Low frequency waves in plasmas with spatially varying electron temperature

Low frequency electrostatic waves are studied in magnetized plasmas with an electron temperature which varies with position in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. For wave frequencies below the ion cyclotron frequency, the waves need not follow any definite dispersion relation. Instead a band of phase velocities is allowed, with a range of variation depending on the maximum and minimum values of the electron temperature. Simple model equations are obtained for the general case which can be solved to give the spatial variation of a harmonically time varying potential. A simple analytical model for the phenomenon is presented and the results are supported by numerical simulations carried out in a 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell numerical simulation. We find that when the electron temperature is striated along B₀ and low frequency waves (_ci) are excited in this environment, then the intensity of these low frequency waves will be striated in a manner following the electron temperature striations. High frequency ion acoustic waves (_ci) will on the other hand have a spatially more uniform intensity distribution.     

The radio frequency dielectric properties of the stratified UG1–UG2 geological unit in the Bushveld Complex

A new measurement technique enables the complex dielectric properties of the geological strata comprising the UG1–UG2 (Upper Group 1–Upper Group 2) unit of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa to be determined with unprecedented detail at radio frequencies (RF). Results of non-destructive laboratory measurements of representative diamond drill core samples from the UG1–UG2 unit are presented at 25 MHz. These data establish that the UG1 and UG2 chromitite layers are embedded in rock strata (norite, pyroxenite and anorthosite) which are translucent in the HF spectral band, whereas the chromitite layers themselves exhibit significant velocity contrast, making them good radar reflectors. The data presented here is useful for calibration of the radar system, and for predicting the range and resolution performance of borehole radars operating in both the hanging and footwalls of the economically important platiniferous UG2 reef.     

The June 4th 1999 severe weather episode in San Quirino, Italy: a tornado event?

On the morning of June 4th 1999, a severe weather event took place in San Quirino, a small village of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the northeast of Italy. This village is located near the piedmont of the Alps, 40 km west from Udine and 60 km north from Venice.Around 0900 UTC (1100 local time), a thunderstorm with an intense hail fall affected the area of San Quirino. A few minutes later (around 0920 UTC, source: a farmer), a funnel cloud from a cumulonimbus touched the ground, producing damages to houses, trees and sheds. The damaged area was quite narrow (about 300 m) and short (less than 10 km). No injuries to people were reported.In spite of the smallness of the area interested by the phenomenon, this storm is studied here starting from the synoptic scale, moving to the mesoscale and finishing with the storm scale, trying to underline its characteristics. These analyses, especially those coming from the Doppler radar images, bring us to the conclusion that the San Quirino episode was produced by a supercell storm.     

无线电掩星反演大气参数误差分析及应用进展

本文详细分析了影响空间GPS无线电掩星反演大气参数方法的主要误差源，其中包括信噪比误差，精密定轨误差，电离层模制误差，多路径效应和时钟改正等误差，并且介绍了国内外在无线电掩星领域的一些应用研究进展。     

第23周太阳活动峰年北京天文台太阳射电观测

An introduction to the instrumonts to be used for solar radio observations in Beijing in Solar Cycle 23 is made in this paper. They are 10cm solar radio telescope which has been used for a long time,and 1.0～2.0GHz,2.6～3.8GHz and 5.2～7.6GHz spectrometers. The former two spectrometers has passed a test,showing high guality,and the 5.2～7.6GHz one will be in operation from 1999. It is believed that highl gualified data should be obtained in the next solar cycle.     

Ionospheric measurements of relative coronal brightness during the total solar eclipses of 11 August, 1999 and 9 July, 1945

Swept-frequency (1/10 MHz) ionosonde measurements were made at Helston, Cornwall (50°06N, 5°18W) during the total solar eclipse on August 11, 1999. Soundings were made every three minutes. We present a method for estimating the percentage of the ionising solar radiation which remains unobscured at any time during the eclipse by comparing the variation of the ionospheric E-layer with the behaviour of the layer during a control day. Application to the ionosonde date for 11 August, 1999, shows that the flux of solar ionising radiation fell to a minimum of 25±2% of the value before and after the eclipse. For comparison, the same technique was also applied to measurements made during the total solar eclipse of 9 July, 1945, at Sörmjöle (63°68N, 20°20E) and yielded a corresponding minimum of 16 ± 2%. Therefore the method can detect variations in the fraction of solar emissions that originate from the unobscured corona and chromosphere. We discuss the differences between these two eclipses in terms of the nature of the eclipse, short-term fluctuations, the sunspot cycle and the recently-discovered long-term change in the coronal magnetic field.     

毫秒脉冲星计时观测的研究进展

对毫秒脉冲星时间测量的理论、方法和技术研究的进展进行了阐述。根据近年来取得的观测研究结果,毫秒脉冲星计时测量误差～2×10－7秒,毫秒脉冲星自转周期稳定性足以和现代原子钟相媲美：其相对频率不稳定度达到1×10－14（1年≤γ≤5．2年）,并可望更高。近年来,脉冲星计时观测系统的接收灵敏度获得很大改进,计时观测的数据采集、处理技术、脉冲到达时间分析模型研究等都有长足发展。通过综合脉冲星时间算法得到的脉冲星时间尺度将比现代原子时具有更高的长期稳定度。叙述了脉冲星的物理特性及有关计时观测系统的技术成果,如观测频率和带宽的选择,消色散和接收系统灵敏度等问题。最后对毫秒脉冲星时间测量的误差源进行了讨论,并对脉冲星时间尺度的应用前景做了展望。     

四颗射电源在依巴谷和PPM星表中的光学定位

利用北京天文台施密特望远镜的CCD巡天资料（BATC）中的20次观测,用IRAF软件处理得到星象中心位置,以依巴谷星表和PPM星表作为参考星表,用底片常数法进行处理,得到4颗河外射电源0851 202,1228 126,1442 101,1749 701的光学位置。文中还对所得到的位置与射电位置作了比较。     

1997年昆明日偏食射电快速过程的观测

介绍了１９９７年３月９日昆明日偏食过程中云南天文台四波段射电高时间分辨率同步观测结果,通过掩食和露放黑子前后射电快速起伏率的变化现象,推测日冕缓变源存在电子加速过程,它可能对射电快速起伏率的增强有贡献。     

Observations of the upper frequency cutoffs of the auroral kilometric radiation

Intense auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) is being frequently observed with POLRAD from the Auroral Probe (Interball-2). Observations of the abrupt upper frequency cutoffs (UFCs) in the spectra of AKR are reported. The UFCs can be observed at a frequency range from 300 to 700 kHz, corresponding to AKR generation altitudes from approximately 4800 to 2100 km, and are distributed in magnetic local time (MLT) hours similarly to the AKR events, with a maximum at 1 h MLT. The observed frequency extent of the UFCs is 12 kHz, and is often determined by the instrumental resolution (4 kHz). It is suggested that the UFC may be associated with an abrupt switching on of the generation mechanism, when the electron density becomes sufficiently low inside a plasma depletion at an altitude where the ratio of f_pe/f_ce crosses some threshold value. The steepness of the UFCs can imply a non-linear process of generation. The estimated distance of the e-folding field aligned wave amplification is between 3 and 8 km. The UFCs are sometimes, though very seldom (10%), accompanied by narrow band (less than 4 kHz) ridges of radiation observed at the cutoff frequency. They are smoothly drifting in frequncy for several minutes. The power density of radiation in the ridge can be up to 2 orders of magnitude stronger than in the accompanying wide band emission of AKR. The ridge at UFC can imply either energy concentration at the source bottom, or focusing, if specific conditions for the escape of the radiation are assumed.