Bibliography

Plasma-neutral gas interactions in various space environments: Assessment beyond simplified approximations as a Voyage 2050 theme

In the White Paper, submitted in response to the European Space Agency (ESA) Voyage 2050 Call, we present the importance of advancing our knowledge of plasma-neutral gas interactions, and of deepening our understanding of the partially ionized environments that are ubiquitous in the upper atmospheres of planets and moons, and elsewhere in space. In future space missions, the above task requires addressing the following fundamental questions: (A) How and by how much do plasma-neutral gas interactions influence the re-distribution of externally provided energy to the composing species? (B) How and by how much do plasma-neutral gas interactions contribute toward the growth of heavy complex molecules and biomolecules? Answering these questions is an absolute prerequisite for addressing the long-standing questions of atmospheric escape, the origin of biomolecules, and their role in the evolution of planets, moons, or comets, under the influence of energy sources in the form of electromagnetic and corpuscular radiation, because low-energy ion-neutral cross-sections in space cannot be reproduced quantitatively in laboratories for conditions of satisfying, particularly, (1) low-temperatures, (2) tenuous or strong gradients or layered media, and (3) in low-gravity plasma. Measurements with a minimum core instrument package (\textless 15 kg) can be used to perform such investigations in many different conditions and should be included in all deep-space missions. These investigations, if specific ranges of background parameters are considered, can also be pursued for Earth, Mars, and Venus.

Yamauchi, Masatoshi; De Keyser, Johan; Parks, George; Oyama, Shin-ichiro; Wurz, Peter; Abe, Takumi; Beth, Arnaud; Daglis, Ioannis; Dandouras, Iannis; Dunlop, Malcolm; Henri, Pierre; Ivchenko, Nickolay; Kallio, Esa; Kucharek, Harald; Liu, Yong; Mann, Ingrid; Marghitu, Octav; Nicolaou, Georgios; Rong, Zhaojin; Sakanoi, Takeshi; Saur, Joachim; Shimoyama, Manabu; Taguchi, Satoshi; Tian, Feng; Tsuda, Takuo; Tsurutani, Bruce; Turner, Drew; Ulich, Thomas; Yau, Andrew; Yoshikawa, Ichiro;

Published by: Experimental Astronomy      Published on: mar

YEAR: 2022     DOI: 10.1007/s10686-022-09846-9

Collision cross-section; Future missions; Low-energy; Neutral gas; Plasma; Voyage 2050

Extreme Enhancements of Electron Temperature in Low Latitude Topside Ionosphere During the October 2016 Storm

We use the in-situ observations of DMSP and SWARM satellites to report the changes of the topside ionospheric electron temperature during the October 2016 storm. Electron temperature in the afternoon sector dramatically increases in low latitudes in the recovery phase of the storm. Furthermore, the temperature enhancements have an obvious dependence on longitude and are mainly centralized around 100°–150°E in different satellite observations. The temperature enhancements attain more than 2,000 K at 840 km and 1,500 K at 450 km around the magnetic equator. The decrease in the electron-ion collision cooling rate, resulting from the lessened topside electron density, could not fully explain the temperature enhancement. At the same time, the electron densities in crests of the equatorial ionization anomaly are suppressed drastically at 100°–150°E, which cause a less heat conduction effect from the equatorial topside ionosphere to low altitudes via magnetic field lines and heat the topside ionospheric electron temperature. Further analysis indicates that dayside westward disturbance dynamo electric field presents a significant longitude structure and is a primary driver for the topside ionospheric temperature enhancement during the storm.

Zhang, Ruilong; Liu, Libo; Ma, Han; Chen, Yiding; Le, Huijun; Yoshikawa, Akimasa;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on:

YEAR: 2022     DOI: 10.1029/2022JA030278

electron temperature; equatorial topisde; Ionospheric storm; vertical drift

The Ionosphere at Middle and Low Latitudes Under Geomagnetic Quiet Time of December 2019

The ionospheric electron density shows remarkable day-to-day variability due to solar radiance, geomagnetic activity and lower atmosphere forcing. In this report, we investigated the ionospheric variations at middle and low latitudes during a period under geomagnetic quiet time (Kpmax = 1.7) from November 30 to December 8, 2019. During the quiescent period, the ionosphere is not undisturbed as expected in the Asian-Australian and the American sectors. Total electron content (TEC) has multiple prominent enhancements at middle and low latitudes in the two sectors, and TEC depletions also occur repeatedly in the Asian-Australian sector. The low-latitude electric fields vary significantly, which is likely to be modulated by the notably changing tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region. It is worth noting that the variations of TEC and the electric fields are not consistent in the two sectors, particularly on December 4–6. Further investigation reveals that the increase in TEC depends on altitude. The TEC enhancements are mainly contributed by the altitude below 500 km in both two sectors, which indirectly reflects that the driving sources may come from the lower atmosphere. Especially, a mid-latitude band structure continuously appears at all local times in the North American sector on December 6–8, which is also mainly contributed by the altitude below 500 km.

Kuai, Jiawei; Li, Qiaoling; Zhong, Jiahao; Zhou, Xu; Liu, Libo; Yoshikawa, Akimasa; Hu, Lianhuan; Xie, Haiyong; Huang, Chaoyan; Yu, Xumin; Wan, Xin; Cui, Jun;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on:

YEAR: 2021     DOI: 10.1029/2020JA028964

low-latitude electric fields; the ionosphere variations in solar minimum; the ionospheric day-to-day variations; the ionospheric disturbance; the ionospheric variations; topside ionosphere

Persistence of the long-duration daytime TEC enhancements at different longitudinal sectors during the August 2018 geomagnetic storm

Li, Qiaoling; Huang, Fuqing; Zhong, Jiahao; Zhang, Ruilong; Kuai, Jiawei; Lei, Jiuhou; Liu, Libo; Ren, Dexin; Ma, Han; Yoshikawa, Akimasa; , others;

Published by: Journal of geophysical research: space physics      Published on:

YEAR: 2020     DOI:

NmF2 and hmF2 measurements at 95\textdegree E and 127\textdegree E around the EIA northern crest during 2010\textendash2014

The characteristics of the F2 layer parameters NmF2 and hmF2 over Dibrugarh (27.5\textdegree N, 95\textdegree E, 17\textdegree N geomagnetic, 43\textdegree dip) measured by a Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde (CADI) for the period of August 2010 to July 2014 are reported for the first time from this low mid-latitude station lying within the daytime peak of the longitudinal wave number 4 structure of equatorial anomaly (EIA) around the northern edge of anomaly crest. Equinoctial asymmetry is clearly observed at all solar activity levels whereas the midday winter anomaly is observed only during high solar activity years and disappears during the temporary dip in solar activity in 2013 but forenoon winter anomaly can be observed even at moderate solar activity. The NmF2/hmF2 variations over Dibrugarh are compared with that of Okinawa (26.5\textdegree N, 127\textdegree E, 17\textdegree N geomagnetic), and the eastward propagation speed of the wave number 4 longitudinal structure from 95\textdegree E to 127\textdegree E is estimated. The speed is found to be close to the theoretical speed of the wave number 4 (WN4) structure. The correlation of daily NmF2 over Dibrugarh and Okinawa with solar activity exhibits diurnal and seasonal variations. The highest correlation in daytime is observed during the forenoon hours in equinox. The correlation of daily NmF2 (linear or non-linear) with solar activity exhibits diurnal variation. A tendency for amplification with solar activity is observed in the forenoon and late evening period of March equinox and the postsunset period of December solstice. NmF2 saturation effect is observed only in the midday period of equinox. Non-linear variation of neutral composition at higher altitudes and variation of recombination rates with solar activity via temperature dependence may be related to the non-linear trend. The noon time maximum NmF2 over Dibrugarh exhibits better correlation with equatorial electrojet (EEJ) than with solar activity and, therefore, new low-latitude NmF2 index is proposed taking both solar activity and EEJ strength into account.

Kalita, Bitap; Bhuyan, Pradip; Yoshikawa, Akimasa;

Published by: Earth, Planets and Space      Published on: Jan-12-2015

YEAR: 2015     DOI: 10.1186/s40623-015-0355-3

NmF2 and hmF2 measurements at 95 E and 127 E around the EIA northern crest during 2010—2014

Non-linear variation of neutral composition at higher altitudes and variation of recombination rates with solar activity via temperature dependence may be related to the non-linear trend. The noon time maximum NmF2 over Dibrugarh exhibits better correlation with equatorial electrojet (EEJ) than with solar activity and, therefore, new low-latitude NmF2 index is proposed taking both solar activity and EEJ strength into account.

Kalita, Bitap; Bhuyan, Pradip; Yoshikawa, Akimasa;

Published by: Earth, Planets and Space      Published on:

YEAR: 2015     DOI: 10.1186/s40623-015-0355-3

A case study of ionospheric storm effects during long-lasting southward IMF B _z -driven geomagnetic storm

Multiple instrumental observations including GPS total electron content (TEC), f_oF₂ and h_mF₂ from ionosondes, vertical ion drift measurements from Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System, magnetometer data, and far ultraviolet airglow measured by Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics/Global Ultraviolet Imager (TIMED/GUVI) are used to investigate the profound ionospheric disturbances at midlatitude and low latitude during the 14\textendash17 July 2012 geomagnetic storm event, which was featured by prolonged southward interplanetary geomagnetic field component for about 30 h below -10 nT. In the East Asian/Australian sector, latitudinal profile of TEC variations in the main phase were characterized by three bands of increments and separated by weak depressions in the equatorial ionospheric anomaly (EIA) crest regions, which were caused by the combined effects of disturbance dynamo electric fields (DDEF) and equatorward neutral winds. In the recovery phase, strong inhibition of EIA occurred and the summer crest of EIA disappeared on 16 July due to the combined effects of intrusion of neutral composition disturbance zone as shown by the TIMED/GUVI O/N₂ measurements and long-lasting daytime westward DDEF inferred from the equatorial electrojet observations. The transit time of DDEF over the dip equator from westward to eastward is around 2200 LT. In the American longitude, the salient ionospheric disturbances in the summer hemisphere were characterized by daytime periodical intrusion of negative phase for three consecutive days in the recovery phase, preceded by storm-enhanced density plume in the initial phase. In addition, multiple short-lived prompt penetration electric fields appeared during stable southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B_z in the recovery phase and were responsible for enhanced the EIA and equatorial ionospheric uplift around sunset.

Liu, Jing; Liu, Libo; Nakamura, Takuji; Zhao, Biqiang; Ning, Baiqi; Yoshikawa, A.;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on: 09/2014

YEAR: 2014     DOI: 10.1002/jgra.v119.910.1002/2014JA020273

GUVI; Ionospheric storm; prompt penetration electric fields; TIMED

A case study of ionospheric storm effects during long-lasting southward IMF Bz-driven geomagnetic storm

Liu, Jing; Liu, Libo; Nakamura, Takuji; Zhao, Biqiang; Ning, Baiqi; Yoshikawa, A;

Published by: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics      Published on:

YEAR: 2014     DOI: