Current and Future Applications of 3-D Global Earth-Ionosphere Models Based on the Full-Vector Maxwell’s Equations FDTD Method

Advances in computing technologies in recent decades have provided a means of generating and performing highly sophisticated computational simulations of electromagnetic phenomena. In particular, just after the turn of the twenty-first century, improvements to computing infrastructures provided for the first time the opportunity to conduct advanced, high-resolution three-dimensional full-vector Maxwell’s equations investigations of electromagnetic propagation throughout the global Earth-ionosphere spherical volume. These models, based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, are capable of including such details as the Earth’s topography and bathymetry, as well as arbitrary horizontal/vertical geometrical and electrical inhomogeneities and anisotropies of the ionosphere, lithosphere, and oceans. Studies at this level of detail simply are not achievable using analytical methods. The goal of this paper is to provide an historical overview and future prospectus of global FDTD computational research for both natural and man-made electromagnetic phenomena around the world. Current and future applications of global FDTD models relating to lightning sources and radiation, Schumann resonances, hypothesized earthquake precursors, remote sensing, and space weather are discussed.

Ionospheric perturbations before Pu’er earthquake observed on DEMETER

A destructive shock with magnitude of 6.3 occurred on 2 June 2007 at 21h34min56s UT in Pu’er region (23.0°N, 101.1°E), Yunnan Province, China. The data from DEMETER satellite during the period from 23 May to 2 June, i.e., ten days before the earthquake and one day just on the day of earthquake occurrence, were analyzed. Among the 284 orbits of DEMETER during the period, 29 orbits with the trace passing through the region within 1 888 km from the epicenter were selected to be studied. Seven anomalous events were found on the dataset of the seven orbits among the 29 ones. There existed synchronous perturbations on the variations of the spectrogram of the electric field and the variations of the density and temperature of the ions and electron, in contrast with the variations of its surround- ing area. And five events appeared in the space within 1 888 km from the epicenter while the other two were out of the studied area. Electrostatic turbulences were also recorded with the synchronous perturbations with that in the electron density and ions density in plasma in the region near the epicenter in the five events, which seems to sug- gest that there be some physical relation between these events and the preparation processes of Pu’er earthquake.     

El Niño期间移动性海温场与大气环流相互关系的复奇异值分解

利用 1 982～ 1 983年北太平洋海温场、OLR场、TBB场和 50 0 h Pa高度场的月均资料及复奇异值分解方法 ( CSVD)初步研究了移动性海温场与大气环流的相互关系 ,结果表明 :( 1 )在1 982～ 1 983年 ,海温变化有很大的空间尺度 ,但各海区海温振荡的变化方向及变化程度存在差异 ,赤道中太平洋有持续的增暖过程 ,并有东传趋势 ,赤道太平洋地区存在海温场传播的“源”和“汇”;( 2 ) OLR场和 TBB场在低纬地区与 SST场有密切联系 ,对流的加强基本和海温增暖变化相一致 ,热带对流活动在海气相互作用中有重要影响 ,但 OLR场和 TBB场所表现的振荡特征、移动特征和“源”“汇”特征是有差异的 ;( 3) 50 0 h Pa高度场的振幅和位相空间场中 ,振幅分布和位相梯度的指向说明了副热带高压南北进退的重要影响 ;( 4 )由奇异值的大小揭示的海气相互关系中 ,高度场与海温场的关系比 OL R场、TBB场与海温场的关系更紧密 ;( 5)在研究两个移动场的相互关系中 ,CSVD分解方法具有很强的特征浓缩性 ,具有诊断提取要素场中强信号及优势信号的能力 ,这说明 CSVD方法值得推广。     

国外测绘机构大地测量的新动向

本文概述国外测绘机构大地测量的动向 ,目的在于了解全球大地测量的发展趋势 ,作为借鉴。综观各国的大地测量动向可以看出 ,高精度国家大地控制网的建立 ,都是采用 GPS,无一例外 ,而且它们之间只是细节上的差异。从各国建立高精度大地控制网的目的来看 ,都是为多学科服务的。面对这样的总趋势 ,大地测量工作者必须拓宽知识面 ,迎接新的挑战。     

On the spectrum of mid-latitude sporadic-E irregularities

We discuss the creation of mid-latitude sporadic-E plasma irregularities (with length-scales smaller than sporadic layer thickness) by the neutral atmosphere turbulence. Using fluid equations, the relation between plasma density fluctuations and the velocity field of neutrals is derived. After a brief discussion of the relevant neutral turbulence, the analytical expression for the power spectrum of plasma irregularities is obtained. This expression allows a power-law type of experimental irregularity spectra (the spectral index depends on sporadic-E characteristics) and possible departures in detail of the irregularity spectra from the power-law form to be explained. In addition, it allows us to make estimates of length-scales at which such departures must occur.     

The generation of non aspect sensitive plasma density irregularities by field aligned drifts in the lower ionosphere

A theory of the generation of plasma density irregularities with virtually no aspect sensitivity, in the lower ionosphere at high latitudes, by electron drifts aligned with the geomagnetic field, is presented. The theory is developed through fluid equations in which the destabilising mechanism involves positive feedback from electron collisional heating. When field aligned electron drift speeds exceed a few km s^–1, this effect destabilises waves with wavelengths in excess of a few tens of metres in the lower E-region, where collisional effects are sufficiently large. Furthermore, the threshold conditions are almost independent of the wave propagation direction and the unstable waves propagate at speeds well below the ion acoustic speed. The role that this new instability may play in recent radar backscatter observations of short scale irregularities propagating in directions close to that of the geomagnetic field, in the lower E-region is also considered.     

Irregular structures of the F layer at high latitudes during ionospheric heating

Results on heating the ionospheric F region above Tromsø, Norway are presented. The ionosphere was monitored by satellite tomography and amplitude scintillation methods as well as the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar. No effect of heating was observed in the daytime. In the evening and in the pre-midnight sector, noticeable tilts of the F region were observed during heating periods. The tilts overlapped the heating cone, where the electron density decreased and irregularities exceeding 10 km in size appeared. Between the heating periods the F layer was restored to its horizontal shape. The anisotropic parameters of small-scale irregularities with scale lengths of hundreds of metres were also determined. It was found that the perpendicular anisotropy points in the direction of F region plasma flow. In some cases the results can be explained by assuming that the small-scale irregularities were generated within the heating cone and drifted out of the heating region where they were subsequently observed.     

Comparison of the orientation of small-scale electron density irregularities and F region plasma flow direction

Results are shown from an experimental campaign where satellite scintillation was observed at three sites at high latitudes and, simultaneously, the F region plasma flow was measured by the nearby EISCAT incoherent scatter radar. The anisotropy parameters of field-aligned irregularities are determined from amplitude scintillation using a method based on the variance of the relative logarithmic amplitude. The orientation of the anisotropy in a plane perpendicular to the geomagnetic field is compared with the direction of F region plasma flow. The results indicate that in most cases a good agreement between the two directions is obtained.     

Geomagnetic control of the foF2 long-term trends

Further development of the method proposed by Danilov and Mikhailov is presented. The method is applied to reveal the foF2 long-term trends on 30 Northern Hemisphere ionosonde stations. Most of them show significant foF2 trends. A pronounced dependence of trend magnitude on geomagnetic (invariant) latitude is confirmed. Periods of negative/positive foF2 trends corresponding to the periods of long-term increasing/decreasing geomagnetic activity are revealed for the first time. Pronounced diurnal variations of the foF2 trend magnitude are found. Strong positive foF2 trends in the post-midnight-early-morning LT sector and strong negative trends during daytime hours are found on the sub-auroral stations for the period with increasing geomagnetic activity. On the contrary middle and lower latitude stations demonstrate negative trends in the early-morning LT sector and small negative or positive trends during daytime hours for the same period. All the morphological features revealed of the foF2 trends may be explained in the framework of contemporary F2-region storm mechanisms. This newly proposed F2-layer geomagnetic storm concept casts serious doubts on the hypothesis relating the F2-layer parameter long-term trends to the thermosphere cooling due to the greenhouse effect.     

川滇地区电离层多参量异常监测系统的设计与实现

介绍了川滇地区电离层多参量异常监测系统的设计思路与功能实现,并将该系统应用于2019年6月17日四川长宁MS6.0地震的监测试验.结果表明:该系统实现了全球和中国区域垂直总电子含量VTEC、站点VTEC和F2层临界频率foF2异常变化的实时监测,有助于开展示范性地震电离层异常监测工作,其图形及数据结果可为地震-电离层异...