之间的相关进行了定量研究. 统计表明,630nm的强度Ir随IMF Bx的增大而减小,其线性相关系数为-0.3;而557.7nm的变化趋势与此相反,其相关系数要低得多. 630nm的强度随IMF By的变化曲线为一"V"形结构,其谷底在By=-3nT附近;557.7nm的强度也有相似的变化趋势,其谷底的位置在By=-2nT附近. 极光强度随IMF Bz的变化曲线为一倒着的"Z"字形结构. 630nm的强度随IMF的模B的增大而增强,其线性相关系数达到0.9,而557.7nm与B之间的相关性要差得多. 极光强度随IMF时钟角的变化曲线为一倒"V"结构,其反转点在θ=130°附近.     

日侧伴随电子加速的离子上行事件的分布特征

本文基于2005年1月和7月DMSP F13卫星的观测数据,研究了日侧伴随电子加速的顶部电离层离子整体上行事件的分布特征.结果表明,离子上行主要发生在磁纬70°～80°MLAT范围内,加速电子磁层源区对应低纬边界层和等离子体片边界层;冬季上行存在明显的“晨昏不对称性”,主要发生在晨侧(06∶00—09∶00 MLT),夏季上行主要发生在磁正午(09∶00—15∶00 MLT),以磁正午为中心近似呈对称分布,并且冬季离子上行发生率显著高于夏季;离子上行发生率在中等地磁活动时期显著增强,上行区域随着地磁活动的增强向低纬度方向扩展;行星际磁场B_x>0时,对应等离子体片边界层13∶00—18∶00 MLT和06∶00—09∶00 MLT区域内上行发生率增加,行星际磁场B_y的方向会导致上行高发区以磁正午为中心发生反转,行星际磁场南向时,上行发生率增强;冬季离子上行平均速度高于夏季.     

磁暴期间高纬顶部电离层离子上行特征——DMSP卫星观测

本文利用DMSP F13和F15卫星观测数据,对2001—2005年58个磁暴(-472 nT≤Min.Dst≤-71 nT)期间高纬顶部电离层离子整体上行特征进行了统计研究.观测表明,磁暴期间,顶部电离层离子上行主要发生在极尖区和夜间极光椭圆区.在北半球,磁正午前,高速的离子上行(≥500 m·s^-1)多集中在65° MLat以上;午后,高速离子上行区向低纬度扩展,上行速度要略高于午前;在南半球,磁午夜前,DMSP卫星在考察区域内几乎所有的纬度上都观测到了高速上行的离子;午夜后,各纬度上观测到上行离子的速度明显降低.离子上行期间,DMSP卫星在极区顶部电离层高度上也频繁地观测到电子/离子增温,且电子增温发生的频率要远高于离子增温.O⁺密度变化分析显示,DMSP卫星磁暴期间观测到的上行离子更多地源于顶部电离层高度.这些结果表明电子增温在驱动暴时电离层离子整体上行过程中起着重要作用.     

南极中山站电离层的极区特征

本文利用1996年的电离层数字测高仪DPS-4所测的f0F2、f0E以及美国NOAA和DMSP卫星观测估算的半球功率指数和午夜极光区赤道侧边界纬度等资料,考察中山站电离层的极区特征。结果表明,在太阳和地磁宁静环境下,冬季极夜磁正午中山站处于极隙区中心时,电离层内的电离密度达全天的最大值;上、下午各有数小时间隔位极光带内时,高能粒子的电离作用也很重要;夜间进入极差区后,电子密度则很低。夏季极昼时,太阳EUV辐射的电离效应使电离层电离密度比冬季值大许多,而且,日变化的最大值时间也提前了1~2h,强磁扰时,极隙区和极光带均向低纬侧移动;中山站上空的电子密度会大幅度下降。在中等扰动环境下情况要加复杂：磁正午前后极隙区内软粒子沉降的电离强度有所减小,而上、下午极光区的高能粒子电离则有较大增加。     

极光电集流纬度变化特征初步分析

为研究极光电集流地磁纬度分布特征,利用北半球SME台站提供的极光电集流指数,通过时序叠加的方法,分析98-07年极光电集流中心地磁纬度随季节和世界时的分布特征.通过对磁扰程度的分级,分析极光电集流地磁纬度随地磁扰动程度的变化特征.结果表明:1)由于SME台站覆盖范围更广,更多地记录到最大的极光电集流强度,有利于研究极光电集流的变化特征;2)西向板光电集流纬度分布存在与强度相反的季节性变化特征,在春秋出现最低值,冬季、夏季出现最高值;3)在| SML|＜2000 nT时,西向极光电集流地磁纬度随着极光电集流强度的增强,近似以线性关系向低纬迁移.随后伴随SML的进一步增强,西向极光极光电集流中心地磁纬度仍有向低纬迁移的趋势,但主要是在磁纬62°N-63°N之间波动.     

大尺度场向电流及其与单色极光电子的联系--Swarm卫星观测

Swarm卫星A/C在480km左右高度伴飞,通过二者磁场观测数据,可在不需假设无限大垂直电流片的情况下更加真实地计算出场向电流(FAC).本文利用最新的Swarm观测数据,研究了大尺度场向电流的时空分布特征,及其对行星际条件的依赖;结合极光沉降粒子时空分布信息,探究了场向电流可能载流子及其源区.分析发现:(1)IMF Bz分量主要控制FAC的强度大小,By分量主要改变FAC的结构与分布,最为明显的是0区FAC;(2)昏侧1区上行FAC与单色极光电子的高发区域具有较高的重合度,且在不同行星际条件下均表现出相类似的纬度分布;(3)在上述区域内,FAC密度与单色极光电子能通量表现出较好的相关性.这表明单色极光电子对昏侧1区上行电流起着重要贡献.     

地基观测的夜侧极光对行星际激波的响应

行星际激波与地球磁层相互作用通常会导致日侧极光活动增强,随后沿着极光卵的晨昏两侧向夜侧扩展的激波极光.行星际激波也可能直接导致夜侧扇区极光活动增强,甚至沉降粒子能通量的数量级可以与典型亚暴相比拟.本文首次利用我国南极中山站和北极黄河站连续多年积累的极光观测数据,对行星际激波与地球磁层相互作用期间地面台站在夜侧扇区(18—06MLT)观测的极光响应进行了分析.对18个极光观测事件的分析结果表明:行星际激波与磁层相互作用可以在夜侧触发极光爆发和极光微弱增强或静态无变化事件;太阳风-磁层能量耦合的效率以及磁层空间的稳定性决定着行星际激波能否触发极光爆发.     

基于行星际/太阳风和地磁条件的紫外极光卵边界建模和预测

极光卵的尺度大小与太阳风-磁层-电离层能量耦合过程紧密相关,准确预测其大小对空间天气研究和预报具有非常重要的意义.本文基于模糊c均值聚类算法,从Polar卫星紫外极光图像中自动提取极光卵边界数据(~1215000个赤道向边界点和~3805000极向边界点),统计分析其与太阳风等离子体、行星际磁场、地磁指数等之间的相关特性,并构建了以行星际、太阳风为模型参数(模型1)和以行星际、太阳风及地磁指数为模型参数(模型2)的2种极光卵边界多元回归模型.以模型预测的极光卵边界与实际极光卵边界之间的平均绝对误差作为模型评价标准,将本文预测模型与Carbary(2005)模型和Milan(2009)模型进行了对比.结果表明,模型2对极光卵极向、赤道向边界预测的平均绝对误差为1.55和1.66地磁纬度,优于Carbary和Milan模型(Carbary模型极向、赤道向边界的平均绝对误差为2.18和5.47地磁纬度,Milan模型极向、赤道向边界的平均绝对误差为1.71地磁纬度和1.90地磁纬度).     

Auroral glow equatorward from the auroral oval

On the basis of observations for the IGY period (visoplots) it is shown, that during magnetic storms diffuse glow is detected at all latitudes between the lowest latitude of the visually observed auroral glow at the zenith and the auroral oval. The diffuse glow region spatially coincides with the region of soft electron precipitation extending equatorward from the boundary of the oval to the latitude of the plasmopause projections along the magnetic force lines to the ionosphere. Using published materials on the diffuse glow dynamics and SAR arcs at the Yakutsk meridian, as well as simultaneous measurements of the DMSP F9 satellite, we discuss the contribution from low-energy electron precipitation transfered via convection toward Earth from the magnetosphere’s plasma sheet to excitation of 630.0 nm emission in low-intensity (<1.0 kR) SAR arcs.     

Synoptic distribution of dayside aurora: Multiple-wavelength all-sky observation at Yellow River Station in Ny-Ålesund,Svalbard

Observations acquired from three-wavelength (427.8, 557.7 and 630.0 nm) all-sky imagers (ASIs) at Yellow River Station (YRS) in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, are used to examine the synoptic distribution of dayside aurora. The results demonstrate that the maximum emission regions (MERs) at each wavelength are all located in the postnoon sector, but have rather different magnetic local time (MLT) distributions from each other. The so-called 15 MLT “hot spot” is the overlapping region of the MERs at three wavelengths, and the prenoon “warm spot” is characterized uniquely by an increase of emissions at the 557.7 nm wavelength. The detailed dayside auroral spectra and morphology as a function of MLT are discussed.     

Probing discrete auroral arcs by ionospheric tomography

Optical observations of 557.7 nm and 630.0 nm emissions from discrete auroral arcs in the post-noon sector have been related to localised field-aligned enhancements in the spatial distribution of E- and F-layer electron density respectively seen in images reconstructed by ionospheric tomography. Results from two case studies are presented in which meridian scanning photometer and all-sky camera observations on Svalbard have been compared to electron-density structures found by tomographic inversion of measurements made by reception of radio signals at a chain of four stations at high latitude. The F-layer features are long-lived and show exact correspondence to the red-line emissions. Transient arcs in green-line intensity result in E-region structures that are resolved in one case, but not in another where the dynamic auroral forms are separated by less than one degree of latitude. The signature of an inverted-V precipitation event is clearly evident in one example.     

Features of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pc</Emphasis>5 pulsations in the geomagnetic field,auroral luminosity,and Riometer absorption

Simultaneous morning Pc5 pulsations (f ~ 3–5 mHz) in the geomagnetic field, aurora intensities (in the 557.7 and 630.0 nm oxygen emissions and the 471.0 nm nitrogen emission), and riometer absorption, were studied based on the CARISMA, CANMOS, and NORSTAR network data for the event of January 1, 2000. According to the GOES-8 satellite observations, these Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations are observed as incompressible Alfvén waves with toroidal polarization in the magnetosphere. Although the Pc5 pulsation frequencies in auroras, the geomagnetic field, and riometer absorption are close to one another, stable phase relationships are not observed between them. Far from all trains of geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations are accompanied by corresponding auroral pulsations; consequently, geomagnetic pulsations are primary with respect to auroral pulsations. Both geomagnetic and auroral pulsations propagate poleward, and the frequency decreases with increasing geomagnetic latitude. When auroral Pc5 pulsations appear, the ratio of the 557.7/630.0 nm emission intensity sharply increases, which indicates that auroral pulsations result from not simply modulated particle precipitation but also an additional periodic acceleration of auroral electrons by the wave field. A high correlation is not observed between Pc5 pulsations in auroras and the riometer absorption, which indicates that these pulsations have a common source but different generation mechanisms. Auroral luminosity modulation is supposedly related to the interaction between Alfvén waves and the region with the field-aligned potential drop above the auroral ionosphere, and riometer absorption modulation is caused by the scattering of energetic electrons by VLF noise pulsations.     

Dayside auroras during unusually large positive values of the IMF <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis></Subscript> component

The characteristics of dayside auroras during the large (16–24 nT) positive values of the IMF B _z component, observed on January 14, 1988, during the interaction between the Earth’s magnetosphere and the body of the interplanetary magnetic cloud, have been studied based on the optical observations on Heiss Island. A wide band of diffuse red luminosity with an intensity of 1–2 kilorayleigh (kR) was observed during 6 h in the interval 1030–1630 MLT at latitudes higher than 75° CGL. Rayed auroral arcs, the brightness of which in the 557.7 nm emission sharply increased to 3–7 kR in the postnoon sector immediately after the polarity reversal of the IMF B _y component from positive to negative, were continuously registered within the band. Bright auroral arcs were observed at the equatorward edge of red luminosity. It has been found out that the red auroral intensity increases and the band equatorward boundary shifts to lower latitudes with increasing solar wind dynamic pressure. However, a direct proportional dependence of the variations in the auroral features on the dynamic pressure variations has not been found. It has been concluded that the source of bright discrete auroras is located in the region of the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) on closed geomagnetic field lines. The estimated LLBL thickness is ∼3 R _e . It has been concluded that the intensity of the dayside red band depends on the solar wind plasma density, whereas the position of the position equatorward boundary depends on the dynamic pressure value and its variations.     

Nighttime subvisual high-latitude auroras

Special methods for processing TV images have been used to study the characteristics of nighttime auroras based on the observations at high-latitude observatories on Spitsbergen. Weak subvisual auroras (SVAs), originating 3°–4° north of brighter auroras in the auroral oval, have been detected in the interval 1900-0400 MLT. The average lifetime of SVAs is approximately 7 min, and the average velocity of the equatorward shift is ～0.6 km/s. SVAs were observed during relatively quiet periods, when the IMF B _z component is mainly positive. However, SVAs are not polar-cap auroras since they are oriented from east to west rather than toward the Sun. The optical observations indicate that the SVA intensity is 0.2–0.5 and 0.1–0.3 kR in the 630 and 557.7 nm emissions, respectively. The average ratio of the emission intensities (I ₅₅₇₇/I ₆₃₀₀) is about 0.5. According to the direct satellite observations, the SVA electron spectrum has a maximum at 0.4–1.0 keV. In this case the energy flux of precipitating electrons is approximately an order of magnitude as low as such a flux in brighter auroral arcs in the auroral oval.     

Ratios of the I 630.0/I 427.8 and I 557.7/I 427.8 emission intensities in auroras

More than 3800 measurements of the 630.0, 557.7, and 427.8 nm emission intensities have been statistically manipulated, and the dependences of the I ₆₃₀/I _427.8 and I _557.7/I _427.8 ratios on the I _427.8 nm emission intensity have been obtained. The I ₆₃₀/I _427.8 ratio decreases from 2 to 0.4 when the I _427.8 nm emission intensity increases from 0.1 to 3 kR. In the I _427.8 nm emission range 0.1–1.8 kR, the I _557.7/I _427.8 ratio tends to increase and takes the values 4.2–6.4. The experimental results have been confirmed by theoretical calculations. The obtained I _557.7/I _427.8 ratios suggest that the NO density at a maximum of its height profile is on the average 10⁸ cm^?3 in typical nighttime auroras.     

Response of dayside auroras to abrupt increases in the solar wind dynamic pressure at positive and negative polarity of the IMF <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis></Subscript> component

The optical observations on Heiss Island (Φ′ = 75.0°) have been used to study the characteristics of auroras in the near-noon MLT sector after abrupt increases in the solar wind dynamic pressure at negative and positive polarity of the IMF B _z component. It has been found out that the 427.8 and 557.7 nm emission intensities considerably increased at B _z < 0 both equatorward of the dayside red luminosity band and within this band. The value of the emission intensities at a red luminosity maximum (I ₆₃₀₀/I ₅₅₇₇ ∼ 0.5) indicates that energetic electron precipitation is of the magnetospheric origin. At B _z > 0, fluxes of harder (E > 1 keV) precipitating electrons were superimposed on the soft spectrum of precipitating particles in the equatorial part of the red luminosity band. This red band part was hypothetically caused by the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) on closed lines of the geomagnetic field, the estimated thickness of which is ∼3 R _e . The 557.7 nm emission intensity increased during 3–5 min after SC/SI and was accompanied by the displacement of the red band equatorward boundary toward lower latitudes. The displacement value was ∼150–200 km when the dynamic pressure abruptly increased by a factor of 3–5. After SC/SI, the 630.0 nm emission intensity continued increasing during 16–18 min. It is assumed that the time of an increase in the red line intensity corresponds to the time of saturation of the magnetospheric boundary layers with magnetosheath particles after an abrupt increase in their density.