Pearl-type micropulsations at mid-latitude; their relation to whistlers,solar and geomagnetic activity as well as ionospheric absorption

The occurrence of pearl-type (Pc 1) micropulsations recorded at the mid-latitude station Nagycenk (Hungary) during a half solar cycle showed a quite regular variation on this long time scale. Around solar activity maximum, the number of days with Pc 1 occurrence was rather low, while it began to increase during medium solar activity rising to a maximum around solar activity minimum. Pc 1 pulsations have been analyzed in relation to further parameters and on a shorter time scale, too. Based on data of 2 years with maximum Pc 1 occurrence (around solar activity minimum in 1985 and 1986), a seasonal variation was also found. Additionally, it was confirmed that pearl-type micropulsations might frequently occur, on and after days, with geomagnetic disturbances. At Nagycenk, the selected geomagnetic disturbances were generally associated with an increased ionospheric absorption of radio waves caused by enhanced ionization due to particle precipitation from the magnetosphere into the lower ionosphere. Whistler observations carried out at Panska Veš (a station in the Czech Republic) showed a significant whistler activity connected with these geomagnetic disturbances, however, no after-effect appeared in whistler activity. One of the main goals of the present study was to find a relationship between Pc 1 pulsations and whistlers. Results revealing an increased whistler activity associated with Pc 1 occurrences confirm our previous findings rather convincingly. The latter ones hinted at the probability that certain magnetospheric configurations, e.g. geomagnetic field line shells and whistler ducts are closely connected, as similar positions of the two structures were found within the magnetosphere when characteristics of Pc 3 pulsations and whistlers were analyzed.     

Geomagnetic and sunspot activity associations and ionospheric effects of lightning phenomena at Trivandrum near dip equator

From a study of thunder/lightning observations in Trivandrum (near dip equator) for selected years between 1853 and 2005, we could find an inverse relation of the same with sunspot activity and associations with enhancements in diurnal range of local geomagnetic declination. The results seem to suggest lightning-associated modulation of E-region dynamo currents in the equatorial ionosphere and the thunderstorm activity near dip equator probably acts as a moderator to regulate electric potential gradient changes in the global electric circuit due to solar activity changes.     

北京地区闪电活动与气溶胶浓度的关系研究

基于2015—2017年北京闪电定位网(BLNET)总闪资料与35个自动空气质量监测站PM2.5数据,分析了北京地区(39.5°N—41.0°N,115.0°E—117.5°E)夏季(6—8月)闪电活动与PM2.5的时空分布特征,同时针对117次雷暴天气,探讨了气溶胶浓度变化对闪电活动的可能影响.结果表明:PM2.5浓度及总闪密度均呈现自西北向东南升高的空间分布特征.闪电峰值在污染背景下出现的时间(19∶00LT)晚于清洁背景下(15∶00LT)约4h,且总闪百分比(～20%)可达清洁背景下(～9%)的两倍.对雷暴前1～4h的PM2.5浓度与时间窗(12∶00—22∶00LT)内总闪数目的中位数进行相关分析,发现PM2.5浓度低于130μg·m-3时,PM2.5与总闪数存在明显正相关,此时气溶胶可能通过影响云微物理过程进而影响雷暴的对流发展,增强闪电活动;PM2.5大于150μg·m-3时,总闪数随PM2.5浓度的增加呈减少趋势,可能的原因是高气溶胶浓度下地面太阳辐射显著下降,对流活动受到抑制,导致闪电活动减少.当PM2.5浓度在130～150μg·m-3时,两者关系不明显.     

Lightning activity and precipitation structure of hailstorms

By using the cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning location data from the lightning detection network of He- nan Province, surface Doppler radar data and standard orbit data of PR, TMI and LIS on TRMM satellite, the spatial and temporal characteristics of CG lightning flashes in 10 severe hailstorms are analyzed. The results show that the percentage of CG lightning in these hailstorms is high with an average value of 45.5%. There is a distinct increase in CG flash rate during the rapid development stage of hailstorms. The hailstone falling corresponds to an active positive flash period, and the increase of CG flash rate is generally accompanied with a decrease of –CG flash rate. The flash rate declines rapidly during the dissipating stage of hailstorms. The precipitation structure and lightning activity in two typical hail- storms are studied in detail. It is found that strong convective cells with reflectivity greater than 30dBZ mainly are situated in the front region of hailstorms, whereas the trailing stratiform region is in the rear part of the hailstorms. The maximum heights of echo top are higher than 14 km. Convective rain con- tributes much more rainfall to the total than stratiform rain, and the convective rain takes about 85% and 97% of the total in the two cases, respectively. Total lightning in the hailstorms is very active with the flash rate up to 183 fl/min and 55 fl/min, respectively. The results also indicate that most lightning flashes occurred in the echo region greater than 30 dBZ and its immediate periphery. The probability of lightning occurrence is 20 times higher in the convective region than in the stratiform region. The result suggests that the lightning information is helpful to the identification of convective rain region. The linear relationship between flash rate and ice water content is disclosed primarily.     

高纬日侧电离层离子上行的地磁活动依赖性研究

本文对比分析了太阳活动高、低年期间高纬日侧顶部电离层离子上行随地磁活动水平的变化特征.按地磁活动水平,将DMSP卫星在太阳活动高年（2000-2002年,F13和F15）及太阳活动低年（2007-2009年,F13;2007-2010年,F15）期间的SSIES离子漂移速度观测数据分为三组：地磁平静期（Kp<3）,中等地磁扰动期（3 ≤ Kp < 5）和强地磁活动期（Kp ≥ 5）,分别统计分析了高纬日侧顶部电离层离子上行特征的时空分布.对比分析发现：（1）太阳活动低年期间,高纬日侧电离层离子上行发生率以及上行速度峰值均是太阳活动高年的2倍多,而离子上行通量峰值只有高年的1/6-1/4;（2）在相同太阳活动条件下,地磁活动水平对日侧电离层离子上行发生率峰值的影响并不明显,但对离子上行发生率的空间分布有着显著的控制作用：电离层离子上行高发区随地磁活动向低纬度扩展,并在强地磁活动期间呈现饱和的趋势;（3）日侧顶部电离层等离子体似乎存在两个效率相当的上行区域,一个位于极尖/极隙区纬度附近,离子可沿开放磁力线上行进入磁尾;另一个位于晨侧亚极光区附近,离子沿闭合磁力线上行,有可能进入日侧等离子体层边界层.     

VHF ionospheric scintillations near the equatorial anomaly crest: solar and magnetic activity effects

The paper presents a study of solar and magnetic activity effects on VHF ionospheric scintillations recorded during three and half years at Bhopal, a station near the northern crest of the equatorial anomaly in India. During E- (equinox) and D- (winter) months, scintillations occur mainly in the pre-midnight period whereas during J- (summer) months their occurrence is larger in the post-midnight period. Very intense scintillations (>20 dB) mainly occur in the pre-midnight period, and in the post-midnight period, the scintillations are generally moderate (5–10 dB) or weak (<5 dB). The nocturnal scintillation occurrence decreases with the decrease in solar activity from 1989 to 1992. Monthly mean scintillation occurrence changes according to solar activity during E- and D-months but not so during J-months. The effects of magnetic activity on scintillations vary with season and, in general, inhibit the scintillation occurrence in the pre-midnight period and enhance it a little in the post-midnight period, especially after 0300 hours IST (Indian Standard Time). For most of the severe magnetic storms in which Dst goes below −125 nT and the recovery phase starts in the post-midnight to dawn local time sector, strong post-midnight scintillations, which sometimes extend for several hours beyond the local sunrise, are observed.     

基于智能语音技术的闪电哨声波自动识别

闪电哨声波是一种重要的电磁波动,了解其传播特征及传播过程有助于揭开圈层电磁耦合机理.从卫星观测资料识别闪电哨声波通常需要将原始电磁波形进行滤波处理再转化为时频图像,最后采用目视方法识别图像中的色散状形态,整个过程消耗大量人机时间和内存资源,不能满足张衡一号(ZH-1)卫星观测的海量电磁场数据处理的需求.针对该问题,鉴于...     

太阳活动高、低年东亚中、低纬地区扩展F特性比较研究

扩展F(Spread-F)作为重要的电离层不规则结构之一,对电波传播、导航、通讯等有重要的影响,因此对其时、空特性的研究一直倍受重视.本文通过分析低纬海南台站和中纬长春与乌鲁木齐台站的测高仪数据,比较研究了太阳活动高、低年我国中、低纬地区夜间电离层扩展F的发生特性.扩展F发生率特性主要体现在:无论低纬还是中纬太阳活动低年扩展F发生率最大值高于太阳活动高年;无论太阳活动高年还是低年低纬站扩展F发生率最大值高于中纬站.细节特征主要体现在:首先,三台站在太阳活动高、低年扩展F发生率都存在双峰结构.太阳活动高年,低纬海南站双峰结构集中在春、秋分季节,而中纬站则集中在冬、夏季节,扩展F较容易发生的地方时低纬站主要集中在子夜前,而中纬站则偏向子夜后;在太阳活动低年,中、低纬双峰结构都出现在冬、夏季节,低纬海南站扩展F较突出的出现在子夜前后,而中纬台站则主要出现在子夜及子夜后.其次,双峰结构中的细节表现不同,如低纬海南站太阳活动高年扩展F较容易发生在春分季节,但2月和4月份发生率都比较高而且接近,而太阳活动低年扩展F较容易发生在夏季月份,但5月和7月的发生率也都比较高且接近,且太阳活动高、低年低纬主峰峰值非常接近,不像中纬地区有明显的差异等.本文针对实测数据进行了详细的分析并结合已有研究进行了细致的讨论.     

Characteristics of VHF radiowave scintillations over a solar cycle (1983–1993) at a low-latitude station: Waltair (17.7°N, 83.3°E)

The characteristics of VHF radiowave scintillations at 244 MHz (FLEETSAT) during a complete solar cycle (1983–93) at a low-latitude station, Waltair (17.7°N, 83.3°E), are presented. The occurrence of night-time scintillations shows equinoctial maxima and summer minima in all the epochs of solar activity, and follows the solar activity. The daytime scintillation occurrence is negatively correlated with the solar activity and shows maximum occurrence during the summer months in a period of low solar activity. The occurrence of night-time scintillations is inhibited during disturbed days of high solar activity and enhanced during low solar activity.     

The spatial relationship between active regions and coronal holes and the occurrence of intense geomagnetic storms throughout the solar activity cycle

We study the annual frequency of occurrence of intense geomagnetic storms (Dst < –100 nT) throughout the solar activity cycle for the last three cycles and find that it shows different structures. In cycles 20 and 22 it peaks during the ascending phase, near sunspot maximum. During cycle 21, however, there is one peak in the ascending phase and a second, higher, peak in the descending phase separated by a minimum of storm occurrence during 1980, the sunspot maximum. We compare the solar cycle distribution of storms with the corresponding evolution of coronal mass ejections and flares. We find that, as the frequency of occurrence of coronal mass ejections seems to follow very closely the evolution of the sunspot number, it does not reproduce the storm profiles. The temporal distribution of flares varies from that of sunspots and is more in agreement with the distribution of intense geomagnetic storms, but flares show a maximum at every sunspot maximum and cannot then explain the small number of intense storms in 1980. In a previous study we demonstrated that, in most cases, the occurrence of intense geomagnetic storms is associated with a flaring event in an active region located near a coronal hole. In this work we study the spatial relationship between active regions and coronal holes for solar cycles 21 and 22 and find that it also shows different temporal evolution in each cycle in accordance with the occurrence of strong geomagnetic storms; although there were many active regions during 1980, most of the time they were far from coronal holes. We analyse in detail the situation for the intense geomagnetic storms in 1980 and show that, in every case, they were associated with a flare in one of the few active regions adjacent to a coronal hole.     

ULF wave occurrence statistics in a high-latitude HF Doppler sounder

Ultra low frequency (ULF) wave activity in the high-latitude ionosphere has been observed by a high frequency (HF) Doppler sounder located at Tromsø, Norway (69.71°N, 19.2°E geographic coordinates). A statistical study of the occurrence of these waves has been undertaken from data collected between 1979 and 1984. The diurnal, seasonal, solar cycle and geomagnetic activity variations in occurrence have been investigated. The findings demonstrate that the ability of the sounder to detect ULF wave signatures maximises at the equinoxes and that there is a peak in occurrence in the morning sector. The occurrence rate is fairly insensitive to changes associated with the solar cycle but increases with the level of geomagnetic activity. As a result, it has been possible to characterise the way in which prevailing ionospheric and magnetospheric conditions affect such observations of ULF waves.     

基于电磁卫星的闪电哨声波智能检测算法的研究进展

闪电哨声波作为探索空间物理环境的重要媒介,淹没在海量的电磁卫星数据中.近年来随着计算机视觉和深度学习等人工智能技术的发展,从电磁卫星的存档数据中自动检测闪电哨声波的算法取得了一定的效果.本文对近年来闪电哨声波智能检测算法的文献进行了整理和总结.首先,阐述闪电哨声波在电磁卫星数据中呈现的时频特征和类型;然后,介绍了闪电哨声波智能检测算法的流程并从闪电哨声波的特征提取、分类和定位三个方面对主要的智能检测算法进行归纳、总结和评述;其次,简述了闪电哨声波智能检测模型的评价指标;接着,在张衡一号(ZH-1)卫星的磁场数据上对三种典型的闪电哨声波智能检测算法进行复现,并对三种算法的优缺点进行了较深入的分析;最后,对基于电磁卫星的闪电哨声波智能检测的研究领域进行总结和展望.     

Some unusual discrete VLF emissions observed at a low-latitude ground station at Agra

A detailed analysis of the VLF emissions data obtained during occasional whistler campaigns at the low-latitude ground station Agra (geomagnetic latitude 17°1 N, L = 1.15) has yielded some unusual discrete VLF emissions of the rising type. These include (1) emissions occurring at time intervals increasing in geommetrical progression, (2) emissions occuring simultaneously in different frequency ranges and (3) emissions observed during daytime. In the present study, the observed characteristics of these emissions are described and interpreted. It is shown that the increasing time delay between different components of the emissions match closely with the propagation time delays between different hops of a whistler of dispersion 19 s^1/2, the unusual occurrence of the emissions in two different frequency ranges approximately at the same time may possibly be linked with their generation at two different locations, and the occurrence of emissions during daytime may be due to propagation under the influence of equatorial anomaly.     

On the prediction of relativistic electron fluence based on its relationship with geomagnetic activity over a solar cycle

A study has been carried out to determine the relationship between high energy relativistic (>2 MeV) electron fluence and auroral zone geomagnetic activity for a solar cycle. Data for 1987–1997, spanning Solar Cycle 22, were used in the study. The relativistic electron fluence data were based on fluxes observed by the GOES geosynchronous satellites. The geomagnetic data were the DRX indices derived from a Canadian magnetic observatory located in the auroral zone at Fort Churchill, near the footprint of field lines passing through geostationary satellites. This work, based on data from a solar cycle, confirms earlier findings using limited data from segments of a solar cycle of enhancement in fluence 2–3 days after increases in geomagnetic activity, and shows the cycle dependence of fluence with respect to geomagnetic activity. This study underlines the influence of recurrent coronal holes on fluence level as well as the possible role of Pc5 magnetic pulsations as an electron acceleration mechanism, and highlights the predictability of fluence from ground geomagnetic data. A fluence prediction algorithm can now solely be based on derived expressions relating fluence and DRX. Thus, a simple fluence prediction scheme can easily be implemented to provide a 2–3 day advance warning of space weather conditions hazardous to geosynchronous satellites, since during days of high fluence, the likelihood of internal charging in a satellite is high, with possible discharges that could result in satellite operational anomalies. For verification purpose, daily values of fluence for 1997–2000 and for January 1994 were postcast using the derived expressions. The postcast values were validated, and the results give credence to the fluence prediction scheme.     

太阳活动千年尺度的准周期性波动

2004年,Solanki等人利用树木年轮中δ14C含量变化重建的太阳黑子数序列研究太阳活动的论文被Nature发表,该黑子序列自1895年起向历史时期延伸了11400年.本文采用最大熵谱分析方法和小波变换方法分析了这一重建的太阳黑子序列,重点讨论太阳活动在千年尺度上的周期性波动.结果表明,太阳活动的长期变化中存在接近千年和略大于两千年的准周期信号,以及可能存在约7千年的波动,得到了这些准周期分量的参数.这些准周期分量的周期长度和振幅是随着时间变化的,文中给出了它们的时变图象并讨论了它们的时变特征.     

Correlations between deep convection and lightning activity on a global scale

Satellite observations of cloud top temperature and lightning flash distribution are used to examine the relationship between deep convection and lightning activity over the tropical regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. In agreement with previous work, the analysis of the results shows that, in the summer of both hemispheres, the lightning activity in continental deep convective storms is more intense than that in marine deep convective storms by a factor of between 7 and 10. Furthermore, it was observed that on average the daily lightning rate per 1°×1° grid cell for the southern hemisphere (SH) is about 20% greater than that of the northern hemisphere (NH), which can be attributed to a larger fractional cover by deep convective clouds in the SH. By using a set of independent indicators, it is shown that deep convection and lightning activity over land are well correlated (with correlation coefficients of 0.8 and 0.6 for NH and SH, respectively). This suggests the capacity for observations to act as a possible method of monitoring continental deep convective clouds, which play a key role in regulating the Earth’s climate. Since lightning can be monitored easily from ground networks and satellites, it could be a useful tool for validating the performance of model convective schemes and for monitoring changes in climate parameters.     

Time variations of geomagnetic activity indices Kp and Ap: an update

Kp and Ap indices covering the period 1932 to 1995 are analysed in a fashion similar to that attempted by Bartels for the 1932–1961 epoch to examine the time variations in their characteristics. Modern analysis techniques on the extended data base are used for further insight. The relative frequencies of occurrence of Kp with different magnitudes and the seasonal and solar cycle dependences are seen to be remarkably consistent despite the addition of 35 years of observations. Many of the earlier features seen in the indices and special intervals are shown to be replicated in the present analysis. Time variations in the occurrence of prolonged periods of geomagnetic calm or of enhanced activity are presented and their relation to solar activity highlighted. It is shown that in the declining phase the occurrence frequencies of Kp = 4–5 (consecutively over 4 intervals) can be used as a precursor for the maximum sunspot number to be expected in the next cycle. The semiannual variation in geomagnetic activity is reexamined utilising not only the Ap index but also the occurrence frequencies of Kp index with different magnitudes. Lack of dependence of the amplitude of semiannual variation on sunspot number is emphasised. Singular spectrum analysis of the mean monthly Ap index shows some distinct periodic components. The temporal evolution of 44 month, 21 month and 16 month oscillations are examined and it is postulated that while QBO and the 16 month oscillations could be attributed to solar wind and IMF oscillations with analogous periodicity, the 44 month variation is associated with a similar periodicity in recurrent high speed stream caused by sector boundary passage. It is reconfirmed that there could have been only one epoch around 1940 when solar wind speed could have exhibited a 1.3-year periodicity comparable to that seen during the post-1986 period.     

Comparison between IRI predictions and digital ionosonde measurements of hmF2 at New Delhi during low and moderate solar activity

This paper deals with the diurnal and seasonal variations of height of the peak electron density of the F2-layer (hmF2) derived from digital ionosonde measurements at a low–middle-latitude station, New Delhi (28.6°N, 77.2°E, dip 42.4°N). Diurnal and seasonal variations of hmF2 are examined and comparisons of the observations are made with the predictions of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2001) model. Our study shows that during both the moderate and low solar activity periods, the diurnal pattern of median hmF2 reveals a more or less similar trend during all the seasons with pre-sunrise and daytime peaks during winter and equinox except during summer, where the pre-sunrise peak is absent. Comparison of observed median hmF2 values with the IRI during moderate and low solar activity periods, in general, reveals an IRI overestimation in hmF2 during all the seasons for local times from about 06 LT till midnight hours except during summer for low solar activity, while outside this time period, the observed hmF2 values are close to the IRI predictions. The hmF2 representation in the IRI model does not reproduce pre-sunrise peaks occurring at about 05 LT during winter and equinox as seen in the observations during both the solar activity periods. The noontime observed median hmF2 values increase by about 10–25% from low (2004–2005) to high solar activity (2001–2002) during winter and equinox, while the IRI in the same time period and seasons shows an increase of about 10–20%. During summer, however, the observed noontime median hmF2 values show a little increase with the solar activity, as compared to the IRI with an increase of about 12%.     

Quasi-biennial and quasi-triennial oscillations in geomagnetic activity indices

Data for geomagnetic activity index aa for 1868–1994 were subjected to spectral analysis for 12 intervals each of 11 consecutive years. In each interval, QBO and QTO (quasi-biennial and quasi-triennial oscillations) were observed at ∼ 2.00, 2.15, 2.40, 2.70 y and ∼ 3.20, 3.40 y, but not all in all intervals. These fluctuations are absent near (2–3 y before and after) the sunspot minima and are present only as 2 or 3 peaks in aa indices, one near or before the sunspot maximum and the other (one or two, generally the larger ones) in the declining phase of the sunspot cycle. Comparison with the solar wind (1965 onwards) showed a fairly good match, indicating that the aa variations were mostly due to similar variations in the solar wind, which must have their origin in solar physical processes. A few aa variations did not match with solar wind. When compared with terrestrial phenomena, no match was found with stratospheric low-latitude zonal wind QBO; but some QTO in aa matched QTO in ENSO (El Nino/ Southern Oscillation). This may or may not be a chance coincidence and needs further exploration.     

Difference in the air temperatures between the years of solar activity maximum and minimum and its mechanism

Based on large set of observational data (for ∼100 years), it has been demonstrated that the air temperature at midlatitudes in the years close to solar activity maximum is on average higher than in other years by DT = 0.11–0.15 degrees at many meteorological stations. The DT parameter is negative and smaller in magnitude near the equator and poles. A correct (in the energetic sense) physical mechanism by which solar and geomagnetic activities affect the ground level air temperature has been proposed.