Amplitude stripes imposed by ionospheric scintillation have been frequently observed in many of the equatorial nighttime acquisitions of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite(ALOS)Phased Array-type L-band Synthetic Ap...Amplitude stripes imposed by ionospheric scintillation have been frequently observed in many of the equatorial nighttime acquisitions of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite(ALOS)Phased Array-type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar(PALSAR).This type of ionospheric artifact impedes PALSAR interferometric and polarimetric applications,and its formation cause,morphology,and negative influence have been deeply investigated.However,this artifact can provide an alternative opportunity in a positive way for probing and measuring ionosphere scintillation.In this paper,a methodology for measuring ionospheric scintillation parameters from PALSAR images with amplitude stripes is proposed.Firstly,sublook processing is beneficial for recovering the scattered stripes from a single-look complex image;the amplitude stripe pattern is extracted via band-rejection filtering in the frequency domain of the sublook image.Secondly,the amplitude spectrum density function(SDF)is estimated from the amplitude stripe pattern.Thirdly,a fitting scheme for measuring the scintillation strength and spectrum index is conducted between the estimated and theoretical long-wavelength SDFs.In addition,another key parameter,the scintillation index,can be directly measured from the amplitude stripe pattern or indirectly derived from the scintillation strength and spectrum index.The proposed methodology is fully demonstrated on two groups of PALSAR acquisitions in the presence of amplitude stripes.Self-validation is conducted by comparing the measured and derived scintillation index and by comparing the measurements of range lines and azimuth lines.Cross-validation is performed by comparing the PALSAR measurements with in situ Global Position System(GPS)measurements.The processing results demonstrate a powerful capability to robustly measure ionospheric scintillation parameters from space with high spatial resolution.展开更多
This study utilizes radio occultation observations from the Macao Science Satellite-1 mission(MSS-1)to investigate ionospheric response to the May 2024 G5 geomagnetic storm within the South Atlantic Anomaly(SAA)region...This study utilizes radio occultation observations from the Macao Science Satellite-1 mission(MSS-1)to investigate ionospheric response to the May 2024 G5 geomagnetic storm within the South Atlantic Anomaly(SAA)region.The distinctive data from MSS-1,complemented by observations from the ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)and the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology,Ionosphere,and Climate follow-on satellite mission(COSMIC-2),reveal a super plasma fountain effect during the main phase of the storm.This effect was marked by peaks in the equatorial ionization anomaly that extended beyond their typical latitude range.The MSS-1 observations,particularly in the northern hemisphere of the SAA region,confirm the role of prompt penetration electric fields in driving ionospheric disturbances and amplifying scintillation at higher altitudes.The study also identifies a decrease in total electron content and a reduction in scintillation occurrence during the recovery phase of the storm.The results demonstrate the pivotal role that MSS-1 observations can play,when combined with ground-based and COSMIC-2 observations,in providing a more comprehensive understanding of ionospheric response to severe geomagnetic storms.展开更多
Statistical characteristics and the classification of the topside ionospheric mid-latitude trough are systemically analyzed,using observations from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F18(DMSP-F18)satellite.T...Statistical characteristics and the classification of the topside ionospheric mid-latitude trough are systemically analyzed,using observations from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F18(DMSP-F18)satellite.The data was obtained at an altitude of around 860 km in near polar orbit,throughout 2013.Our study identified the auroral boundary based on the in-situ electron density and electron spectrum,allowing us to precisely determine the location of the mid-latitude trough.This differs from most previous works,which only use Total Electron Content(TEC)or in-situ electron density.In our study,the troughs exhibited a higher occurrence rate in local winter than in summer,and extended to lower latitudes with increasing geomagnetic activity.It was found that the ionospheric mid-latitude trough,which is associated with temperature changes or enhanced ion drift,exhibited distinct characteristics.Specifically,the ionospheric mid-latitude troughs related to electron temperature(Te)peak were located more equatorward of auroral oval boundary in winter than in summer.The ionospheric mid-latitude troughs related to Te-maximum were less frequently observed at 60−70°S magnetic latitude and 90−240°E longitude.Furthermore,the troughs related to ion temperature(Ti)maximums were observed at relatively higher latitudes,occurring more frequently in winter.In addition,the troughs related to ion velocity(Vi)maximums could be observed in all seasons.The troughs with the maximum-Ti and maximum-Vi were located closer to the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval at the nightside,and in both hemispheres.This implies that enhanced ion drift velocity contributes to increased collisional frictional heating and enhanced ion temperatures,resulting in a density depletion within the trough region.展开更多
Sporadic E(Es)layers in the ionosphere are characterized by intense plasma irregularities in the E region at altitudes of 90-130 km.Because they can significantly influence radio communications and navigation systems,...Sporadic E(Es)layers in the ionosphere are characterized by intense plasma irregularities in the E region at altitudes of 90-130 km.Because they can significantly influence radio communications and navigation systems,accurate forecasting of Es layers is crucial for ensuring the precision and dependability of navigation satellite systems.In this study,we present Es predictions made by an empirical model and by a deep learning model,and analyze their differences comprehensively by comparing the model predictions to satellite RO measurements and ground-based ionosonde observations.The deep learning model exhibited significantly better performance,as indicated by its high coefficient of correlation(r=0.87)with RO observations and predictions,than did the empirical model(r=0.53).This study highlights the importance of integrating artificial intelligence technology into ionosphere modelling generally,and into predicting Es layer occurrences and characteristics,in particular.展开更多
Ionospheric disturbances caused by acoustic waves emitted during earthquakes were studied using the Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)to analyze the changes in total electron content(TEC)values.GNSS signals norm...Ionospheric disturbances caused by acoustic waves emitted during earthquakes were studied using the Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)to analyze the changes in total electron content(TEC)values.GNSS signals normally propagate from satellites to receivers through the ionosphere layer.The delayed signals can be used to obtain TEC values by passing through the layer.Therefore,this study aims to analyze Coseismic Ionospheric Disturbances(CIDs)in six earthquakes,including 2016 M7.8 New Zealand(about 0.49 TECU),2018 M7.9 Alaska(about 0.20 TECU),2005 M7.2 California(about 0.29 TECU),2023 M7.5 Turkey(about 0.49 TECU),2012 M8.6 Sumatra(about 2.98 TECU),and 2012 M8.2 Sumatra(about 1.49 TECU)earthquakes.The propagation speed of the wave from the earthquake epicenter,identified as an acoustic wave,was estimated to be between 0.6 and 1.0 km/s.The 3D tomography modeling was performed to analyze the TEC height variations in the ionosphere to obtain a more accurate spatial analysis of TEC due to earthquakes.Moreover,checkerboard accuracy tests were applied to test the resolution of the 3D tomography model.The maximum ionization correlation test was also conducted for the six earthquakes to determine variations in the maximum ionization height of the ionosphere.The correlation test results between magnitude and maximum CID height produced a moderate correlation.The greater the earthquake magnitude,the higher the maximum CID detected.This is because greater earthquake produces compressed energy,which reduces the ionospheric density and reaches the maximum height.In addition,the maximum CID height is higher at night than in the afternoon because the E layer disappears at night.展开更多
Ionospheric scintillation refers to rapid radio signal amplitude and phase fluctuations due to small-scale irregularities in the ionosphere.Occurring primarily at equatorial and low latitudes,scintillation is linked t...Ionospheric scintillation refers to rapid radio signal amplitude and phase fluctuations due to small-scale irregularities in the ionosphere.Occurring primarily at equatorial and low latitudes,scintillation is linked to equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs),regions of depleted plasma density that form after sunset.Ionospheric scintillation typically occurs from post-sunset hours until midnight.Post-sunset EPBs can be enhanced or suppressed during geomagnetic storms,depending on local sunset timing and how it relates to the storm's main or recovery phases.This study analyzes ionospheric scintillation in Indonesia,located at low geomagnetic and geographic latitudes,during geomagnetic events from 2003 to 2024.Using the S4 index,scintillation was examined with data from seven observation stations during geomagnetic storm events.Geomagnetic activity was evaluated using Dst,SYM-H,and AE indices,employing Superposed Epoch Analysis(SEA)to assess scintillation occurrence linked to minimum SYM-H,defined as epoch 0 to represent the storm peak or the onset of recovery phase in each event.The analysis categorized geomagnetic storms into weak-moderate(–100 nT<min.Dst≤–30 nT)and strong(min.Dst≤–100 nT),and examined their dependence on the local time of minimum SYM-H.Results indicate that scintillation first appears~6 hours after epoch 0 in weak-moderate geomagnetic storms,and~12 hours after epoch 0 in strong geomagnetic storms.The average AE index returns to its baseline value(quiet condition)~6 and~12 hours after epoch 0 for weak-moderate and strong geomagnetic storms,respectively.Further analysis based on the classification of the local time of epoch 0 shows that scintillation occurrence is not observed in post-sunset hours when epoch 0 falls between 16:00 and 19:00 LT for weak-moderate geomagnetic storms.In strong geomagnetic storms,scintillation occurrence during post-sunset hours is absent when epoch 0 is between 10:00 and 19:00 LT.Notably,when the minimum SYM-H(epoch 0)nearly coincides with local sunset,scintillation activity occurs around sunset in both weak-moderate and strong geomagnetic storms.Furthermore,when epoch 0 falls within midnight until early morning,scintillation can be generated in the post-sunset hours before epoch 0.Still,post-midnight scintillation is not observed in the equatorial region during the recovery phase of either weak-moderate and strong storm events.Our findings show that when sunset falls before or coincide with epoch 0,the likelihood of post-sunset EPB and scintillation increases,due to the prompt-penetration electric field(PPEF)in the main phase of storm.The disturbance dynamo electric field(DDEF)in the recovery phase driven by equatorward winds from auroral Joule heating operates for at least 6-and 12-hours post-epoch 0 in the cases of weak-moderate and strong geomagnetic storms,respectively.When the local sunset falls within these operational DDEF periods,post-sunset EPBs will likely be suppressed,inhibiting ionospheric scintillation during post-sunset hours.Finally,this study provides essential information for developing more accurate ionospheric scintillation prediction models in space weather services in equatorial regions.展开更多
In recent years,GNSS-derived total electron content(TEC)measurements have emerged as an effective method for detecting natural hazards through their ionospheric manifestations.Seismo-atmospheric disturbances generated...In recent years,GNSS-derived total electron content(TEC)measurements have emerged as an effective method for detecting natural hazards through their ionospheric manifestations.Seismo-atmospheric disturbances generated by earthquakes,tsunamis,and volcanic eruptions propagate as traveling ionospheric disturbances(TIDs)that modify ionospheric electron density.Despite this potential,specialized open-source tools for such analyses remain limited.We present IonKit-NH,a MATLAB-based toolkit enabling systematic processing of multi-GNSS data(GPS,GLONASS,Galileo,BDS)through dual-frequency combination analysis for TEC derivation.The software implements automated generation of time-distance diagrams and 2D TEC perturbation maps,enabling quantitative characterization of TID propagation parameters associated with natural hazards.This toolkit enhances standardized analysis of ionospheric precursors and co-seismic signals across global navigation satellite systems.展开更多
Since the release of the 2018 National Report of China on ionospheric research(Liu LB and Wan WX,2018)to the Committee on Space Research(COSPAR),scientists from China's Mainland have made many new fruitful investi...Since the release of the 2018 National Report of China on ionospheric research(Liu LB and Wan WX,2018)to the Committee on Space Research(COSPAR),scientists from China's Mainland have made many new fruitful investigations of various ionospheric-related issues.In this update report,we briefly introduce more than 130 recent reports(2018–2019).The current report covers the following topics:ionospheric space weather,ionospheric structures and climatology,ionospheric dynamics and couplings,ionospheric irregularity and scintillation,modeling and data assimilation,and radio wave propagation in the ionosphere and sounding techniques.展开更多
Accurate modeling of Earth's ionospheric F-region currents is essential for refining geomagnetic field models and understanding magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.In this study,we develop averaged models to charact...Accurate modeling of Earth's ionospheric F-region currents is essential for refining geomagnetic field models and understanding magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.In this study,we develop averaged models to characterize F-region currents using magnetic data from the MSS-1(Macao Science Satellite-1) and Swarm satellite missions.Our approach employs a toroidal field representation,utilizing spherical harmonics to capture spatial variations and Fourier series to represent temporal dynamics.Two models,Model-A and Model-B,derived from distinct datasets,are constructed to represent current patterns at altitudes of 450 km and 512 km,respectively.Our models successfully capture the primary spatial structures and seasonal variations of polar field-aligned currents.Additionally,they accurately reproduce the localized inter-hemispheric field-aligned currents observed in mid and low latitudes during solstices,particularly between 14:00 and 16:00 magnetic local times.These findings enhance our understanding of ionospheric F-region currents and contribute to more precise geomagnetic field modeling.展开更多
The received satellite signal amplitude is attenuated greatly due to the strong ionospheric scintillation for lowlatitude regions, which causes the GPS tracking loop's loss of lock, the positioning errors to increase...The received satellite signal amplitude is attenuated greatly due to the strong ionospheric scintillation for lowlatitude regions, which causes the GPS tracking loop's loss of lock, the positioning errors to increase, and navigation to be interrupted. To solve the above problems, a novel signal processing algorithm is proposed based on the GPS L1 software receiver during strong ionospheric scintillation using the multi-channel intermediate frequency(IF) data sampling system. Tens of thousands of fading events are obtained based on the signal intensity measurement. The amplitude fading characteristics in the lowlatitude region are analyzed,including fading duration, time separation between fades and the numbers of signal intensity fading events. The fading thresholds are set to be 15 and 10 dB, respectively. The main fading time is very short in- 15 dB fading threshold, which generally is less than 20 ms. The main time separation between fades is less than 2 s in a single one-hour period from the time 23: 00 to 24: 00. Therefore, it has the characteristic of a short reacquisition time for the receiver designed to reduce the probability of simultaneous loss of lock for some satellites.Subsequently, the acquisition, tracking and PVT(position,velocity and time) calculations are completed by the customdesigned software receiver. The results show that the impact analysis of ionospheric scintillation on GPS amplitude attenuation in the lowlatitude region is helpful for designing the advanced tracking algorithm and to improve the robustness and accuracy of the GPS receiver.展开更多
This paper briefly reviews ionospheric irregularities that occur in the E and F regions at mid-latitudes. Sporadic E(ES) is a common ionospheric irregularity phenomenon that is first noticed in the E layer. ES mainly ...This paper briefly reviews ionospheric irregularities that occur in the E and F regions at mid-latitudes. Sporadic E(ES) is a common ionospheric irregularity phenomenon that is first noticed in the E layer. ES mainly appears during daytime in summer hemispheres, and is formed primarily from neutral wind shear in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere(MLT) region. Field-aligned irregularity(FAI) in the E region is also observed by Very High Frequency(VHF) radar in mid-latitude regions. FAI frequently occurs after sunset in summer hemispheres, and spectrum features of E region FAI echoes suggest that type-2 irregularity is dominant in the nighttime ionosphere. A close relationship between ES and E region FAI implies that ES may be a possible source of E region FAI in the nighttime ionosphere. Strong neutral wind shear, steep ES plasma density gradient, and a polarized electric field are the significant factors affecting the formation of E region FAI. At mid-latitudes, joint observational experiments including ionosonde, VHF radar, Global Positioning System(GPS) stations, and all-sky optical images have revealed strong connections across different scales of ionospheric irregularities in the nighttime F region, such as spread F(SF), medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances(MSTID), and F region FAI.Observations suggest that different scales of ionospheric irregularities are generally attributed to the Perkins instability and subsequently excited gradient drift instability. Nighttime MSTID can further evolve into small-scale structures through a nonlinear cascade process when a steep plasma density gradient exists at the bottom of the F region. In addition, the effect of ionospheric electrodynamic coupling processes, including ionospheric E-F coupling and inter-hemispheric coupling on the generation of ionospheric irregularities, becomes more prominent due to the significant dip angle and equipotentiality of magnetic field lines in the mid-latitude ionosphere. Polarized electric fields can map to different ionospheric regions and excite plasma instabilities which form ionospheric irregularities. Nevertheless,the mapping efficiency of a polarized electric field depends on the ionospheric background and spatial scale of the field.展开更多
Possible ionospheric disturbances relating to the May 12, 2008, MsS.0 Wenchuan earthquake were identified by Global Positioning System (GPS)-derived total electron content (TEC), ion- osonde observations, the glob...Possible ionospheric disturbances relating to the May 12, 2008, MsS.0 Wenchuan earthquake were identified by Global Positioning System (GPS)-derived total electron content (TEC), ion- osonde observations, the global ionospheric map (GIM), and electron density profiles detected by the Constellation Observation System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC). We applied a statistical test to detect anomalous TEC signals and found that a unique enhancement in TEC, recorded at 16 GPS stations, appeared on May 9, 2008. The critical fre- quency at F2 peak (foF2), observed by the Chinese ionosondes, and maximal plasma frequency, derived from COSMIC data, revealed a characteristic similar to GPS TEC variations. The GIM showed that the anomalous variations of May 9 were located southeast of the epicenter. Using GPS data from 13 stations near the epicenter, we analyzed the TEC variations of satellite orbit traces during 04:00-11:00 UT. We found that TEC decreased to the east and increased to the southeast of the epicenter during this period. Results showed that the abnormal disturbance on May 9 was probably an ionosphenc precursor of the Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008.展开更多
In terms of the diffusive process of the gases injected from rocket exhaust into the ionosphere and the relevant chemical reactions between the gases and the composition of ionosphere, the modifications in ionosphere ...In terms of the diffusive process of the gases injected from rocket exhaust into the ionosphere and the relevant chemical reactions between the gases and the composition of ionosphere, the modifications in ionosphere caused by the injected hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas from the rocket exhaust are investigated. The results show that the diffusive process of the injected gases at the ionospheric height is very fast, and the injected gases can lead to a local depletion of electron concentration in the F-region. Furthermore, the plasma 'hole' caused by carbon dioxide is larger, deeper and more durable than that by the hydrogen.展开更多
The ionosphere, as the largest and least predictable error source, its behavior cannot be observed at all places simultaneously. The confidence bound, called the grid ionospheric vertical error(GIVE), can only be dete...The ionosphere, as the largest and least predictable error source, its behavior cannot be observed at all places simultaneously. The confidence bound, called the grid ionospheric vertical error(GIVE), can only be determined with the aid of a threat model which is used to restrict the expected ionospheric behavior. However, the spatial threat model at present widespread used, which is based on fit radius and relative centroid metric(RCM), is too conservative or the resulting GIVEs will be too large and will reduce the availability of satellite-based augmentation system(SBAS). In this paper, layered two-dimensional parameters, the vertical direction double RCMs, are introduced based on the spatial variability of the ionosphere. Comparing with the traditional threat model, the experimental results show that the user ionospheric vertical error(UIVE) average reduction rate reaches 16%. And the 95% protection level of conterminous United States(CONUS) is 28%, even under disturbed days, which reaches about 5% reduction rates.The results show that the system service performance has been improved better.展开更多
When strong solar activities and geomagnetic storms happen, satellite communications and navigation system will be strongly disturbed. It is of great significance to monitor ionospheric disturbances,because empirical ...When strong solar activities and geomagnetic storms happen, satellite communications and navigation system will be strongly disturbed. It is of great significance to monitor ionospheric disturbances,because empirical models cannot capture ionospheric anomalous disturbances well. Nowadays, dualfrequency GPS(Global Positioning System) observations can be used to estimate the ionospheric total electron content, correct the ionospheric delay and analyze the response of the ionosphere to geomagnetic storms. In this paper, the ionospheric response to the geomagnetic storm occurred in March 2015 is investigated using GPS observations provided by Crustal Movement of Observation Network of China. The result shows that this storm increases the electron density in the ionosphere quickly and disrupts the structure of the northern equatorial anomaly region at the beginning. In the main process stage, compared with that in the quite periods, the VTEC(Vertical Total Electron Content)around the longitude of 120°E decreases by 50% and the amount of depletion is larger in the high latitude region than that in the low latitude region. We also find the height of the peak electron density in F2 layer increases during the geomagnetic storm from the electron density profiles derived from GPS occultation mission.展开更多
Many observations in the ionospheric heating experiment, by a powerful high frequency electromagnetic wave with ordinary polarization launched from a ground-based facility, is attributed to parametric instability (PI...Many observations in the ionospheric heating experiment, by a powerful high frequency electromagnetic wave with ordinary polarization launched from a ground-based facility, is attributed to parametric instability (PI). In this paper, the general dispersion relation and the threshold of the PI excitation in the heating experiment are derived by considering the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of pump wave field. It is shown that the threshold of PI is influenced by the effective electron and ion collision frequencies and the pump wave frequency. Both collision and Landau damping should be considered in the PI calculation. The derived threshold expression has been used to calculate the required threshold for excitation of PI for several ionospheric conditions during heating experiments conducted employing EISCAT high frequency transmitter in TromsФ, Norway, on 2nd October 1998, 8th November 2001, 19th October 2012 and 7th July 2014. The results indicate that the calculated threshold is in good agreement with the experimental observations.展开更多
The effect of ionospheric delay on the ground-based augmentation system under normal conditions can be mitigated by determining the value of the nominal ionospheric gradient(σvig).The nominal ionospheric gradient is ...The effect of ionospheric delay on the ground-based augmentation system under normal conditions can be mitigated by determining the value of the nominal ionospheric gradient(σvig).The nominal ionospheric gradient is generally obtained from Continuously Operating Reference Stations data by using the spatial single-difference method(mixed-pair,station-pair,or satellite-pair)or the temporal single-difference method(time-step).The time-step method uses only a single receiver,but it still contains ionospheric temporal variations.We introduce a corrected time-step method using a fixed-ionospheric pierce point from the geostationary equatorial orbit satellite and test it through simulations based on the global ionospheric model.We also investigate the effect of satellite paths on the corrected time-step method in the region of the equator,which tends to be in a more north–south direction and to have less coverage for the east–west ionospheric gradient.This study also addresses the limitations of temporal variation correction coverage and recommends using only the correction from self-observations.All processes are developed under simulations because observational data are still difficult to obtain.Our findings demonstrate that the corrected time-step method yieldsσvig values consistent with other approaches.展开更多
The relative importance of magnitude and depth of an earthquake (EQ) in the generation of seismo-ionospheric perturbations at middle latitudes is investigated by using the EQs near the propagation path from the Japane...The relative importance of magnitude and depth of an earthquake (EQ) in the generation of seismo-ionospheric perturbations at middle latitudes is investigated by using the EQs near the propagation path from the Japanese LF transmitter, JJY (at Fukushima) to a receiving station at Petropavsk-Kamchatsky (PTK) in Russia during a three-year period of 2005-2007. It is then found that the depth (down to 100km) is an extremely unimportant factor as compared with the magnitude in inducing seismo-ionospheric perturbations at middle latitudes. This result for sea EQs in the Izu-Bonin and Kurile-Kamchatka arcs is found to be in sharp contrast with our previous result for Japanese EQs mainly of the fault-type. We try to interpret this difference in the context of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling mechanism.展开更多
The ionospheric total-electron-content (IGS) network and the VTEC data from the GPS (TEC) data provided by the International GNSS Service reference stations of Crustal Movement Observational Network of China(CM...The ionospheric total-electron-content (IGS) network and the VTEC data from the GPS (TEC) data provided by the International GNSS Service reference stations of Crustal Movement Observational Network of China(CMONC) were processed and statistically analyzed to search for earthquake-related TEC anomalies prior to the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan. Preliminary results showed that anomalous variations oc- curred 6 - 11 days and 0 - 4 days prior to the earthquake. After considering solar activity, geomagnetic condi- tions, and proximity in space and time to the earthquake, we tentatively concluded that the anomalous increase on March 5 may be related to the earthquake.展开更多
THe effects of strong convection electric field on the electron density in the auroral ionosphericF-region have been simulated numerically by means of a physical model. It is found that an enhancement of electric fiel...THe effects of strong convection electric field on the electron density in the auroral ionosphericF-region have been simulated numerically by means of a physical model. It is found that an enhancement of electric field directed west-northward in post-noon or west-southward in pre-noon results in an ionization depletion with its maximum at altitudes 40–50 km higher than that of theF 2 peak. When the enhanced electric field lasts for 45 min and has a maximum about 32 mV/m, the resulted ionization depletions reach their maximum at the time just ~10 min behind the time when the convection electric field and ion temperature enhancements reach their maximum. This is consistent well with EISCAT observations. The magnitudes of the percentage ionization depletions and their recovery time are dependent not only on the intensity of the electric field, but also on the diurnal variation phase of the background electron density.展开更多
基金supported partly by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(62101568 and 62371460)the Scientific Research Program of the National University of Defense Technology(ZK21-06)the Taishan Scholars of Shandong Province(ts20190968)。
文摘Amplitude stripes imposed by ionospheric scintillation have been frequently observed in many of the equatorial nighttime acquisitions of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite(ALOS)Phased Array-type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar(PALSAR).This type of ionospheric artifact impedes PALSAR interferometric and polarimetric applications,and its formation cause,morphology,and negative influence have been deeply investigated.However,this artifact can provide an alternative opportunity in a positive way for probing and measuring ionosphere scintillation.In this paper,a methodology for measuring ionospheric scintillation parameters from PALSAR images with amplitude stripes is proposed.Firstly,sublook processing is beneficial for recovering the scattered stripes from a single-look complex image;the amplitude stripe pattern is extracted via band-rejection filtering in the frequency domain of the sublook image.Secondly,the amplitude spectrum density function(SDF)is estimated from the amplitude stripe pattern.Thirdly,a fitting scheme for measuring the scintillation strength and spectrum index is conducted between the estimated and theoretical long-wavelength SDFs.In addition,another key parameter,the scintillation index,can be directly measured from the amplitude stripe pattern or indirectly derived from the scintillation strength and spectrum index.The proposed methodology is fully demonstrated on two groups of PALSAR acquisitions in the presence of amplitude stripes.Self-validation is conducted by comparing the measured and derived scintillation index and by comparing the measurements of range lines and azimuth lines.Cross-validation is performed by comparing the PALSAR measurements with in situ Global Position System(GPS)measurements.The processing results demonstrate a powerful capability to robustly measure ionospheric scintillation parameters from space with high spatial resolution.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42274027)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universitiessupported also by the Macao Foundation。
文摘This study utilizes radio occultation observations from the Macao Science Satellite-1 mission(MSS-1)to investigate ionospheric response to the May 2024 G5 geomagnetic storm within the South Atlantic Anomaly(SAA)region.The distinctive data from MSS-1,complemented by observations from the ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)and the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology,Ionosphere,and Climate follow-on satellite mission(COSMIC-2),reveal a super plasma fountain effect during the main phase of the storm.This effect was marked by peaks in the equatorial ionization anomaly that extended beyond their typical latitude range.The MSS-1 observations,particularly in the northern hemisphere of the SAA region,confirm the role of prompt penetration electric fields in driving ionospheric disturbances and amplifying scintillation at higher altitudes.The study also identifies a decrease in total electron content and a reduction in scintillation occurrence during the recovery phase of the storm.The results demonstrate the pivotal role that MSS-1 observations can play,when combined with ground-based and COSMIC-2 observations,in providing a more comprehensive understanding of ionospheric response to severe geomagnetic storms.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFF0504400)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42188101,42274195,42174193)+2 种基金the International Partnership Program Of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.183311KYSB20200003)the USTC Research Funds of the Double First-Class Initiative(YD2080002013)the Joint Open Fund of Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory(MENGO-202408).
文摘Statistical characteristics and the classification of the topside ionospheric mid-latitude trough are systemically analyzed,using observations from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F18(DMSP-F18)satellite.The data was obtained at an altitude of around 860 km in near polar orbit,throughout 2013.Our study identified the auroral boundary based on the in-situ electron density and electron spectrum,allowing us to precisely determine the location of the mid-latitude trough.This differs from most previous works,which only use Total Electron Content(TEC)or in-situ electron density.In our study,the troughs exhibited a higher occurrence rate in local winter than in summer,and extended to lower latitudes with increasing geomagnetic activity.It was found that the ionospheric mid-latitude trough,which is associated with temperature changes or enhanced ion drift,exhibited distinct characteristics.Specifically,the ionospheric mid-latitude troughs related to electron temperature(Te)peak were located more equatorward of auroral oval boundary in winter than in summer.The ionospheric mid-latitude troughs related to Te-maximum were less frequently observed at 60−70°S magnetic latitude and 90−240°E longitude.Furthermore,the troughs related to ion temperature(Ti)maximums were observed at relatively higher latitudes,occurring more frequently in winter.In addition,the troughs related to ion velocity(Vi)maximums could be observed in all seasons.The troughs with the maximum-Ti and maximum-Vi were located closer to the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval at the nightside,and in both hemispheres.This implies that enhanced ion drift velocity contributes to increased collisional frictional heating and enhanced ion temperatures,resulting in a density depletion within the trough region.
基金supported by the Project of Stable Support for Youth Team in Basic Research Field,CAS(grant No.YSBR-018)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant Nos.42188101,42130204)+4 种基金the B-type Strategic Priority Program of CAS(grant no.XDB41000000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)Distinguished Overseas Young Talents Program,Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology(2021ZD0300301)the Open Research Project of Large Research Infrastructures of CAS-“Study on the interaction between low/mid-latitude atmosphere and ionosphere based on the Chinese Meridian Project”.The project was supported also by the National Key Laboratory of Deep Space Exploration(Grant No.NKLDSE2023A002)the Open Fund of Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Underground Detection(Grant No.APKLIUD23KF01)the China National Space Administration(CNSA)pre-research Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies No.D010305,D010301.
文摘Sporadic E(Es)layers in the ionosphere are characterized by intense plasma irregularities in the E region at altitudes of 90-130 km.Because they can significantly influence radio communications and navigation systems,accurate forecasting of Es layers is crucial for ensuring the precision and dependability of navigation satellite systems.In this study,we present Es predictions made by an empirical model and by a deep learning model,and analyze their differences comprehensively by comparing the model predictions to satellite RO measurements and ground-based ionosonde observations.The deep learning model exhibited significantly better performance,as indicated by its high coefficient of correlation(r=0.87)with RO observations and predictions,than did the empirical model(r=0.53).This study highlights the importance of integrating artificial intelligence technology into ionosphere modelling generally,and into predicting Es layer occurrences and characteristics,in particular.
基金supported by the Master's Thesis Research Program of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia,Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology with grant number 2002/PKS/ITS/2023 contract number 112/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2023.
文摘Ionospheric disturbances caused by acoustic waves emitted during earthquakes were studied using the Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)to analyze the changes in total electron content(TEC)values.GNSS signals normally propagate from satellites to receivers through the ionosphere layer.The delayed signals can be used to obtain TEC values by passing through the layer.Therefore,this study aims to analyze Coseismic Ionospheric Disturbances(CIDs)in six earthquakes,including 2016 M7.8 New Zealand(about 0.49 TECU),2018 M7.9 Alaska(about 0.20 TECU),2005 M7.2 California(about 0.29 TECU),2023 M7.5 Turkey(about 0.49 TECU),2012 M8.6 Sumatra(about 2.98 TECU),and 2012 M8.2 Sumatra(about 1.49 TECU)earthquakes.The propagation speed of the wave from the earthquake epicenter,identified as an acoustic wave,was estimated to be between 0.6 and 1.0 km/s.The 3D tomography modeling was performed to analyze the TEC height variations in the ionosphere to obtain a more accurate spatial analysis of TEC due to earthquakes.Moreover,checkerboard accuracy tests were applied to test the resolution of the 3D tomography model.The maximum ionization correlation test was also conducted for the six earthquakes to determine variations in the maximum ionization height of the ionosphere.The correlation test results between magnitude and maximum CID height produced a moderate correlation.The greater the earthquake magnitude,the higher the maximum CID detected.This is because greater earthquake produces compressed energy,which reduces the ionospheric density and reaches the maximum height.In addition,the maximum CID height is higher at night than in the afternoon because the E layer disappears at night.
基金supported by the National Research and Innovation Agency(BRIN),Indonesia.
文摘Ionospheric scintillation refers to rapid radio signal amplitude and phase fluctuations due to small-scale irregularities in the ionosphere.Occurring primarily at equatorial and low latitudes,scintillation is linked to equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs),regions of depleted plasma density that form after sunset.Ionospheric scintillation typically occurs from post-sunset hours until midnight.Post-sunset EPBs can be enhanced or suppressed during geomagnetic storms,depending on local sunset timing and how it relates to the storm's main or recovery phases.This study analyzes ionospheric scintillation in Indonesia,located at low geomagnetic and geographic latitudes,during geomagnetic events from 2003 to 2024.Using the S4 index,scintillation was examined with data from seven observation stations during geomagnetic storm events.Geomagnetic activity was evaluated using Dst,SYM-H,and AE indices,employing Superposed Epoch Analysis(SEA)to assess scintillation occurrence linked to minimum SYM-H,defined as epoch 0 to represent the storm peak or the onset of recovery phase in each event.The analysis categorized geomagnetic storms into weak-moderate(–100 nT<min.Dst≤–30 nT)and strong(min.Dst≤–100 nT),and examined their dependence on the local time of minimum SYM-H.Results indicate that scintillation first appears~6 hours after epoch 0 in weak-moderate geomagnetic storms,and~12 hours after epoch 0 in strong geomagnetic storms.The average AE index returns to its baseline value(quiet condition)~6 and~12 hours after epoch 0 for weak-moderate and strong geomagnetic storms,respectively.Further analysis based on the classification of the local time of epoch 0 shows that scintillation occurrence is not observed in post-sunset hours when epoch 0 falls between 16:00 and 19:00 LT for weak-moderate geomagnetic storms.In strong geomagnetic storms,scintillation occurrence during post-sunset hours is absent when epoch 0 is between 10:00 and 19:00 LT.Notably,when the minimum SYM-H(epoch 0)nearly coincides with local sunset,scintillation activity occurs around sunset in both weak-moderate and strong geomagnetic storms.Furthermore,when epoch 0 falls within midnight until early morning,scintillation can be generated in the post-sunset hours before epoch 0.Still,post-midnight scintillation is not observed in the equatorial region during the recovery phase of either weak-moderate and strong storm events.Our findings show that when sunset falls before or coincide with epoch 0,the likelihood of post-sunset EPB and scintillation increases,due to the prompt-penetration electric field(PPEF)in the main phase of storm.The disturbance dynamo electric field(DDEF)in the recovery phase driven by equatorward winds from auroral Joule heating operates for at least 6-and 12-hours post-epoch 0 in the cases of weak-moderate and strong geomagnetic storms,respectively.When the local sunset falls within these operational DDEF periods,post-sunset EPBs will likely be suppressed,inhibiting ionospheric scintillation during post-sunset hours.Finally,this study provides essential information for developing more accurate ionospheric scintillation prediction models in space weather services in equatorial regions.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42274017)Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(Grant No.2023A1515030184).
文摘In recent years,GNSS-derived total electron content(TEC)measurements have emerged as an effective method for detecting natural hazards through their ionospheric manifestations.Seismo-atmospheric disturbances generated by earthquakes,tsunamis,and volcanic eruptions propagate as traveling ionospheric disturbances(TIDs)that modify ionospheric electron density.Despite this potential,specialized open-source tools for such analyses remain limited.We present IonKit-NH,a MATLAB-based toolkit enabling systematic processing of multi-GNSS data(GPS,GLONASS,Galileo,BDS)through dual-frequency combination analysis for TEC derivation.The software implements automated generation of time-distance diagrams and 2D TEC perturbation maps,enabling quantitative characterization of TID propagation parameters associated with natural hazards.This toolkit enhances standardized analysis of ionospheric precursors and co-seismic signals across global navigation satellite systems.
基金financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(41774161,41621063)by the Open Research Project of Large Research Infrastructures of CAS-“Study of the interaction between low/mid-latitude atmosphere and ionosphere based on the Chinese Meridian Project”。
文摘Since the release of the 2018 National Report of China on ionospheric research(Liu LB and Wan WX,2018)to the Committee on Space Research(COSPAR),scientists from China's Mainland have made many new fruitful investigations of various ionospheric-related issues.In this update report,we briefly introduce more than 130 recent reports(2018–2019).The current report covers the following topics:ionospheric space weather,ionospheric structures and climatology,ionospheric dynamics and couplings,ionospheric irregularity and scintillation,modeling and data assimilation,and radio wave propagation in the ionosphere and sounding techniques.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42250101)the Macao Foundation. The computation made use of the high-performance computing resources at the center of the MSS data processing and analysis。
文摘Accurate modeling of Earth's ionospheric F-region currents is essential for refining geomagnetic field models and understanding magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.In this study,we develop averaged models to characterize F-region currents using magnetic data from the MSS-1(Macao Science Satellite-1) and Swarm satellite missions.Our approach employs a toroidal field representation,utilizing spherical harmonics to capture spatial variations and Fourier series to represent temporal dynamics.Two models,Model-A and Model-B,derived from distinct datasets,are constructed to represent current patterns at altitudes of 450 km and 512 km,respectively.Our models successfully capture the primary spatial structures and seasonal variations of polar field-aligned currents.Additionally,they accurately reproduce the localized inter-hemispheric field-aligned currents observed in mid and low latitudes during solstices,particularly between 14:00 and 16:00 magnetic local times.These findings enhance our understanding of ionospheric F-region currents and contribute to more precise geomagnetic field modeling.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scholars(No.51405203)Jiangsu Overseas Research and Training Program for University Prominent Young and Middle-Aged Teachers and Presidentsthe Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20160699)
文摘The received satellite signal amplitude is attenuated greatly due to the strong ionospheric scintillation for lowlatitude regions, which causes the GPS tracking loop's loss of lock, the positioning errors to increase, and navigation to be interrupted. To solve the above problems, a novel signal processing algorithm is proposed based on the GPS L1 software receiver during strong ionospheric scintillation using the multi-channel intermediate frequency(IF) data sampling system. Tens of thousands of fading events are obtained based on the signal intensity measurement. The amplitude fading characteristics in the lowlatitude region are analyzed,including fading duration, time separation between fades and the numbers of signal intensity fading events. The fading thresholds are set to be 15 and 10 dB, respectively. The main fading time is very short in- 15 dB fading threshold, which generally is less than 20 ms. The main time separation between fades is less than 2 s in a single one-hour period from the time 23: 00 to 24: 00. Therefore, it has the characteristic of a short reacquisition time for the receiver designed to reduce the probability of simultaneous loss of lock for some satellites.Subsequently, the acquisition, tracking and PVT(position,velocity and time) calculations are completed by the customdesigned software receiver. The results show that the impact analysis of ionospheric scintillation on GPS amplitude attenuation in the lowlatitude region is helpful for designing the advanced tracking algorithm and to improve the robustness and accuracy of the GPS receiver.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41574146, 41774162, 42074187)the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2018YFC1503506)+1 种基金the Excellent Youth Foundation of Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation (No. 2019CFA054)the Foundation of the National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment (No. 20200101)。
文摘This paper briefly reviews ionospheric irregularities that occur in the E and F regions at mid-latitudes. Sporadic E(ES) is a common ionospheric irregularity phenomenon that is first noticed in the E layer. ES mainly appears during daytime in summer hemispheres, and is formed primarily from neutral wind shear in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere(MLT) region. Field-aligned irregularity(FAI) in the E region is also observed by Very High Frequency(VHF) radar in mid-latitude regions. FAI frequently occurs after sunset in summer hemispheres, and spectrum features of E region FAI echoes suggest that type-2 irregularity is dominant in the nighttime ionosphere. A close relationship between ES and E region FAI implies that ES may be a possible source of E region FAI in the nighttime ionosphere. Strong neutral wind shear, steep ES plasma density gradient, and a polarized electric field are the significant factors affecting the formation of E region FAI. At mid-latitudes, joint observational experiments including ionosonde, VHF radar, Global Positioning System(GPS) stations, and all-sky optical images have revealed strong connections across different scales of ionospheric irregularities in the nighttime F region, such as spread F(SF), medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances(MSTID), and F region FAI.Observations suggest that different scales of ionospheric irregularities are generally attributed to the Perkins instability and subsequently excited gradient drift instability. Nighttime MSTID can further evolve into small-scale structures through a nonlinear cascade process when a steep plasma density gradient exists at the bottom of the F region. In addition, the effect of ionospheric electrodynamic coupling processes, including ionospheric E-F coupling and inter-hemispheric coupling on the generation of ionospheric irregularities, becomes more prominent due to the significant dip angle and equipotentiality of magnetic field lines in the mid-latitude ionosphere. Polarized electric fields can map to different ionospheric regions and excite plasma instabilities which form ionospheric irregularities. Nevertheless,the mapping efficiency of a polarized electric field depends on the ionospheric background and spatial scale of the field.
基金supported financially by Science for Earthquake Resilience(XH14064Y)the open foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Geodesy and Earth's Dynamics(SKLGED2014-5-2-E)
文摘Possible ionospheric disturbances relating to the May 12, 2008, MsS.0 Wenchuan earthquake were identified by Global Positioning System (GPS)-derived total electron content (TEC), ion- osonde observations, the global ionospheric map (GIM), and electron density profiles detected by the Constellation Observation System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC). We applied a statistical test to detect anomalous TEC signals and found that a unique enhancement in TEC, recorded at 16 GPS stations, appeared on May 9, 2008. The critical fre- quency at F2 peak (foF2), observed by the Chinese ionosondes, and maximal plasma frequency, derived from COSMIC data, revealed a characteristic similar to GPS TEC variations. The GIM showed that the anomalous variations of May 9 were located southeast of the epicenter. Using GPS data from 13 stations near the epicenter, we analyzed the TEC variations of satellite orbit traces during 04:00-11:00 UT. We found that TEC decreased to the east and increased to the southeast of the epicenter during this period. Results showed that the abnormal disturbance on May 9 was probably an ionosphenc precursor of the Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008.
基金supported by Pre-research Fund of Weapon and Equipment of China(No.9140A31030310JB39)
文摘In terms of the diffusive process of the gases injected from rocket exhaust into the ionosphere and the relevant chemical reactions between the gases and the composition of ionosphere, the modifications in ionosphere caused by the injected hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas from the rocket exhaust are investigated. The results show that the diffusive process of the injected gases at the ionospheric height is very fast, and the injected gases can lead to a local depletion of electron concentration in the F-region. Furthermore, the plasma 'hole' caused by carbon dioxide is larger, deeper and more durable than that by the hydrogen.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41304024)
文摘The ionosphere, as the largest and least predictable error source, its behavior cannot be observed at all places simultaneously. The confidence bound, called the grid ionospheric vertical error(GIVE), can only be determined with the aid of a threat model which is used to restrict the expected ionospheric behavior. However, the spatial threat model at present widespread used, which is based on fit radius and relative centroid metric(RCM), is too conservative or the resulting GIVEs will be too large and will reduce the availability of satellite-based augmentation system(SBAS). In this paper, layered two-dimensional parameters, the vertical direction double RCMs, are introduced based on the spatial variability of the ionosphere. Comparing with the traditional threat model, the experimental results show that the user ionospheric vertical error(UIVE) average reduction rate reaches 16%. And the 95% protection level of conterminous United States(CONUS) is 28%, even under disturbed days, which reaches about 5% reduction rates.The results show that the system service performance has been improved better.
基金supported by the NSFC (National Natural Science Foundation of China) Project (11573052)
文摘When strong solar activities and geomagnetic storms happen, satellite communications and navigation system will be strongly disturbed. It is of great significance to monitor ionospheric disturbances,because empirical models cannot capture ionospheric anomalous disturbances well. Nowadays, dualfrequency GPS(Global Positioning System) observations can be used to estimate the ionospheric total electron content, correct the ionospheric delay and analyze the response of the ionosphere to geomagnetic storms. In this paper, the ionospheric response to the geomagnetic storm occurred in March 2015 is investigated using GPS observations provided by Crustal Movement of Observation Network of China. The result shows that this storm increases the electron density in the ionosphere quickly and disrupts the structure of the northern equatorial anomaly region at the beginning. In the main process stage, compared with that in the quite periods, the VTEC(Vertical Total Electron Content)around the longitude of 120°E decreases by 50% and the amount of depletion is larger in the high latitude region than that in the low latitude region. We also find the height of the peak electron density in F2 layer increases during the geomagnetic storm from the electron density profiles derived from GPS occultation mission.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC grants 41204111, 41574146, 41774162 and 41704155)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2017M622504)
文摘Many observations in the ionospheric heating experiment, by a powerful high frequency electromagnetic wave with ordinary polarization launched from a ground-based facility, is attributed to parametric instability (PI). In this paper, the general dispersion relation and the threshold of the PI excitation in the heating experiment are derived by considering the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of pump wave field. It is shown that the threshold of PI is influenced by the effective electron and ion collision frequencies and the pump wave frequency. Both collision and Landau damping should be considered in the PI calculation. The derived threshold expression has been used to calculate the required threshold for excitation of PI for several ionospheric conditions during heating experiments conducted employing EISCAT high frequency transmitter in TromsФ, Norway, on 2nd October 1998, 8th November 2001, 19th October 2012 and 7th July 2014. The results indicate that the calculated threshold is in good agreement with the experimental observations.
基金funding from BRIN through the Research Collaboration Program with ORPA(No.2/III.1/HK/2024)Prayitno Abadi is participating in this study as part of a Memorandum of Understanding for Research Collaboration on Regional Ionospheric Observation at Telkom University(No.092/SAM3/TE-DEK/2021).
文摘The effect of ionospheric delay on the ground-based augmentation system under normal conditions can be mitigated by determining the value of the nominal ionospheric gradient(σvig).The nominal ionospheric gradient is generally obtained from Continuously Operating Reference Stations data by using the spatial single-difference method(mixed-pair,station-pair,or satellite-pair)or the temporal single-difference method(time-step).The time-step method uses only a single receiver,but it still contains ionospheric temporal variations.We introduce a corrected time-step method using a fixed-ionospheric pierce point from the geostationary equatorial orbit satellite and test it through simulations based on the global ionospheric model.We also investigate the effect of satellite paths on the corrected time-step method in the region of the equator,which tends to be in a more north–south direction and to have less coverage for the east–west ionospheric gradient.This study also addresses the limitations of temporal variation correction coverage and recommends using only the correction from self-observations.All processes are developed under simulations because observational data are still difficult to obtain.Our findings demonstrate that the corrected time-step method yieldsσvig values consistent with other approaches.
文摘The relative importance of magnitude and depth of an earthquake (EQ) in the generation of seismo-ionospheric perturbations at middle latitudes is investigated by using the EQs near the propagation path from the Japanese LF transmitter, JJY (at Fukushima) to a receiving station at Petropavsk-Kamchatsky (PTK) in Russia during a three-year period of 2005-2007. It is then found that the depth (down to 100km) is an extremely unimportant factor as compared with the magnitude in inducing seismo-ionospheric perturbations at middle latitudes. This result for sea EQs in the Izu-Bonin and Kurile-Kamchatka arcs is found to be in sharp contrast with our previous result for Japanese EQs mainly of the fault-type. We try to interpret this difference in the context of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling mechanism.
基金supported by the Special Foundation for Seismic Reserch( 201108004)Director Foundation of the Institute of Seismology,China Earthquake Administration( IS200916012,IS200926039)
文摘The ionospheric total-electron-content (IGS) network and the VTEC data from the GPS (TEC) data provided by the International GNSS Service reference stations of Crustal Movement Observational Network of China(CMONC) were processed and statistically analyzed to search for earthquake-related TEC anomalies prior to the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan. Preliminary results showed that anomalous variations oc- curred 6 - 11 days and 0 - 4 days prior to the earthquake. After considering solar activity, geomagnetic condi- tions, and proximity in space and time to the earthquake, we tentatively concluded that the anomalous increase on March 5 may be related to the earthquake.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (496742 4140 0 740 3 9) and the Research Fund forthe Doctoral Program of Higher Education in China
文摘THe effects of strong convection electric field on the electron density in the auroral ionosphericF-region have been simulated numerically by means of a physical model. It is found that an enhancement of electric field directed west-northward in post-noon or west-southward in pre-noon results in an ionization depletion with its maximum at altitudes 40–50 km higher than that of theF 2 peak. When the enhanced electric field lasts for 45 min and has a maximum about 32 mV/m, the resulted ionization depletions reach their maximum at the time just ~10 min behind the time when the convection electric field and ion temperature enhancements reach their maximum. This is consistent well with EISCAT observations. The magnitudes of the percentage ionization depletions and their recovery time are dependent not only on the intensity of the electric field, but also on the diurnal variation phase of the background electron density.