Temporal variations in the dawn and dusk midlatitude trough and plasmapause position

The temporal development of the latitudinal position of a 600 km midlatitude electron density trough at dawn and dusk during the period 25–27 May 1967, which encompassed a large magnetic storm, was measured by the RF capacitive probe on the polar orbiting Ariel 3 satellite. The substorm-related changes in the L coordinate of the trough minimum and the point of most rapid change of density gradient on the low latitude side of the trough are similar. Oscillations of the trough position at dusk are in phase with substorm activity whereas movement of the trough at dawn is only apparent with the onset of the large storm. Detailed model calculations of the plasmasphere dynamics assuming a spatially invariant equatorial convection E-field which varies in step with the K_p index produces a plasmapause motion which parallels the observed trough behaviour, particularly at dusk, and shows that the outer plasmasphere and possibly the trough region are characterized by complex fine structured variations due to the past history of the magnetosphere convection.     

Ionospheric and magnetospheric “plasmapauses”

During August 1972, Explorer 45 orbiting near the equatorial plane with an apogee of ～5.2 R_e traversed magnetic field lines in close proximity to those simultaneously traversed by the topside ionospheric satellite ISIS 2 near dusk in the L range 2.0–5.4. The locations of the Explorer 45 plasmapause crossings (determined by the saturation of the d.c. electric field double probe) during this month were compared to the latitudinal decreases of the H⁺ density observed on ISIS 2 (by the magnetic ion mass spectrometer) near the same magnetic field lines. The equatorially determined plasmapause field lines typically passed through or poleward of the minimum of the ionospheric light ion trough, with coincident satellite passes occurring for which the L separation between the plasmapause and trough field lines was between 1 and 2. Hence, the abruptly decreasing H⁺ density on the low latitude side of the ionospheric trough is not a near earth signature of the equatorial plasmapause. Vertical flows of the H⁺ ions in the light ion trough as detected by the magnetic ion mass spectrometer on ISIS were directed upward with velocities between 1 and 2 km s^?1 near dusk on these passes. These velocities decreased to lower values on the low latitude side of the H⁺ trough but did not show any noticeable change across the field lines corresponding to the magnetospheric plasmapause. The existence of upward accelerated H⁺ flows to possibly supersonic speeds during the refilling of magnetic flux tubes in the outer plasmasphere could produce an equatorial plasmapause whose field lines map into the ionosphere at latitudes which are poleward of the H⁺ density decrease.     

Effects of convection electric field on the thermal plasma flow between the ionosphere and the protonosphere

Dynamic behavior of the coupled ionosphere-protonosphere system in the magnetospheric convection electric field has been theoretically studied for two plasmasphere models. In the first model, it is assumed that the whole plasmasphere is in equilibrium with the underlying ionosphere in a diurnal average sense. The result for this model shows that the plasma flow between the ionosphere and the protonosphere is strongly affected by the convection electric field as a result of changes in the volume of magnetic flux tubes associated with the convective cross-L motion. Since the convection electric field is assumed to be directed from dawn to dusk, magnetic flux tubes expand on the dusk side and contract on the dawn side when rotating around the earth. The expansion of magnetic flux tubes on the dusk side causes the enhancement of the upward H⁺ flow, whereas the contraction on the dawn side causes the enhancement of the downward H⁺ flow. Consequently, the H⁺ density decreases on the dusk side and increases on the dawn side. It is also found that significant latitudinal variations in the ionospheric structures result from the L-dependency of these effects. In particular, the H⁺ density at 1000 km level becomes very low in the region of the plasmasphere bulge on the dusk side. In the second model, it is assumed that the outer portion of the plasmasphere is in the recovery state after depletions during geomagnetically disturbed periods. The result for this model shows that the upward H⁺ flux increases with latitude and consequently the H⁺ density decreases with latitude in the region of the outer plasmasphere. In summary, the present theoretical study provides a basis for comparison between the equatorial plasmapause and the trough features in the topside ionosphere.     

Meridional characteristics of a Pc 4 micropulsation event in the plasmasphere

An analysis was made of a complex large amplitude Pc 4 micropulsation, of four hours duration around local noon, observed at five ground stations in the United Kingdom (2.4? L ?3.8). The final pulsation waveform was shown to be the results of the superposition of wave packets of different periods. The meridional variation of the amplitude of the different period wavepackets was consistent with their being fundamental “toroidal” field line resonances within the plasmasphere, rotated through 90° in their transmission through the ionosphere in accordance with recent theoretical predictions. Other predicted ionospheric effects, such as the loss of the sense-of-polarization reversal across the amplitude maximum, were apparent in the meridional variation of the polarization characteristics.     

Ionospheric corrections via PIM and real-time data

We describe a method for removing ionospheric effects from single-frequency radio data a posteriori. This method is based on a theoretical climatological model developed by the USAF, which returns along the line of sight to the source. Together with a model of , ionospheric delay and Faraday rotation values ensue. If contemporaneous ionospheric data – GPS TEC observations or ionosonde profiles – exist, they can be incorporated to update the modeled n_e.     

Monitoring the Dynamics of the Ionosphere–Plasmasphere System by Ground-Based ULF Wave Observations

Cross-spectral analysis of ULF wave measurements recorded at ground magnetometer stations closely spaced in latitude allows accurate determinations of magnetospheric field line resonance (FLR) frequencies. This is a useful tool for remote sensing temporal and spatial variations of the magnetospheric plasma mass density. The spatial configuration of the South European GeoMagnetic Array (SEGMA, 1.56 <  L <  1.89) offers the possibility to perform such studies at low latitudes allowing to monitor the dynamical coupling between the ionosphere and the inner plasmasphere. As an example of this capability we present the results of a cross-correlation analysis between FLR frequencies and solar EUV irradiance (as monitored by the 10.7-cm solar radio flux F10.7) suggesting that changes in the inner plasmasphere density follow the short-term (27-day) variations of the solar irradiance with a time delay of 1–2 days. As an additional example we present the results of a comparative analysis of FLR measurements, ionospheric vertical soundings and vertical TEC measurements during the development of a geomagnetic storm.     

A statistical study on the temporal distribution of ionospheric TEC anomalies prior to M7.0+ earthquakes during 2003–2012

In this paper, we conduct a new statistical study on the temporal distribution of the Global Positioning System Total Electron Content (GPS TEC) anomalies prior to the earthquakes with magnitude M≥7.0 in the global area during 2003–2012 by the method of statistical analysis. The temporal distribution of the ionospheric TEC anomalies prior to the earthquakes with magnitude M≥7.0 is for the first time studied. It has been observed that the ionospheric negative anomalies mainly occur in one week prior to the earthquakes, and only when the magnitude is greater than or equal to 7.6, the ionospheric anomalies will have the greatest probability of occurrence in the afternoon to sunset (i.e. between 12:00 and 18:00 local time). They last for approximate 2 hr, but the chance of detecting the significant enhancement in the ionospheric TEC seems not to be a function of time and there is no clear tendency for positive anomalies. In addition, the relationship of the occurrence rate of pre-earthquake ionospheric anomalies and the magnitude of the earthquake is discussed, and it is found that the observed ionospheric TEC anomalies within several days before the earthquakes are highly likely to be related with the earthquakes because the occurrence rate of pre-earthquake ionospheric anomalies seems to increase slightly with the earthquake magnitude increasing.     

Temporal and spatial distribution of GPS-TEC anomalies prior to the strong earthquakes

Earthquakes are one of the most destructive and harmful natural disasters, especially in recent years, the 2008/5/12 Wenchuan M7.9 earthquake, the 2011/3/11 Tohoku M9.0 earthquake and the 2012/4/11 Sumatra M8.6 earthquake have caused a significant impact to the human life. In this paper, we make a study of the temporal and spatial distribution of the Global Positioning System Total Electron Content (GPS TEC) anomalies prior to the three strong earthquakes by the method of statistical analysis. Our results show that the pre-earthquake ionospheric anomalies are mainly positive anomalies and take the shape of a double-crest structure with a trough near the epicenter. The ionospheric anomalies do not coincide with the vertical projection of the epicenter of the subsequent earthquake, but mainly localize in the near-epicenter region and corresponding ionospheric anomalies are also simultaneously observed in the magnetic conjugate region prior to the three earthquakes. In addition, the amplitude and scale-size of the ionospheric ΔTEC are different with the magnitude of the earthquake, and the horizontal scale-size of the greatest anomalies before the Tohoku M9.0 earthquake is ～30^° in longitude and ～10^° in latitude, with the maximum amplitude of TEC disturbances reaching ～20 TECu relative to the background. The peak of anomaly enhancement usually occurs in the afternoon to sunset (i.e. between 14:00 and 18:00 local time) which lasts for approximate 2 hours. Possible causes of these anomalies are discussed, and after eliminating the effect of solar activities and magnetic storms it can be concluded that the detected obvious and regular anomalous behavior in TEC within just a few days before the earthquakes is related with the forthcoming earthquakes with high probability.     

The Direct and Indirect Methods of Ionospheric TEC Predictions and Their Comparison

The direct and indirect methods for predicting the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) by using the ARIMA (p, d, q) model in the theory of time-series analysis are proposed. The direct method predicts directly the time series composed of the TECs at the every grid point. The indirect method is: at first, to fit the ionospheric TECs with the spherical harmonics and obtain the time series of the fitting coefficients; then, to predict forward the fitting coefficients with the ARIMA (p, d, q) model in the theory of time-series analysis; and finally, to calculate the TEC for the specific time and grid point. Using the ionospheric data of the International GPS Service (IGS) in the period from 1 January 2004 to 31 January 2005, the testing and comparisons on the proposed methods are performed, the results indicate that within 12 days, the results of the two methods are basically consistent, and that for the predictions longer than 12 days, the accuracy of the indirect method is higher than the direct method. In the duration of 20 days, relative to the total ionospheric grid points, the percentage of the grid points with a prediction error less than 3 TECUs is about 80%; as the duration becomes longer, compared with the indirect method, the decline of this percentage is not apparent for the direct method. Obviously, the direct method suits the prediction of regional TECs, and the indirect method suits the prediction of global TECs.     

Plasmasphere convection patterns observed simultaneously from two ground stations

Whistler data recorded during a 14 h period on 10–11 July 1973 at Siple (L = 4.17) and Sanae (L = 3.98) have been used to compare the apparent plasma convection patterns observed from these Antarctic stations. Two distinct bulges in the plasmasphere are seen at both stations, each bulge corresponding to an apparent outflowed followed by in flow of plasma. These structures do not coincide in U.T. or M.L.T. The first bulge is seen at Siple almost 1 h earlier in M.L.T. than at Sanae and the second bulge almost 3 h earlier. This is interpreted in terms of a fairly rapid westward and inward movement of the plasmasphere structure.     

Electron content modelling: The significance of protonospheric contents

The principal advance of the ATS-6 satellite beacon experiment was the ability to deduce continuously the electron content along the entire slant path from ground-based measurements of the signal group delay. This feature has been exploited in conjunction with the more usual Faraday rotation technique to separate the total electron content into ionospheric and protonospheric components. The physical validity of the deduced quantities is investigated using a mathematical model of the plasmasphere in which integration of the time-dependent continuity and momentum equations for oxygen and hydrogen ions along selected L shells yields the ion concentrations and field-aligned fluxes. The ion concentrations are then integrated along the propagation path to various ground stations from ATS-6 to give computed values for comparison with observations. The mathematical model is used with different sets of atmospheric parameters to investigate the significance of ionospheric and protonospheric contents as derived from beacon data.The calculated electron concentrations are able to reproduce mid-latitude equinoctial electron content observations. The shape parameters τ and F can also be simulated by day, but night-time values do not match the observations well, a greater protonospheric content being required. The calculations show that the quantity N_p, which is readily derived from ATS-6 observations, may be interpreted as the slant H⁺ content above some fixed height in the case of some stations (but not others) if the plasmasphere is reasonably full. The total slant content of H⁺ is approx. twice the value of N_p, though it appears that for the Lancaster raypath a closer relationship exists between N_p and the H⁺ tube content at L = 1.8. In general,N_p is most closely related to the tube content for an L value slightly greater than the minimum L intersected along the raypath.     

电离层TEC对小耀斑的响应

利用国际GPS观测网(IGS)提供的多个台站的观测数据,分析了M级别以下的小、暗太阳耀斑对向阳面电离层TEC的影响．利用传统分析方法的结果表明,从单条视线(LOS)观测数据得到的电离层TEC及其时间变化率曲线来看,由于它们的波动水平和正常情况下的背景电离层变化相当,使此类小耀斑的信息完全淹没在背景噪声中,不能够显示和分辨出耀斑的发生．利用相干求和的数据处理方法,选用向阳面18个GPS台站的观测数据研究了一次C级SF耀斑引起的电离层TEC增加,结果发现,这种方法能有效地消除背景电离层变化噪声,电离层对耀斑的响应非常清楚和明显,这通常只能在X级别的大耀斑中看到．和GOES卫星X射线数据相比,电离层TEC变化的时间特征和耀斑爆发的开始、最大和结束时间均有很好的符合,其最大平均TEC增量在0．1TECU以下,和X级别的大耀斑相比有一个或多个量级上的差别．     

利用时间序列模型预报电离层TEC

以IGS(international GPS service)发布的电离层TEC(total electron content)资料为样本,用时间序列模型对全球的电离层总电子含量进行了预报.在时间序列预报模型中,不同的定阶方法导致不同的预报结果;实践证明本文使用的BIC定阶准则较好地实现了电离层总电子含量的预报.结果表明:对10 d左右的预报时间段,时间序列模型的TEC计算结果相对精度高,预报相对精度优于60%的网格点数在总网格点数中所占百分比可达90%以上.     

A study of the relationship between geo-magnetic storms and ionospheric disturbances at mid-latitudes

The problem of the ionospheric disturbances associated with geomagnetic storms is examined with the goal of searching for a relationship between the time-developments of the two phenomena. Faraday rotation measurements of total electron content (N_T) are used to monitor the ionospheric F-region at a mid-latitude site, while a variety of geomagnetic parameters are examined as possible ways of following the geomagnetic variations. The ionospheric and geomagnetic data taken during 28 individual storms from 1967 to 1969 are used to search for a predictive scheme which can be tested using data from 17 storms in 1970. The specific aim is to find the geomagnetic parameter whose time-development can best forecast whether or not the ionospheric response will include an initial positive phase prior to the normally extended period of F-region depletions. Correlations between N_T and the geomagnetic indices K_p, and equatorial Dst(H) prove to be wholly inadequate. The local times of main-phase-onset (MPO) determined from the equatorial Dst(H) indices as well as from local horizontal component data, also prove to be unsatisfactory. The best correlations are obtained using local measurements of the total geomagnetic field (F). These results show that a storm commencement (SC) will produce an enhancement in n_t during the afternoon period following the SC unless there is an intervening post-midnight period with a strong depression of the geomagnetic field. Operationally this is taken to be a depression in F of at least 100γ near 03:00 LT     

Diurnal variation of thermal plasma in the plasmasphere

All of the OGO-5 light ion density measurements (covering the period from March 1968 to May 1969) obtained from the Lockheed Light Ion Mass Spectrometer were used to determine the average global topology of the equatorial plasmasphere density distribution. The variation of the light ion equatorial density at L?3.2 with local time was deduced by determining the average density observed within one hour of a specific local time and within 0.1 of a given L coordinate. The average H⁺ density showed a semidiurnal variation with peaks near noon and midnight. The He⁺ observations also revealed multiple peaks throughout the day but with smaller amplitudes than those of H⁺. At L>3.2 plasma trough conditions increase the scatter of densities. The average variation of the H⁺ density with L within the plasmasphere is found to be steepest near midnight and can be least squares fitted equally well to either an exponential variation exp (?bL) where b is between 0.85 and 1.5 or to a power law L^?a where a varies from 3.2 to 5.     

Radial plasma drifts deduced from VLF whistler mode signals: A modelling study

VLF whistler mode signals have previously been used to infer radial plasma drifts in the equatorial plane of the plasmasphere and the field-aligned ionosphere-protonosphere coupling fluxes. Physical models of the plasmasphere consisting of O⁺ and H⁺ ions along dipole magnetic field lines, and including radial Ez × B drifts, are applied to a mid-latitude flux tube appropriate to whistler mode signals received at Wellington, New Zealand, from the fixed frequency VLF transmitter NLK (18.6 kHz) in Seattle, U.S.A. These models are first shown to provide a good representation of the recorded Doppler shift and group delay data. They are then used to simulate the process of deducing the drifts and fluxes from the recorded data. Provided the initial whistler mode duct latitude and the ionospheric contributions are known, the drifts at the equatorial plane can be estimated to about ± 20 ms^?1 (～10–15%), and the two hemisphere ionosphere-protonosphere coupling fluxes to about ± 10¹² m^?2 s^?1 (～40%).     

The structure of the polar ionosphere during exceptionally quiet periods

Knowledge of the structure of the polar ionosphere during exceptionally quiet periods is basic for studying complicated ionospheric behaviors during disturbances. On the basis of data from an airborne ionosonde as well as a meridian chain of ground-basedionosondes, the circumpolar structure of the E,-and F-regions is elucidated. There are two circumpolar zones of E-region ionization with differing characteristics. The first is an auroral E,-layer and/or retarded type sporadic E-band that has previously (Whalen et al., 1971) been found to be identical with the continuous aurora. The second is a zone of non-retarded type spora die E located poleward of the former band. In general, discrete auroras are co-located with the latter. The main trough, a prominent feature of the night sector F-region, is most pronounced in the early morning. The main trough is bounded on the poleward side by a well defined ‘wall’ of F-region ionization. The night sector poleward trough wall is located approximately three degrees of latitude equatorward of the auroral oval. A ‘plateau’ of F-region ionization extends from the poleward trough wall to the auroral oval.     

长三角地区电离层变化的GPS监测

利用GPS双频观测量可获取电离层总电子含量(Total Electron Content,TEC),以监测区域上空电离层的分布和变化特征,从而可以发现不同尺度的电离层异常。该文采用2004年上海地区GPS综合应用网(SCGAN)以及中国地壳运动监测网络(CMONC)的部分台站的观测,计算得到1年时间序列的TEC数据,来研究长三角地区上空的电离层TEC的变化与活动。应用这些数据,综合利用高斯权函数和滑动平均等几种数据处理方法,重点分析和讨论了长三角地区上空电离层的周日变化、周年变化和季节性变化特性,揭示了电离层冬季异常等现象。同时,通过对1年时间序列TEC进行谱分析,得到了其相应的变化周期。     

Simultaneous storm-time increases of the ionospheric total electron content and the geomagnetic field in the dusk sector

Using the Faraday rotation technique with the ATS-3 satellite, it has been possible to monitor changes in the total electron content (N_T) of the mid-latitude ionosphere during the first day of 20 geomagnetic storms. Our analysis has shown that during the positive phase (ΔN_T > 0) of ionospheric storms the absolute magnitude of the increase in N_T exhibits a very pronounced maximum near sunset. The mean value of ΔN_T at 17:00 LT is more than five times the average ΔN_T value at local noon. This effect is basically independent of the storm commencement time and is usually associated with substantial local enhancements of the total geomagnetic field. The N_T enhancements are discussed in terms of a contraction and draining of the plasmasphere. A model is presented in which the dawn-dusk electric field responsible for the magnetospheric convection slows down the corotational motion of the plasmaspheric ionization in the dusk sector. This braking action causes a ‘pile up’ of the plasma and the magnetic field along the entire dusk sector.     

Modeling of local ionospheric time varying characteristics based on singular value decomposition over low-latitude GPS stations

Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) model is implemented to recognize the Total Electron Content (TEC) time series of daily, temporal as well as seasonal characteristics throughout the 24th solar cycle period of the year 2015 in the study. The Vertical (vTEC) analysis has been carried out with Global Positioning System (GPS) data sets collected from five stations from India namely GNT, Guntur (16.44^° N, 80.62^° E), and IISC, Bangalore (12.97^° N, 77.59^° E), LCK2, Lucknow (26.76^° N, 80.88^° E), one station from Thailand namely AITB, Bangkok (14.07^° N, 100.61^° E), and one station from South Andaman Island namely PBR, Port Blair (11.43^° N, 92.43^° E), located in low latitude region. The first five singular value modes constitute about 98% of the total variance, which are linearly transformed from the observed TEC data sets. So it is viable to decrease the number of modeling parameters. The Fourier Series Analysis (FSA) is carried out to characterize the solar-cycle, annual and semi-annual dependences through modulating the first three singular values by the solar (F10.7) and geomagnetic (Ap) indices. The positive correlation coefficient (0.75) of daily averaged GPS–TEC with daily averaged F10.7 strongly supports the temporal variations of the ionospheric features depends on the solar activity. Further, the significance and reliability of the SVD model is evaluated by comparing it with GPS–TEC data and the standard global model (Standard Plasma-Spherical Ionospheric Model, SPIM and International Reference Ionosphere, IRI 2016).