磁正午附近极光强度与沉降粒子能量关系的参数模型

极光是日地能量耦合过程中粒子沉降到极区电离层的最直观表现,对于理解地球空间环境及预测空间天气具有重要作用.本文利用2003-2009年的北极黄河站的多波段地面极光观测,结合DMSP卫星粒子沉降探测,对磁正午附近的极光强度与沉降粒子沉降能量之间的关系进行了定量研究.统计结果表明,在10-13磁地方时(MLT)630.0 nm的极光发光占主导,以低能粒子沉降为主;而在13-14MLT,630.0 nm/427.8 nm极光强度比值降低,沉降粒子能量较高.另外,利用极光强度与沉降电子的能通量以及极光强度比值与平均能量之间的函数关系,初步建立了北极黄河站磁正午附近极光强度与沉降粒子能量关系的反演参数模型,为将来空间天气的监测服务.     

日侧伴随电子加速的离子上行事件的分布特征

本文基于2005年1月和7月DMSP F13卫星的观测数据,研究了日侧伴随电子加速的顶部电离层离子整体上行事件的分布特征.结果表明,离子上行主要发生在磁纬70°～80°MLAT范围内,加速电子磁层源区对应低纬边界层和等离子体片边界层;冬季上行存在明显的“晨昏不对称性”,主要发生在晨侧(06∶00—09∶00 MLT),夏季上行主要发生在磁正午(09∶00—15∶00 MLT),以磁正午为中心近似呈对称分布,并且冬季离子上行发生率显著高于夏季;离子上行发生率在中等地磁活动时期显著增强,上行区域随着地磁活动的增强向低纬度方向扩展;行星际磁场B_x>0时,对应等离子体片边界层13∶00—18∶00 MLT和06∶00—09∶00 MLT区域内上行发生率增加,行星际磁场B_y的方向会导致上行高发区以磁正午为中心发生反转,行星际磁场南向时,上行发生率增强;冬季离子上行平均速度高于夏季.     

低高度极尖区位形的经验模式

地球极尖区是太阳风等离子体进入内磁层和电离层的一个重要“窗口”,但其总体结构长期以来尚未确定. 2008年3月8日两个连续亚暴期间,太阳风的整体变化范围较大,基于全球三维数值模拟我们建立了一个由行星际磁场(interplanetary magnetic field, IMF)B_Y、B_Z控制的低高度(1.1个地球半径高度)极尖区的预报模式.该模式由椭圆函数构造而成,拟合函数由极尖区位置和宽度控制并取决于IMF B_Y和B_Z.极尖区地磁纬度(geomagnetic latitude, MLAT)随着向北IMF B_Z的增加而增加,随着向南IMF B_Z的增加而明显降低.当B_Y=0时,磁地方时(magnetic local time, MLT)接近12,当IMF为东向(西向)时,极尖区中心将位于北半球下午(上午)侧. MLAT宽度随IMF B_Z从北转南而减小,MLT宽度随IMF B_Z从北转南而增大.通过...     

行星际磁场对极尖区位形变化的统计研究

利用Cluster卫星数据,选取2001—2010年期间的616个极尖区穿越事件,研究了行星际磁场（IMF）的大小和方向对极尖区位形的影响.结果表明：当B_z为北向时,随着B_x负向的增大,极尖区的磁不变纬度向高纬方向（极区）移动;当B_z为南向时,随着B_x负向增大,极尖区的磁不变纬度略微向低纬度方向（赤道）移动.B_x正向增大时,极尖区并没有明显移动.B_x对极尖区影响在南半球较为显著,在北半球没有明显规律性变化.此外,随着行星际磁场锥角的增大（>90°）,极尖区也随之向高纬移动.当B_z南向时,随着B_y的负向增大,极尖区在北半球向晨侧移动,在南半球向昏侧移动.而当B_z南向增加时,南北半球两个极尖区的磁不变纬度都朝赤道方向移动;但北向B_z时几乎没有移动.     

高密度极尖区的形成原因

极尖区是太阳风进入磁层的一个重要窗口,极尖区密度是反映这一物理过程的重要参量,通常情况下极尖区密度约为1~10 cm^-3,但有时卫星会观测到密度大于40 cm^-3的极尖区,本文称之为高密度极尖区.我们分析了Cluster卫星2001—2009年的观测数据,在470个极尖区穿越中找到28个高密度极尖区穿越事件并进行了统计研究,分析了高密度极尖区事件的形成原因,进而讨论了太阳风高效地进入极尖区的外部条件.结果表明：距正午的距离（｜MLT-12｜）较小,太阳风的密度高,低纬有磁层顶磁重联发生以及正偶极倾角都是观测到高密度极尖区事件的有利条件,并且当同时满足上述4个条件时,高密度极尖区事件发生率为100%;而低纬磁层顶磁重联以及大的正偶极倾角被认为是太阳风高效地进入极尖区的重要条件.这些研究结果有助于我们更进一步地理解太阳风进入极尖区的物理机制.     

日侧极光弧的发光强度与沉降电子能谱的相关关系

本文利用中国北极黄河站多波段全天空极光观测数据,选取稳定的日侧极光弧,统计研究了极光强度比I_(557.7)/I_(630.0)与极光发光强度I_(557.7)的相关关系.发现I_(557.7)在午前暖点和午后热点区附近出现极大值,分别为2.2kR和2.9 kR;而I_(630.0)在磁正午出现极大值,为1.5kR.当I_(557.7)从0.1kR增加到10kR时,极光强度比I_(557.7)/I_(630.0)也由0.2增加到9.结合DMSP卫星探测的沉降粒子能谱数据,找到17个DMSP卫星穿越黄河站上空极光弧的事件,共穿越40条极光弧.得到了沉降电子的平均能量正比于极光强度比I_(557.7)/I_(630.0),沉降电子的总能通量正相关于极光强度I_(557.7)的关系式.利用该关系式反演所有极光弧的电子能谱,发现在午前和午后扇区,产生极光弧的沉降电子主要来源于等离子体片边界层;在高纬出现强度较弱的弧,对应等离子体幔区域.在磁正午附近,沉降电子的平均能量较低,极光弧处于低纬一侧,粒子源区主要是低纬边界层.     

用AE-D卫星近地点上观测的n(He)估算湍流层顶高度

文分析了AE D极轨卫星近地点的变化及其相应的大气膨胀和密度分布情况. 在高度相同情况下, 中低纬区热层底部的大气密度比高纬区大, 卫星受阻也就更大, 从而卫星近地点的高度在中低纬区比高纬区要低、白天比夜间低. 采用近地点上的n(He)观测资料, 根据大气数密度在低层内均匀混合和高层内扩散分离的不同垂直分布特征, 粗略地估算出湍流层顶的高度Zt及其变化. 高纬区内Zt高低与纬度几乎无关, 但对磁暴的响应十分明显. 中低纬区内, Zt随纬度减小而增大; 白天地区Zt大于夜间, 而与磁暴的关系不大.     

南极中山站电离层的极区特征

本文利用1996年的电离层数字测高仪DPS-4所测的f0F2、f0E以及美国NOAA和DMSP卫星观测估算的半球功率指数和午夜极光区赤道侧边界纬度等资料,考察中山站电离层的极区特征。结果表明,在太阳和地磁宁静环境下,冬季极夜磁正午中山站处于极隙区中心时,电离层内的电离密度达全天的最大值;上、下午各有数小时间隔位极光带内时,高能粒子的电离作用也很重要;夜间进入极差区后,电子密度则很低。夏季极昼时,太阳EUV辐射的电离效应使电离层电离密度比冬季值大许多,而且,日变化的最大值时间也提前了1~2h,强磁扰时,极隙区和极光带均向低纬侧移动;中山站上空的电子密度会大幅度下降。在中等扰动环境下情况要加复杂：磁正午前后极隙区内软粒子沉降的电离强度有所减小,而上、下午极光区的高能粒子电离则有较大增加。     

磁暴期间极尖区场向电子事件研究

根据Cluster卫星在中高度极尖区的观测数据,分析研究了两次连续磁暴期间极尖区场向电子事件的持续时间以及与Dst值和Dst时间变化率之间的关系.结果表明,磁暴期间场向电子事件的持续时间的范围为6~54 s,大多数场向事件的持续时间小于34 s;极尖区场向电子事件的最大密度和最大场向通量与Dst值没有明显的相关关系;而随着Dst变化率的增加,场向电子最大密度和最大通量也随之增加,场向电子最大密度与Dst变化率之间的相关系数为0.81,场向电子最大通量与Dst变化率之间的相关系数为0.56,下行电子最大通量与Dst变化率之间的相关系数为0.85.经讨论认为行星际磁场持续南向、太阳风速度和动压的急剧增加是引起场向电子通量增加的主要原因.     

2001年3月2日磁通量传输事件特性的研究

2001年3月2日11:00 至11:15 UT 期间,Cluster Ⅱ在南半球极尖区晨侧附近磁鞘内探测到3个通量传输事件（简称FTEs）. 本文利用Cluster Ⅱ星簇4颗卫星观测到的磁场和等离子体资料研究了这些通量传输事件的磁场形态和粒子特征. 并利用它们探测到的空间磁场梯度资料由安培定律直接求出星簇所在区域的电流分布. 结果指出：（1）BY占优势的行星际磁场结构在磁层顶的重联可以在极尖区附近发生;（2）FTEs通量管形成初期内外总压差和磁箍缩应力不一定平衡,达到平衡有一发展过程;（3）FTEs通量管截面在L M平面内的线度约为1.89RE;（4）FTEs通量管中等离子体主要沿轴向场方向流动,整个通量管以慢于背景等离子体的速度沿磁层顶向南向尾运动;（5）FTEs通量管中不仅有轴向电流,也存在环向电流. 轴向电流基本沿轴向磁场方向流动. 轴向和环向电流在管内均呈体分布,因而轴向电流产生的环向磁场接近管心时不断减小到零,而环向电流生成的轴向场则不断增大到极值;（6）在通量管的磁鞘部分观测到磁层能量粒子流量的增强,这表明通量管通过磁层顶将磁鞘和磁层内部连通起来了.     

磁暴期间热层大气密度变化

基于CHAMP卫星资料,分析了2002—2008年267个磁暴期间400km高度大气密度变化对季节、地方时与区域的依赖以及时延的统计学特征,得到暴时大气密度变化的一些新特点,主要结论如下:1)两半球大气密度绝对变化(δρa)结果在不同强度磁暴、不同地方时不同.受较强的焦耳加热和背景中性风共同作用,在北半球夏季,中等磁暴过程中夜侧和大磁暴中,夏半球的δρa强于冬半球;由于夏季半球盛行风环流造成的扰动传播速度快,北半球夏季日侧30°附近大气,北(夏)半球到达峰值的时间早于南(冬)半球.而可能受半球不对称背景磁场强度所导致的热层能量输送率影响,北半球夏季强磁暴和中磁暴个例的日侧,南半球δρa强于北半球;春秋季个例中日侧30°附近大气,北半球先于南半球1~2h达到峰值.2)受叠加在背景环流上的暴时经向环流影响,春秋季暴时赤道大气密度达到峰值的时间最短,日/夜侧大气分别在Dstmin后1h和2h达到峰值.至点附近夜侧赤道大气达到峰值时间一致,为Dstmin后3h;不同季节日侧结果不同,在北半球冬季时赤道地区经过更长的时间达到峰值.3)日侧赤道峰值时间距离高纬度峰值时间不受季节影响,为3h左右.在春秋季和北半球冬季夜侧,赤道大气密度先于高纬度达到峰值,且不同纬度大气密度的峰值几乎无差别,表明此时低纬度存在其他加热源起着重要作用.     

太阳活动低年南极中山站电离层F层的平均特性

根据１９９５-１９９７年３年中山站数字式电离层测高仪的数据,分析了中山站不同季 节Ｆ层的临频变化特点．中山站夏季主要受太阳光光化电离的影响,Ｆ层临频随地方时的变 化与中纬台站相似;两分季,极隙区软电子沉降的作用显著,Ｆ层临频随磁地方时而变化,有 较明显的磁中午现象．冬季,太阳全天处于地平线以下,中山站Ｆ层临频的变化主要受极隙 区软电子沉降和极区等离子体漂移的影响,其峰值变化处于碰中午和地方时中午之间．中山 站夏季全天都能观测到Ｆ层的存在;两分季Ｆ层在地方时子夜附近的出现率较少;冬季月份 在磁地方时午后和子夜Ｆ层出现率明显减少,这可能与南半球冬季的高纬槽和极洞有关．对 Ｆ层不均匀区的分析认为,中山站在ｔ_(ＬＴ)为１６：００左右处于极光带赤道侧,２０：００左右进入极盖 区。     

Wind control of the propagation of acoustic gravity waves in the polar atmosphere

The relationship between the directions of polar acoustic gravity waves and a wind at 250–350 km altitudes has been studied based on an analysis of the Dynamics Explorer 2 satellite measurements. A method, which makes it possible to determine the direction of these waves relative to the satellite velocity vector based on one-point measurements of different neutral atmosphere parameters, is presented. It has been established that acoustic gravity waves observed over the polar caps systematically propagate upwind, which argues for their spatial wind filtering. In the polar regions, waves mainly propagate in two directions: toward magnetic noon and 15–16 MLT. Waves tend to move counterclockwise and clockwise over the northern and southern polar caps, respectively.     

EISCAT observations of unusual flows in the morning sector associated with weak substorm activity

A discussion is given of plasma flows in the dawn and nightside high-latitude ionospheric regions during substorms occurring on a contracted auroral oval, as observed using the EISCAT CP-4-A experiment. Supporting data from the PACE radar, Greenland magnetometer chain, SAMNET magnetometers and geostationary satellites are compared to the EISCAT observations. On 4 October 1989 a weak substorm with initial expansion phase onset signatures at 0030 UT, resulted in the convection reversal boundary observed by EISCAT (at \sim0415 MLT) contracting rapidly poleward, causing a band of elevated ionospheric ion temperatures and a localised plasma density depletion. This polar cap contraction event is shown to be associated with various substorm signatures; Pi2 pulsations at mid-latitudes, magnetic bays in the midnight sector and particle injections at geosynchronous orbit. A similar event was observed on the following day around 0230 UT (\sim0515 MLT) with the unusual and significant difference that two convection reversals were observed, both contracting poleward. We show that this feature is not an ionospheric signature of two active reconnection neutral lines as predicted by the near-Earth neutral model before the plasmoid is “pinched off”, and present two alternative explanations in terms of (1) viscous and lobe circulation cells and (2) polar cap contraction during northward IMF. The voltage associated with the anti-sunward flow between the reversals reaches a maximum of 13 kV during the substorm expansion phase. This suggests it to be associated with the polar cap contraction and caused by the reconnection of open flux in the geomagnetic tail which has mimicked “viscous-like” momentum transfer across the magnetopause.     

中纬热层大气质量密度经向结构差异研究

本文利用CHAMP卫星以及全球电离层-热层模型(GITM)来研究太阳活动低年(2007—2009年)中纬热层大气质量密度(ρ)的经度结构变化.结果如下:(1)ρ存在明显的经度单波结构(单峰和单谷),且南北半球反相,波峰和波谷随着地方时增加而向东移动;(2)模拟表明离子拖曳效应在ρ结构差异的形成中起到了重要的作用,欧亚地区电子密度经度差异性较弱,不足以影响ρ经度分布,导致该地区ρ经度差异不明显;(3)在磁中纬地区,太阳天顶角的经度差异可达20°~30°,太阳光加热的经度不均匀性是导致ρ经度差异的另一个主要原因.     

Diurnal and seasonal occurrence of polar patches

Analysis of the diurnal and seasonal variation of polar patches, as identified in two years of HF-radar data from Halley, Antarctica during a period near sunspot maximum, shows that there is a broad maximum in occurrence centred about magnetic noon, not local noon. There are minima in occurrence near midsummer and midwinter, with maxima in occurrence between equinox and winter. There are no significant correlations between the occurrence of polar patches and the corresponding hourly averages of the solar wind and IMF parameters, except that patches usually occur when the interplanetary magnetic field has a southward component. The results can be understood in terms of UT and seasonal differences in the plasma concentration being convected from the dayside ionosphere into the polar cap. In summer and winter the electron concentrations in the polar cap are high and low, respectively, but relatively unstructured. About equinox, a tongue of enhanced ionisation is convected into the polar cap; this tongue is then structured by the effects of the interplanetary magnetic field, but these Halley data cannot be used to separate the various competing mechanisms for patch formation. The observed diurnal and seasonal variation in the occurrence of polar patches are largely consistent with predictions of Sojka et al. (1994) when their results are translated into the southern hemisphere. However, the ionospheric effects of flux transfer events are still considered essential in their formation, a feature not yet included in the Sojka et al. model.     

Annual and semiannual variations in the ionospheric F2-layer: II. Physical discussion

The companion paper by Zou et al. shows that the annual and semiannual variations in the peak F2-layer electron density (NmF2) at midlatitudes can be reproduced by a coupled thermosphere-ionosphere computational model (CTIP), without recourse to external influences such as the solar wind, or waves and tides originating in the lower atmosphere. The present work discusses the physics in greater detail. It shows that noon NmF2 is closely related to the ambient atomic/molecular concentration ratio, and suggests that the variations of NmF2 with geographic and magnetic longitude are largely due to the geometry of the auroral ovals. It also concludes that electric fields play no important part in the dynamics of the midlatitude thermosphere. Our modelling leads to the following picture of the global three-dimensional thermospheric circulation which, as envisaged by Duncan, is the key to explaining the F2-layer variations. At solstice, the almost continuous solar input at high summer latitudes drives a prevailing summer-to-winter wind, with upwelling at low latitudes and throughout most of the summer hemisphere, and a zone of downwelling in the winter hemisphere, just equatorward of the auroral oval. These motions affect thermospheric composition more than do the alternating day/night (up-and-down) motions at equinox. As a result, the thermosphere as a whole is more molecular at solstice than at equinox. Taken in conjunction with the well-known relation of F2-layer electron density to the atomic/molecular ratio in the neutral air, this explains the F2-layer semiannual effect in NmF2 that prevails at low and middle latitudes. At higher midlatitudes, the seasonal behaviour depends on the geographic latitude of the winter downwelling zone, though the effect of the composition changes is modified by the large solar zenith angle at midwinter. The zenith angle effect is especially important in longitudes far from the magnetic poles. Here, the downwelling occurs at high geographic latitudes, where the zenith angle effect becomes overwhelming and causes a midwinter depression of electron density, despite the enhanced atomic/molecular ratio. This leads to a semiannual variation of NmF2. A different situation exists in winter at longitudes near the magnetic poles, where the downwelling occurs at relatively low geographic latitudes so that solar radiation is strong enough to produce large values of NmF2. This circulation-driven mechanism provides a reasonably complete explanation of the observed pattern of F2 layer annual and semiannual quiet-day variations.     

500 hPa高度场上两极和赤道位势高度气候演变规律的研究

本文运用近50 a来500 hPa层次上南极、赤道和北极位势高度以及南北半球西风指数的资料,分析了它们的时间演变规律及其相互间的关系.结果表明,南极位势高度显著下降;赤道位势高度显著上升.南极、赤道和北极位势高度都存在着显著的年际、年代际变化特征.总体上,南极位势高度与赤道位势高度有极其显著的负相关关系,北极与赤道的位势高度之间以及两极位势高度之间相关关系不显著;在共振的特定频率中,北极位势高度振荡落后于南极位势高度,赤道位势高度振荡又落后于两极位势高度振荡,气候变化最先开始的区域为南极地区.进一步分析表明,伴随着以上三个区域的位势高度趋势变化及其周期振荡,必然引起高空西风的增强与周期振荡.研究表明,南北两半球西风指数都存在显著的上升趋势,且存在显著的年代际变化特征.其中,南半球西风指数上升幅度较北半球大,其振荡落后于南极位势高度.     

Numerical modelling of the thermospheric and ionospheric effects of magnetospheric processes in the cusp region

The thermospheric and ionospheric effects of the precipitating electron flux and field-aligned-current variations in the cusp have been modelled by the use of a new version of the global numerical model of the Earths upper atmosphere developed for studies of polar phenomena. The responses of the electron concentration, ion, electron and neutral temperature, thermospheric wind velocity and electric-field potential to the variations of the precipitating 0.23-keV electron flux intensity and field-aligned current density in the cusp have been calculated by solving the corresponding continuity, momentum and heat balance equations. Features of the atmospheric gravity wave generation and propagation from the cusp region after the electron precipitation and field-aligned current-density increases have been found for the cases of the motionless and moving cusp region. The magnitudes of the disturbances are noticeably larger in the case of the moving region of the precipitation. The thermospheric disturbances are generated mainly by the thermospheric heating due to the soft electron precipitation and propagate to lower latitudes as large-scale atmospheric gravity waves with the mean horizontal velocity of about 690 ms^–1. They reveal appreciable magnitudes at significant distances from the cusp region. The meridional-wind-velocity disturbance at 65° geomagnetic latitude is of the same order (100 ms^–1) as the background wind due to the solar heating, but is oppositely directed. The ionospheric disturbances have appreciable magnitudes at the geomagnetic latitudes 70°–85°. The electron-concentration and -temperature disturbances are caused mainly by the ionization and heating processes due to the precipitation, whereas the ion-temperature disturbances are influence strongly by Joule heating of the ion gas due to the electric-field disturbances in the cusp. The latter strongly influence the zonal- and meridional-wind disturbances as well via the effects of ion drag in the cusp region. The results obtained are of interest because of the location of the