对流输运在TOI断裂形成等离子体云块中的作用研究

极盖等离子体云块是极区电离层常见特征之一,其形成演化过程是当前重要研究课题.光电离高密度等离子体在对流输送作用下从日侧穿过极隙,通过极盖到达夜侧,已成为共识.日侧磁场重联作用下的极区对流输运过程,在舌状等离子体结构（TOI）"断裂"形成极盖等离子体云块中发挥重要作用.利用极区全域GPS/TEC观测数据,结合SuperDARN雷达实测的对流速度,对等离子体云块形成过程进行案例研究,重点分析两种TOI断裂形成等离子体云块的发生机制.研究结果显示,等离子体对流输运过程在TOI断裂形成等离子体云块过程中发挥关键性作用,对流形态或局部对流速度矢量急剧变化都可能导致TOI结构不稳定,使TOI结构断裂形成等离子体云块.     

极区电离层对流速度的浅层神经网络建模与分析

电离层对流是太阳风与地球磁场相互作用下驱动的磁层大尺度对流循环与对流电场在极区电离层的映射,与行星际磁场-地球磁场耦合系统息息相关.本文基于SuperDARN(Super Dual Aurora Radar Network)分布在北半球的23部高频相干散射雷达获取到的二维电离层对流速度对其进行建模研究.模型输入为行星际...     

EISCAT雷达观测到的极区电离层等离子体反常对流

综合分析EISCAT雷达与卫星当地测量数据,并利用磁层磁场模式对磁力线进行追踪,研究了发生在极光椭圆朝极盖边界附近电离层中,一例反常的背离太阳流动的强等离子体对流事件,及相关的太阳风-磁层-电离层耦合过程.结果表明,磁暴期间IMFBz指向南时观测到这一反常高速对流,及其相应的等离子体性态特征,很可能是向阳侧磁层顶磁重联过程在电离层中的印记.     

极区电离层对IMF Bz 4次快速转向的响应——EISCAT/ESR雷达观测

利用EISCAT VHF和EISCAT Svalbard(ESR)雷达观测数据,对2003年2月12日IMF Bz分量4次快速方向转换期间,极区电离层,尤其是极尖/极隙区的响应特征进行了分析研究.随着IMF Bz方向的多次快速变化,地面雷达观测到极尖/极隙区所在位置随着开放-闭合磁力线边界在纬度方向上来回移动.在此期间,极区电离层等离子体水平对流多次反向,表现出与IMF Bz分量强的负相关性.进一步分析表明:极区磁层-电离层系统在日侧对IMF极性变化的平均响应时间约为3 min.     

极区电离层对IMF Bz 4次快速转向的响应——EISCAT/ESR雷达观测

利用EISCAT VHF和EISCAT Svalbard（ESR）雷达观测数据,对2003年2月12日IMF B_z分量4次快速方向转换期间,极区电离层,尤其是极尖/极隙区的响应特征进行了分析研究.随着IMF B_z方向的多次快速变化,地面雷达观测到极尖/极隙区所在位置随着开放-闭合磁力线边界在纬度方向上来回移动.在此期间,极区电离层等离子体水平对流多次反向,表现出与IMF B_z分量强的负相关性.进一步分析表明：极区磁层-电离层系统在日侧对IMF极性变化的平均响应时间约为3 min.     

流星不均匀体多波段探测系统与初步观测结果

流星体注入地球空间给地球带来外部物质并影响地球空间环境.为了探知流星体对空间环境的影响,需获取不同类型流星体及其在地球大气中产生系列现象的特征.本文介绍近期研制建设的流星不均匀体多波段探测系统.该系统设计采用光学大范围成像和无线电相控阵雷达与双基地全天空雷达主动探测,实现对不同尺寸流星体坠入地球高空大气/电离层后的烧蚀、蒸发和电离到流星不均匀体产生与演化等系列过程探测.通过开发多种探测模式和相应的数据分析反演算法,获取流星体速度、质量、成分和星际来源、流星等离子体头和等离子体尾迹不均匀体的空间精细结构与演化以及低电离层“瞬时”风场等多参量信息.利用该系统观测数据,对流星体及其产生的流星等离子体头、等离子体尾迹场向和非场向不均匀体、流星闪耀和尘埃不均匀体以及电离层不均匀体等开展了初步研究.     

南极中山站F-lacuna特征分析

F-lacuna是高纬极区电离层测高仪频高图上经常出现的一种F层回波描迹部分或全部消失的现象,直接影响电离层参数的标定,其表征的电离层物理过程尚未定论.利用南极中山站测高仪频高图数据,本文统计分析了Flacuna在不同太阳风速度水平下的发生频率,主要对2012年2月15日一次F2-lacuna观测实例的粒子沉降及电离层特性进行了分析.观测特征表明,F2-lacuna发生期间,电离层电子总含量TEC明显减小,昭和站SuperDARN高频雷达观测到的中山站上空电离层Bragg后向散射增强,但对应来自磁层的电子和离子沉降并不明显.这可能是由磁层亚暴引起的极区电离层电流体系扰动,触发电离层F-B不稳定性,产生沿场向排列的小尺度不规则体,其热效应导致F2层密度减小,F2-lacuna出现.     

曲靖非相干散射雷达观测研究进展与展望

本文介绍了我国曲靖非相干散射雷达的主要技术方案，结合实测数据分析表明该雷达具备了电离层电子密度与等离子体温度观测、空间碎片凝视探测与月球二维成像探测等能力，可用于研究电离层F层气候学特征、电子密度暴时变化与异常增强等天气事件、E-F谷区结构与变化、约3 cm以上尺寸空间碎片的分布特征与模型、月球不同区域的散射回波特性等.下一步将重点开展低电离层与北驼峰结构及演化过程、电离层暴时与扰动特性观测.     

极隙区场向电流对高纬电离层电场和电流体系的影响

用Ｋａｍｉｄｅ－Ｍａｔｓｕｓｈｉｔａ方法，在行星际磁场具有较小的北向分量，且｜Ｂｙ｜＞＞｜Ｂｋ｜时，对磁语和磁扰状态以及Ｂｒ＞０和Ｂｙ＜０等不同情况，分别计算了场向电流引起的电离层电势、电场和电流体系．结果表明，极隙区场向电流的存在使高纬向日面区域的电势发生畸变，当Ｂｙ＞０时，无论是磁扰还是磁静日，极隙区电场具有显著的北向分量；等离子体对流有较大的西向分量；电离层电流为东向电流．当Ｂｙ＜０时，电场和等离子体对流的方向与Ｂｙ＞０时相反；电离层电流在磁抗日有西向分量，但在磁静日没有西向分量．电导率对电场和电流体系的影响十分明显，磁扰极光带电导率增强使电流涡从背阳面向向阳而漂移，与静日相比，磁扰时极隙区场向电流引起的电场畸变更为明显，但电场和电流强度的大小却基本保持不变．     

磁暴期间极光椭圆与极盖区电离层效应比较研究——F区负暴

联合利用EISCAT和E-Svalbard非相干散射雷达数据,研究l997年5月强磁暴期间向阳侧极盖与极光椭圆区电离层F区负暴.发现在磁暴主相和恢复相初期,极光椭圆和极盖区电离层都在大约l90km高度出现类似F1的峰,F2主峰完全消失,F区电子密度大幅度下降.但离子温度的变化在两个区域很不相同,在极光椭圆区大幅度升高,而在极盖区没有显著变化,反映出引起F区负暴的主要机制在两个区域不尽相同.强对流电场引起大气焦耳加热与离子增温而使O+离子消失的化学反应速率增大所导致的电离损失,对极光椭圆区负暴起主要作用;而输运过程,特别是持续长达数小时的沿场上行离子流,对极盖区负暴起重要作用.磁暴主相期间,当EISCAT雷达位于等离子体对流涡旋转换区下方时,在无焦耳加热与离子摩擦增温的情况下,观测到由顶部电离层O+离子沿场高速外流引起的F区电子密度耗空.     

Asymmetric distribution of the ionospheric electric potential in the opposite hemispheres as inferred from the SuperDARN observations and FAC-based convection model

We compare the SuperDARN convection patterns with the predictions of a new numerical model of the global distribution of ionospheric electric potentials. The model utilizes high-precision statistical maps of field-aligned currents (FAC) derived from measurements made by polar-orbiting low-altitude satellites. Both the solar and auroral precipitation contributions are included in order to derive the ionospheric conductance. Taking into account the electrodynamic coupling of the opposite hemispheres, the model allows one to obtain the convection patterns developed simultaneously in both hemispheres for given input parameters. SuperDARN, with its database containing global northern and southern convection maps, provides the unique opportunity to compare the model predictions of electric fields with observations. In the present study we focus on the effect of significant interhemispheric asymmetry governed by the IMF clock angle and solar zenith angle. We calculate the convection patterns for specific cases caused by the sign of B_Y and season and demonstrate the capability of the FAC-based model reproduce the radar observations. The simulation confirms that the solar zenith angle should be linked to the IMF clock angle to fully characterize the convection patterns. The model predicts that the cross-polar cap potential drop is regularly larger in the winter hemisphere than in the summer hemisphere.     

A statistical study of magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling in the Lyon–Fedder–Mobarry global MHD model

The statistics of magnetosphere–ionosphere (MI) coupling derived from a two-month long run of the Lyon–Fedder–Mobarry (LFM) global simulation model are investigated. MI coupling characteristics such as polar cap potential and field-aligned current (FAC), downward Poynting flux and vorticity of ionospheric convection are compared with observed statistical averages and with results from the Weimer 05 empirical model. The comparisons for eight different IMF clock-angle orientations show that the LFM model produces reasonably accurate average distributions of the Region I and Region II currents. Both current systems have average amplitudes similar to those observed by the Iridium satellite constellation; however, the average LFM amplitudes are smaller by a factor of two compared with the values from the Weimer 05 model. The comparisons of polar cap potential show that the LFM model produces reasonable patterns of ionospheric convection, but the average cross polar cap potential (CPCP) is greater than the observed results by a factor of approximately 2 and greater than Weimer 05 by a factor of 1.5. The differences in convection in LFM results relative to the Weimer 05 model accounts for much of the difference in the Poynting flux patterns and integrated power produced by the two models. The comparisons of average ionospheric field-aligned vorticity show good agreement on the dayside; however, the LFM model gives higher nightside vorticity which may imply that the ionospheric conductance on the nightside is too small in the simulation.     

一次行星际磁场南向突变的高纬电离层对流响应特征

本文利用北半球的超级双极光雷达网数据,考察了一次行星际磁场南向突变时高纬电离层对流的响应特征,着重分析了响应的时间尺度. 对所研究的事件,行星际磁场南北分量在1.5 min内从+7 nT突变到-8 nT,而在突变前后约40 min内都保持相对稳定. 结果表明,电离层对流的初始响应发生在磁正午附近,相对于行星际磁场突变到达磁层顶的时间有大约3 min的滞后;响应与磁地方时有明显依赖关系,离磁正午越远,响应的滞后时间越长,晨昏两侧的对流响应比磁正午滞后约6 min,磁午夜的对流响应比磁正午滞后约12 min;对流重新趋于稳定的时间与磁地方时没有明显的依赖关系,该时间尺度约为10～14 min.     

Spatial and Temporal Cusp Structures Observed by Multiple Spacecraft and Ground Based Observations

Downward precipitating ions in the cusp regularly exhibit sudden changes in ion energy distributions, forming distinctive structures that can be used to study the temporal/spatial nature of reconnection at the magnetopause. When observed simultaneously with the Polar, FAST, and Interball satellites, such cusp structures revealed remarkably similar features. These similar features could be observed for up to several hours during stable solar wind conditions. Their similarities led to the conclusion that large-scale cusp structures are spatial structures related to global ionospheric convection patterns created by magnetic merging and not the result of temporal variations in reconnection parameters. The launch of the Cluster fleet allows cusp structures to be studied in great detail and during changing solar wind conditions using three spacecraft with identical plasma and field instrumentation. In addition, Cluster cusp measurements are linked with ionospheric convection cells by combining the satellite observations with SuperDARN radar observations that are used to derive the convection patterns in the ionosphere. The combination of satellite observations with ground-based observations during variable solar wind conditions shows that large-scale cusp structures can be either spatial or temporal. Cusp structures can be described as spatial features observed by satellites crossing into spatially separated flux tubes. Cusp structures can also be observed as poleward-traveling (temporal) features within the same convection cell, most probably caused by variations in the reconnection rate at the magnetopause.     

Two-dimensional electric field measurements in the ionospheric footprint of a flux transfer event

Line-of-sight Doppler velocities from the SuperDARN CUTLASS HF radar pair have been combined to produce the first two-dimensional vector measurements of the convection pattern throughout the ionospheric footprint of a flux transfer event (a pulsed ionospheric flow, or PIF). Very stable and moderate interplanetary magnetic field conditions, along with a preceding prolonged period of northward interplanetary magnetic field, allow a detailed study of the spatial and the temporal evolution of the ionospheric response to magnetic reconnection. The flux tube footprint is tracked for half an hour across six hours of local time in the auroral zone, from magnetic local noon to dusk. The motion of the footprint of the newly reconnected flux tube is compared with the ionospheric convection velocity. Two primary intervals in the PIFs evolution have been determined. For the first half of its lifetime in the radar field of view the phase speed of the PIF is highly variable and the mean speed is nearly twice the ionospheric convection speed. For the final half of its lifetime the phase velocity becomes much less variable and slows down to the ionospheric convection velocity. The evolution of the flux tube in the magnetosphere has been studied using magnetic field, magnetopause and magnetosheath models. The data are consistent with an interval of azimuthally propagating magnetopause reconnection, in a manner consonant with a peeling of magnetic flux from the magnetopause, followed by an interval of anti-sunward convection of reconnected flux tubes.     

Some aspects of modelling the high-latitude ionospheric convection from Cluster/Edi data

Measurements onboard Cluster satellites are briefly described, which form the base for determining the intensity and direction of the electric field in the magnetosphere. The aim of this paper is to describe (1) the methodology of calculating the potential distribution at the ionospheric level and the results of constructing spatiotemporal convection patterns for different orientations of the IMF vector in the GSM YZ plane; (2) derivation of basic convection patterns (BCPs), which allow to deduce the statistical ionospheric convection pattern at high latitudes for any IMF Bz and By values (statistical convection model) using different sets of independent data; (3) the consequences of enlarging the amount of data used for analysis; (4) the results of potential calculations with various orders of the spherical harmonics describing them; (5) determination of the cross-polar cap potential with different IMF sector widths (α from 45° down to 10°); (6) the results of our trials to determine the contribution of the IMF Bx component to the convection pattern.     

The ionospheric signature of transient dayside reconnection and the associated pulsed convection return flow

Three SuperDARN coherent HF radars are employed to investigate the excitation of convection in the dayside high-latitude ionosphere in response to transient reconnection occurring in the cusp region. This study demonstrates the existence of transient antisunward-propagating backscatter features at the expected location of the ionospheric footprint of the cusp region, which have a repetition rate near 10 min. These are interpreted as the ionospheric signature of flux transfer events. Moreover, transient sunward-propagating regions of backscatter are observed in the convection return flow regions of both the pre- and post-noon sectors. These patches are observed to propagate towards the noon sector from at least as far around the auroral zone as 07 MLT in the pre-noon sector and 17 MLT in the post-noon sector, travelling with a veloCity of approximately 1.5 to 2 km s⁻¹. These return flow patches have a repetition rate similar to that of the transient features observed at local noon. While providing supporting evidence for the impulsive nature of convection flow, the observation of sunward-propagating features in the return flow region is not consistent with current conceptual models of the excitation of convection.     

Relationship between the ionospheric potential and the ground-level electric field in the southern polar cap

The relationships between the average hourly values of the vertical ground-level electric field measured at the Vostok Antarctic station and the ionospheric potential above the station have been obtained. The ΔEz and Uext parts of both parameters controlled by the solar wind were considered. Convection models (Weimer, 1995; Lukianova and Christiansen, 2006) and a model based on the SuperDARN radar system were used to determine the ionospheric potential. An analysis has been performed for isolated days and the entire sample in 1998–2000 (including 170 days of “fine weather”). For an isolated day, the best correlation coefficients (R) between ΔEz and Uext obtained using the three models were 0.81, 0.80, and 0.88, respectively. The total correlation coefficient for the entire data set was R = 0.24−0.32. The R value was larger during daytime (R ≈ 0.4) and smaller at night (R ≈ 0.1) and slightly increased in the early morning hours. The specific features of daily variations in R apparently indicate that it is possible to adequately describe the structure of the ionospheric electric field equipotentials by using large-scale stationary convection models. The R value varies complexly, depending on the IMF orientation, but it generally tends to increase from IMF By < 0 to By > 0, which is explained by the asymmetric convection patterns for opposite By signs.     

A survey of magnetopause FTEs and associated flow bursts in the polar ionosphere

Using the Equator-S spacecraft and SuperDARN HF radars an extensive survey of bursty reconnection at the magnetopause and associated flows in the polar ionosphere has been conducted. Flux transfer event (FTE) signatures were identified in the Equator-S magnetometer data during periods of magnetopause contact in January and February 1998. Assuming the effects of the FTEs propagate to the polar ionosphere as geomagnetic field-aligned-currents and associated Alfveén-waves, appropriate field mappings to the fields-of-view of SuperDARN radars were performed. The radars observed discrete ionospheric flow channel events (FCEs) of the type previously assumed to be related to pulse reconnection. Such FCEs were associated with 80% of the FTEs and the two signatures are shown to be statistically associated with greater than 99% confidence. Exemplary case studies highlight the nature of the ionospheric flows and their relation to the high latitude convection pattern, the association methodology, and the problems caused by instrument limitations.