Specific features of variations in the characteristics of VLF signals when the lunar shadow propagated along the path during the solar eclipse of March 29, 2006

The effects of the solar eclipse of March 29, 2006, in the signals of ULF radio stations, in the intensity of regular radio noise at frequencies of 0.3–10 kHz, and in the number of atmospherics received in Yakutsk mostly from the west have been considered. The observations were performed using a multichannel parallel analyzer-recorder (11 channels in the frequency band 0.47–8.7 kHz), one-point lightning direction and range finder (0.3–100 kHz), narrow-sector radio noise direction-finder (0.3–10 kHz), recorder of signals from VLF radio stations, and broadband radio noise recorder (0.3–100 kHz). A GPS clock was used to synchronize a recorder of signals from VLF radio stations. The effect was observed in radio signals, radio noise, and number of atmospherics from the direction 270° ± 20° counted off clockwise from the north during the last stage of the eclipse (～ 1100–1200 UT), when the lunar shadow approached the line of the nighttime terminator and obscured part of the signal propagation path. The effect was observed as an enhancement of the received signals by a factor of ～1.2, a factor of ～1.4 increase in the number of atmospherics, and a change in the radio station phase values.     

Influence of the solar UV-radiation intensity on the 630-nm nightglow emission in the 23rd solar cycle

It is well known that the 630-nm nightglow emission intensity in midlatitudes increases by more than a factor of 2 during a sunspot maximum. It has been assumed that the phenomenon is caused by variations in solar UV radiation during a solar cycle (Fishkova, 1983). We present the results of photometric measurements of the nightglow 630.0 nm emission intensity at a latitude of 63° E and longitude of 130° E (Yakutsk) in 1990–2007. The dependence of the 630-nm emission intensity on solar activity on magnetically quiet days in the 22nd and 23rd solar cycles is shown. The close relationship between the 630-nm nightglow intensity and the intensity of extreme UV (EUV) with a correlation coefficient of 0.8–0.9 in 1997–2007 is ascertained from the SOHO/SEM data. The dominance of solar EUV in the excitation of nightglow 630-nm emission has thus been experimentally proved.     

Earth’s lower ionosphere during partial solar eclipses according to observations near Nizhny Novgorod

The results of observations in the Vasil’sursk Laboratory (56.1° N, 46.1° E) of partial solar eclipses of August 11, 1999, August 1, 2008, and March 20, 2015 are discussed. Ionospheric observations in the eclipse periods and on control days were conducted by the method of resonant scatter of radio waves at artificial periodic irregularities of the ionospheric plasma and the partial reflection method based on radio wave scatter by natural irregularities in the D region. The lower ionosphere reaction to solar eclipses, including variations in the electron concentration and characteristics of the signals scattered by APIs, was studied. An intensification of the lower ionosphere turbulization, an increase in the signal amplitudes backscattered by APIs in the E region, stratification of the D region, and the arrival of scattered signals from mesopause heights were observed during the eclipses. A decrease in the electron concentration of the D region up to a factor of 3–5 was found by the partial reflection method. Above 88 km, the ionospheric response was delayed by 20–25 min relative to the moment of the eclipse maximum phase, whereas this delay in the lower part of the D region was 2–4 min.     

Transverse resonance in the high-latitude section of the Earth–ionosphere waveguide during the solar eclipse of March 20, 2015

The spectra of radio atmospheric signals (spherics) recorded simultaneously at two observatories of the Polar Geophysical Institute, Lovozero (67.97° N, 35.08° E) and Barentsburg (78.08° N, 14.22° E), during the solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 are presented. The peculiarities of the behavior of the first critical frequency of the Earth-ionosphere waveguide during the eclipse are described. The effective altitude of the reflective layer of ionosphere is assessed.     

Simultaneous observations of the natural electromagnetic emission in the ELF-VLF range at Kamchatka and in Yakutia during the solar eclipse of August 1, 2008

The effect of the solar eclipse that occurred on August 1, 2008, on the level of the natural electro-magnetic emission signals in the ELF-VLF range, simultaneously observed at Kamchatka and in Yakutsk, and the variations in the amplitude and phase of signals from the VLF radiostations, registered in Yakutsk, has been considered. The VLF radiostations in Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, and Khabarovsk successively emitted signals at frequencies of 11 905, 12 649, and 14 880 Hz. Based on the observations of the signals from these radiostations, it has been established that the signal amplitudes and phases increased by 3–5% and 30°–45° when the signals crossed the lunar shadow region. The synchronous registration of the ELF-VLF noise emission indicated that a bay-like increase and the following decrease in the emission to the background level was observed at both receiving points during the eclipse from ∼1000 to 1130 UT. This effect was registered at frequencies of 0.6–5.6 kHz in Yakutsk and at lower (30–200 Hz) and higher (2.5–11 kHz) frequencies at Kamchatka. In this case the noise emission intensity maximum was observed when the lunar shadow maximally approached the registration point. At higher frequencies, the emission maximum was observed simultaneously at both points (at 1100 UT) but with a delay relative to the maximum at lower frequencies. The possible causes of the appearance of the solar eclipse effects in the natural ELF-VLF emission are considered.     

Empirical model of variations in the emission of the infrared atmospheric system of molecular oxygen: 1. Intensity

On the basis of the data of ground-based spectrometric observations in Zvenigorod (55.7°N, 36.8°E) and published results of measurements of the intensity of the Infrared Atmospheric system of molecular oxygen obtained at other stations, empirical relations describing variations in the intensity of the 1.58-μm emission for various solar and geophysical conditions are calculated.     

Propagation of radio waves reflected from the ionosphere during a solar eclipse

Summary The article first describes in chronological order the observations on the propagation of radio waves during the solar eclipses, and the development of the conflicting results on the similar transmissions of radio signals. The general theory of the absorption of radio waves in the ionosphere is briefly described and therefrom a method is derived to estimate the variation of the absorption of obliquely incident radio waves during a solar eclipse.The variation of field-strength can be studied in terms of the relationship between the vertical incident equivalent frequency of the signals and the critical frequencies of the ionospheric layers at the regions of reflection. The total absorption of radio waves consists of the non-deviative absorption in theD region and the deviative absorption in the higher layers of the ionosphere. During the eclipse, theD region absorption decreases in phase with the progress of the eclipse, but the variation of deviative absorption may differ in each observation. The deviative absorption is large when the equivalent frequency is close to the critical frequency of the layer reflecting the waves or of the layer just penetrated by the waves. The changes in the deviative absorption during an eclipse can be estimated on the basis of the variation of the critical frequencies of the ionospheric layers. The resultant changes in the total absorption during a solar eclipse may thus be estimated. The different types of field strength variation expected during an eclipse are given.The observations of the vertical incident absorption of radio waves and the field strength variations of obliquely incident continuous wave radio signals during the solar eclipse are described and the changes are explained on the basis of the above theory.     

Effect of variations in the solar-wind parameters on thunderstorm activity

Possible correlation between variations of the intensity of lightnings, which are estimated from the flux of thunderstorm-generated VLF-signals, and variations of the solar wind parameters has been investigated. The signals representing the intensity of local thunderstorms in summer and winter are received in Yakutsk (the Eastern Siberia) and in the African World Thunderstorm Center, respectively. The highest correlation coefficient has been obtained between the thunderstorm activity and variations of the solar-wind particle density. This correlation has a season-dependent sign-alternating character. The maximum positive and negative correlation coefficients are observed in August–September and February, respectively; i.e., the manifestation of solar wind density variations in the thunderstorm activity is maximal in the near-equinoctial periods. This may be associated with the peculiarities of the transfer of the magnetospheric electric field “from morning to evening,” which is induced by the solar-wind particle flux, to ionospheric heights.     

Variations in the cosmic source intensity during radio astronomical studies of the solar wind

Fluctuations in the intensity of cosmic radiosources, which are slower than interplanetary scintillations and are observed during radio astronomical studies of the solar wind, are discussed. It has been indicated that daytime variations (on average, from 8 to 16 h) are caused by large-scale disturbances in the solar wind rather than are of an ionospheric origin. A conclusion is made that such variations can be used to study the near-solar interplanetary space and predict space weather.     

Empirical model of variations in the emission of the Infrared Atmospheric system of molecular oxygen: 3. Temperature

Rotational temperatures of the 1.58-μm (0–1) band of the Infrared Atmospheric system of molecular oxygen (IRAO₂), measured in Zvenigorod (56° N, 36° E), are systematized and analyzed. An empirical dependence of variations in the temperature of the 1.58-μm emission on the solar zenith angle is derived. The use of parameters of the altitude distribution of emission intensity 1.27 μm of middle atmosphere temperature profiles, received from the AURA satellite, allowed for the study of daily variations in the temperature of the 1.58-μm emission. It is revealed that the behavior of these variations corresponds to daily variations in the atmospheric temperature at altitudes of the radiating layer of IRAO₂, received from the AURA satellite.     

GPS-CHAMP掩星探测的E_S层不规则结构经度变化规律(2001—2008)

本文利用GPS-CHAMP高分辨率的掩星探测数据,考察了E_S层不规则结构随地理经度和随季节、倾角磁纬与太阳活动的变化特征.研究发现,E_S层不规则结构的经度变化以波数1~5分量为主,呈现出多重波数特征.在低纬度带存在显著的波数4分量,其幅度存在季节依赖,在夏季和秋季明显高于春季和冬季.E_S层不规则结构出现率随倾角磁纬的变化表现为赤道区和中纬度区较低,低纬区和极区较高.E_S层不规则结构出现率的季节变化和年均值的逐年变化表现为夏季出现最频繁,秋季次之,冬春季最弱,随太阳活动水平的减弱而降低.     

Effect of the total solar eclipse of March 20, 2015, on VLF/LF propagation

The analyzed amplitude and phase variations in electromagnetic VLF and LF signals at 20–45 kHz, received in Moscow, Graz (Austria), and Sheffield (UK) during the total solar eclipse of March 20, 2015, are considered. The 22 analyzed paths have lengths of 200—6100 km, are differently oriented, and cross 40–100% occultation regions. Fifteen paths crossed the region where the occultation varied from 40 to 90%. Solar eclipse effects were found only on one of these paths in the signal phase (–50°). Four long paths crossed the 90–100% occultation region, and signal amplitude and phase anomalies were detected for all four paths. Negative phase anomalies varied from–75° to–90°, and the amplitude anomalies were both positive and negative and were not larger than 5 dB. It was shown that the effective height of the ionosphere varied from 6.5 to 11 km during the eclipse.     

Effect of resonance phenomena on the wave structure of the middle atmosphere

Based on data of the optical measurements performed at Orbita observatory, Almaty (76°55′ E, 43°15′ N), it has been established that the region of LF oscillations in the range of periods from 0.5 to 2.5 h includes the components composed of the heterodyne frequencies of two oscillations. It has been indicated that the origination of these harmonics can be interpreted when solving the linear problem of a resonance behavior of acoustic gravity waves under the action of diurnal variations in the solar radiation intensity, and the heterodyne frequencies appear due to the effect of acoustic gravity wave enhancement in an acoustically active medium.     

Ionospheric index of solar activity based on the data of measurements of the spacecraft signals characteristics

The method for estimating an ionospheric index of solar-activity (IISA) based on the processing of spacecraft radio signals is suggested. The IISA values have been obtained by comparison between the measured and calculated variations of radio-signal characteristics. To calculate the variations of radio-signal characteristics, the straight rays approximation and the solar-activity index (Wolf numbers W and/or values of F_10.7 solar flux) as a control parameter of the ionospheric model have been used. The suggested method was tested using spacecraft radio signals from the radio-navigation system “CIKADA”. The reduced differences of phases (ΔΦ) for frequencies 150 and 400 MHz were measured and the same characteristics were calculated by integration along the ray of radio-wave propagation between the receiver and the satellite. The IRI-95 has been used as a background ionospheric model. The satellite co-ordinates were determined using the orbit parameters recorded in the navigation messages. Minimization of the difference measured and calculated ΔΦ using arbitrary time steps, or during whole time intervals of observation, gives the IISA corresponding the satellite pass. Daily IISA values were obtained by averaging over all communication contacts during a day (20–30 passes). Testing this approach based on the measurements during March/April 1997, 1998, shows that on magnetically quiet days differences between IISA and the primary solar activity indices are about 5%.     

Estimate of seasonal changes in the intensity of the infrared atmospheric system of molecular oxygen

On the basis of measurements of the intensity of 1.58-μm emissions of the Infrared Atmospheric System of molecular oxygen (IRAO₂) conducted at the Zvenigorod scientific station of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (φ = 55.7°N, λ = 36.8°E), seasonal variations are estimated for various solar zenith angles. Their amplitude has the maximum value at the solar zenith angles χ _S ∼ 105–110°. It decreases at χ _S ∼ 125–130° and tends to zero at χ _S ∼ 80–85°. The comparison of currently measured values of the 1.58-μm emission intensity of the Infrared Atmospheric System of molecular oxygen with published data on the intensity of this emission obtained in 1961–1966 reveals their decrease over approximately 50 years. This fact is in good agreement with similar behavior of the emission intensity of atomic oxygen (557.7 nm) over the period considered.     

Solar energetic events in the years 1996–2004. The analysis of their geoeffectiveness

Data concerning solar energetic events, published in 1996–2004 by the USAF/NOAA in the form of daily reports, have been collected. The analysis of the particular event types indicates that the degree of their geoeffectiveness depends on their size and on their solar disc location. The mere information that a solar X-flare (XRA) event or a Long Duration XRA Event (LDE) has occurred on the solar disc is insufficient to produce a relevant forecast of geomagnetic disturbances. The probability increases if the XRA is of class X which has occurred on the solar disk in central region (30 °E, 30 °W; 30 °S, 30 °N). XRAs associated with metric type II and IV radio bursts (RSP II and RSP IV), which occurred on the solar disc in this region will very probably cause a geomagnetic disturbance not only if X class are involved, but also M class and B–C class. The Disappearance of Solar Filament (DSF) data cannot be used in forecasting geomagnetic disturbances. The geoeffective and nongeoeffective DSFs are too disproportional. jboch@ig.cas.cz fridrich@geomag.sk     

利用COSMIC掩星探测分析120°E经线附近电离层E层闪烁指数变化

利用气象、电离层和气候卫.星联合观测系统COSMIC掩星2007-2013年探测资料,分析了120°E经线附近电离层E层区域(70~140km)闪烁指数的季节、地方时和空间变化.结果表明强电离层闪烁主要集中在磁纬度±30°内,夏季达到最大,冬季其次,春季最小.闪烁峰值大小与太阳辐射有关,但北半球夏冬季闪烁峰值大于南半球观测结果,秋半球闪烁峰值大于春半球观测结果.地磁高纬地区较强闪烁现象出现在地方时傍晚之后,午夜前后达到最大值.地磁中纬和低纬区域日出后即出现较为明显的闪烁现象,一直持续至夜间甚至凌晨,分别约在中午和傍晚前达到最大值.磁赤道区闪烁现象通常始于地方时日出后,最大值发生在傍晚1800LT左右.电离层E区的闪烁峰值大都集中110km高度,但高纬地区的峰值高度略有降低.此外,太阳和地磁活动的增强一定程度上会抑制E层闪烁现象.相关研究结果有利于分析E层不规则结构及物理形成机制,同时为电离层区域闪烁模型的建立提供有用的信息.     

Computation of the key parameters of radio signals propagating through a perturbed ionosphere in the land-satellite channel

An analysis of the key parameters of HF/UHF radio signals was carried out for land-satellite radio channels, which determine the effects of fading in a perturbed ionosphere. Using the parameters of the perturbed plasma, the effects of the absorption and phase fluctuations of radio signals are analyzed for a channel with fading. For the evaluation of the effect of scattering of a radio signal by ionospheric inhomogeneities in an approximation of small-scale scintillations, expressions for the root-mean-square (RMS) magnitude of signal intensity and phase scintillations are presented. Scintillation index σ _I ² that corresponds to variations in a signal under the conditions of multipath propagation with fading is investigated by using experimental data. It is shown that roughly ～10% of inhomogeneities of the electron concentration in the F region of the ionosphere, perturbed during a magnetic storm, yield strong quickly fading radio signals in the VHF/UHF range with significant fluctuations (up to 1%) in the intensity of the signal and phase fluctuations (up to hundreds of radians). The calculated magnitudes of the scintillation index are in good agreement with experimentally observed data.     

Evidence for tidal triggering on the earthquakes of the Hellenic Arc,Greece

In this paper we investigate the tidal triggering evidence on the earthquakes of the seismic area of the Hellenic Arc using the Hist(ogram)Cum(mulation) method. We analyze the series of the earthquakes occurred in the area which is confined by the longitudes 22° and 28°E and latitudes 34° and 36°N in the time period from 1964 to 2012. In this time period 16,137 shallow and of intermediate depth earthquakes with M_L up to 6.0 and 1,482 deep earthquakes with M_L up to 6.2 occurred. The result of the this analysis indicate that the monthly variation of the frequencies of earthquake occurrence is in accordance with the period of the tidal lunar monthly variations, and the same happens with the corresponding daily variations of the frequencies of earthquake occurrence with the diurnal luni-solar (K1) and semidiurnal solar (S2) tidal variations. These results are in favor of a tidal triggering process on earthquakes when the stress in the focal area is near the critical level.     

Morphology and causes of the Weddell Sea anomaly

The zone of anomalous diurnal variations in foF2, which is characterized by an excess of nighttime foF2 values over daytime ones, has been distinguished in the Southern Hemisphere based on the Intercosmos-19 satellite data. In English literature, this zone is usually defined as the Weddell Sea anomaly (WSA). The anomaly occupies the longitudes of 180°–360° E in the Western Hemisphere and the latitudes of 40°–80° S, and the effect is maximal (up to ∼5 MHz) at longitudes of 255°–315° E and latitudes of 60°–70° S (50°–55° ILAT). The anomaly is observed at all levels of solar activity. The anomaly formation causes have been considered based on calculations and qualitative analysis. For this purpose, the longitudinal variations in the ionospheric and thermospheric parameters in the Southern Hemisphere have been analyzed in detail for near-noon and near-midnight conditions. The analysis shows that the daytime foF2 values are much smaller in the Western Hemisphere than in the Eastern one, and, on the contrary, the nighttime values are much larger, as a result of which the foF2 diurnal variations are anomalous. Such a character of the longitudinal effect mainly depends on the vertical plasma drift under the action of the neutral wind and ionization by solar radiation. Other causes have also been considered: the composition and temperature of the atmosphere, plasma flows from the plasmasphere, electric fields, particle precipitation, and the relationship to the equatorial anomaly and the main ionospheric trough.