Midday reversal of equatorial ionospheric electric field

A comparative study of the geomagnetic and ionospheric data at equatorial and low-latitude stations in India over the 20 year period 1956–1975 is described. The reversal of the electric field in the ionosphere over the magnetic equator during the midday hours indicated by the disappearance of the equatorial sporadic E region echoes on the ionograms is a rare phenomenon occurring on about 1% of time. Most of these events are associated with geomagnetically active periods. By comparing the simultaneous geomagnetic H field at Kodaikanal and at Alibag during the geomagnetic storms it is shown that ring current decreases are observed at both stations. However, an additional westward electric field is superimposed in the ionosphere during the main phase of the storm which can be strong enough to temporarily reverse the normally eastward electric field in the dayside ionosphere. It is suggested that these electric fields associated with the V × Bz electric fields originate at the magnetopause due to the interaction of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field.     

Biostratigraphy of Famennian in Hainan Island, South China

On the basis of the faunas including conodonts Palmatolepis gracilis sigmoidalis, P.gracilis gracilis, Polygnathus germanus, which are found for the first time, and corals Cystophrentis kalaohoensis it is confirmed that the Changjiang Formation refers to the Famennian, and may correlate with the Shaodong Formation and Menggongao Formation of central Hunan. This is the only Devonian deposits known in Hainan Island so far. It means that the outstanding problem of whether the Devonian rocks exist in that island is now settled. Meanwhile, the new evidences indicate that the lectostratotype section of Nanhao Formation of Baoting area refers to the Silurian,rather than the Lower Carboniferous as considered by most geologists formerly. Furthermore, the Member 3 of Nanhao Formation at Shilu-Jinbo district is proved to be the Upper Carboniferous,rather than Tournaisian or Middle-Upper Devonian as deemed to be before.     

海南电离层F区不规则体的气辉观测

本文利用子午工程海南富克站(19.5°N,109.2°E)全天空气辉成像仪630 nm波段的气辉图像,通过对气辉原始观测资料进行图像增强、方位校正和图像投影等预处理,得到可清晰识别电离层等离子体泡的图像产品,获得了我国海南地区首次电离层等离子体泡的光学观测结果.在此基础上,分析了等离子体泡的形状、结构、变化、空间尺度和运动速度这些基本特征.研究显示:典型的等离子体泡形状为南北分布的条状,常出现分叉现象,大部分情况整体向西倾斜;东西方向的尺寸为几十到几百公里;典型漂移速度为50~150 m·s-1.统计了2013年9月至2014年5月等离子体泡观测数据,发现其出现的典型季节为9-10月和2-4月、典型时间为日落后1~2个小时并持续1~4个小时左右.     

Middle Devonian-Tournaisian rocks and biota on Hainan Island, South China

On the basis of new paleontological data,the sequence and distributions of the Middle Devonian-Tournaisian rocks on Hainan Island have been sorted out for the first time.The Devonian rocks include the Middle Devonian Jinbo Formation and the Upper Devonian Changjiang Formation,which are distributed in northwestern Hainan Island.The Jinbo Formation is represented by631 m of littoral facies deposits,and was intruded by the Yanshanian granite in the base.The presence of chitinozoans Eisenackitina caster,Funsochitina pilosa,and Lagenochitina amottensis indicates the Givetian in age.The Changjiang Formation is made up of 140 m of neritic facies rocks,and contains the Famennian conodonts Palmatolepis gracilis sigmoidalis,Polygnathus germanus,and corals Cystophrentis kalaohoensis.The Devonian-Tournaisian transition beds,the lower part of the Jishi Formation,are composed of 61–129 m sandstone and siltstone,with gastropods Euomphalus spp.and brachiopods,and marked by conglomerate with the underlying Devonian rocks.The middle-upper part of the Tournaisian Jishi Formation consists of 100–251 m clastic and carbonate rocks,containing abundant corals Pseudoularinia irregularis,conodonts Siphonodella isosticha,trilobites Weberiphillipsia linguiformis,and brachiopods.On the basis of the occurrence of Xinanosprifer flabellum and Homotoma sp.,the Nanhao Formation in southern Hainan Island is now regarded as the Lower Silurian,instead of the previously designated Lower Carboniferous.It is confirmed that no Carboniferous rocks occurred in the area south to the Gancheng-Wanning Fault.     

中国地区电离层TEC暴扰动研究

电离层总电子含量(TEC)是空间天气研究和监测预报的重要参量.本文引入了电离层TEC扰动指数DI, 对青岛等6个台站的DI数据进行分析,选取DI>0.35(DI≤-0.30)作为正(负)相电离层TEC扰动的强度标准,并以连续6 h及以上的DI满足该值来判定电离层TEC暴扰动事件.对电离层TEC暴扰动事件的统计分析表明,在地方时日落后至子夜前为发生高峰时段,正(负)相暴扰动事件平均持续时间约为10.9 h(10.5 h),正相暴发生率以冬季为多,夏季为少,而负相暴则以夏季略高.发现位于赤道异常驼峰区的广州站和位于高中纬度的海拉尔站比典型中纬地区的北京站电离层TEC暴扰动更易发生,且低纬地区以正相暴扰动为主.分析表明,约有70%的电离层TEC暴扰动伴随着有地磁扰动,但是电离层TEC暴扰动并不完全由地磁扰动所引起,强烈气象活动等局地环境因素也可能对电离层TEC暴扰动有着重要影响.     

中国地区电离层TEC暴扰动研究

电离层总电子含量(TEC)是空间天气研究和监测预报的重要参量.本文引入了电离层TEC扰动指数DI, 对青岛等6个台站的DI数据进行分析,选取DI>0.35(DI≤-0.30)作为正(负)相电离层TEC扰动的强度标准,并以连续6 h及以上的DI满足该值来判定电离层TEC暴扰动事件.对电离层TEC暴扰动事件的统计分析表明,在地方时日落后至子夜前为发生高峰时段,正(负)相暴扰动事件平均持续时间约为10.9 h(10.5 h),正相暴发生率以冬季为多,夏季为少,而负相暴则以夏季略高.发现位于赤道异常驼峰区的广州站和位于高中纬度的海拉尔站比典型中纬地区的北京站电离层TEC暴扰动更易发生,且低纬地区以正相暴扰动为主.分析表明,约有70%的电离层TEC暴扰动伴随着有地磁扰动,但是电离层TEC暴扰动并不完全由地磁扰动所引起,强烈气象活动等局地环境因素也可能对电离层TEC暴扰动有着重要影响.     

Response of ionospheric electric fields to variations in the interplanetary magnetic field

The STARE system (Scandinavian Twin Auroral Radar Experiment) provides estimates of electron drift velocities, and hence also of the electric field in the high-latitude E-region ionosphere between 65 and 70 degrees latitude. The occurrence of drift velocities larger than about 400 m/s (equivalent to an electric field of 20 mV/m) have been correlated with the magnitude of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) components B_z and B_y at all local times. Observation days have been considered during which both southward (B_z<0) and northward (B_z>0) IMF occurred. The occurrence of electric fields larger than 20 mV/m increases with increases in B_z magnitudes when B_z<0. It is found that the effects of southward IMF continue for some time following the northward turnings of the IMF. In order to eliminate such residual effects for B_z<0, we have, in the second part of the study, considered those days which were characterized by a pure northward IMF. The occurrence is considerably lower during times when B_z>0, than during those when B_z is negative. These results are related to the expansion and contraction of the auroral oval. The different percentage occurrences of large electric field for B_y>0 and B_y<0 components of the IMF during times when B_z>0, clearly display a dawn-dusk asymmetry of plasma flow in the ionosphere. The effects of the time-varying solar-wind speed, density, IMF fluctuations, and magnetospheric substorms on the occurrence of auroral-backscatter observations are also discussed.     

Two-dimensional electric field measurements in the ionospheric footprint of a flux transfer event

Line-of-sight Doppler velocities from the SuperDARN CUTLASS HF radar pair have been combined to produce the first two-dimensional vector measurements of the convection pattern throughout the ionospheric footprint of a flux transfer event (a pulsed ionospheric flow, or PIF). Very stable and moderate interplanetary magnetic field conditions, along with a preceding prolonged period of northward interplanetary magnetic field, allow a detailed study of the spatial and the temporal evolution of the ionospheric response to magnetic reconnection. The flux tube footprint is tracked for half an hour across six hours of local time in the auroral zone, from magnetic local noon to dusk. The motion of the footprint of the newly reconnected flux tube is compared with the ionospheric convection velocity. Two primary intervals in the PIFs evolution have been determined. For the first half of its lifetime in the radar field of view the phase speed of the PIF is highly variable and the mean speed is nearly twice the ionospheric convection speed. For the final half of its lifetime the phase velocity becomes much less variable and slows down to the ionospheric convection velocity. The evolution of the flux tube in the magnetosphere has been studied using magnetic field, magnetopause and magnetosheath models. The data are consistent with an interval of azimuthally propagating magnetopause reconnection, in a manner consonant with a peeling of magnetic flux from the magnetopause, followed by an interval of anti-sunward convection of reconnected flux tubes.     

海南岛海风雷暴结构的数值模拟

本文利用高分辨率WRF模式对2012年7月20日发生在海南地区的一次海风雷暴过程进行模拟,探讨了海南岛复杂地形下海风雷暴的结构、发展演变过程及其触发机制.结果表明,海南岛北部向内陆传播的海风与南部受地形阻挡的海风相遇后会形成海风辐合带,辐合带能影响当地的散度和涡旋特征,为雷暴的发生发展提供有利的动力和热力学条件.海南岛受热带海洋的影响较大,当地的水汽条件和对流潜势长期保持着有利于对流发展的状态,自由对流高度始终处于较低的位置,一旦海风辐合带来的抬升运动克服对流抑制到达自由对流高度后,对流就能自主地发展起来,所以单纯的海风辐合也常常能触发当地的强雷暴.雷暴发生发展过程中对流参数存在明显的变化,其演变曲线的突变位置对雷暴的发生有一定的指示作用.海南岛的海风雷暴过程与当地的复杂地形密切相关,地形的动力阻挡作用影响着低层海风的辐合以及对流的发展.     

On the connection between the atmospheric electric field measured at the surface and the ionospheric electric field in the Central Antarctica

Regular measurements of the atmospheric electric field made at Vostok Station (φ=78.45°S; λ=106.87°E, elevation 3500 m) in Antarctica demonstrate that extremely intense electric fields (1000–5000 V/m) can be observed during snow storms. Usually the measured value of the atmospheric electric field at Vostok is about 100–250 V/m during periods with “fair weather” conditions. Actual relation between near-surface electric fields and ionospheric electric fields remain to be a controversial problem. Some people claimed that these intense electric fields produced by snowstorms or appearing before strong earthquakes can re-distribute electric potential in the ionosphere at the heights up to 300 km. We investigated interrelation between the atmospheric and ionospheric electric fields by both experimental and theoretical methods. Our conclusion is that increased near-surface atmospheric electric fields do not contribute notably to distribution of ionospheric electric potential.     

The response of the azimuthal component of the ionospheric electric field to auroral arc brightening

We have analyzed the response of azimuthal component of the ionospheric electric field to auroral arc activity. We have chosen for analysis three intervals of coordinated EISCAT and TV observations on 18 February, 1993. These intervals include three kinds of arc activity: the appearance of a new auroral arc, the gradual brightening of the existing arc and variations of the arc luminosity. The arcs were mostly east-west aligned. In all cases, the enhancement of arc luminosity is accompanied by a decrease in the westward component of the ionospheric electric field. In contrast, an increase of that component seems to be connected with arc fading. The observed response is assumed to have the same nature as the short circuit of an external electric field by the conductor. The possible consequence of this phenomenon is discussed.     

辐射参数化对海南岛海风雷暴结构模拟的影响

本文利用高分辨率WRF模式探讨了两组短波、长波辐射参数化方案（Dudhia+RRTM、RRTMG+RRTMG）对海南岛一次海风雷暴模拟的影响及其可能的物理机制.结果表明,辐射参数化能影响大气的加热程度和近地面能量,决定海陆温差和气压差,改变海南岛的海风特征,最终影响海风雷暴的发生发展.Dudhia+RRTM方案模拟的短波、长波综合加热率、感热通量以及潜热通量都大于RRTMG+RRTMG方案,造成了前者模拟的近地面能量偏高,大气层结也表现得更加不稳定,进而使得该方案下的海陆温差和气压差相对较大,Dudhia+RRTM方案模拟的海风明显强于RRTMG+RRTMG方案,能提供更好的水汽输送和抬升条件,有利于海风雷暴的发生发展,因此其模拟的雷暴活动范围和对流中心强度都要大于RRTMG+RRTMG方案.

     

近地层参数化对海南岛海风降水模拟的影响

利用WRF模式探讨了两种近地层参数化方案（MM5方案和Eta方案）对2013年5月31日海南岛一次海风降水过程模拟的影响.结果表明,改变近地层方案可对当地的海风环流及相应的降水特征产生明显影响,两个试验最重要的差别主要体现在模拟的海风及降水的强度差异上,与MM5试验相比,Eta试验的低层海风及辐合程度更强,相应的降水也更强,表现为岛屿总格点降水量、大于10 mm的降水区域、最大格点降水三个量化指标均比较大.通过分析两种方案在不同降水阶段的地表通量及近地层变量场,发现Eta试验模拟的降水前环境场更有利于对流的启动,随着午后热力湍流的不断增强,将MM5方案替换为Eta方案可使近地层感热通量、潜热通量分别增加约3.57%、5.65%,动量通量减小约10.79%,感热、潜热的增加使Eta试验中近地层大气的加热加湿作用更加明显,相应的低层大气不稳定度更高,再配合海风锋前较强的辐合上升运动,局地不稳定能量的释放变的更加容易,因此降水强度更大.

     

The electric field existing at stratospheric elevations as determined by tropospheric and ionospheric boundary conditions

Summary The feasibility of inferring ionospheric electric fields from measurements at balloon altitudes has been studied by analytical and numerical analysis, using a twodimensional model atmosphere with exponentially varying conductivity, and taking into account electric fields of tropospheric origin.This paper was presented byU. Fahleson.     

Relationship between the ionospheric potential and the ground-level electric field in the southern polar cap

The relationships between the average hourly values of the vertical ground-level electric field measured at the Vostok Antarctic station and the ionospheric potential above the station have been obtained. The ΔEz and Uext parts of both parameters controlled by the solar wind were considered. Convection models (Weimer, 1995; Lukianova and Christiansen, 2006) and a model based on the SuperDARN radar system were used to determine the ionospheric potential. An analysis has been performed for isolated days and the entire sample in 1998–2000 (including 170 days of “fine weather”). For an isolated day, the best correlation coefficients (R) between ΔEz and Uext obtained using the three models were 0.81, 0.80, and 0.88, respectively. The total correlation coefficient for the entire data set was R = 0.24−0.32. The R value was larger during daytime (R ≈ 0.4) and smaller at night (R ≈ 0.1) and slightly increased in the early morning hours. The specific features of daily variations in R apparently indicate that it is possible to adequately describe the structure of the ionospheric electric field equipotentials by using large-scale stationary convection models. The R value varies complexly, depending on the IMF orientation, but it generally tends to increase from IMF By < 0 to By > 0, which is explained by the asymmetric convection patterns for opposite By signs.     

Distribution of ionospheric O~ ion in synchronous altitude region

Since ions originating from the ionosphere were discovered in the magnetosphere in the be-ginning of 1970s[1], it is gradually confirmed that the ionosphere is a source of magnetospheric ion (the other source is solar wind). Research result on ionospheric…     

Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure of the crust beneath Hainan Island and its adjacent regions, China

Using over 3 500 first P arrival times recorded by nine digital seismic stations from Hainan Digital Seismic Net-work during 1999～2005,a 3-D P-wave velocity model of the crust under Hainan Island and adjacent regions has been determined. The results show that the pattern of velocity anomalies in the shallower upper crust is somewhat associated with the surface geological tectonics in the region. A relative low-velocity anomaly appears north of the Wangwu-Wenjiao fault zone and a relative high-velocity anomaly appears south of the Wangwu-Wenjiao fault zone,corresponding to the depressed areas in north Hainan Island,where many volcanoes are frequently active and geothermal values are relatively higher,and the uplifted and stable regions in central and south of the Hainan Is-land. In the middle and lower crust velocities are relatively lower in east Hainan than those in west Hainan,possi-bly suggesting the existence of the upwelling of hot materials from the mantle in east Hainan. The pattern of veloc-ity anomalies also indicates that NW faults,i.e.,the Puqian-Qinglan fault,may be shallower,while the E-W Wangwu-Wenjiao fault may be deeper,which perhaps extends down to Moho depth or deeper.     

Variations in the near-surface atmospheric electric field at high latitudes and ionospheric potential during geomagnetic perturbations

We have analyzed variations in the near-surface atmospheric electric field (Ez) normalized to their daily averages that were simultaneously observed in different high-latitude regions at moderate geomagnetic activity (Kp ∼ 3). The Ez data were measured under fair weather conditions at the Vostok Antarctic research station (Φ′ = −83.5°) in the southern polar cap and at the Hornsund Arctic observatory (Φ′ = 74.0°) on Svalbard close to the polar boundary of the auroral oval in the Northern Hemisphere. It is established that variations in the atmospheric electric field in the polar cap region at the Vostok station are controlled (the correlation coefficient R ∼ 0.7–0.9) by variations in the overhead ionospheric potential. The situation at the Hornsund observatory is more complicated. During intervals when Hornsund occurred below the westward electrojet, the correlation was typically positive with R ∼ 0.60–0.85; however, while this observatory was in the region of the eastern electrojet, the correlation could be negative with R ∼ 0.7–0.8. Normally, during such periods, the westward electrojet was detected polarwards of Hornsund while, according to the SuperDARN radar data, the observatory was located below the negative vortex of the polar ionospheric convection.