Features of statistical distributions of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances over Almaty

The seasonal dependence of the probability of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances is analyzed based on nighttime ionospheric parameters measured over Almaty during 2000–2007, as well as the dependence of annual average probabilities of their occurrence on the sunspot cycle. The behavior of these probabilities is compared with magnetic activity.     

Method for studying the spatial-temporal structure of wave-like disturbances in the ionosphere

The method for studying the spatial-temporal structure and propagation characteristics of traveling ionospheric disturbances, using the spectral and cross-correlation analysis of electron density disturbances at different altitudes, obtained with the incoherent scatter radar and vertical sounding ionosonde, is considered. Different algorithms for detecting traveling ionospheric disturbances and calculating the total vector of the disturbance propagation velocity are presented. The results of the method application have been considered in detail, using September 11, 2005, as an example.     

Complex diagnostics of disturbances in the ionospheric plasma parameters far from the trajectories of launched rockets

Large-scale disturbances in the ionospheric plasma, caused by the spacecraft launches from the Baikonur site, have been analyzed based on the incoherent scatter radar measurements. The altitude-time dependences of the main plasma parameters (electron density and electron and ion temperatures at altitudes of ～100–600 km) have been analyzed. It has been indicated that spacecraft launches and flights are accompanied by the generation of wave-like disturbances in all considered parameters. It has been obtained that the relative amplitudes of these wave-like disturbances were usually 0.03–0.10, and the variation period was 20–60 min. The variations were shifted in phase relative to each other. The propagation velocities of wave-like disturbances were ～0.5–0.6 and 1.5–2 km/s. The up-to-date methods of spectral analysis, including the wavelet analysis, were used to estimate the parameters of the wave-like disturbances.     

Ionospheric response to geomagnetic disturbances in the north-eastern region of Asia during the minimum of 23rd cycle of solar activity

We present the results of studies of the subauroral and mid-latitude ionosphere variations in the north-eastern region of Asia. We used the data from network of vertical and oblique-incidence sounding ionosondes and optical measurements. Long-term experiments on the radio paths Magadan–Irkutsk and Norilsk–Irkutsk were carried out within the period 2005–2007. Vertical sounding stations operated in standard regime. Observation of airglow near Irkutsk was provided by the zenith photometer that measured intensities of 557.7 and 630.0 nm atomic oxygen emissions. The results may be summarized as follows. (1) Large daytime negative disturbances are observed during the main and recovery phases mainly at high latitudes, whereas the positive disturbances observed during the main phase at mid latitudes. The disturbances changed their sign between Yakutsk and Irkutsk. (2) During the main and recovery storm phases the fall of foF2 associated with the equatorward wall of the main ionospheric trough is observed in the afternoon and evening. (3) Fluctuations of the electron density more intensive at mid latitudes during the storm main phase are observed during all considered periods. They are classed as traveling ionospheric disturbances (TID). Such sharp gradients of electron density are responsible for the strong changes in the characteristics of the radio wave propagation, particularity MOF. (4) A large-scale ionospheric disturbance is noted at the meridional chain of ionosonds in December 2006 as the sharp increase of foF2. It appears in the evening in the minimum of D_st at high latitude and propagate to equator. (5) A maximum of 630 nm emission above Irkutsk corresponds to the foF2 increase. (6) The obtained experimental data on the net of vertical and oblique-incidence sounding with high time resolution show that such net is the effective facility to study the conditions of the radio wave propagation and can be used for the diagnostic of the ionosphere.     

电离层对台风响应的全过程的特例研究

作为特例研究,本文对1988年和1990年两次强台风影响期间的电离层多普勒记录及相应的台风资料进行了细致的相关分析,目的是利用多普勒记录的连续性优点来了解电离层对登陆（或近海）强台风通过声重波响应的演化全过程.分析表明,在这两次台风影响期间,电离层形态中除有明显的波状扰动（中尺度声重波）出现外,还有一些值得注意的新现象：波动的时间演化表现出明显的幅度逐渐增加以及频率由高频向低频转变,在振幅很大的情况下日落后同时出现扩展F（Spread F）现象,显示了声重波在激发电离层不规则结构方面的种子作用.这一演化过程与电离层中TIDs的线性传播理论一致,文中开展了对这一现象的非线性数值模拟,模拟结果基本上也与上述观测现象相吻合.     

Wave-like processes in the ionosphere under quiet and disturbed conditions. 2. Analysis of observations and simulation

The amplitudes and relative amplitudes of electron density wave-like disturbances (WDs) with periods of 30–120 min at altitudes of 125–500 km (100–1000 km in individual experiments) under the conditions of a quiet ionosphere during magnetic and ionospheric storms and two solar eclipses are analyzed. The observations of the WD amplitudes and their altitude variations corresponded to the data of theoretical simulation in a number of cases. On the whole, the altitude variations in the WD amplitudes are more complicated than such variations derived from a simple theoretical model presented here.     

Incoherent scatter radar observations of AGW/TID events generated by the moving solar terminator

Observations of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) associated with atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) generated by the moving solar terminator have been made with the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar. Three experiments near 1995 fall equinox measured the AGW/TID velocity and direction of motion. Spectral and cross-correlation analysis of the ionospheric density observations indicates that ST-generated AGWs/TIDs were observed during each experiment, with the more-pronounced effect occurring at sunrise. The strongest oscillations in the ionospheric parameters have periods of 1.5 to 2 hours. The group and phase velocities have been determined and show that the disturbances propagate in the horizontal plane perpendicular to the terminator with the group velocity of 300–400 m s^–1 that corresponds to the ST speed at ionospheric heights. The high horizontal group velocity seems to contradict the accepted theory of AGW/TID propagation and indicates a need for additional investigation.     

Large-scale disturbances of auroral origin during strong magnetic storms of October 29–31, 2003, and November 7–11, 2004, according to the data of the GPS network and ionosondes

The intensity of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (LS TIDs), registered according to measurements of the total electron content (TEC) during the magnetic storms of October 29–31, 2003, and November 7–11, 2004, has been compared with that of local electron density disturbances. The data of TEC measurements at ground-based GPS receivers located near the ionospheric stations and the corresponding values of the critical frequency of the ionospheric F region (foF2) were used for this purpose. The variations in TEC and foF2 were similar for all events mentioned above. The previous assumption that the region of thickness 150–200 km in the vicinity of the ionospheric F region mainly contributes to TEC modulation was confirmed for the cases when the electron density disturbance at an F region maximum was not more than 50%. However, this region probably becomes more extensive in vertical when the electron density disturbance in the vicinity of the ionospheric F region is about 85%.     

Anomalous phenomena on HF radio paths during geomagnetic disturbances

We analyze ionospheric oblique sounding data on three high-latitude and one high-latitude–midlatitude HF radio paths for February 15 and 16, 2014, when two substorms and one magnetic storm occurred. We investigate cases of anomalous propagation of signals: their reflection from sporadic layer Es, lateral reflections, type “M” or “N” modes, the presence of traveling ionospheric disturbances, and the diffusivity of signals and triplets. The most significant results are the following. In geomagnetically undisturbed times, sporadic Es-layers with reduced maximum observed frequencies (MOFEs) on three high-latitude paths were observed in both days. The values of MOFEs during disturbances are large, which leads to the screening of other oblique sounding signals reflected from the ionosphere. On all four paths, the most frequently traveling ionospheric disturbances due to the terminator were observed in quiet hours from 03:00 to 15:00 UT on the first day and from 06:00 to 13:00 UT on the second day of the experiment. In addition, both the sunset terminator and the magnetic storm on the high-latitude–mid-latitude path were found to generate traveling ionospheric disturbances jointly. No such phenomenon was found on high-latitude paths.     

Characteristics of Pc4–5 pulsations obtained using the method of bistatic backscatter of HF radio waves,the EISCAT HF heating facility,and ground-based magnetometers

The results of studying the Pc4–5 pulsation parameters based on the method of bistatic backscatter of radio waves, using the EISCAT/Heating HF facility (Tromsø, Norway) and IMAGE ground-based magnetometers (Scandinavia), are presented. The observations were performed during the morning hours on October 3, 2006, when a substorm developed on the nightside. An analysis of the observational data obtained from 1000 to 1020 UT indicated that wave-like disturbances with periods corresponding to Pc4–5 pulsations (80–240 s) existed at that time. The variations in the full vector of the ionospheric irregularity motion and the electric field strength in an artificially disturbed high-latitude ionospheric F region has been reconstructed based on simultaneous Doppler observations on two paths. A general conformity is observed among the time variations in Pc4–5 pulsations in the magnetic and ionospheric data: between the velocity amplitude (|V|) and the X component of the Earth’s magnetic field and between the irregularity motion azimuth and the Y component. Large-scale waves, corresponding to the natural resonances of magnetic field lines (small values of the azimuthal number |m| ～ 2–4), and small-scale waves (large values |m| ～ 17–20) were simultaneously registered during the experiment based on magnetic data. It has been indicated that the periods of wave-like processes registered using the method of bistatic backscatter and ground-based magnetometers were in agreement with one another. The formation of wave-like processes is explained by the nonstationary impact of the solar wind and IMF on the Earth’s magnetosphere. The variations in the IMF, according to the ACE satellite measurements, were characterized by a sharp increase in the solar wind plasma dynamic pressure that occurred at about 09 UT on October 3, 2006, and was accompanied by rapid polarity reversals of the north-ward-southward (B _z) and transverse (B _y) IMF components.     

Ionospheric effects of Poincaré waves in the observations of the total electron content

Disturbances of the daily variations in the total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere during and after geomagnetic storms, obtained from the observations of the GPS satellite signals, are considered. The specific features of these disturbances consist in the intensification of the variations with periods of 4–6 h, the amplitude of which increase at midlatitudes, and in a weak dependence of local maximums on latitude and their considerable longitudinal variability. The possibility of explaining observed disturbances of the considered daily variations by the generation of standing planetary Poincaré waves is discussed. The estimated periods of Poincaré waves, latitudinal structure of these waves, and their ionospheric effects make it possible to qualitatively explain the observed specific variations in TEC.     

Variations in the parameters of VLF signals on the DEMETER satellite during the periods of seismic activity

Two methods for diagnosing ionospheric disturbances using VLF signals received on the DEMETER satellite are considered in connection with two cases of high seismic activity: the method for analyzing a signal reception zone in order to find large-scale spatial variations and the residual signal method used to reveal time variations. Based on an analysis of the VLF signal reception zone, performed in connection with the catastrophic earthquake near Sumatra, it has been found out that the signal amplitude decreased during a month before the earthquake. As a result, it has been concluded that the zone of ionospheric disturbances extends for several thousand kilometers. It has been indicated that the residual signal method showed good agreement between the ground and satellite data when high seismic activity near Japan was analyzed.     

Review of Electric and Magnetic Fields Accompanying Seismic and Volcanic Activity

New observations of magnetic, electric and electromagnetic field variations, possibly related to recent volcanic and seismic events, have been obtained on Mt. Unzen in Japan, Reunion Island in Indian Ocean, the Long Valley volcanic caldera in California, and for faults in China and Russia, California and several other locations. For volcanic events, contributions from different physical processes can be identified during the various eruption stages. Slow processes (weeks to months) include near-surface thermal demagnetization effects, piezomagnetic effects, and effects from rotation/displacement of magnetized material. Rapid processes (seconds to days) include piezomagnetic effects from instantaneous stress redistribution with explosive eruptions and electrokinetic effects from rupture of high pressure fluid compartments commonly encountered in volcanic regions. For seismic events, the observed coseismic offsets are instantaneous, provided care has been taken to ensure sensors are insensitive to seismic shaking and are in regions of low magnetic field gradient. Simple piezomagnetic dislocation models based on geodetically and seismically determined fault parameters generally match the observed signals in size and sign. Electrokinetic effects resulting from rupture of fluid filled compartments at hydrostatic to lithostatic pore pressures can generate transient signals in the frequency band 100 Hz to 0.01 Hz. However, large-scale fluid driven processes are not evident in near-field measurements in the epicentral region minutes to weeks before large earthquakes. The subset of ionospheric disturbances generated by trapped atmospheric pressure waves (also termed gravity waves and/or acoustic waves, traveling ionospheric disturbances or TID's) that are excited by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common and propagate to great distances. These are known and expected consequences of earthquakes, volcanic explosions (and other atmospheric disturbances), that must be identified and their effects removed from VLF/ULF electromagnetic field records before associating new observations of ionospheric disturbances with earthquake activity.     

Estimating the Characteristics of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances from Vertical Incidence Ionograms within a Compound Parabolic Layer Model

The characteristic U-shaped traces (cusps) in ionograms are associated with the passage of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), which lead to horizontal electron density gradients in the ionosphere and, therefore, to off-angle reflections in radio sounding. A new form of representation is considered for daily ionospheric sounding data. A compound parabolic layer model is proposed, which allows analytical calculation of ray paths to speed up the “homing-in” of the rays. Changes in the shape of the trace in the ionogram due to varying the TID characteristics are examined. A discussion is given of the possibilities for estimating TID characteristics from digitized vertical sounding ionograms.     

Determining parameters of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances of auroral origin using GPS-arrays

The intention in this paper is to investigate the form and dynamics of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (LS TIDs) of auroral origin. We have devised a technique for determining LS TID parameters using GPS-arrays whose elements can be selected from a large set of GPS stations forming part of the International GPS Service network. The method was used to determine LS TID parameters during a strong magnetic storm of September 25, 1998. The North-American sector where many GPS stations are available, and also the time interval 00:00–06:00 UT characterized by a maximum value of the derivative Dst were used in the analysis. The study revealed that this period of time was concurrent with the formation of the main ionospheric trough with a conspicuous southward wall in the range of geographic latitudes 50–60° and the front width of no less than 7500 km. The auroral disturbance-induced large-scale solitary wave with a duration of about 1 h and the front width of at least 3700 km propagated in the equatorward direction to a distance of no less than 2000–3000 km with the mean velocity of about 300 m/s. The wave front behaved as if it ‘curled’ to the west in longitude where the local time was around afternoon. Going toward the local nighttime, the propagation direction progressively approximated an equatorward direction.     

Parameters of the medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances model deduced from measurements

Using three radio techniques for determining the spatial and terminal distribution of the electron concentration in the ionospheric F region, a number of parameters of medium-scale travelling ionospheric disturbances (the effective thickness of the atmospheric waveguide and height of its axis, spatial and time periods, propagation speeds, and maximum amplitudes of the disturbances) are determined.     

电离层高频多普勒记录在扩展-F研究中的应用

本文通过观测实例探讨并论证了电离层高频多普勒观测在扩展-F研究中的应用.实例和相应分析表明:首先,由于高频多普勒记录的时间连续性,有利于从观测角度了解扩展-F的时间演化过程;其次,高频多普勒偏移对不规则结构造成的回波弥散、对不同尺度行进电离层扰动(TID)以及耀斑引起的突然频率偏移(SFD)效应都很敏感,这些现象在记录上出现的时间关系有利于了解扩展-F的触发因素或扩展-F与其他电离层背景扰动之间的联系或相互作用;最后,高频多普勒记录对于持续时间较长(几小时以上)或很短(小于1小时)的扩展-F都能够完整地反映,不会产生因为观测间歇形成的缺失,也可以有效区分究竟是连续一次还是一段时间内断续的扩展-F现象.高频多普勒观测有其自身的优点同时也具有一定的局限性,本文对其局限性诸如缺乏空间分辨率等也做了分析.指出发挥高频多普勒观测的优势,综合应用多种资料,通过不同手段的数据分析和比较,可以更好地为电离层扰动的物理机制和预报研究提供正确的观测依据.     

Detection of the wave-like structures in the F-region electron density: Two station measurements

Comparative studies of short-term ionospheric variability in the F region ionosphere during rapid sequence sounding campaign “HIRAC/SolarMax” (23–29 April 2001) are presented. The ionospheric short-term fluctuations have been studied in detail using measurements from vertical sounding at Ebro (40.8 °N, 0.5 ° E) and Průhonice (49.9 °N, 14.5 °E) in the period range from 15 minutes to 2 hours. The electron density measurements contain variations that indicate the possible presence of propagating gravity waves. Regular wave-like bursts were found during quiet days at both stations in electron concentration in F region, with an increase of the oscillation activity after sunrise and then during late afternoon, and at sunset and after sunset. Solar Terminator is assumed to be one of the sources of the regular wave bursts detected in the ionosphere during campaign HIRAC. As expected, substantial intensification in longer period gravity waves was found to occur during the disturbed period on April 28. Particular enhancement of the wave-like activity during disturbed day is discussed, being significant evidences of a change of the wave-like activity pattern at a height around 200 km.     

Dependence of the Pc4 magnetic pulsation parameters on the radiated power of the EISCAT HF heating facility

The interaction between the Earth’s ionosphere and magnetosphere in a situation when artificial disturbances are generated in the F region of the auroral ionosphere with the EISCAT/Heating facility is studied. An experiment was performed in the daytime when the facility effective radiated power changed in a stepwise manner. Wavelike disturbances with periods of (130–140) s corresponding to Pc4 pulsations were simultaneously registered by the method of bi-static backscatter and with ground magnetometers. The variations in the Doppler frequency shift were correlated with the changes in the facility power. Incoherent scatter radar measurements at a frequency of 930 MHz (Tromsö) and numerical calculations were used in an analysis. It has been indicated that the ionospheric drift of small-scale artificial ionospheric irregularities was modulated by magnetospheric Alfvén waves. The possible effect of powerful HF radioemission on the Alfvén wave amplitude owing to the modification of the magnetospheric resonator ionospheric edge reflectivity and the generation of an outgoing Alfvén wave above the region where the ionospheric conductivity is locally intensified has been considered.     

On the production of traveling ionospheric disturbances by atmospheric gravity waves

This paper deals with how atmospheric gravity waves produce the traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) that are observed by ionosondes. It is shown that, rather than directly producing variations of ionospheric height, a likely mechanism involves changes in ionization density by gradients in the horizontal atmospheric gravity wave air motion. These density changes can be observed as variations of the height of an ionospheric isodensity surface (the usual way of measuring TIDs). This mechanism involving enhancement/depletion of ionospheric density requires quite moderate atmospheric gravity wave air motion speeds, and works well at almost all latitudes.