Heights of Central Absorbing Regions for a Strong Auroral Absorption Event at Lower Latitude

Nature ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 203 (4950) ◽  
pp. 1160-1161
Author(s):  
J. S. KIM ◽  
J. D. KLEINKOPF
Tellus B ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann-Christine Engvall ◽  
Johan Ström ◽  
Peter Tunved ◽  
Radovan Krejci ◽  
Hans Schlager ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xiong ◽  
Claudia Stolle ◽  
Patrick Alken ◽  
Jan Rauberg

Abstract In this study, we have derived field-aligned currents (FACs) from magnetometers onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Project (DMSP) satellites. The magnetic latitude versus local time distribution of FACs from DMSP shows comparable dependences with previous findings on the intensity and orientation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By and Bz components, which confirms the reliability of DMSP FAC data set. With simultaneous measurements of precipitating particles from DMSP, we further investigate the relation between large-scale FACs and precipitating particles. Our result shows that precipitation electron and ion fluxes both increase in magnitude and extend to lower latitude for enhanced southward IMF Bz, which is similar to the behavior of FACs. Under weak northward and southward Bz conditions, the locations of the R2 current maxima, at both dusk and dawn sides and in both hemispheres, are found to be close to the maxima of the particle energy fluxes; while for the same IMF conditions, R1 currents are displaced further to the respective particle flux peaks. Largest displacement (about 3.5°) is found between the downward R1 current and ion flux peak at the dawn side. Our results suggest that there exists systematic differences in locations of electron/ion precipitation and large-scale upward/downward FACs. As outlined by the statistical mean of these two parameters, the FAC peaks enclose the particle energy flux peaks in an auroral band at both dusk and dawn sides. Our comparisons also found that particle precipitation at dawn and dusk and in both hemispheres maximizes near the mean R2 current peaks. The particle precipitation flux maxima closer to the R1 current peaks are lower in magnitude. This is opposite to the known feature that R1 currents are on average stronger than R2 currents.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Wang ◽  
Ru-Jin Huang ◽  
Martin Brüggemann ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
Lu Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract. Particulate air pollution in China is influencing human health, ecosystem and climate. However, the chemical composition of particulate aerosol, especially of the organic fraction, is still not well understood. In this study, particulate aerosol samples with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were collected in January 2014 in three cities located in Northeast, East and Southeast China, i.e., Changchun, Shanghai and Guangzhou, respectively. Organic aerosol (OA) in the PM2.5 samples was analyzed by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry in both negative mode (ESI−) and positive mode electrospray ionization (ESI+). After a non-target screening including molecular formula assignments, compounds were classified into five groups based on their elemental composition, i.e., CHO, CHON, CHN, CHOS and CHONS. The CHO, CHON and CHN compounds present the dominant signal abundances of 81–99.7 % in the mass spectra and the majority of these compounds were assigned to mono- and polyaromatics, suggesting that anthropogenic emissions are a large source of urban OA in all three cities. However, the chemical characteristics of these compounds varied among different cities. The degree of aromaticity and the number of polyaromatic compounds were significantly higher in samples from Changchun, which could be attributed to the large emissions from residential heating (i.e., coal combustion) during winter time in Northeast China. Moreover, the ESI− analysis showed higher H / C and O / C ratios for organic compounds in Shanghai and Guangzhou compared to samples from Changchun, indicating that OA in lower latitude regions of China experiences more intense photochemical oxidation processes. The majority of sulfur-containing compounds (CHOS and CHONS) in all cities were assigned to aliphatic compounds with low degrees of unsaturation and aromaticity. Again, samples from Shanghai and Guangzhou exhibit a larger chemical similarity but largely differ from those from Changchun.


1971 ◽  
Vol 49 (18) ◽  
pp. 2338-2349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagdish C. Gupta ◽  
Robert J. Stening

Pi2 micropulsations were studied for the period July 12 to August 16, 1968, from four observatories at different latitudes in Canada. Maximum occurrence was near midnight with a preference for 5–6 h UT at all longitudes studied. The relationship of Pi2 occurrence to magnetic bays and to Kp is examined. The correlation of Pi amplitudes and periods with Kp and other parameters reveals a different pattern for lower latitude stations (Ottawa and Meanook) compared with Baker Lake (73.9 °N). These results are interpreted as evidence for two different types of Pi in the different latitude regions, the lower latitude Pi being associated with hydromagnetic waves on the plasmapause. In studies of simultaneous Pi events at the four stations, the maximum amplitude occurred most frequently at Meanook. Polarization of such events was found to be different at different stations and so previously reported patterns of Pi polarization could not be confirmed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kantapon Suraprasit ◽  
Rasmi Shoocongdej ◽  
Kanoknart Chintakanon ◽  
Hervé Bocherens

AbstractThe late Pleistocene settlement of highland settings in mainland Southeast Asia by Homo sapiens has challenged our species’s ability to occupy mountainous landscapes that acted as physical barriers to the expansion into lower-latitude Sunda islands during sea-level lowstands. Tham Lod Rockshelter in highland Pang Mapha (northwestern Thailand), dated between 34,000 and 12,000 years ago, has yielded evidence of Hoabinhian lithic assemblages and natural resource use by hunter-gatherer societies. To understand the process of early settlements of highland areas, we measured stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of Tham Lod human and faunal tooth enamel. Our assessment of the stable carbon isotope results suggests long-term opportunistic behavior among hunter-gatherers in foraging on a variety of food items in a mosaic environment and/or inhabiting an open forest edge during the terminal Pleistocene. This study reinforces the higher-latitude and -altitude extension of a forest-grassland mosaic ecosystem or savanna corridor (farther north into northwestern Thailand), which facilitated the dispersal of hunter-gatherers across mountainous areas and possibly allowed for consistency in a human subsistence strategy and Hoabinhian technology in the highlands of mainland Southeast Asia over a 20,000-year span near the end of the Pleistocene.


2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 2152-2170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isla R. Simpson ◽  
Michael Blackburn ◽  
Joanna D. Haigh

Abstract For many climate forcings the dominant response of the extratropical circulation is a latitudinal shift of the tropospheric midlatitude jets. The magnitude of this response appears to depend on climatological jet latitude in general circulation models (GCMs): lower-latitude jets exhibit a larger shift. The reason for this latitude dependence is investigated for a particular forcing, heating of the equatorial stratosphere, which shifts the jet poleward. Spinup ensembles with a simplified GCM are used to examine the evolution of the response for five different jet structures. These differ in the latitude of the eddy-driven jet but have similar subtropical zonal winds. It is found that lower-latitude jets exhibit a larger response due to stronger tropospheric eddy–mean flow feedbacks. A dominant feedback responsible for enhancing the poleward shift is an enhanced equatorward refraction of the eddies, resulting in an increased momentum flux, poleward of the low-latitude critical line. The sensitivity of feedback strength to jet structure is associated with differences in the coherence of this behavior across the spectrum of eddy phase speeds. In the configurations used, the higher-latitude jets have a wider range of critical latitude locations. This reduces the coherence of the momentum flux anomalies associated with different phase speeds, with low phase speeds opposing the effect of high phase speeds. This suggests that, for a given subtropical zonal wind strength, the latitude of the eddy-driven jet affects the feedback through its influence on the width of the region of westerly winds and the range of critical latitudes on the equatorward flank of the jet.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristan Rendfrey ◽  
Ashley Payne

<div><span>Climatic changes induce many significant changes to long standing weather patterns. These mechanisms interact to drive consequences that may not be immediately obvious. One such connection involves the apparent relationship between polar sea ice extent and mid-latitude precipitation timing and location. This correlation, its mechanisms, and possible influences on weather are decently understood with respect to the Northern Hemisphere. However, the analogous relation for the Southern Hemisphere has been less studied. This provides an opportunity to examine connections between polar conditions and mid-latitude weather.</span></div><div> </div><div><span>We explore the teleconnection between sea ice extent and lower latitude precipitation over the Southern Hemisphere. We investigate this relationship through observations of sea ice coverage using ICESat and ICESat-2 compared with reanalysis data via MERRA-2 in order to understand the variability of sea ice extent and its impact on midlatitude precipitation over the Southern Hemisphere. This study particularly examines the importance of seasonality and regional variations of the relationship.</span></div>


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 9089-9104
Author(s):  
Kai Wang ◽  
Ru-Jin Huang ◽  
Martin Brüggemann ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
Lu Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract. Air pollution by particulate matter in China affects human health, the ecosystem and the climate. However, the chemical composition of particulate aerosol, especially of the organic fraction, is still not well understood. In this study, particulate aerosol samples with a diameter of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) were collected in January 2014 in three cities located in northeast, east and southeast China, namely Changchun, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Organic aerosol (OA) in the PM2.5 samples was analyzed by an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatograph (UHPLC) coupled to a high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer in both negative mode (ESI-) and positive mode electrospray ionization (ESI+). After non-target screening including the assignment of molecular formulas, the compounds were classified into five groups based on their elemental composition, i.e., CHO, CHON, CHN, CHOS and CHONS. The CHO, CHON and CHN groups present the dominant signal abundances of 81 %–99.7 % in the mass spectra and the majority of these compounds were assigned to mono- and polyaromatics, suggesting that anthropogenic emissions are a major source of urban OA in all three cities. However, the chemical characteristics of these compounds varied between the different cities. The degree of aromaticity and the number of polyaromatic compounds were substantially higher in samples from Changchun, which could be attributed to the large emissions from residential heating (i.e., coal combustion) during wintertime in northeast China. Moreover, the ESI- analysis showed higher H/C and O/C ratios for organic compounds in Shanghai and Guangzhou compared to samples from Changchun, indicating that OA undergoes more intense photochemical oxidation processes in lower-latitude regions of China and/or is affected to a larger degree by biogenic sources. The majority of sulfur-containing compounds (CHOS and CHONS) in all cities were assigned to aliphatic compounds with low degrees of unsaturation and aromaticity. Here again, samples from Shanghai and Guangzhou show a greater chemical similarity but differ largely from those from Changchun. It should be noted that the conclusions drawn in this study are mainly based on comparison of molecular formulas weighted by peak abundance and thus are associated with inherent uncertainties due to different ionization efficiencies for different organic species.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 4949-4976
Author(s):  
G. Bernhard ◽  
C. R. Booth ◽  
J. C. Ehramjian

Abstract. An SUV-150B spectroradiometer for measuring solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance was installed at Summit, Greenland, in August 2004. Here we compare the initial data from this new location with similar measurements from Barrow, Alaska and South Pole. Measurements of irradiance at 345 nm performed at equivalent solar zenith angles (SZAs) are almost identical at Summit and South Pole. The good agreement can be explained with the similar location of the two sites on high-altitude ice caps with high surface albedo. Clouds have little impact at both sites, but can reduce irradiance at Barrow by more than 75%. Clear-sky measurements at Barrow are smaller than at Summit by 14% in spring and 36% in summer, mostly due to differences in surface albedo and altitude. Comparisons with model calculations indicate that aerosols can reduce clear-sky irradiance at 345 nm by 4–6%; aerosol influence is largest in April. Differences in total ozone at the three sites have a large influence on the UV Index. At South Pole, the UV Index is on average 20–80% larger during the ozone hole period than between January and March. At Summit, total ozone peaks in April and UV Indices in spring are on average 10–25% smaller than in the summer. Maximum UV Indices ever observed at Summit and South Pole are 6.7 and 4.0, respectively. The larger value at Summit is due to the site's lower latitude. For comparable SZAs, average UV Indices measured during October and November at South Pole are 1.9–2.4 times larger than measurements during March and April at Summit. Average UV Indices at Summit are over 50% greater than at Barrow because of the larger cloud influence at Barrow.


Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (24) ◽  
pp. 5489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Li ◽  
Longqiang Huang ◽  
Shaocheng Zhang ◽  
Yanju Chai

As global navigation satellite system (GNSS)stations are sparsely distributed in oceanic area, oceanic areas usually have lower precision than continental areas on a global ionosphere maps (GIM). On the other hand, space-borne observations like satellite altimetry (SA) and ionospheric radio occultation (IRO) have substantial dual-frequency observations in oceanic areas, which could be used for total electron content (TEC) retrieval. In this paper, the Jason-2 SA and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) IRO products were used to assess the precision of IGS GIM products. Both the systematic biases and scaling factors between the international GNSS service (IGS) GIM TEC and space-borne TEC were calculated, and the statistical results show that the biases and the scaling factors obviously vary under different temporal-spatial conditions. This analysis shows that these differences are variable with diurnal and latitude factors, that is, the differences in biases during the day time are higher than those during the night time, and larger biases are experienced at lower latitude areas than at high latitude areas. The results also show that in the southern hemisphere middle-high latitude area and some other central oceanic areas, the space-borne TEC values are even higher than GIM TEC values. As the precision of space-borne TEC should be evenly distributed around different areas on Earth, it can be explain that the TEC in these areas is undervalued by the current GIM model, and the space-borne SA and IRO techniques could be used as complementary observations to improve the accuracy and reliability of TEC values in these areas.


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