scholarly journals Variations in the altitude of the F2 peak associated with trough-formation processes

1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 628-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. Crickmore ◽  
B. Jenkins ◽  
G. J. Bailey

Abstract. A novel approach is described which can help to determine, from ground-based data, which of the possible production mechanisms for the mid-latitude F-region ionospheric trough is dominant during a particular event. This approach involves numerically modelling the possible causal mechanisms of the mid-latitude trough to see how each will affect the altitude of the F2-layer electron-concentration peak (hmF2), and then comparing these predictions with the observed variation of hmF2 during trough formation. The modelling work predicts that, if the neutral-wind velocity does not vary, hmF2 will remain almost constant if the trough is formed via stagnation, but will rise if it is formed as a result of high ion velocities or neutral upwelling. Observations made at Halley (76°S, 27°W, L=4.2), Antarctica, show that most frequently the only changes in hmF2 during trough formation are those expected due to variations in the neutral wind, which suggests that stagnation is the most common production mechanism. During the most geomagnetically active night studied, on which Ap varied between 18 and 32, there was a rise in hmF2 that cannot be explained by changes in the neutral wind. On this night the plasma also decayed faster, and the poleward edge of the trough was seen earlier than on other nights. These differences, together with the fact that the ion velocities remained relatively low, suggest the trough was caused by a change in neutral composition, possibly advected into the observing area.

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1154-1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Oyama ◽  
S. Nozawa ◽  
S. C. Buchert ◽  
M. Ishii ◽  
S. Watari ◽  
...  

Abstract. The field-aligned neutral oscillations in the F-region (altitudes between 165 and 275 km) were compared using data obtained simultaneously with two independent instruments: the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) UHF radar and a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). During the night of February 8, 1997, simultaneous observations with these instruments were conducted at Tromsø, Norway. Theoretically, the field-aligned neutral wind velocity can be obtained from the field-aligned ion velocity and by diffusion and ambipolar diffusion velocities. We thus derived field-aligned neutral wind velocities from the plasma velocities in EISCAT radar data. They were compared with those observed with the FPI (λ=630.0 nm), which are assumed to be weighted height averages of the actual neutral wind. The weighting function is the normalized height dependent emission rate. We used two model weighting functions to derive the neutral wind from EISCAT data. One was that the neutral wind velocity observed with the FPI is velocity integrated over the entire emission layer and multiplied by the theoretical normalized emission rate. The other was that the neutral wind velocity observed with the FPI corresponds to the velocity only around an altitude where the emission rate has a peak. Differences between the two methods were identified, but not completely clarified. However, the neutral wind velocities from both instruments had peak-to-peak correspondences at oscillation periods of about 10–40 min, shorter than that for the momentum transfer from ions to neutrals, but longer than from neutrals to ions. The synchronizing motions in the neutral wind velocities suggest that the momentum transfer from neutrals to ions was thought to be dominant for the observed field-aligned oscillations rather than the transfer from ions to neutrals. It is concluded that during the observation, the plasma oscillations observed with the EISCAT radar at different altitudes in the F-region are thought to be due to the motion of neutrals.Key words: Ionosphere (Ionosphere–atmosphere interactions) – Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (thermospheric dynamics; waves and tides)


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 1651-1656
Author(s):  
J. Lilensten ◽  
P. O. Amblard

Abstract. We examine the oscillations of the meridional neutral wind in the F region as seen by the EISCAT radar. We propose an interpretation in term of eddies (tourbillons) of typical size of a few tens to a few hundreds of kilometers. The observed rotation velocity is a few hundreds of meters per second. We suggest that the tourbillons are a common feature of thermospheric movements. We propose an optical experiment to check the validity of this assumption.Key words: Atmospheric composition and structure (thermosphere · composition and chemistry) · Ionosphere (ionosphere · atmosphere interactions)


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 953-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cosme Alexandre O. B. Figueiredo ◽  
Ricardo A. Buriti ◽  
Igo Paulino ◽  
John W. Meriwether ◽  
Jonathan J. Makela ◽  
...  

Abstract. The midnight temperature maximum (MTM) has been observed in the lower thermosphere by two Fabry–Pérot interferometers (FPIs) at São João do Cariri (7.4° S, 36.5° W) and Cajazeiras (6.9° S, 38.6° W) during 2011, when the solar activity was moderate and the solar flux was between 90 and 155 SFU (1 SFU  =  10−22 W m−2 Hz−1). The MTM is studied in detail using measurements of neutral temperature, wind and airglow relative intensity of OI630.0 nm (referred to as OI6300), and ionospheric parameters, such as virtual height (h′F), the peak height of the F2 region (hmF2), and critical frequency of the F region (foF2), which were measured by a Digisonde instrument (DPS) at Eusébio (3.9° S, 38.4° W; geomagnetic coordinates 7.31° S, 32.40° E for 2011). The MTM peak was observed mostly along the year, except in May, June, and August. The amplitudes of the MTM varied from 64 ± 46 K in April up to 144 ± 48 K in October. The monthly temperature average showed a phase shift in the MTM peak around 0.25 h in September to 2.5 h in December before midnight. On the other hand, in February, March, and April the MTM peak occurred around midnight. International Reference Ionosphere 2012 (IRI-2012) model was compared to the neutral temperature observations and the IRI-2012 model failed in reproducing the MTM peaks. The zonal component of neutral wind flowed eastward the whole night; regardless of the month and the magnitude of the zonal wind, it was typically within the range of 50 to 150 m s−1 during the early evening. The meridional component of the neutral wind changed its direction over the months: from November to February, the meridional wind in the early evening flowed equatorward with a magnitude between 25 and 100 m s−1; in contrast, during the winter months, the meridional wind flowed to the pole within the range of 0 to −50 m s−1. Our results indicate that the reversal (changes in equator to poleward flow) or abatement of the meridional winds is an important factor in the MTM generation. From February to April and from September to December, the h′F and the hmF2 showed an increase around 18:00–20:00 LT within a range between 300 and 550 km and reached a minimal height of about 200–300 km close to midnight; then the layer rose again by about 40 km or, sometimes, remained at constant height. Furthermore, during the winter months, the h′F and hmF2 showed a different behavior; the signature of the pre-reversal enhancement did not appear as in other months and the heights did not exceed 260 and 350 km. Our observation indicated that the midnight collapse of the F region was a consequence of the MTM in the meridional wind that was reflected in the height of the F region. Lastly, the behavior of the OI6300 showed, from February to April and from September to December, an increase in intensity around midnight or 1 h before, which was associated with the MTM, whereas, from May to August, the relative intensity was more intense in the early evening and decayed during the night.


2019 ◽  
Vol 104 ◽  
pp. 01006
Author(s):  
Maxim Filimonov ◽  
Nicolay Karnaukhov ◽  
Eugeny Lukyanov ◽  
Dmitry Smyatsky ◽  
Roman Mironenko

this article the energy efficient frequency way of starting of production mechanisms electrical drive with low power asynchronous motors (from 90 Wt to 5 kWt) is proposed. To provide this With the goal of electrical losses decreasing during asynchronous motor starting the Pontryagin Maximum Principle have been applied by the authors when analysing of two-mass model of production mechanism frequency controlled electrical drive. In result of calculations for frequency controlled electrical drive of production mechanism with 90 Wt power asynchronous motor of the model 4AA50A2 Dependencies of amplitude and frequency of supply voltage by the time are obtained. These dependencies confirm possibility of decreasing the electrical power losses with different values of motor shaft load torques. In compare with the other ways of asynchronous motor starting (for example U/f=const) they allow to decrease the electrical losses more then two times in nominal mode.


Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrey V. Medvedev ◽  
Konstantin G. Ratovsky ◽  
Maxim V. Tolstikov ◽  
Roman V. Vasilyev ◽  
Maxim F. Artamonov

This study presents a new method for determining a neutral wind velocity vector. The basis of the method is measurement of the group velocities of internal gravity waves. Using the case of the Boussinesq dispersion relation, we demonstrated the ability to measure a neutral wind velocity vector using the group velocity and wave vector data. An algorithm for obtaining the group velocity vector from the wave vector spectrum is proposed. The new method was tested by comparing the obtained winter wind pattern with wind data from other sources. Testing the new method showed that it is in quantitative agreement with the Fabry–Pérot interferometer wind measurements for zonal and vertical wind velocities. The differences in meridional wind velocities are also discussed here. Of particular interest were the results related to the measurement of vertical wind velocities. We demonstrated that two independent methods gave the presence of vertical wind velocities with amplitude of ~20 m/s. Estimation of vertical wind contribution to plasma drift velocity indicated the importance of vertical wind measurements and the need to take them into account in physical and empirical models of the ionosphere and thermosphere.


2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Yakovets ◽  
V. V. Vodyannikov ◽  
K. Zh. Nurmukhanbetova ◽  
G. I. Gordienko ◽  
Yu. G. Litvinov

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1847-1857 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Oyama ◽  
K. Shiokawa ◽  
J. Kurihara ◽  
T. T. Tsuda ◽  
S. Nozawa ◽  
...  

Abstract. Simultaneous observations were conducted with a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) at a wavelength of 557.7 nm, an all-sky camera at a wavelength of 557.7 nm, and the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) UHF radar during the Dynamics and Energetics of the Lower Thermosphere in Aurora 2 (DELTA-2) campaign in January 2009. This paper concentrated on two events during periods of pulsating aurora. The lower-thermospheric wind velocity measured with the FPI showed obvious fluctuations in both vertical and horizontal components. Of particular interest is that the location of the fluctuations was found in a darker area that appeared within the pulsating aurora. During the same time period, the EISCAT radar observed sporadic enhancements in the F-region backscatter echo power, which suggests the presence of low-energy electron (1 keV or lower) precipitation coinciding with increase in amplitude of the electromagnetic wave (at the order of 10 Hz or higher). While we have not yet identified the dominant mechanism causing the fluctuations in FPI-derived wind velocity during the pulsating aurora, the frictional heating energy dissipated by the electric-field perturbations may be responsible for the increase in ionospheric thermal energy thus modifying the local wind dynamics in the lower thermosphere.


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