根据VLF的相位变化确定D层宇宙线强度变化的可能性

银河宇宙线是电离层D层的重要电离源之一,它的急剧变化会使D层电子密度发生改变,从而影响VLF波的夜间传播。本文根据在西安接收英国GBR台的VLF波（16kc/s）的相位变化,讨论了在有宇宙线暴（Forbush下降）和强磁暴时,中纬D层电子浓度的变化和相应的VLF波的相位漂移;并根据VLF的相位变化,估计了相应的宇宙线强度变化。由于D层中的宇宙线强度变化通常难于观测,通过VLF波的相位漂移来估计它,这是很有意义的。所以,VLF波的传播效应可能成为间接探测宇宙线强度变化的有用工具。     

根据VLF的相位变化确定D层宇宙线强度变化的可能性

银河宇宙线是电离层D层的重要电离源之一,它的急剧变化会使D层电子密度发生改变,从而影响VLF波的夜间传播。本文根据在西安接收英国GBR台的VLF波（16kc/s）的相位变化,讨论了在有宇宙线暴（Forbush下降）和强磁暴时,中纬D层电子浓度的变化和相应的VLF波的相位漂移;并根据VLF的相位变化,估计了相应的宇宙线强度变化。由于D层中的宇宙线强度变化通常难于观测,通过VLF波的相位漂移来估计它,这是很有意义的。所以,VLF波的传播效应可能成为间接探测宇宙线强度变化的有用工具。     

Time-Variations of D-Region Electron Densities, and Comparisons With Model Computations

An extensive series of incoherent scatter studies of the ionospheric D-region was carried out at the Arecibo radar facility during 1978 and 1979. They included several full-day sequences of electron density measurements over a range of altitudes, and also included a sequence during the serendipitous occurrence of a large solar flare. For the solar flare event simultaneous data on solar X-ray fluxes in several wavelength bands were available from the GOES-2 and ISEE-3 satellites. In the course of development of a large ionospheric computer model at Los Alamos we have used the solar flare data as a reality check. The solar X-ray flux data were used as inputs for computing ionization rates. The model computer includes 999 chemical reactions, and also includes diffusion and transport processes. In the course of the flare studies we used the data comparisons to adjust the values of three chemical rate coefficients that were poorly known. With those adjustments the model computations fitted the data quite well. Subsequent to the flare analysis we have been using the same model with some minor updates to compute the expected diurnal variations of the ambient D-region under conditions chosen to match those existing at the times of the incoherent scatter measurements. Comparisons of the computations and the data will be shown, and the relative importance of the several separate ionization processes will be discussed. We also compare model results with experimental data on concentrations of NO.     

On the Use of VLF Narrowband Measurements to Study the Lower Ionosphere and the Mesosphere–Lower Thermosphere

The ionospheric D-region (~60 km up to ~95 km) and the corresponding neutral atmosphere, often referred to as the mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT), are challenging and costly to probe in situ. Therefore, remote sensing techniques have been developed over the years. One of these is based on very low frequency (VLF, 3–30 kHz) electromagnetic waves generated by various natural and man-made sources. VLF waves propagate within the Earth–ionosphere waveguide and are extremely sensitive to perturbations occurring in the D-region along their propagation path. Hence, measurements of these signals serve as an inexpensive remote sensing technique for probing the lower ionosphere and the MLT region. This paper reviews the use of VLF narrowband (NB) signals (generated by man-made transmitters) in the study of the D-region and the MLT for over 90 years. The fields of research span time scales from microseconds to decadal variability and incorporate lightning-induced short-term perturbations; extraterrestrial radiation bursts; energetic particle precipitation events; solar eclipses; lower atmospheric waves penetrating into the D-region; sudden stratospheric warming events; the annual oscillation; the solar cycle; and, finally, the potential use of VLF NB measurements as an anthropogenic climate change monitoring technique.     

中纬度电离层吸收的冬夏不对称性及吸收与低层大气耦合的可能性

本文对1982-1983年期间北京地区一种连续扫频法的电离层吸收记录及国内几个其它台站的f_(min)记录进行了分析。观测证据表明,中纬度电离层D区的吸收行为在冬天和夏天表现很不相同,夏季主要受太阳控制,而冬季则在太阳控制的基础上迭加其它控制因素。对低层大气30mb等压面高度随时间变化的分析结果也显示了类似的冬夏不对称性。这似乎表明,冬天电离层D区更容易受来自对流层和低平流层中某些过程的影响。这与对流层中激发的行星尺度波在冬季易于垂直向上传播的理论是定性上一致的。     

中纬度电离层吸收的冬夏不对称性及吸收与低层大气耦合的可能性

本文对1982—1983年期间北京地区一种连续扫频法的电离层吸收记录及国内几个其它台站的f_(min)记录进行了分析。观测证据表明,中纬度电离层D区的吸收行为在冬天和夏天表现很不相同,夏季主要受太阳控制,而冬季则在太阳控制的基础上迭加其它控制因素。对低层大气30mb等压面高度随时间变化的分析结果也显示了类似的冬夏不对称性。这似乎表明,冬天电离层D区更容易受来自对流层和低平流层中某些过程的影响。这与对流层中激发的行星尺度波在冬季易于垂直向上传播的理论是定性上一致的。     

First EISCAT measurement of electron-gas temperature in the artificially heated D-region ionosphere

The ionospheric electron gas can be heated artificially by a powerful radio wave. According to our modeling, the maximum effect of this heating occurs in the D-region where the electron temperature can increase by a factor of ten. Ionospheric plasma parameters such as N_e,T_e and T_i are measured by EISCAT incoherent scatter radar on a routine basis. However, in the D-region the incoherent scatter echo is very weak because of the low electron density. Moreover, the incoherent scatter spectrum from the D-region is of Lorentzian shape which gives less information than the spectrum from the E- and F-regions. These make EISCAT measurements in the D-region difficult. A combined EISCAT VHF-radar and heating experiment was carried out in November 1998 with the aim to measure the electron temperature increase due to heating. In the experiment the heater was switched on/off at 5 minute intervals and the integration time of the radar was chosen synchronously with the heating cycle. A systematic difference in the measured autocorrelation functions was found between heated and unheated periods.     

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.     

Solar activity effects in the ionospheric D region

Variations in the D-region electron concentration within the solar activity cycle are considered. It is demonstrated that conclusions of various authors, who have analyzed various sets of experimental data on [e], differ significantly. The most reliable seem to be the conclusions based on analysis of the [e] measurements carried out by the Faraday rotation method and on the theoretical concepts on the D-region photochemistry. Possible QBO effects in the relation of [e] to solar activity are considered and an assumption is made that such effects may be the reason for the aforementioned disagreement in conclusions on the [e] relation to solar indices.Paper Presented at the Second IAGA/ICMA (IAMAS) Workshop on Solar Activity Forcing of the Middle Atmosphere, Prague, August 1997     

Hydrated cluster ion formation rates and winter anomaly

Expressions for the effective cluster formation rates are written in terms of neutral densities and recent laboratory data on reaction rate coefficients. At D-region heights these parameters show seasonal variations due to mesospheric temperature changes. Reduction in cluster formation rates for winter months would result in a decrease in the concentration of hydrated ions and hence reduced effective recombination coefficient for electrons. The results show latitude and seasonal variations which are similar to that of a normal winter anomaly in radio wave absorption.     

The effect of vibrationally excited nitrogen on the low-latitude ionosphere

The first five vibrationally excited states of molecular nitrogen have been included in the Sheffield University plasmasphere ionosphere model. Vibrationally excited molecular nitrogen reacts much more strongly with atomic oxygen ions than ground-state nitrogen; this means that more O+ ions are converted to NO+ ions, which in turn combine with the electrons to give reduced electron densities. Model calculations have been carried out to investigate the effect of including vibrationally excited molecular nitrogen on the low-latitude ionosphere. In contrast to mid-latitudes, a reduction in electron density is seen in all seasons during solar maximum, the greatest effect being at the location of the equatorial trough.     

The dependence of the ionospheric absorption at 2775 kHz on the intensity of ionizing radiation—Ionospheric implications

Summary The results of comparisons of experimental data on the A3 2775 kHz absorption, X-ray (1–8 Å) flux and Lyman- radiation are compared with model data on ionization-rate and radio-wave absorption height profiles. The Lyman- radiation is found to dominate even in the upper D-region ionization (except flare conditions). A significant increase of usually used nitric oxide concentrations from rocket airglow measurements is required for achieving the best agreement between experimental and model data.     

Anomalous enhancement in daytime 40-kHz signal amplitude accompanied by geomagnetic storms,earthquakes and meteor showers

Anomalous propagational characteristics, daytime signal levels greater than night-time, were observed. The amplitude records of a 40-kHz signal propagated over a distance of 5100 km from Sanwa, Japan to Calcutta along a low-latitude path show higher signal strength at midday compared to the midnight level on days preceded by principal geomagnetic storms, earthquakes and major meteor showers. This is explained by the increased ionization in the D-region following geophysical events. The storm after-effects only have a duration of a single day in this low-latitude path.     

The concentration of negative ions of oxygen and its combinations in the ionosphere

Summary There are some processes in the ionosphere which were or could be explained by means of negative ions, such as sunrise effects, echo duration anomalies of meteor train radar observations and others. Therefore the concentration of negative ions was computed in this paper for some electron density distributions in a stationary quasineutral model of the undisturbed ionosphere. Such an investigation seems necessary because in the last few years laboratory experiments and theoretical calculations give some improved values of attachment and detachment coefficients. The density of negative ions at 12 00 local time and at 00 00 local time in dependence on height was calculated. A discussion of these values shows that negative ions must be considered only in the lower ionosphere at most up to 130 km. This agrees well with the conclusions derived from the observations. By using the values derived in this paper it seems possible to explain some results of ionosphere measurements such as those concerning sunrise effects and others.Mitteilung Nr. 124.     

Influence of Atmospheric Solar Radiation Absorption on Photodestruction of Ions at D-Region Altitudes of the Ionosphere

The influence of atmospheric solar radiation absorption on the photodetachment, dissociative photodetachment, and photodissociation rate coefficients (photodestruction rate coefficients) of O^?, Cl^?, O₂ ^?, O₃ ^?, OH^?, NO₂ ^?, NO₃ ^?, O₄ ^?, OH^?(H₂O), CO₃ ^?, CO₄ ^?, ONOO^?, HCO₃ ^?, CO₃ ^?(H₂O), NO₃ ^?(H₂O), O₂ ⁺(H₂O), O₄ ⁺, N₄ ⁺, NO⁺(H₂O), NO⁺(H₂O)₂, H⁺(H₂O) _n for n = 2–4, NO⁺(N₂), and NO⁺(CO₂) at D-region altitudes of the ionosphere is studied. A numerical one-dimensional time-dependent neutral atmospheric composition model has been developed to estimate this influence. The model simulations are carried out for the geomagnetically quiet time period of 15 October 1998 at moderate solar activity over the Boulder ozonesonde. If the solar zenith angle is not more than 90° then the strongest influence of atmospheric solar radiation absorption on photodestruction of ions is found for photodissociation of CO₄ ^? ions when CO₃ ^? ions are formed. It follows from the calculations that decreases in the photodestruction rate coefficients of ions under consideration caused by this influence are less than 2 % at 70 km altitude and above this altitude if the solar zenith angle does not exceed 90°.     

Modeling of the planetary structure of the ionosphere and the protonosphere coupling

A planetary model of the ionosphere and the protonosphere coupling is described. The system of three-dimensional nonstationary modeling equations of continuity and motion for the ions O⁺ and H⁺ is presented. Some numerical results of model calculations are compared with the experimental data. The important role of electromagnetic drifts in the formation of large-scale morphological peculiarities of the ionosphere and the protonosphere coupling is shown.     

VLF phase and amplitude: daytime ionospheric parameters

Experimental observations of the daytime variations of VLF phase and amplitude over a variety of long subionospheric paths have been found to be satisfactorily modelled with a D-region ionosphere, described by the two traditional parameters, H′ and β (being measures of the ionospheric height and the rate of increase of electron density with height, respectively). This VLF radio modelling uses the NOSC Earth–ionosphere waveguide programs but with an experimentally deduced dependence of these two ionospheric parameters on solar zenith angle. Phase and amplitude measurements from several VLF Omega and MSK stations were compared with calculations from the programs LWPC and Modefinder using values of H′ and β determined previously from amplitude only data. This led to refined curves for the diurnal variations of H′ and β which, when used in these programs, give not only calculated amplitudes but also, for the first time, calculated phase variations that agree well with a series of observations at Dunedin, New Zealand, of VLF signals from Omega Japan, Omega Hawaii, NPM (Hawaii) and NLK (Seattle) covering a frequency range of 10–25 kHz.     

基于风云二号X射线监测数据的短波通讯可用频率预报

介绍了风云二号气象卫星空间环境探测资料的处理、显示技术。研究了如何利用风云二号X射线探测数据计算短波通讯最低可用频率及电离层D层的电波吸收,并设计了一个基于风云二号X射线探测数据的短波通讯最低可用频率经验预报模式。     

Nitric oxide concentration near the mesopause as deduced from ionospheric absorption measurements

Nitric oxide concentration in the upper D-region is estimated by comparing empirically derived ratios of Lyman- and X-ray contributions to the total radio-wave absorption (2775 kHz. A3 method) in medium latitudes with model ratios. Typical NO concentrations are about 8.5×10¹³ m^–3, at 90 km and 6.5×10¹³ m^–3 at 78 km. These values are higher than generally accepted model NO concentrations, but lie within the broad range of experimental values.     

Numerical simulation of LEP Trimpis observed at Poitiers,France, on signals from VLF transmitters

Transient amplitude and phase perturbations on subionospheric VLF signals, known as the Trimpi effect, are caused by the scattering of VLF radiation from localized ionization enhancements in the nighttime D-region. The patches of ionization are due to precipitation from the radiation belts of keV electrons, that is induced by lightning-generated whistlers.This work is concerned with the numerical simulation of such VLF perturbations, termed LEP (lightning-induced electron precipitation) or classic Trimpis. Two different codes are used to compute the VLF propagation in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide in the presence of a D-region inhomogeneity. The first is based on mode theory, and the second on the FDTD (finite-difference time-domain) method. Both codes are two-dimensional and, therefore, relevant only to LEP events lying on the transmitter-receiver great circle path (TRGCP). A method of simulation is proposed to interpret quantitatively VLF amplitude and phase changes in terms of the approximate location and size of the associated ionospheric perturbation along the TRGCP. The method is applied to LEP Trimpis observed at Poitiers (L = 2) on signals from the NAA and GQD transmitters. Results are discussed in the light of the information that may be deduced from the high-resolution analysis of VLF temporal signatures. A sequence of simultaneous LEP Trimpis observed at Poitiers on three widely separated transmission paths is studied; two alternative interpretations are proposed.