Global lightning formation at a minimum and maximum of solar activity according to the observations of the Schumann resonance on the Kola Peninsula

On the basis of the two-component measurements of the atmospheric noise electromagnetic field on the Kola Peninsula, a change in the first Schumann resonance (SR-1) as an indicator of global lightning formation is studied depending on the level of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). It is found that the effect of GCRs is most evident during five months: in January and from September to December; in this case the SR-1 intensity in 2001 was higher than the level of 2007 by a factor of 1.5 and more. This effect almost disappears when the regime of the Northern Hemisphere changes into the summer regime. It is assumed that an increase in the GCR intensity results in an increase in the lightning occurrence frequency; however, the probability that the power of each lightning stroke decreases owing to an early disruption of the charge separation and accumulation processes in a thundercloud increases; on the contrary, a decrease in the GCR intensity decreases lightning stroke occurrence frequency and simultaneously increases the probability of accumulating a higher energy by a thundercloud and increasing the lightning power to the maximum possible values.     

2011年3月7~8日永胜站震前舒曼谐振异常数值模拟分析

2011年3月10日中国云南盈江发生5.8级地震, 3月11日日本本州岛东海岸附近海域发生9.0级地震。 2011年3月7日、 8日云南永胜地磁台站观测到了舒曼谐振前4阶振幅异常增大。 本文建立了基于三维时域有限差分方法的舒曼谐振模型, 利用该模型对盈江地震对永胜站观测到的舒曼谐振影响进行了数值分析。 通过对实验和模拟结果进行分析, 认为此次云南永胜观测到的舒曼谐振异常不仅与日本地震相关也可能与云南盈江地震相关。     

Effect of cosmic rays on atmospheric pressure under mountain conditions

The phenomenological model of condensation interaction between galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and water vapor, which makes it possible to estimate atmospheric pressure variations at different altitudes with changing GCR flux, has been developed. It has been indicated that pressure should increase at all altitudes in the considered interval (0–5 km above sea level) during Forbush decreases. Therefore, the correlation between pressure and GCR flux under mountain conditions can be negative as near sea level. However, the performed calculation of the cross-correlation function of the series of daily data, obtained at Jungfraujoch station (3475 m) in 1968–1992, indicated that this correlation is positive and statistically significant with a maximum leading the GCR variation onset by two days. As usual, pressure increased during Forbush decreases due to the condensation mechanism. The obtained results can be explained by the manifestation of the optical mechanism related to solar flares, which operates together with the condensation mechanism and causes a decrease in pressure at high altitudes. It has been indicated that the effectiveness of this mechanism substantially changes with the phase of the quasibiennial cycle.     

云南地区震前舒曼谐振异常初步分析

舒曼谐振异常现象与地震活动性有较好的相关性,舒曼谐振异常现象可能与地震电离层扰动有关,是岩石层-大气层-电离层耦合的重要体现之一.本文详细介绍了云南舒曼谐振地震前兆观测台的系统结构和仪器参数,以及统计分析和震例分析的结果.永胜台观测数据显示2011年3月10日云南盈江M5.8级地震震前3天By分量出现舒曼异常,2011年1月23日临沧东部M4.0级地震震前2天By分量出现舒曼异常;通海台观测的By分量频谱分析结果显示,2011年5月22日红河州M4.2级地震当日前3阶谐振频率对应谱密度出现强烈扰动.研究表明,舒曼谐振地震前兆监测是一种可行的监测手段.     

Solar wind influence on atmospheric processes in winter Antarctica

Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) altered by solar wind are traditionally regarded as the most plausible agent of solar activity influence on the Earth's atmosphere. However, it is well known that severe reductions in the GCRs flux, known as Forbush decreases (FDs), are caused by solar wind of high speed and density, which sweeps away the GCRs on its way. Since the FD beginnings are registered at the Earth's orbit simultaneously with dramatic disturbances in the solar wind, the atmospheric effects, assigned to FDs, can be, in reality, the results of the solar wind influence on the atmospheric processes. This paper presents a summary of the experimental results demonstrating the strong influence of the interplanetary electric field on atmospheric processes in central Antarctica, where the large-scale system of vertical circulation is formed during winter seasons. The influence is realized through acceleration of the air masses, descending into the lower atmosphere from the troposphere, and the formation of cloudiness above the Antarctic Ridge, where the descending air masses enter the surface layer. The acceleration is followed by a sharp increase of the atmospheric pressure near-pole region, which gives rise to the katabatic wind strengthening above the entire Antarctica. The cloudiness formation results in the sudden warmings in the surface atmosphere, since the cloud layer efficiently backscatters the long wavelength radiation from the ice sheet, but does not affect the adiabatic warming process of the descending tropospheric air masses. When the drainage flow strengthening the circumpolar vortex around the periphery of the Antarctic continent decays, the surface easterlies typical of the coast stations during the winter season are replaced by southerlies and the cold Antarctic air masses flow out to the Southern ocean.     

Effect of solar and galactic cosmic rays on the duration of macrosynoptic processes

The effect of solar and galactic cosmic ray variations on the duration of elementary synoptic processes (ESPs) in the Atlantic-European sector of the Northern Hemisphere has been studied. It has been found that solar cosmic ray (SCR) bursts result in an increase in the duration of ESPs, which belong to the western and meridional forms of atmospheric circulation. Forbush decreases in galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are accompanied by an increase in the duration of ESPs, which belong to the meridional atmospheric circulation form, and in a decrease in the duration of ESPs, which are related to the western and eastern circulation forms. It has been assumed that the observed variations in the ESP duration are caused by the effect of short-period cosmic ray variations on the intensity of cyclonic processes at middle and high latitudes, namely, the regeneration of cyclones near the southeastern coast of Greenland after SCR bursts and the development of blocking anticyclones over the northeastern Atlantic, Europe, and Scandinavia during GCR Forbush decreases.     

Frequency characteristic of response of surface air pressure to changes in flux of cosmic rays

We compare the series of daily-average values of the surface air pressure for De Bilt and Lugano meteorological stations with subtracted linear trends and seasonal harmonics, as well as the series of the flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) at Jungfraujoch station with subtracted moving average over 200 days. Using the method of superposed epochs, we show that the Forbush decreases at both stations are accompanied by increased pressure. Spectral analysis allows us to conclude that the analyzed series are characterized by nonzero coherence in almost the entire frequency range: from 0.02 day^?1 day up to the Nyquist frequency of 0.5 day^?1. Using changes in the GCR flux as a probing signal, we obtain amplitude-frequency characteristics of the pressure reaction. For both stations, these characteristics are in qualitative agreement with each other and indicate that the atmospheric response can be described by a second-order linear dynamic system that has wide resonance with a maximum at a frequency of 0.15 day^?1.     

舒曼共振：测量全球热带气温的最新方法

全球气候突变已成为全世界科学家、企业家和政治家共同关注的焦点问题之一。为了准确地预测全球温度的变化趋势和变化速度，我们必须对全球大气温度进行更为广泛更为精确的测量，研究和发展测量大气温度的新方法。由于全球年平均温度变化不过零点几度，相当于其绝对温度的千分之几，由直接测量全球数千个测点的气温来准确估算全球大气平均温度及其变化是困难的。因此，找出一些依赖于气温的涨落而非线性变化的物理参量是很有用的。这样，测量那些参量的明显变化可以准确地确定温度的细微变化。同地球一电离层谐振腔以及全球范围的闪电活动相联系的舒曼共振的振幅就是这样一种物理量。舒曼共振是一种全球性的电磁现象，它能敏感地反映整个热带大气的温度变化。这就是说，在全球任何一个背景噪声较低的地点设置一个舒曼共振台站，可由这一台站纪录的舒曼共振幅度的明显变化推断全球热带大气气温的细微变化。     

电离层舒曼共振的空间观测

通过功率谱分析和波阻抗函数计算,本文证实了Aureol 3卫星在电离层高度上(>600km)观测到的极低频(ELF)波场扰动是和舒曼共振相关的电磁振荡.与舒曼共振地面观测相比较,Aureol 3观测到的舒曼共振电场分量具有很好的谐振谱结构,峰值频率和各阶舒曼共振本征频率对应;磁场分量的高阶峰值频率偏离14, 20, 26Hz等舒曼共振本征频率;随着卫星高度的改变,电场与磁场谐振的一阶最大能量峰值并不会发生在同一频率,结合本文分析的数据,分别位于78Hz和10Hz;水平方向的磁场分量更接近南北方向的线极化而不是地球－电离层空腔中的椭圆极化;波阻抗随频率表现出不太规则的准正弦振荡,它会随着频率增加和飞行高度上升呈现减小的趋势.虽然舒曼共振信号和电离层密度梯度间的非线性作用可以解释舒曼共振空间观测的部分特征,但需加入其他机制,如电离层不稳定性,传播模式的耦合,进一步了解电离层高度上舒曼共振各种特征产生的原因.     

Variations in the schumann resonance polarization ellipse in the horizontal and vertical planes according to observations at the Barentsburg and Lovozero observatories

The diurnal variations in the amplitude and parameters of polarization ellipses of the first Schumann resonance according to three magnetic field components, observed on December 1–10, 2007, at the Barentsburg and Lovozero observatories, have been studied. Ellipses have been constructed in the (H, D) and (H, Z) planes. The value of the minor axis, inclination of the major axis, ellipticity, and the rotation direction have been estimated. The vertical magnetic component of the Schumann resonance is three to four times as small as the horizontal component. The difference in the diurnal variations in the ellipse parameters between both observatories has been found. The effect can be caused by a difference in the Earth’s conductivity in the vicinity of the observatories and by conductivity anisotropy. The major axis inclination and ellipticity have semidiurnal components. The polarization vector mostly rotates from D to H in the horizontal plane and from Z to H in the vertical plane at both stations.     

Relation between the atmospheric characteristics in the antarctic regions and the space weather factors

Considerable variations in the cloud cover level and air temperature, related to the variations in GCRs and IMF, have been revealed based on an analysis of the meteorological and aerological data obtained at Vostok station from 1974 to 1994. It has been found out that the cloud cover at Vostok decreased, on average, by 35% a day after powerful Forbush decreases in GCRs following a considerable increase in the southward IMF component. In the years of solar activity minimum, when the variations in SCRs and GCRs are insignificant, the cloudiness and surface temperature increase on a day of B _z minimum and decrease on a day of maximum as compared to the average level. On days of B _z minimum, the air temperature rises at altitudes of h = 3.5–7 km, remains almost unchanged at an altitude of h = 8 km, and slightly decreases at higher altitudes. An increase in cloudiness at altitudes below 8 km causes warming, probably due to the greenhouse effect, because the temperature of the Earth’s surface decreases.     

Schumann resonances observed using Poynting vector spectra

We present the results of a Schumann resonance monitoring campaign held at Lehta observatory, Karelia, Russia during July–August, 1998. Three electromagnetic (EM) field components were recorded simultaneously: the vertical electric and two orthogonal magnetic fields. This paper demonstrates advantages of the Poynting vector (PV) technique when studying the space–time dynamics of the worldwide thunderstorm activity from a single observatory. Analysis of the diurnal PV patterns revealed a night-time peak in African thunderstorm activity. This maximum occurs around 02:00–03:00 UT and reaches 1/3 of regular afternoon level. The Schumann resonance structure was discovered in the spectra of the wave arrival angles.     

Changes of the first Schumann resonance frequency during relativistic solar proton precipitation in the 6 November 1997 event

The variations of the first mode of Schumann resonance are analyzed using data from Kola peninsula stations during the solar proton event of 6 November 1997. On this day the intensive flux of energetic protons on GOES-8 and the 10% increase of the count rate of the neutron monitor in Apatity between 1220 and 2000 UT were preceded by a solar X-ray burst at 1155 UT. This burst was accompanied by a simultaneous increase of the Schumann frequency by 3.5%, and the relativistic proton flux increase was accompanied by 1% frequency decrease. These effects are explained by changes of the height and dielectric permeability of the Earth-ionosphere cavity.     

Studies on the shift in the frequency of the first Schumann resonance mode during a solar proton event

The variation of the first Schumann resonance (SR) frequency spectra observed from the recorded data over Kolkata (22.56°N, 88.5°E) during a solar proton event (SPE) on July 14, 2000 has been presented. It shows increase in frequency during X-ray bursts and decrease during the period of occurrence of an SPE. The results from some other locations for the same event are also reported. The severe X-ray bursts recorded just before the proton event exhibit enhancement in frequency of the first mode due to enhancement of ionization in the D-region of the ionosphere. Some attempts are made to explain the observed variation during solar proton events in terms of the perturbations within the Earth–ionosphere waveguide on the basis of two-layer-model.     

Cosmic rays during great geomagnetic storms in cycle 23 of solar activity

Variations in the cosmic ray intensity (specifically, Forbush effects) and in the geomagnetic cutoff rigidity planetary system during powerful geomagnetic disturbances in cycle 23 were studied based on worldwide station network data by the global spectrographic survey method. The cosmic ray variation spectra during these periods and the spectral indices of these variations when the spectrum was approximated by the power function of the particle rigidity varying from 10 to 50 GV during different Forbush effect development phases are presented. It was indicated that the spectral indices of cosmic ray variations during spectrum approximation by the power function of the particle rigidity are larger during the maximal modulation phase than during the cosmic ray intensity decline and recovery phases. The fact that the amplitude of the second harmonic of the cosmic ray pitch angle anisotropy did not increase on November 20, 2003, confirms that the Earth fell into a Sun-independent spheromark magnetic cloud. The increased amplitudes of the second harmonic of the cosmic ray pitch angle anisotropy during other Forbush effects in July 2000, March–April 2001, October 2003, and November 2004 indicate that the Earth was in the coronal mass ejection region, in which the interplanetary magnetic field structure was loop-like during these periods.     

日本MW9.0地震前的舒曼谐振异常分析

2011年3月11日日本本州岛东海岸附近海域发生了M_W9.0地震. 基于中国云南的舒曼谐振(SR)观测站的磁场观测数据, 分析了与该次地震有关的SR疑似异常现象. 分析表明, 震前3—4天低阶谐振开始出现比较明显的幅度增强现象, 以2011年3月8日(北京时间)这一天的现象最明显, 南北向在7:00—10:00和12:00—15:00异常比较明显, 而东西向只在12:00—15:00异常相对比较强. 根据对2011年3月1—11日及对应每天前后各15天共41天的数据的联合分析, 3月8日部分时间段的低阶谐振磁场差明显高于一倍甚至两倍标准差; 相比而言, 正常的一天内各阶磁场差要明显低于一倍标准差. 最后, 根据一些日本地震学者提出的SR异常机理, 进一步分析了在云南观测站能观测到日本地震异常的可能性. 结果表明, 在永胜观测站可以观测到日本地震引起的一阶到三阶SR异常, 与发现的异常主要集中在低阶的现象比较吻合.      

电磁监测台站观测的舒曼谐振背景变化

舒曼谐振是由闪电激发的电离层与地面之间的全球电磁震荡,在地球与电离层空腔中传播,由于共振作用,其电磁波能量明显高于其他频率电磁波能量.舒曼谐振具有稳定的频域参数和频谱结构,近几年的研究发现,地震发生前会使这些固有参数发生扰动,因此利用舒曼谐振异常来进行地震短临监测可能是一种行之有效的手段.要判断舒曼谐振地震电磁异常,了解舒曼谐振电磁场背景变化规律是前提.本文利用极低频电磁台站观测的天然电磁场数据,处理和分析了各台站观测的舒曼谐振频率电磁场功率谱随时间的变化,得到了舒曼谐振随季节和纬度的背景变化规律.并提出将舒曼谐振背景变化规律应用到地震短临监测预报中,能够为今后辨别地震监测中的舒曼谐振异常提供物理依据.     

Annual variations of the amplitude characteristic of the noise magnetic field in the ELF frequency range based on the results of high-latitude observations

The annual variation of a number of amplitude characteristics of the noise electromagnetic field in the frequency range near the first Schumann resonance (and in particular the mean values of the modulus of horizontal magnetic components and parameters of the distribution function of noise pulses over amplitudes) was obtained and analyzed based on the results of three-year measurements performed at the high-latitude magnetic observatory Lovozero. The summer increase in mean and median values of the magnetic component of noises associated with electrical storms and the lack of annual variations of the exponent that empirically describes the distribution of amplitudes of noise signals were found. The relationship between the seasonal (winter/summer in the northern hemisphere) increase in the mean value of the modulus of the horizontal magnetic field component and seasonal increase in the global number of lightning discharges is shown by the correlation of the results of satellite observations and measurements of the magnetic component.     

Behavior of the cosmic ray density during the initial phase of the Forbush effect

Variations in the cosmic ray density during the initial phase of the Forbush effect during the first hours after the arrival of the interplanetary shock wave have been studied with the use of data on variations in the cosmic ray density with a rigidity of 10 GV obtained by the global survey method by the world network of neutron monitors in 1957?2012. It is found that behavior of this parameter after the arrival of the shock wave demonstrates high variability. A small (~1/5 of total number), though distinct, group of Forbush effects, in which the density of the cosmic ray increases (not decreases) after the arrival of the shock wave, is defined. As a whole, the initial variation in cosmic ray density is correlated with the Forbush effect magnitude and the strength of the associated geomagnetic disturbance.     

Main Properties of Forbush Effects Related to High-Speed Streams from Coronal Holes

The IZMIRAN database of Forbush effects and interplanetary disturbances was used to study features of the action of high-speed solar wind streams from coronal holes on cosmic rays. Three hundred and fifty Forbush effects created by coronal holes without other actions were distinguished. The mean values and distributions have been found for different characteristics of events from this group and compared with all Forbush effects and Forbush effects caused by coronal ejections. Despite the great differences in high-speed streams from coronal holes, this group turned out to be more compact and uniform as compared to events related to coronal ejections. Regression dependences and correlation relations between different parameters of events for the studied groups have been obtained. It has been shown that Forbush effects caused by coronal ejections depend considerably more strongly on the characteristics of interplanetary disturbances as compared to Forbush effects related to coronal holes. This suggests a significant difference between the modulation mechanisms of Forbush effects of different types and corroborates earlier conclusions based on indirect data.