Irregular structures observed below 71 km in the night-time polar D-region

A new rocket range, SvalRak, was opened in November 1997 at Ny-Ålesund (79°N) in the Svalbard archipelago. The first instrumented rocket was launched on 20 November, 1997, at 1730 UT during geomagnetically quiet conditions. The payload was instrumented to measure plasma parameters in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, but the payload only reached an altitude of 71 km. This resulted in a very flat trajectory through the lower D-region. The positive ion concentrations were larger than expected, and some unexpected plasma irregularities were observed below 71 km. The irregularities were typically 100 m in spatial extent, with plasma densities a factor of two to five above the ambient background. In the dark polar night the plasma below 71 km must consist mainly of positive and negative ions and the only conceivable ionising radiation is a flux of energetic particles. Furthermore only relativistic electrons have the large energies and the small gyro radii required in order to explain the observed spatial structure. The source of these electrons is uncertain.     

Radon 222 measurements below 4 km as related to atmospheric convection

Summary Radon (Rn²²²) profiles were made over southwest Arizona from 300 m to 4km altitude. A temperature inversion near 2000 m and a stable radon concentration averaging 32.0 pc m^–3 at 2000 m were characteristic of morning flights. At 300 m there was a definite pattern of high radon concentrations in the early morning and lower concentrations by noon. At 760 m the radon concentration increased between the times of ascent and descent. This pattern resulted from the trapping of radon close to the ground during stable night-time conditions and its subsequent upward dispersal with solar heating. The day-to-day variation in radon concentrations at higher levels cannot be attributed to local upward transport by diffusion but must have resulted from larger scale circulations. Above 2000 m there are no conclusive differences between morning, afternoon and evening profiles. Low concentrations of radon were measured during one late evening profile when there was definite subsidence and advection of drier air into the region.     

Eddy diffusion coefficients and the variance of the atmosphere 30–60 km

The results of numerical models or of new observational programs are checked by comparing them with past observations. Also, it is desirable that the eddy diffusion coefficients used in two-dimensional models be derived from the same data set as the circulation statistics which the model outputs are checked against, so that all results refer to the same atmospheric conditions. For the first time, the three components of the eddy diffusion matrix, from 30–60 km, 80°N–10°S are computed, together with the means, variances and covariances of the wind and temperature through the same region using the same data set for 1960–76 and the same handling and analysis methods for all variables. Horizontal diffusivities,K _yy , are obtained from the variance and integral time scale of the meridional wind speed. The present values are generally smaller than past estimates, presumably because temporal variations longer than a month have been removed in this work. Estimates ofK _yz are based on the tentative assumption that the diffusivity is proportional to the slope of isentropic surfaces, and estimates ofK _zz are based on the assumption that small-scale gravity waves are primarily responsible for vertical mixing.     

A 100 m laser strainmeter system installed in a 1 km deep tunnel at Kamioka, Gifu, Japan

We have installed a laser strainmeter system in a deep tunnel about 1,000 m below the ground surface at Kamioka, Gifu, Japan. The system consists of three types of independent interferometers: (1) an EW linear strainmeter of the Michelson type with unequal arms, (2) an NS-EW differential strainmeter of the Michelson type with equal arms and (3) a NS absolute strainmeter of the Fabry–Perot type. These are configured in L-shaped vacuum pipes, each of which has a length of 100 m. (1) and (2) are highly sensitive (order of 10⁻¹³ strain) and have wide dynamical range (10⁻¹³–10⁻⁶). Observations with strainmeters (1) and (2) started on June 11, 2003. (3) is a new device for absolute-length measurements of the order of 10⁻⁹ of a long-baseline (100 m) Fabry–Perot cavity by the use of phase-modulated light. This third strainmeter will be ready for operation before the end of 2004. The laser source of strainmeters (1) and (2) is a frequency-doubled YAG laser with a wavelength of 532 nm. The laser frequency is locked onto an iodine absorption line and a stability of 2 × 10⁻¹³ is attained. The light paths of the laser strainmeter system are enclosed in SUS304 stainless steel pipes. The inside pressure is kept to be 10⁻⁴ Pa. Consequently, quantitative measurement of crustal strains of the order of 10⁻¹³ can be attained by employing the laser strainmeter system of (1) and (2) at Kamioka. This resolving power corresponds to that of a superconducting gravimeter. Using the laser strainmeter system, we expect to determine parameters related to fluid core resonance, core modes and core undertone as well as other geodynamic signals such as slow strain changes caused by silent earthquakes or slow earthquakes.     

Hydrocarbons in the atmosphere

Trace concentrations of highly reactive hydrocarbons of biogenic origin have been proposed for some time as being important in aerosol formation processes in the atmosphere. More recently, assessments of potential photochemical reactions in the troposphere have proposed a role in the atmospheric ozone cycle for hydrocarbons, even for compounds such as methane that had previously been considered nonreactive. An assessment of the atmospheric hydrocarbon reaction system has been limited by a lack of observational information on the nature of conditions in the remote or non-urban atmosphere. Recent data on terpene concentrations and other biogenic hydrocarbon compounds are presented. Data on ethane and acetylene from aircraft samples taken over the north and south Pacific Ocean show concentrations in the 0.5 to 1 /m³ range for ethane and in the 0.05 to 0.3 g/m³ range for acetylene. A concentration gradient is present for these compounds between the northern and southern hemisphere. A rudimentary global concentration pattern for these C₂ compounds has been developed on the basis of recent data.     

HWM07模式风场在高度60～100km的精度及建模初步研究

HWM07模式是一个应用广泛的国际标准参考大气风场模式,其在航天飞行器的设计阶段具有重要作用.因此,研究该模式风场精度具有重要意义,本文以廊坊中频雷达的风场资料(2014—2016年)为基准,利用偏差、绝对差、相关系数、相对偏差和Lomb-Scargle周期图方法,研究HWM07模式风场在高度60～100km的精度,最后,对本文建立的60～100km风场预报模型(UV_(DerM)模型)精度进行分析.结果表明,在高度60～100km范围内,(1)HWM07模式的纬向风偏差、绝对差、相关系数、相对偏差的平均值分别为14.0039 m·s-1、34.4750 m·s-1、0.1832、-75.4822%,经向风偏差、绝对差、相关系数、相对偏差的平均值分别为-2.0019m·s-1、25.3689m·s-1、0.1442、-88.9980%;经向风、纬向风的统计特征均与高度、季节有密切关系;(2)Lomb-Scargle周期图结果表明,中频雷达、HWM07模式风场在同一高度层显著(通过90%显著性检验)含有的波周期及功率谱存在较明显差异,不同高度、不同季节显著含有的波周期和功率谱也存在明显差异;(3)在高度86～92km,准全日潮汐波、准半日潮汐波分别在冬季、夏季的HWM07模式风场变化特征中为主要作用,而对中频雷达风场变化特征起主要作用的大气波动特征与高度、季节有关;(4)相对于HWM07模式风场,由UVDerM模型得到的纬向风更接近实况资料,但经向风无改进效果.     

100—200km热层大气光电离率及电子密度剖面对太阳活动的响应

本文利用新的太阳EUV辐射资料、中性大气结构模式及大气成分的吸收及电离特性,计算了100—200km大气的光电离率随高度、太阳天顶角及太阳活动的变化,求得了E-F1谷的变化特征;利用完整的光化模式求得了电子密度随太阳天顶角的变化及对太阳活动的响应,并与IRI模式作了比较.结果表明,1.太阳活动指数与光电离率间的相关关系一般为正,但在一定的高度范围内,或在天顶角大于临界值Xcr=60°时,两者之间可出现负相关;2.太阳活动明显地影响E-F1谷高与谷厚,当天顶角不变时,谷高与谷厚均与太阳活动成正相关;3.本模式与IRI间的偏差因子明显随高度及太阳天顶角而变化.     

100-200km热层大气光电离率及电子密度剖面对太阳活动的响应

本文利用新的太阳EUV辐射资料、中性大气结构模式及大气成分的吸收及电离特性,计算了100-200km大气的光电离率随高度、太阳天顶角及太阳活动的变化,求得了E-F₁谷的变化特征;利用完整的光化模式求得了电子密度随太阳天顶角的变化及对太阳活动的响应,并与IRI模式作了比较.结果表明,1.太阳活动指数与光电离率间的相关关系一般为正,但在一定的高度范围内,或在天顶角大于临界值X_cr=60°时,两者之间可出现负相关;2.太阳活动明显地影响E-F₁谷高与谷厚,当天顶角不变时,谷高与谷厚均与太阳活动成正相关;3.本模式与IRI间的偏差因子明显随高度及太阳天顶角而变化.     

100—200km热层大气光电离率及电子密度剖面对太阳活动的响应

本文利用新的太阳EUV辐射资料、中性大气结构模式及大气成分的吸收及电离特性,计算了100—200km大气的光电离率随高度、太阳天顶角及太阳活动的变化,求得了E-F_1谷的变化特征;利用完整的光化模式求得了电子密度随太阳天顶角的变化及对太阳活动的响应,并与IRI模式作了比较.结果表明,1.太阳活动指数与光电离率间的相关关系一般为正,但在一定的高度范围内,或在天顶角大于临界值X_(cr)=60°时,两者之间可出现负相关;2.太阳活动明显地影响E-F_1谷高与谷厚,当天顶角不变时,谷高与谷厚均与太阳活动成正相关;3.本模式与IRI间的偏差因子明显随高度及太阳天顶角而变化.     

Acoustic-gravity modons in the atmosphere

It is shown that the equations governing low-frequency acoustic-gravity waves in a stable stratified atmosphere can have localized dipole-vortex solutions (modons). They propagate in the horizontal direction with a speed that is larger than that of all possible linear internal waves.     

Optical measurement in the middle atmosphere

The various measurement techniques and general problems in remote orin situ optical measurement of atmospheric minor gases are described.     

A thermal cycle in the atmosphere

Summary It is shown that in order for a steady-state closed circulation to be maintained in the atmosphere, the working of the pressure force on a particle moving round the closed circuit is exactly balanced by the working of the particle against friction. It is concluded that sources of heat are associated with low surface pressure, and sinks with high surface pressure. This association of sources and sinkswith low and high surface pressure is verified, for circulations ranging in scale from that associated with an individual cumulus cloud to large-scale monsoonal systems.     

Surface ozone in the aretic atmosphere

Near-surface atmospheric ozone measurements were carried out at Barrow, Alaska (71°, 19N, 156°W), from January 1965 to September 1967. Ozone was continuously monitored by microcoulombmetric analysis at a level 2 m above the ground. Daily ozone concentrations near the ground varied from 7 to less than 1 pphm by volume. Highest concentrations occurred in the spring and showed sharp increases lasting from several hours to a few days. These sudden rises in ozone concentration correlated with storm front passages. The concentration of surface ozone from late spring through the sumer and fall showed less variability from day to day than in the spring. The lowest ozone concentrations occurred from late May to early June.     

On sea-salt nuclei in the atmosphere

Summary The residues of cloud droplets collected at the summit of a mountain were examined with an electron microscope and their materials were identified with the aid of micro-electron-diffraction method. About 30% of nuclei of cloud droplets larger than 5 in radius were mainly composed of sodium chloride and their masses were 10^–1210^–13 gr. We also found salt particles in snow crystals. Some discussions are made about the process of the capture of these particles by snow crystals.     

Vortex streets in the earth's atmosphere

Summary Calculations of the Heisenberg parameter and Strouhal number, for mesoscale vortex streets in the atmosphere, support the analogy with the classical Kármán vortex wake. Revised estimates of the horizontal coefficient of eddy diffusion are obtained.     

Modelling the martian atmosphere

Stephen R Lewis shows how to model the climate of Mars, touching on the physics and dynamics of general circulation models, and the wealth of information that such models both need and produce – useful to climatologists on Earth as well as engineers planning future Mars missions.     

Oxygen and hydrogen in the primitive atmosphere

From time to time there appears in the literature the assertion that photolysis of water vapor could have maintained an appreciable concentration of oxygen in the primitive (prebiological) atmosphere. The implausibility of this assertion is argued in this paper.By itself, photolysis does not provide a source of oxygen because it is usually followed by recombination of the products of photolysis. Only the escape to space (at a much smaller rate) of the hydrogen produced by photolysis of water results in a net source of oxygen. The oxidation state of the primitive atmosphere depended on the relative magnitudes of this net source of oxygen and a volcanic source of hydrogen and other reduced gases. Today the volcanic source of reduced gases is approximately equal to the oxygen source provided by photolysis followed by escape. The oxygen source depends on the mixing ratio of water vapor in the stratosphere, which ultimately determines the rate of escape of hydrogen produced from water vapor. Its magnitude may not have been very different in the past. The volcanic source of hydrogen, on the other hand, is likely to have been much larger when the earth was tectonically young. Hydrogen was therefore released to the primitive atmosphere more rapidly than oxygen, probably. Photochemical reactions with the excess hydrogen maintained oxygen mixing ratios at negligibly small levels. The hydrogen mixing ratio was determined by a balance between the volcanic source (reduced by recombination with oxygen) and escape to space.In time, either because of decline of the volcanic source of hydrogen or because of addition of a biological source of oxygen, the input of oxygen to the atmosphere rose above the input of hydrogen. The oxidation state of the atmosphere changed rapidly. Volcanic hydrogen was now consumed by photochemical reactions with excess oxygen, while the oxygen mixing ratio was determined by a balance between the source (reduced by recombination with volcanic hydrogen) and consumption in reactions with reduced material at the surface.     

Plasma vortices in the ionosphere and atmosphere

Vortices observed in ionized clouds of thunderstorm fronts have the nature of plasma vortices. In this work, the need to account for the electrostatic instability of plasma in the origination, intensification, and decay of plasma vortices in the atmosphere is shown. Moisture condensation results in mass-energy transfer under the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of aerosols. If a phase volume of natural oscillations is transformed in the frequency-wave vector space in inhomogeneous plasma, the damping of plasma oscillations promotes an increase in the pressure gradients normal to the geomagnetic field. Excitation of the gradient instabilities is probable in atmospheric plasma formations.