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.     

Low and equatorial latitudes topside in NeQuick

The NeQuick electron density model of the ionosphere is designed for trans-ionospheric propagation applications. The model topside has been revised on the basis of ISIS 2 topside sounder profiles, producing a new formulation of its empirical shape parameter. Comparisons between experimental slant TEC data and values modelled using both versions of NeQuick topside showed that in general we have obtained a distinct improvement. However, during some months of the year and at low latitudes, the new topside formulation does not produce improvements on the slant TEC estimates. We discuss the likely reasons for this behaviour including assessment of merits and shortcomings of the ISIS 2 data in low latitudes. The topside sounder on Intercosmos 19 satellite extensively sounded the equatorial region during a period of high solar activity, which was less covered by ISIS 2. This paper presents comparisons of NeQuick and topside sounders profiles at low latitudes using Intercosmos 19 satellite data.     

利用高频返回散射技术探测远地核爆炸电离层效应

本文叙述利用高频返回散射技术探测我国1976年的一次低空大当量核爆炸电离层效应的结果。返回散射探测设备设于离爆炸点2205km的新乡。本文得到了核爆炸产生的附加电离区和电离层扰动的参数。这些结果与爆炸区附近其他手段观测的结果相符。     

Anomalous night-time peaks in diurnal variations of NmF2 close to the geomagnetic equator: A statistical study

We present a study of anomalous night-time NmF2 peaks, ANNPs, observed by the La Paz, Natal, Djibouti, Kodaikanal, Madras, Manila, Talara, and Huancayo–Jicamarca ionosonde stations close to the geomagnetic equator. It is shown for the first time that the probabilities of occurrence of the first and second ANNPs depend on the geomagnetic longitude, and there is a longitude sector close to 110° geomagnetic longitude where the first and second ANNPs occur less frequently in comparison with the longitude regions located close to and below about 34° geomagnetic longitude and close to and above about 144° geomagnetic longitude. The found frequencies of occurrence of the ANNPs increase with increasing solar activity, except of the Djibouti and Kodaikanal ionosonde stations, where the probability of the first ANNP occurrence is found to decrease with increasing solar activity from low to moderate solar activity, and except of the Natal ionosonde station, where the frequencies of occurrence of the first and second ANNPs decrease with increasing solar activity from moderate to high solar activity. We found that the occurrence probabilities of ANNPs during geomagnetically disturbed conditions are greater than those during geomagnetically quiet conditions. The ANNP probabilities are largest in summer and are lowest in winter for the La-Paz, Talara, and Huancayo–Jicamarca sounders. These probabilities are lowest in summer for the Djibouti, Madras, and Manila ionosonde stations, and in spring for the Kodaikanal sounder. The maximums in the probabilities are found to be in autumn for the Djibouti, Madras, and Manila ionosonde stations, and in winter for the Kodaikanal sounder.     

Plasmaspheric electron density reconstruction based on the topside sounder model profiler

We apply a model-assisted technique to construct the topside electron density profile based on Digisonde measurements. This technique uses the Topside Sounder Model (TSM), which provides the plasma scale height, O⁺-H⁺ transition height, and their ratio Rt = H _T /h _T , derived from topside sounder data of Alouette and ISIS satellites. The Topside Sounder Model Profiler (TSMP) incorporates TSM and uses the model quantities as anchor points for the construction of topside density profiles. TSMP provides its model ratios with transition height and plasmaspheric scale height. The analysis carried out indicates that Digisonde derived F-region topside scale height Hm is systematically lower than one derived from topside sounder profiles. To construct topside profiles by using Hm, a correction factor of around 3 is needed to multiply the neutral scale height in the α-Chapman formula. It was found that the plasmaspheric scale height strongly depends on latitude and its ratio with the F-region scale height expresses large day-to-day variability.     

SCIPION, a new flexible ionospheric sounder in Senegal

SCIPION is a new state of the art digital sounder that has been developed by France Telecom-CNET for ionospheric monitoring and research. Extensive data processing using DSP technology has resulted in a low power, low cost and full featured system for both vertical and oblique soundings. A SCIPION system is in the process of being installed in Dakar, Senegal, to study HF propagation in the sub-equatorial ionosphere. However, preliminary results have still been obtained during experiments wit a prototype system. In this paper, the system is described and some illustrative examples of its capabilities are shown.     

Correction method of the ionosphere model using data from wide area navigation satellite systems

A method of correcting an ionosphere model is developed on the basis of data received from wide area navigation satellite systems. This method allows one to calculate the distribution of electron concentration on a scale that is close to real-time, and it can be used in conditions of a disturbed ionosphere, where it is difficult or impossible to determine the critical frequency of the F2 layer. The ionospheric parameters received from vertical incidence sounder data and retrieved from the corrected model agree well, which allows this approach to be used for ionospheric support of different radio systems.     

Prediction of limestone solution rates from rainfall and runoff data: Some comments

Recent work by Láng (1977) on solutional erosion rates in limestone drainage basins in relation to rainfall contains serious errors and has a questionable logical basis. Although much sounder, Smith and Atkinson's (1976) work on erosion rates in relation to runoff also requires modification as it greatly overestimates erosion rates in two areas of New Zealand. Greater resolution could probably be obtained by relating autogenic runoff to the rate of solution by autogenic waters and by computing separate relationships for areas where solution takes place under open and closed system equilibrium conditions. These factors should be taken into account in the experimental design of future studies.     

Validation of soft bottom benthic habitats identified by single-beam acoustics

Acoustic diversity charts were produced for a Portuguese soft bottom mid-shelf area, depth from 30 to 90 m, using a single-beam echo sounder coupled to the acoustic systems QTC VIEW Series IV and V. A similar acoustic pattern was identified by both systems, which, after ground-truth interpretation based in available sediment and biological data, established a preliminary spatial distribution model of the benthic habitats in this coastal area. However, some of the acoustic areas were interpreted using one or very few sediment and benthic samples. A specific validation survey was conducted a posteriori, in which the positioning of the sediment and benthic community sampling sites was based on the acoustic diversity previously identified. The results clearly confirm the benthic habitats distribution model suggested by the acoustic method, indicating a high potential for the use of such approach in the identification and mapping of large-scale soft bottom coastal shelf habitat diversity.     

Water vapour mixing ratio profiles over Hornsund, Arctic. Intercomparison of lidar and AIRS results

Since October 2009, a ground-based Raman lidar system has been deployed to perform a regular, night-time, vertical sounding of a water vapour content in the lower and middle troposphere above Polish Polar Station at Hornsund (77.00°N, 15.55°E, 10 m a.s.l.) in the Arctic. The water vapour mixing ratio profiles were obtained for the atmosphere up to 6 km altitude, based on analysis of inelastic Raman backscattering signals from nitrogen molecules (at 387 nm) and water vapour particles (at 407 nm), calibrated with the data from a local Vaisala’s automatic meteorological station. The results obtained for winter seasons in the years 2009–2012 are in a good general agreement with the results obtained from the atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS) on the Aqua satellite.     

Evidence for the stimulation of field-aligned electron density irregularities on a short time scale by ionospheric topside sounders

Ionospheric topside sounders can be considered to act as mobile ionospheric heating facilities. They stimulate a wide variety of plasma phenomena that suggests that significant plasma heating can be produced in the vicinity of the spacecraft following the short duration (0.1 ms) high-power (hundreds of watts) sounder pulse. Most of these phenomena are sensitive to the ambient plasma conditions, particularly to the ratio of the plasma frequency to the gyro frequency . Certain stimulated phenomena only occur, or are greatly enhanced, when where n is an integer. One example is a diffuse signal return that appears at a frequency just above the Z mode wave cutoff frequency (the L = 0 condition in the notation of Stix). This signal, which is the subject of the present paper, is present only for moderately large near-integer values for (e.g., n > 3). It is a relatively short-duration echo—usually less than about 10 ms. These characteristics are quite different from the Z mode echoes often observed between or (whichever is greater) and the upper hybrid frequency . These latter echoes occur for smaller values (not necessarily near-integer values) of and are received during the entire 30 ms listening time period following the sounder pulse. They have been attributed to the scattering of sounder Z mode signals from naturally occurring electron density fieldaligned irregularities (FAI). The short-duration echoes observed just above , on the other hand, are here attributed to the ducting of sounder-generated Z mode waves in sounder-stimulated (or sounderenhanced) FAI. These FAI are believed to be generated (or enhanced) on a very short time scale (? 1 s) by the efficient absorption of sounder energy when the plasma/gyro frequency ratio is nearly an integer value significantly greater than one. The most likely generation process is the filamentation instability driven by the ponderomotive force due to the high-power sounder pulse.     

南极中山站电离层F2层临界频率变化特征

对南极中山站数字式电离层测高仪1995～2002年观测数据的月中值进行了统计分析,揭示了中山站电离层F2层临界频率（foF2）的主要特征：foF2存在明显的日变化和年变化;日变化存在“磁中午异常”现象;年变化中中午foF2在太阳活动低年不出现“冬季异常”,在太阳活动高年出现“半年异常”,即两分点高于两至点.本文结合中山站所处的地理位置,考虑太阳辐射电离、磁层的驱动和中性大气成分变化等因素,分析了这些现象的产生机理.     

Observations of acoustic-gravity waves in the ionosphere generated by severe tropospheric weather

Atmospheric waves influence the dynamics and energetic budget of the upper atmosphere. Using the continuous HF Doppler sounder, we study the wave activity in the ionosphere during tropospheric convective storms in western and central part of the Czech Republic. The study is focused on acoustic-gravity waves in the period range 2–30 minutes. We discuss possible methods of distinguishing the waves emitted by meteorological sources from waves of different origin, particularly waves of geomagnetic origin. In two cases out of twenty-five analysed, we found waves in the infrasonic period range which might be generated by exceptionally intense meteorological activity in the troposphere. The results differ considerably from those previously obtained in North America. In the central part of the United States, infrasonic waves were frequently observed during convective storms. As a possible reason, we discuss different intensity and dynamics of weather systems in both regions.     

A comparison of EISCAT and HF Doppler observations of a ULF wave

Since the middle of 1995, an HF Doppler sounder has been running almost continuously in northern Norway, with the receiver at Ramfjordmoen and the transmitter at Seljelvnes. Concurrent operation of the EISCAT UHF radar in common programme (CP-1) mode has made it possible to study the ionospheric signature of a magnetospheric ULF wave. These are the first results of such wave signatures observed simultaneously in both instruments. It has been demonstrated that the observed Doppler signature was mainly due to the vertical bulk motion of the ionosphere caused by the electric field perturbation of the ULF wave and the first direct observational confirmation of a numerical simulation has been achieved. The wave, which was Alfvénic in nature, was detected by the instruments 8° equatorward of the broad resonance region. The implications for the deduced wave modes in the ionosphere and the mechanism producing the HF Doppler variations are discussed.Presented at the Eighth International EISCAT Workshop, Leicester, UK, June 1997     

Snowdrift effect on snow deposition: Insights from a comparison of a snow pit profile and meteorological observations in east Antarctica

A high-frequency and precise ultrasonic sounder was used to monitor precipitated/deposited and drift snow events over a 3-year period(17 January 2005 to 4 January 2008) at the Eagle automatic weather station site,inland Antarctica.Ion species and oxygen isotope ratios were also generated from a snow pit below the sensor.These accumulation and snowdrift events were used to examine the synchronism with seasonal variations of δ~(18)O and ion species,providing an opportunity to assess the snowdrift effect in typical Antarctic inland conditions.There were up to 1-year differences for this 3-year-long snow pit between the traditional dating method and ultrasonic records.This difference implies that in areas with low accumulation or high wind,the snowdrift effect can induce abnormal disturbances on snow deposition.The snowdrift effect should be seriously taken into account for high-resolution dating of ice cores and estimation of surface mass balance,especially when the morphology of most Antarctic inland areas is similar to that of the Eagle site.     

Sensitivity of tidal sand wavelength to environmental parameters: A combined data analysis and modelling approach

An integrated field data-modelling approach is employed to investigate relationships between the wavelength of tidal sand waves and four environmental parameters: tidal current amplitude, water depth, tidal ellipticity and median grain size. From echo sounder data at 23 locations on the Dutch continental shelf, the average wavelengths of observed sand waves are determined and compared with the wavelengths obtained with a process-based model. The latter describes the initial formation of these bedforms due to feedbacks between the tidal current and the erodible bed and uses environmental parameters for the 23 locations as input. Good agreement between observed and modelled wavelengths is found if the bottom stress experienced by tidal currents is adequately quantified. Model results show that the wavelength of sand waves increases with increasing water depth, tidal ellipticity and grain size (coarse sand), whilst it decreases with increasing tidal current amplitude and grain size (fine sand). Due to the limited number of stations and the fact that all four parameters change from location to location, the modelled relationships are only partly supported by the field observations.     

SIMULATIONS OF REFLECTIONS AND DIFFRACTIONS FROM TARGETS BURIED IN A MEDIUM WITH LINEAR VARIATION OF VELOCITY WITH DISTANCE*

A combination of ray theory and diffraction theory has been used to simulate reflections of seismic pulses from a full plane and reflections and diffractions from a half plane buried horizontally in earth models with linear increase of velocity with depth. Wave forms of signals reflected from a full plane in this case are modifications of the source pulse, even if the medium is assumed to be perfectly elastic. The extent of pulse modification increases with increase of the velocity gradient. The duration of the reflected pulse is always longer than that of the source pulse. The pulses diffracted from the edge of the half plane in such cases do not lie along hyperbolic curves in the time-offset plane. Diffracted signals can be observed only up to a limited distance from the edge of the half plane equalling half the horizontal range of the ray which is tangential to the half plane and has its end points at the level of the source and the receiver.     

位场数据曲化平的迭代法

位场数据曲化平是位场数据处理解释中的重要运算,但是它的计算量和计算的复杂性影响了它在许多处理和解释方法技术中的应用.本文提出一种位场数据曲化平的迭代方法,即通过把位场数据曲化平视为平面位场数据向上延拓的反问题,得到曲化平的线性积分方程,再把曲面上位场数据视为曲面平均高程面上的位场数据,利用向下延拓的波数域广义逆算法把平均高程面上的位场数据向下延拓到设定平面上,再根据曲面和其平均高程面的相对起伏对设定平面上的向下延拓数据进行起伏校正,最后再把所得平面上的位场数据向上延拓得到曲面上的位场数据,并进行迭代.把这种方法用于三维理论模型数据和实际磁场数据的曲化平处理均获得了理想的结果.     

A probabilistic model for ghost delay time estimation based on recording geometry

In order to deconvolve the ghost response from marine seismic data, an estimate of the ghost operator is required. Typically, this estimate is made using a model of in‐plane propagation, i.e., the ray path at the receiver falls in the vertical plane defined by the source and receiver locations. Unfortunately, this model breaks down when the source is in a crossline position relative to the receiver spread. In this situation, in‐plane signals can only exist in a small region of the signal cone. In this paper, we use Bayes' theory to model the posterior probability distribution functions for the vertical component of the ray vector given the known source–receiver azimuth and the measured inline component of the ray vector. This provides a model for the ghost delay time based on the acquisition geometry and the dip of the wave in the plane of the streamer. The model is fairly robust with regard to the prior assumptions and controlled by a single parameter that is related to the likelihood of in‐plane propagation. The expected values of the resulting distributions are consistent with the deterministic in‐plane model when in‐plane likelihood is high but valid everywhere in the signal cone. Relaxing the in‐plane likelihood to a reasonable degree radically simplifies the shape of the expected‐value surface, lending itself for use in deghosting algorithms. The model can also be extended to other plane‐wave processing problems such as interpolation.     

叠前地震数据的平面波深度偏移法

提出了一套基于平面波分解的波动方程叠前地震数据深度偏移方法. 通过对共炮点道集和共偏移距道集地震数据的平面波分解，分别得到适用于单平方根波场外推方程和双平方根波场外推方程的共ps（炮点坐标平面波参数）平面波道集和共ph（偏移距坐标平面波参数）平面波道集. 在对共炮点道集和共偏移距道集地震数据的平面波分解时，不需要进行通常意义下的τ p变换计算. 通过对共ps平面波道集和共ph平面波道集的偏移效果对比，我们认为在速度弱横向变化介质中，两种平面波道集偏移方法的效果相当，但对于速度强横向变化介质，共ps平面波道集偏移方法的效果要优于共ph平面波道集偏移方法. 在计算效率方面，共ps平面波道集偏移方法与共ph平面波道集偏移方法基本相同.