The major objective of the Upper Atmosphere Physics Division (UAP) is to understand the high-latitude space weather. Interactions between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, and the coupling between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere have most of their manifestations in the high-latitude atmosphere. Our research targets the energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere, energy storage in the magnetosphere, and its release in the high-latitude ionosphere, the thermosphere, and the neutral atmosphere.
The major objective of the Upper Atmosphere Physics Division (UAP) is to understand the high-latitude space weather. Interactions between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, and the coupling between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere have most of their manifestations in the high-latitude atmosphere. Our research targets the energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere, energy storage in the magnetosphere, and its release in the high-latitude ionosphere, the thermosphere, and the neutral atmosphere.
The equipments installed at Huanghe Station are:
1. Multiple wavelengths all-sky CCD Cameras
2. Imaging Riometer
Auroral and Magnetospheric Dynamics Research
To study the ionopheric signatures and dynamic processes of the magnetospheric cusp, and explore a new approach to nowcast the space weather based on the ground observations of cusp stations. Using All-sky TV data obtained at Zhongshan, Antarctica, it is found that the noon region is filled with the dayside corona, rather than a “gap” in discrete aurora, which has been shown by satellite observations.
High-latitude Ionospheric Characteristics and Dynamics Research
foF2 observed by DPS-4 at Zhongshan Station, Antarctica, is found to have its peak at about 0900 UT in winter, southern hemisphere. It is the so called F region magnetic noon phenomena, which might be caused by the combined contribution of soft electron precipitation in the cusp region, the high-latitude convection and the solar radiation.
Space Plasma Wave Research
It aims to clear the ULF waves behavior properties and its origination mechanism, and get insight into the boundary courses and storm/substorm course in the magnetosphere. Analysis of ULF waves in the Pc5gate points of locations in both hemispheres. The expected position of the conjugate site is used to determine the geomagnetic conju of LYR (DAV/ZHS) derived from Pc5 phase for By=0 is found to be moved westward (eastward) by about 10 degrees CGM in longitude or ~ 300 km from that predicted by the T96 model.
Simulation/Modeling Study of the High-latitude Ionosphere
A self-consistent, one-dimensional high-latitude ionosphere model has been developed for the study of conductivities in auroral regions where electrojets exist. It is found that the conductivities are not only determined by external origins, but also greatly influenced by the internal origin, which is the presence of electrojet currents themselves. A time-dependent three-dimensional model for the interpretation ionosphere has been developed for the explanation of ionosphere features obtained over Zhongshan Station. Space weather studies are carried out via combining the ionosphere model and magnetogram inversion techiniques.
|
