地磁平静期间磁层高能粒子非垂直地磁截止刚度研究

地磁截止刚度是定量衡量地球磁场对高能粒子屏蔽效应的参数,描述了高能粒子穿越磁层到达指定观测点的带电粒子刚度阈值.人们一直研究垂直方向上的截止刚度,但对作为方向函数的截止刚度,缺少详细研究.我们使用单粒子方法,倒向追踪粒子的运动状态,计算了近地空间不同投掷角度的高能粒子地磁截止刚度,研究发现：（1）天顶方向或者垂直方向的截止刚度通常不是最小地磁截止刚度;（2）最小地磁截止刚度对应的投掷角方向最大为沿着磁场方向,即0°方向;其次为天顶方向,也就是通常所说的垂直方向;然后为180°方向,即磁场的反方向;（3）全球范围截止刚度对应的投掷角分布符合两端上翘的正态分布形态,不考虑两端最大占比,其中心在90°附近;（4）通过地磁平静期间的数值模拟发现,使用垂直方向的截止刚度对比最小截止刚度将平均高估13.17%,最大可能高估70%;（5）不同经纬度高能粒子的截止刚度与投掷角不存在明显关系.我们的研究将对行星际高能粒子以及银河宇宙线进入磁层,尤其是高纬度地区磁层和行星际空间的高能粒子耦合机制具有重要意义.同时对极盖区辐射吸收、高能银河宇宙线造成的大气层化学过程以及极地空间背景等离子体的相关研究具有重要意义.

     

Depositional processes and particle characteristics on fans in the Southern Alps, New Zealand

Characteristics of surface particles on four fans dominated by different depositional processes are investigated in the sedimentary ranges of the Aoraki–Mount Cook area, Southern Alps, New Zealand. Statistical testing shows that on three of the fans all indices of particle size and roundness differ significantly according to the depositional process: snow avalanches produce the largest and most angular particles, streamflows the smallest and most rounded, with debris flows in between. On the fourth fan affected by all of these depositional processes, particle size and roundness indicate that snow avalanches are presently dominant with streamflow playing a secondary role. The results also show that all indices of particle size are strongly correlated with each other and suggest that the principal (a-) or intermediate (b-) axis length may provide a satisfactory substitute for more complex indices of size. Indices of particle shape generally do not differ significantly between the fans, reflecting both the strong control exerted on particle shape by source area lithology and structure and the geologic similarity of the four basins. Changes in particle size and roundness occur with down-fan distance on the snow avalanche, debris flow, and hybrid fans but not on the streamflow fan.     

Hydrogen and helium isotope inner radiation belts in the Earth’s magnetosphere

Radial transport theory for inner radiation zone MeV ions has been extended by combining radial diffusive transport and losses due to Coulomb friction with local generation of D, T and ³He ions from nuclear reactions taking place on the inner edge of the inner radiation zone. Based on interactions between high energy trapped protons and upper atmospheric constituents we have included a nuclear reaction yield D, T and ³He flux source that was numerically derived from a nuclear reaction model code originally developed at the Institute of Nuclear Researches in Moscow, Russia. Magnetospheric transport computations have been made covering the L-shell range L=1.0–1.6. The resulting MeV energy D, T and ³He ion flux distributions show a strong influence of the local nuclear source mechanism on the inner zone energetic D, T and ³He ion content.     

等离子体片中能量离子的空间分布——Cluster/RAPID观测数据分析

本文根据Cluster卫星上的粒子成像质谱仪（RAPID）探测器在穿越地球等离子体片过程中的观测数据,统计研究了等离子体片中能量离子能量密度的空间分布（氢离子能量范围从40keV到1500keV,氦离子和氧离子从10keV到1500keV）,并且给出了离子能量密度在不同地磁活动时期随GSE-Z向分布的剖面.研究表明能量离子的能量密度以及能量密度的梯度与地磁活动指数Kp之间存在近似线性的关系.观测结果表明形成这种分布变化的主要原因是在地磁活动期间在电流片附近离子能量密度的增加,特别是其中的重离子成分增加更为显著.本文通过一个简化的电流片模型的数值计算,定性地研究了形成能量离子空间分布的机理.计算表明重离子在电流片中可以获得更多的能量,电流片加速可能是形成能量密度分布变化的一种可能的机制.     

亚暴事件中磁尾多重等离子体团的数值研究(Ⅱ)

以宁静磁尾平衡解为初态,本文考虑介质的可压缩性,对GEOTAIL卫星于亚暴事件中,观测到多重等离子体团与高能离子爆相对应之特征作模拟研究．数值结果表明：重复形成的等离子体团是高温、高密度区,揭示了等离子体团与高能离子爆──对应的动力学原因．本文的模拟结果还表明：大尺度等离子体团的地向运动,与X中性点的尾向迁移及地向流动增强相对应,而上述现象与驱动入流沿着边界的分布形态（即电场E的分布）有关．     

Determination of inorganic ions and trace elements in total suspended particles at three urban zones in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and one rural site

Inorganic ions and trace metals in total suspended particles were measured during the period 2006–2007 at four sites; three urban sites in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and one nearby rural site in the state of Morelos. SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, Cl⁻ and NH₄⁺ ions were analyzed by ion chromatography; Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, and Al, Cd, Cr, Mn, Pb and V by an atomic absorption spectrometer with a graphite furnace attachment. The results indicated that SO₄²⁻ was the most abundant ion. All trace elements except Mn and V showed statistically significant differences between sampling sites. Pearson's correlation applied to all data showed a high correlation among SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺, indicating a common anthropogenic origin. In addition, the correlation observed between Ca²⁺ and Al indicated a crustal origin, as supported by the enrichment factors. Over the total sampling period, significant differences in particles and trace metals were found between sites and meteorological seasons. To gain a better insight into the origin of trace metals and major inorganic ions, a Principal Component Analysis was applied to the results for six trace metal and eight inorganic ions.     

Observations of suprathermal electrons in Mercury's magnetosphere during the three MESSENGER flybys

In 2008 the MESSENGER spacecraft made the first direct observation of Mercury's magnetosphere in the more than 30 years since the Mariner 10 encounters. During MESSENGER's first flyby on 14 January 2008, the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was northward immediately prior to and following MESSENGER's equatorial passage through this small magnetosphere. The Energetic Particle Spectrometer (EPS), one of two sensors on the Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer instrument that responds to electrons from ∼35 keV to 1 MeV and ions from ∼35 keV to 2.75 MeV, saw no increases in particle intensity above instrumental background (∼5 particles/cm²/sr/s/keV at 45 keV) at any time during the probe's magnetospheric passage. During MESSENGER's second flyby on 6 October 2008, there was a steady southward IMF, and intense reconnection was observed between the planet's magnetic field and the IMF. However, once again EPS did not observe bursts of energetic particles similar to those reported by Mariner 10 from its March 1974 encounter. On 29 September 2009, MESSENGER flew by Mercury for the third and final time before orbit insertion in March 2011. Although a spacecraft safe-hold event stopped science measurements prior to the outbound portion of the flyby, all instruments recorded full observations until a few minutes before the closest approach. In particular, the MESSENGER Magnetometer documented several substorm-like signatures of extreme loading of Mercury's magnetotail, but again EPS measured no energetic ions or electrons above instrument background during the inbound portion of the flyby. MESSENGER's X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) nonetheless observed photons resulting from low-energy (∼10 keV) electrons impinging on its detectors during each of the three flybys. We infer that suprathermal plasma electrons below the EPS energy threshold caused the bremsstrahlung seen by XRS. In this paper, we summarize the energetic particle observations made by EPS and XRS during MESSENGER's three Mercury flybys, and we revisit the observations reported by Mariner 10 in the context of these new results.     

Evaluation of energetic particle parameters in the near-Earth magnetotail derived from flux asymmetry observations

The flux asymmetries measured by spectrometers on board spacecraft contain information on particle parameters. The net flux intensity (NFI) method provides a tool to evaluate these parameters. The NFI method is valid when both the spin period of the spacecraft and the time resolution of the particle spectrometers are much shorter than the characteristic time-scale of the particle flux variations. We apply the NFI analysis to the flux asymmetry measurements made by GEOS 2 at the nightside geosynchronous orbit in the late substorm growth phase. The cross-tail current of energetic ions, their pressure gradient and average drift velocity, as well as a field-aligned flows are investigated. Current disruption at substorm onset and the –convection surge mechanism during dipolarization of the magnetic field are directly observed.     

The influence of particles recycling on the geochemistry of sediments in a large tropical dam lake in the Amazonian region,Brazil

As a result of over-erosion of soils, the fine particles, which contain the majority of nutrients, are easily washed away from soils, which become deficient in a host of components, accumulating in lakes. On one hand, the accumulation of nutrients-rich sediments are a problem, as they affect the quality of the overlying water and decrease the water storage capacity of the system; on the other hand, sediments may constitute an important resource, as they are often extremely rich in organic and inorganic nutrients in readily available forms. In the framework of an extensive work on the use of rock related materials to enhance the fertility of impoverish soils, this study aimed to evaluate the role on the nutrients cycle, of particles recycling processes from the watershed to the bottom of a large dam reservoir, at a wet tropical region under high weathering conditions. The study focus on the mineralogical transformations that clay particles undergo from the soils of the drainage basin to their final deposition within the reservoir and their influence in terms of the geochemical characteristics of sediments. We studied the bottom sediments that accumulate in two distinct seasonal periods in Tucuruí reservoir, located in the Amazonian Basin, Brazil, and soils from its drainage basin. The surface layers of sediments in twenty sampling points with variable depths, are representative of the different morphological sections of the reservoir. Nineteen soil samples, representing the main soil classes, were collected near the margins of the reservoir. Sediments and soils were subjected to the same array of physical, mineralogical and geochemical analyses: (1) texture, (2) characterization and semi-quantification of the clay fraction mineralogy and (3) geochemical analysis of the total concentration of major elements, organic compounds (organic C and nitrogen), soluble fractions of nutrients (P and K), exchangeable fractions (cation exchange capacity, exchangeable bases and acidity) and pH(H₂O).There is a remarkable homogeneity in the sedimentary distribution along the reservoir in terms of the texture and mineralogy of the clay fraction and of the chemistry of the total, soluble and exchangeable phases. These observations contrast with the physical, morphological and chemical heterogeneity of the soils and the setting lithology. Most of the sediments has a higher contribution of fine-grained material and the mineralogy of the clay fraction is dominated by kaolinite in soils and kaolinite and illite in sediments, followed by lesser amounts of gibbsite, goethite, and metahaloisite and by small/vestigial contents of chlorite and smectite. The sediments are mainly inherited from the watershed but there exist marked differences between the accumulated sediments and their parent materials. These differences mainly come from the selective erosion of fine-grained particles and the extreme climatic conditions which enhance complex transformations of mineralogical and chemical nature. Compared with the parental soils, the reservoir sediments show the following differences: (1) enrichment in fine-grained and less dense inorganic particles, (2) aggradative mineralogical transformations, including enrichment in clay minerals with higher cationic adsorption and exchange capacity, (3) degradation of the crystalline structure of Fe- and Al-oxides (goethite, gibbsite), (4) increase in easily leached elements (Mg, Ca, P, K, Na) and decrease in chemically less mobile elements (Si, Fe) and (5) higher contents of organic carbon, nitrogen, and soluble forms of P and K, mainly concentrated in the clay fraction. These transformations are extremely important in the nutrients cycle, denoting that sediments represent an efficient sink for nutrients from the over-erosion of soils. Mineral and organic compounds can permanently or temporarily sequester these nutrients, recycling them and enhancing their availability through the slow release of components from relatively loose crystal structures. These processes can easily explain the enrichment in soluble and exchangeable forms of elements such as P, K, Ca or Mg. This study conclude that the particles recycling in a large tropical dam reservoir which receives high fluxes of allochthonous nutrients, has an important role in the good quality of sediments for agricultural use and in the profitable use of this technology to recover depleted soils in remediation projects in regions near large hydroelectric plants.     

Energetic electron asymmetries at Mars: ASPERA-3 observations

Energetic electron fluxes from more than two years of ASPERA-3 observations are organized in different coordinate systems for the investigation of asymmetries in the global dynamics of the Martian magnetosphere. A clear asymmetry is found in the distribution of high-flux events with respect to the solar wind convective electric field (E_sw) direction. These events are frequently detected below the average magnetic pile-up boundary (MPB) location at the terminator region of the hemisphere to which the E_sw points and extend toward the tail. A detailed investigation of the electron fluxes at the terminator region also reveals that the largest contribution to this E_sw asymmetry comes from locations of moderate or strong crustal fields. These observations have implications about reconnection processes in the terminator and provide new insight on magnetic anomaly effects in the global dynamics of the Mars-solar wind interaction.