Equatorial radar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rukao, S.; Tsuda, T.; Sato, T.; Kato, S.

1989-01-01

A large clear air radar with the sensitivity of an incoherent scatter radar for observing the whole equatorial atmosphere up to 1000 km altitude is now being designed in Japan. The radar, called the Equatorial Radar, will be built in Pontianak, Kalimantan Island, Indonesia (0.03 N, 109.3 E). The system is a 47 MHz monostatic Doppler radar with an active phased array configuration similar to that of the MU radar in Japan, which has been in successful operation since 1983. It will have a PA product of more than 5 x 10(9) sq. Wm (P = average transmitter power, A = effective antenna aperture) with sensitivity more than 10 times that of the MU radar. This system configuration enables pulse-to-pulse beam steering within 25 deg from the zenith. As is the case of the MU radar, a variety of sophisticated operations will be made feasible under the supervision of the radar controller. A brief description of the system configuration is presented.

Wave Forcing of Saturn's Equatorial Oscillation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flasar, F. M.; Schlinder, P. J.; Guerlet, S.; Fouchet, T.

2011-01-01

Ground-based measurements and Cassini data from CIRS thermal-infrared spectra and radio-occultation soundings have characterized the spatial structure and temporal behavior of a 15-year equatorial oscillation in Saturn's stratosphere. The equatorial region displays a vertical pattern of alternating warm and cold anomalies and, concomitantly, easterly and westerly winds relative to the cloud-top winds, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 200 m/s. Comparison of the Cassini data over a four-year period has established that the pattern of mean zonal winds and temperatures descends at a rate of roughly I scale height over 4 years. This behavior is reminiscent of the equatorial oscillations in Earth's middle atmosphere. Here the zonal-mean spatial structure and descending pattern are driven by the absorption of vertically propagating waves. The maximum excursions in the pattern of easterly and westerly winds is determined by the limits of the zonal phase velocities of the waves. Here we report on the characterization of the waves seen in the temperature profiles retrieved from the Cassini radio-occultation soundings. The equatorial profiles exhibit a complex pattern of wavelike structure with dimensions one pressure scale height and smaller. We combine a spectral decomposition with a WKBJ analysis, where the vertical wavelength is assumed to vary slowly with the ambient static stability and doppler-shifted phase velocity of the wave. Use of the temperature and zonal wind maps from CIRS makes this approach viable. On Earth, the wave forcing associated with the equatorial oscillations generates secondary meridional circulations that affect the mean flow and planetary wave ducting well away from the equator. This may relate to the triggering of the recently reported mid-latitude storms on Saturn.

Colorful Equatorial Gullies in Krupac Crater

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-02

Although large gullies (ravines) are concentrated at higher latitudes, there are gullies on steep slopes in equatorial regions, as seen in this image captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The colors of the gully deposits match the colors of the eroded source materials. Krupac is a relatively young impact crater, but exposes ancient bedrock. Krupac Crater also hosts some of the most impressive recurring slope lineae (RSL) on equatorial Mars outside of Valles Marineris. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21605

Iapetus' Equatorial Region

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-09

Cassini made a close flyby of Saturn's moon Iapetus on Sept. 10, 2007, and the visual and infrared mapping spectrometer obtained these images during that event. These two images show a higher resolution version of the equatorial region shown in PIA10010. The equatorial region includes the equatorial bulge which shows no differences in these compositions compared to surrounding regions. The color image on the right shows the results of mapping for three components of Iapetus' surface: carbon dioxide that is trapped or adsorbed in the surface (red), water in the form of ice (green), and a newly-discovered effect due to trace amount of dark particles in the ice creating what scientists call Rayleigh scattering (blue). The Rayleigh scattering effect is the main reason why the Earth's sky appears blue. There is a complex transition zone from the dark region, on the right, which is high in carbon dioxide, to the more ice-rich region on the left. Some crater floors are filled with carbon dioxide-rich dark material. As the ice becomes cleaner to the left, the small dark particles become more scattered and increase the Rayleigh scattering effect, again indicative of less than 2 percent dark sub-0.5-micron particles. The visual and infrared mapping spectrometer is like a digital camera, but instead of using three colors, it makes images in 352 colors, or wavelengths, from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared. The many wavelengths produce a continuous spectrum in each pixel, and these spectra measure how light is absorbed by different materials. By analyzing the absorptions expressed in each pixel, a map of the composition at each location on the moon can be constructed. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10011

The growth and decay of equatorial backscatter plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsunoda, R. T.

1980-02-01

During the past three years, a series of rocket experiments from the Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, were conducted to investigate the character of intense, scintillation-producing irregularities that occur in the nighttime equatorial ionosphere. Because the source mechanism of equatorial irregularities, believed to be the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, is analogous to that which generates plasma-density striations in a nuclear-induced environment, there is considerable interest in the underlying physics that controls the characteristics of these irregularities. A primary objective of ALTAIR investigations of equatorial irregularities is to seek an understanding of the underlying physics by establishing the relationship between meter-scale irregularities (detected by ALTAIR), and the large-scale plasma-density depletions (or 'bubbles') that contain the kilometer-scale, scintillation-producing irregularities. We describe the time evolution of backscatter 'plumes' produced by one meter equatorial field-aligned irregularities. Using ALTAIR, a fully steerable backscatter radar, to repeatedly map selected plumes, we characterize the dynamic behavior of plumes in terms of growth and a decay phase. Most of the observed characteristics are found to be consistent with equatorial-irregularity generation predicted by current theories of Rayleigh-Taylor and gradient-drift instabilities. However, other characteristics have been found that suggest key roles played by the eastward neutral wind and by altitude-modulation of the bottomside F layer in establishing the initial conditions for plume growth.

More on accreting black hole spacetime in equatorial plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salahshoor, K.; Nozari, K.; Khesali, A. R.

2017-02-01

Spacetime around an accreting black hole is an interesting issue to study. The metric of an isolated black hole (rotating or non-rotating) spacetime has been well-known for decades. Although metrics of some spacetimes containing accreting black holes are known in some situations, the issue has some faces that are not well-known yet and need further investigation. In this paper, we construct a new form of metric which the effect of accretion disk on black hole spacetime is taken into account in the equatorial plane. We study motion and trajectories of massive particles and also photons falling from infinity towards black hole in equatorial plane around the black hole. We use an exponential form for the density profile of the accretion disk in equatorial plane as ρ =ρ0e^{-α r}. We show that with this density profile, the disk is radially stable if α ≤ 3 × 10^{-3} (in units of length inverse). In order to study some important quantities related to the accretion disks such as locations of marginally stable circular orbits (r_{ms} or r_{ISCO}), marginally bounded circular orbits (r_{mb}), and also photon orbits in equatorial plane, we use the effective potential approach. We show that in this spacetime metric the innermost stable circular orbit in equatorial plane is given by r_{ISCO}=4.03 μ (where μ =MG/c 2) which is different, but comparable, with the Schwarzschild spacetime result, r^{(Sch)}_{ISCO}=6 μ . We show that the maximum radiation efficiency of the accretion disk, η , in equatorial plane is 8.6 percent which is greater than the corresponding value for Schwarzschild spacetime. Finally, we show that in this setup photons can have stable circular orbits in equatorial plane unlike the Schwarzschild spacetime.

The family of anisotropically scaled equatorial waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

RamíRez GutiéRrez, Enver; da Silva Dias, Pedro Leite; Raupp, Carlos; Bonatti, Jose Paulo

2011-04-01

In the present work we introduce the family of anisotropic equatorial waves. This family corresponds to equatorial waves at intermediate states between the shallow water and the long wave approximation model. The new family is obtained by using anisotropic time/space scalings on the linearized, unforced and inviscid shallow water model. It is shown that the anisotropic equatorial waves tend to the solutions of the long wave model in one extreme and to the shallow water model solutions in the other extreme of the parameter dependency. Thus, the problem associated with the completeness of the long wave model solutions can be asymptotically addressed. The anisotropic dispersion relation is computed and, in addition to the typical dependency on the equivalent depth, meridional quantum number and zonal wavenumber, it also depends on the anisotropy between both zonal to meridional space and velocity scales as well as the fast to slow time scales ratio. For magnitudes of the scales compatible with those of the tropical region, both mixed Rossby-gravity and inertio-gravity waves are shifted to a moderately higher frequency and, consequently, not filtered out. This draws attention to the fact that, for completeness of the long wave like solutions, it is necessary to include both the anisotropic mixed Rossby-gravity and inertio-gravity waves. Furthermore, the connection of slow and fast manifolds (distinguishing feature of equatorial dynamics) is preserved, though modified for the equatorial anisotropy parameters used δ ∈ < 1]. New possibilities of horizontal and vertical scale nonlinear interactions are allowed. Thus, the anisotropic shallow water model is of fundamental importance for understanding multiscale atmosphere and ocean dynamics in the tropics.

How predictable are equatorial Atlantic surface winds?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Ingo; Doi, Takeshi; Behera, Swadhin

2017-04-01

Sensitivity tests with the SINTEX-F general circulation model (GCM) as well as experiments from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) are used to examine the extent to which sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies contribute to the variability and predictability of monthly mean surface winds in the equatorial Atlantic. In the SINTEX-F experiments, a control experiment with prescribed observed SST for the period 1982-2014 is modified by inserting climatological values in certain regions, thereby eliminating SST anomalies. When SSTs are set to climatology in the tropical Atlantic only (30S to 30N), surface wind variability over the equatorial Atlantic (5S-5N) decreases by about 40% in April-May-June (AMJ). This suggests that about 60% of surface wind variability is due to either internal atmospheric variability or SSTs anomalies outside the tropical Atlantic. A further experiment with climatological SSTs in the equatorial Pacific indicates that another 10% of variability in AMJ may be due to remote influences from that basin. Experiments from the CMIP5 archive, in which climatological SSTs are prescribed globally, tend to confirm the results from SINTEX-F but show a wide spread. In some models, the equatorial Atlantic surface wind variability decreases by more than 90%, while in others it even increases. Overall, the results suggest that about 50-60% of surface wind variance in AMJ is predictable, while the rest is due to internal atmospheric variability. Other months show significantly lower predictability. The relatively strong internal variability as well as the influence of remote SSTs suggest a limited role for coupled ocean-atmosphere feedbacks in equatorial Atlantic variability.

Ionospheric modification - An initial report on artificially created equatorial Spread F

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ossakow, S. L.; Zalesak, S. T.; Mcdonald, B. E.

1978-01-01

A numerical simulation code for investigating equatorial Spread F in the collisional Rayleigh-Taylor regime is utilized to follow the evolution of artificial plasma density depletions injected into the bottomside nighttime equatorial F region. The 70 km diameter hole rapidly rises and steepens, forming plasma density enhancements at altitudes below the rising hole. The distribution of enhancements and depletions is similar to natural equatorial Spread F phenomena, except it occurs on a much faster time scale. These predictions warrant carrying out artificial injection experiments in the nighttime equatorial F region.

Equatorial magnetic field of the near-Earth magnetotail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtani, S.; Motoba, T.

2017-08-01

The equatorial magnetic field of the nightside magnetosphere is critical for understanding not only the configuration of the magnetotail but also its state and dynamics. The present study observationally addresses various aspects of the equatorial magnetic field, such as its spatial distribution, possible antisunward gradients, and extremely weak magnetic fields, with emphasis on the transition region between dipolar and stretched magnetic configurations. The results are summarized as follows: (1) the transition of the tail magnetic field from a near-Earth dipolar configuration to a stretched one farther out takes place around -12 ≤ Xagsm ≤ -9 RE, although instantaneous configurations can vary significantly; (2) the average equatorial magnetic field in this transition region is noticeably weaker at solar minimum presumably reflecting weaker nightside magnetospheric currents closer to Earth; (3) the statistical comparison of equatorial magnetic fields measured simultaneously at two locations indicates that the gradient of the equatorial magnetic field is directed predominantly earthward, and it is suggested that apparent tailward gradients observed can be very often attributed to other factors such as structures in the Y direction and local fluctuations; (4) however, the gradient can be transiently directed tailward in association with the dipolarization of local magnetic field; (5) extremely weak (≤ 2 nT) magnetic fields are occasionally observed in the transition region during the substorm growth phase and during prolonged quiet intervals, but the association with steady magnetospheric convection, which was suggested before, cannot be confirmed possibly because of its rare occurrence.

Lithospheric Flexural Modeling of Iapetus' Equatorial Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, W.; Ip, W.-H.; Teng, L. S.

2012-04-01

Iapetus, which is one of Saturn's ball-shaped satellites, has some unique features in the Solar System. This satellite has a mean radius of 735 km, and there is an approximately 20-kilometer-high mountain lying precisely on its equator. The mountain is known as an "equatorial ridge" since it makes Iapetus appear walnut shaped. The origin of the equatorial ridge is attributed to several hypotheses, including different endogenesis and exogenesis processes. In this work, we attempted to construct a flexural model of the equatorial ridge using elastic lithosphere theory. The equatorial ridge is treated as a linear load which exerts uniform force on Iapetus' hard shell (i.e. elastic lithosphere of Iapetus). To calculate the deflection of surface, we use the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) data of Iapetus' leading side published by Giese et al. (2008). Giese et al. also pointed out that the elastic lithospheric thickness of Iapetus must exceed 100 km to support the ridge without deflecting. However, we found possible evidence in the DTM data that implied deflection. There are two sites of surface depression on the northern side of the equatorial ridge. The few-kilometer deflection implies a thinner lithosphere than previous suggested. Assume that the thickness of elastic lithosphere is only 5% below of the radius of Iapetus, so the flat-Earth and one-plate condition could adapt to the flexure model of Iapetus. Based on analysis of the distance between a bulge and the ridge, the calculated lithospheric thickness is 6-10 km. The new result seems controversial, but the modeled surface profile is highly consistent with numerical ridge DTM profile extracted from Giese et al. (2008). Thinner lithosphere also supports the contraction model proposed by Sandwell and Schubert (2010) since the bucking harmonic degree increases. In the other hand, the transformation layer between hard shell and plastic inner core may need constraint on thermal history or crystal form of ice. In

High altitude flights in equatorial regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redkar, R. T.

A thorough analysis of balloon flights made from Hyderabad, India (Latitude 17°28'N, Longitude 78°35'E), and other equatorial sites has been made. It has been shown that limited success is expected for flights made from equatorial latitudes with balloons made out of natural colour polyethylene film, since the best known balloon film in the world today viz. Winzen Stratofilm is tested for low temperature brittleness only at -80°C., whereas the tropopause temperatures over equatorial latitudes vary between -80°C and -90°C. The success becomes even more critical when flights are made with heavy payloads and larger balloons particularly at night when in the absence of solar radiation the balloon film becomes more susceptible to low temperature brittle failure. It is recommended that in case of capped balloons longer caps should be used to fully cover the inflated protion of the balloon at the higher level equatorial tropopause. It is also advised that the conditions such as wind shears in the tropopause should be critically studied before launching and a day with the tropopause temperature nearer to -80°C should be chosen. Special care also should be taken while handling the balloon on ground and during launching phase. Properties of Winzen Stratofilm have been critically studied and fresh mandates have been recommended on the basis of limiting values of film stresses which caused balloon failures in the equatorial tropopause. It is also emphasized that the data on such flights is still meagre especially for flights with heavy payloads and larger balloons. It has been also shown that it is safest to use balloons made out of grey coloured film which retains its flexibility with the absorption of solar radiation, the success obtained with such balloons so far being 100%. The drawback, however, is that these balloons cannot be used for night flights. Stratospheric wind regimes over Hyderabad are also discussed with a view to determine the period over which long

Equatorial superrotation in a thermally driven zonally symmetric circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayr, H. G.; Harris, I.

1981-01-01

Near the equator where the Coriolis force vanishes, the momentum balance for the axially symmetric circulation is established between horizontal and vertical diffusion, which, a priori, does not impose constraints on the direction or magnitude of the zonal winds. Solar radiation absorbed at low latitudes is a major force in driving large scale motions with air rising near the equator and falling at higher latitudes. In the upper leg of the meridional cell, angular momentum is redistributed so that the atmosphere tends to subrotate (or corotate) at low latitudes and superrotate at high latitudes. In the lower leg, however, the process is reversed and produces a tendency for the equatorial region to superrotate. The outcome depends on the energy budget which is closely coupled to the momentum budget through the thermal wind equation; a pressure (temperature) maximum is required to sustain equatorial superrotation. Such a condition arises in regions which are convectively unstable and the temperature lapse rate is superadiabatic. It should arise in the tropospheres of Jupiter and Saturn; planetary energy from the interior is carried to higher altitudes where radiation to space becomes important. Upward equatorial motions in the direct and indirect circulations (Ferrel-Thomson type) imposed by insolation can then trap dynamic energy for equatorial heating which can sustain the superrotation of the equatorial region.

Nonlinear bounce resonances between magnetosonic waves and equatorially mirroring electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lunjin; Maldonado, Armando; Bortnik, Jacob; Thorne, Richard M.; Li, Jinxing; Dai, Lei; Zhan, Xiaoya

2015-08-01

Equatorially mirroring energetic electrons pose an interesting scientific problem, since they generally cannot resonate with any known plasma waves and hence cannot be scattered down to lower pitch angles. Observationally it is well known that the flux of these equatorial particles does not simply continue to build up indefinitely, and so a mechanism must necessarily exist that transports these particles from an equatorial pitch angle of 90° down to lower values. However, this mechanism has not been uniquely identified yet. Here we investigate the mechanism of bounce resonance with equatorial noise (or fast magnetosonic waves). A test particle simulation is used to examine the effects of monochromatic magnetosonic waves on the equatorially mirroring energetic electrons, with a special interest in characterizing the effectiveness of bounce resonances. Our analysis shows that bounce resonances can occur at the first three harmonics of the bounce frequency (nωb, n = 1, 2, and 3) and can effectively reduce the equatorial pitch angle to values where resonant scattering by whistler mode waves becomes possible. We demonstrate that the nature of bounce resonance is nonlinear, and we propose a nonlinear oscillation model for characterizing bounce resonances using two key parameters, effective wave amplitude à and normalized wave number k~z. The threshold for higher harmonic resonance is more strict, favoring higher à and k~z, and the change in equatorial pitch angle is strongly controlled by k~z. We also investigate the dependence of bounce resonance effects on various physical parameters, including wave amplitude, frequency, wave normal angle and initial phase, plasma density, and electron energy. It is found that the effect of bounce resonance is sensitive to the wave normal angle. We suggest that the bounce resonant interaction might lead to an observed pitch angle distribution with a minimum at 90°.

Streaked X Ray Spectra from Polar Direct Drive Capsules with an Equatorial Defect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, T. J.; Bradley, P. A.; Cobble, J. A.; Hsu, S. C.; Krasheninnikova, N. S.; Magelssen, G. R.; Schmitt, M. J.; Tregillis, I. L.; Wysocki, F. J.

2011-10-01

In the Defect Implosion Experiment (DIME) on Omega, capsules with an equatorial ``trench'' defect have been imploded to study defect-induced mix processes. The capsules contain layers doped with titanium and/or vanadium, with doped layers in contact with the deuterium fill gas on some targets, and separated from the gas by a layer of undoped plastic in others. Streaked x-ray spectra from the capsule implosions provide information on conditions in the mix layer. Polar direct drive was utilized in preparation for experiments planned for the National Ignition Facility in 2012. This work is supported by US DOE/NNSA, performed at LANL, operated by LANS LLC under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Response of the Equatorial Ionosphere to the Geomagnetic DP 2 Current System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yizengaw, E.; Moldwin, M. B.; Zesta, E.; Magoun, M.; Pradipta, R.; Biouele, C. M.; Rabiu, A. B.; Obrou, O. K.; Bamba, Z.; Paula, E. R. De

2016-01-01

The response of equatorial ionosphere to the magnetospheric origin DP 2 current system fluctuations is examined using ground-based multiinstrument observations. The interaction between the solar wind and fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz, penetrates nearly instantaneously to the dayside equatorial region at all longitudes and modulates the electrodynamics that governs the equatorial density distributions. In this paper, using magnetometers at high and equatorial latitudes, we demonstrate that the quasiperiodic DP 2 current system penetrates to the equator and causes the dayside equatorial electrojet (EEJ) and the independently measured ionospheric drift velocity to fluctuate coherently with the high-latitude DP 2 current as well as with the IMF Bz component. At the same time, radar observations show that the ionospheric density layers move up and down, causing the density to fluctuate up and down coherently with the EEJ and IMF Bz.

ENSO related sea surface salinity variability in the equatorial Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, T.

2016-12-01

Recently available satellite and Argo data have shown coherent, large-scale sea surface salinity (SSS) variability in the equatorial Pacific. Based on this variability, several SSS indices of El Nino have been introduced by previous studies. Combining results from an ocean general circulation model with available satellite and in-situ observations, this study investigates the SSS variability and its associated SSS indices in the equatorial Pacific. The ocean's role and in particular the vertical entrainment of subtropical waters in this variability are discussed, which suggests that the SSS variability in the equatorial Pacific may play some active role in ENSO evolution.

Equatorial waves in the stratosphere of Uranus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinson, David P.; Magalhaes, Julio A.

1991-01-01

Analyses of radio occultation data from Voyager 2 have led to the discovery and characterization of an equatorial wave in the Uranus stratosphere. The observed quasi-periodic vertical atmospheric density variations are in close agreement with theoretical predictions for a wave that propagates vertically through the observed background structure of the stratosphere. Quantitative comparisons between measurements obtained at immersion and at emersion yielded constraints on the meridional and zonal structure of the wave; the fact that the two sets of measurements are correlated suggests a wave of planetary scale. Two equatorial wave models are proposed for the wave.

Equatorial scintillation and systems support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groves, K. M.; Basu, S.; Weber, E. J.; Smitham, M.; Kuenzler, H.; Valladares, C. E.; Sheehan, R.; MacKenzie, E.; Secan, J. A.; Ning, P.; McNeill, W. J.; Moonan, D. W.; Kendra, M. J.

1997-09-01

The need to nowcast and forecast scintillation for the support of operational systems has been recently identified by the interagency National Space Weather Program. This issue is addressed in the present paper in the context of nighttime irregularities in the equatorial ionosphere that cause intense amplitude and phase scintillations of satellite signals in the VHF/UHF range of frequencies and impact satellite communication, Global Positioning System navigation, and radar systems. Multistation and multifrequency satellite scintillation observations have been used to show that even though equatorial scintillations vary in accordance with the solar cycle, the extreme day-to-day variability of unknown origin modulates the scintillation occurrence during all phases of the solar cycle. It is shown that although equatorial scintillation events often show correlation with magnetic activity, the major component of scintillation is observed during magnetically quiet periods. In view of the day-to-day variability of the occurrence and intensity of scintillating regions, their latitude extent, and their zonal motion, a regional specification and short-term forecast system based on real-time measurements has been developed. This system, named the Scintillation Network Decision Aid, consists of two latitudinally dispersed stations, each of which uses spaced antenna scintillation receiving systems to monitor 250-MHz transmissions from two longitudinally separated geostationary satellites. The scintillation index and zonal irregularity drift are processed on-line and are retrieved by a remote operator on the Internet. At the operator terminal the data are combined with an empirical plasma bubble model to generate three-dimensional maps of irregularity structures and two-dimensional outage maps for the region.

A three-dimensional autonomous nonlinear dynamical system modelling equatorial ocean flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionescu-Kruse, Delia

2018-04-01

We investigate a nonlinear three-dimensional model for equatorial flows, finding exact solutions that capture the most relevant geophysical features: depth-dependent currents, poleward or equatorial surface drift and a vertical mixture of upward and downward motions.

Tropical Cyclone - Equatorial Ionosphere Coupling: A Statistical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhagavathiammal, G. J.

2016-07-01

This paper describes the equatorial ionosphere response to tropical cyclone events which was observed over the Indian Ocean. This statistical study tries to reveal the possible Tropical Cyclone (TC) - Ionosphere coupling. Tropical cyclone track and data can be obtained from the India Meteorological Department, New Delhi. Digisonde/Ionosonde data for the equatorial latitudes can be obtained from Global Ionospheric Radio Observatory. It is believed that TC induced convection as the driving agent for the increased gravity wave activity in the lower atmosphere and these propagating gravity waves deposit their energy and momentum into the upper atmosphere as Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs). The convective regions are identified with the help of Outgoing Long wave radiation (OLR) data from NOAA Climate Data Center/ Precipitation data from TRMM Statellite. The variability of ionospheric parameter like Total Electron Content (TEC), foF2, h'F2 and Drift velocity are examined during TC periods. This study will report the possibility of TC-Ionosphere Coupling in equatorial atmosphere.

Multiple embryos, multiple nepionts and multiple equatorial layers in Cycloclypeus carpenteri.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briguglio, Antonino; Kinoshita, Shunichi; Wolfgring, Erik; Hohenegger, Johann

2016-04-01

In this study, 17 specimens of Cycloclypeus carpenteri have been analyzed by means of microCT scanning. We used CT scanning technique as it enables the visualization and the quantifications of internal structures of hollow specimens without their destruction. It has been observed that many specimens possessing the natural morphology of this taxon, actually contain multiple embryos (up to 16 in one single specimen) and, in some few cases, multiple nepionts each with its own heterosteginid chambers (up to three separated nepionts). The diameter of each proloculus has been measured, and as a result, they are very variable even within the same specimen, therefore questioning the long known theory that schizonts have smaller proloculi than gamonts and also questioning the fact that proloculi in the same species should all have comparable size. Furthermore, we have observed the presence of additional equatorial planes on several specimens. Such additional planes are always connected to what seems to be the main equatorial plane. Such connections are T-shaped and are located at the junction between two equatorial layers; these junctions are made by a chamberlet, which possesses an unusually higher number of apertures. The connections between equatorial planes are always perfectly synchronized with the relative growth step and the same chamber can be therefore followed along the multiple equatorial planes. Apparently there is a perfect geometric relationship between the creation of additional equatorial planes and the position of the nepionts. Whenever the nepionts are positioned on different planes, additional planes are created and the angle of the nepionts is related to the banding angle of the equatorial planes. The presence of additional planes do not hamper the life of the cell, on the contrary, it seems that the cell is still able to build nicely shaped chamberlets and, after volumetric calculations, it seems all specimens managed to keep their logistic growth

Resonant Scattering of Radiation Belt Electrons by Off-Equatorial Magnetosonic Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Binbin; Zou, Zhengyang; Fu, Song; Cao, Xing; Gu, Xudong; Xiang, Zheng

2018-02-01

Fast magnetosonic (MS) waves are commonly regarded as electromagnetic waves that are characteristically confined within ±3° of the geomagnetic equator. We report two typical off-equatorial MS events observed by Van Allen Probes, that is, the 8 May 2014 event that occurred at the geomagnetic latitudes of 7.5°-9.2° both inside and outside the plasmasphere with the wave amplitude up to 590 pT and the 9 January 2014 event that occurred at the latitudes of—(15.7°-17.5°) outside the plasmasphere with a smaller amplitude about 81 pT. Detailed test particle simulations quantify the electron resonant scattering rates by the off-equatorial MS waves to find that they can cause the pitch angle scattering and momentum diffusion of radiation belt electrons with equatorial pitch angles < 75° or < 58° (depending on the wave latitudinal coverage) on timescales of a day. Subsequent two-dimensional Fokker-Planck diffusion simulations indicate that the strong off-equatorial MS waves are capable of efficiently transporting high pitch angle electrons to lower pitch angles to facilitate the formation of radiation belt electron butterfly distributions for a broad energy range from 100 keV to >1 MeV within an hour. Our study clearly demonstrates that the presence of off-equatorial MS waves, in addition to equatorial MS waves, can contribute importantly to the dynamical variations of radiation belt electron fluxes and their pitch angle distribution.

The Role of Reversed Equatorial Zonal Transport in Terminating an ENSO Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H. C.; Hu, Z. Z.; Huang, B.; Sui, C. H.

2016-02-01

In this study, we demonstrate that a sudden reversal of anomalous equatorial zonal current at the peaking ENSO phase triggers the rapid termination of an ENSO event. Throughout an ENSO cycle, the anomalous equatorial zonal current is strongly controlled by the concavity of the anomalous thermocline meridional structure near the equator. During the ENSO developing phase, the anomalous zonal current in the central and eastern Pacific generally enhances the ENSO growth through its zonal SST advection. In the mature phase of ENSO, however, the equatorial thermocline depth anomalies are reflected in the eastern Pacific and slowly propagate westward off the equator in both hemispheres. As a result, the concavity of the thermocline anomalies near the equator is reversed, i.e., the off-equatorial thermocline depth anomalies become higher than that on the equator for El Niño events and lower for La Niño events. This meridional change of thermocline structure reverses zonal transport rapidly in the central-to-eastern equatorial Pacific, which weakens the ENSO SST anomalies by reversed advection. More importantly, the reversed zonal mass transport weakens the existing zonal tilting of equatorial thermocline and suppresses the thermocline feedback. Both processes are concentrated in the eastern equatorial Pacific and can be effective on subseasonal time scales. These current reversal effects are built-in to the ENSO peak phase and independent of the zonal wind effect on thermocline slope. It functions as an oceanic control on ENSO evolution during both El Niño and La Niña events.

Evidence for the Maintenance of Slowly Varying Equatorial Currents by Intraseasonal Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greatbatch, Richard J.; Claus, Martin; Brandt, Peter; Matthießen, Jan-Dirk; Tuchen, Franz Philip; Ascani, François; Dengler, Marcus; Toole, John; Roth, Christina; Farrar, J. Thomas

2018-02-01

Recent evidence from mooring data in the equatorial Atlantic reveals that semiannual and longer time scale ocean current variability is close to being resonant with equatorial basin modes. Here we show that intraseasonal variability, with time scales of tens of days, provides the energy to maintain these resonant basin modes against dissipation. The mechanism is analogous to that by which storm systems in the atmosphere act to maintain the atmospheric jet stream. We demonstrate the mechanism using an idealized model setup that exhibits equatorial deep jets. The results are supported by direct analysis of available mooring data from the equatorial Atlantic Ocean covering a depth range of several thousand meters. The analysis of the mooring data suggests that the same mechanism also helps maintain the seasonal variability.

Photoelectron escape fluxes over the equatorial and midlatitude regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narasingarao, B. C.; Singh, R. N.; Maier, E. J.

1972-01-01

Satellite measurements of photoelectron escape flux around noontime made by Explorer 31 in 600-800 km altitude range are reported for the equatorial and midlatitude regions. The pitch angle distributions and the spectral distributions are derived from the data. Analyzed data show that the flux for equatorial regions is lower by a factor 2 to 3 in comparison to that of midlatitude regions. Theoretical calculations are also made to compare with observed escape fluxes.

Productivity patterns in the equatorial Pacific over the last 30,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Kassandra M.; Jacobel, Allison W.; McManus, Jerry F.; Anderson, Robert F.; Winckler, Gisela; Thiagarajan, Nivedita

2017-05-01

The equatorial Pacific traverses a number of productivity regimes, from the highly productive coastal upwelling along Peru to the near gyre-like productivity lows along the international dateline, making it an ideal target for investigating how biogeochemical systems respond to changing oceanographic conditions over time. However, conflicting reconstructions of productivity during periods of rapid climate change, like the last deglaciation, render the spatiotemporal response of equatorial Pacific productivity ambiguous. In this study, surface productivity since the last glacial period (30,000 years ago) is reconstructed from seven cores near the Line Islands, central equatorial Pacific, and integrated with productivity records from across the equatorial Pacific. Three coherent deglacial patterns in productivity are identified: (1) a monotonic glacial-Holocene increase in productivity, primarily along the Equator, associated with increasing nutrient concentrations over time; (2) a deglacial peak in productivity 15,000 years ago due to transient entrainment of nutrient rich southern-sourced deep waters; and (3) possible precessional cycles in productivity in the eastern equatorial Pacific that may be related to Intertropical Convergence Zone migration and potential interactions with El Niño-Southern Oscillation dynamics. These findings suggest that productivity was generally lower during the glacial period, a trend observed zonally across the equatorial Pacific, while deglacial peaks in productivity may be prominent only in the east.

Saturn's equatorial jet structure from Cassini/ISS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Melendo, Enrique; Legarreta, Jon; Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín.; Pérez-Hoyos, Santiago; Hueso, Ricardo

2010-05-01

Detailed wind observations of the equatorial regions of the gaseous giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, are crucial for understanding the basic problem of the global circulation and obtaining new detailed information on atmospheric phenomena. In this work we present high resolution data of Saturn's equatorial region wind profile from Cassini/ISS images. To retrieve wind measurements we applied an automatic cross correlator to image pairs taken by Cassini/ISS with the MT1, MT2, MT3 filters centred at the respective three methane absorbing bands of 619nm, 727nm, and 889nm, and with the adjacent continuum CB1, CB2, and CB3 filters. We obtained a complete high resolution coverage of Saturn's wind profile in the equatorial region. The equatorial jet displays an overall symmetric structure similar to that shown the by same region in Jupiter. This result suggests that, in accordance to some of the latest compressible atmosphere computer models, probably global winds in gaseous giants are deeply rooted in the molecular hydrogen layer. Wind profiles in the methane absorbing bands show the effect of strong vertical shear, ~40m/s per scale height, confirming previous results and an important decay in the wind intensity since the Voyager era (~100 m/s in the continuum and ~200 m/s in the methane absorbing band). We also report the discovery of a new feature, a very strong and narrow jet on the equator, about only 5 degrees wide, that despite the vertical shear maintains its intensity (~420 m/s) in both, the continuum and methane absorbing band filters. Acknowledgements: Work supported by the Spanish MICIIN AYA2009-10701 with FEDER and Grupos Gobierno Vasco IT-464-07.

A study on ionospheric scintillation near the EIA crest in relation to equatorial electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, S.; Chakraborty, S. K.; Veenadhari, B.; Banola, S.

2014-02-01

Equatorial electrojet (EEJ) data, which are considered as a proxy index of equatorial electric field, are analyzed in conjunction with equatorial ionosonde, total electron content (TEC) and scintillation data near the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest for the equinoctial months of high solar activity years (2011-2012) to identify any precursor index of postsunset evolution of equatorial electron density irregularities and subsequent occurrence of scintillation near the northern EIA crest. Only geomagnetically quiet and normal electrojet days are considered. The diurnal profiles of EEJ on the scintillation days exhibit a secondary enhancement in the afternoon to presunset hours following diurnal peaks. A series of electrodynamical processes conducive for generation of irregularities emerge following secondary enhancement of EEJ. Latitudinal profile of TEC exhibits resurgence in EIA structure around the postsunset period. Diurnal TEC profile near the EIA crest resembles postsunset secondary enhancement on the days with afternoon enhancement in EEJ. Occurrence of equatorial spread F and postsunset scintillation near the EIA crest seems to follow the secondary enhancement events in EEJ. Both the magnitude and duration of enhanced EEJ are found to be important for postsunset intensification of EIA structure and subsequent occurrence of equatorial irregularities. A critical value combining the two may be considered an important precursor for postsunset occurrence of scintillation near the EIA crest. The results are validated using archived data for the years 1989-1990 and explained in terms of modulation effects of enhanced equatorial fountain.

No iron fertilization in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the last ice age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, K. M.; McManus, J. F.; Anderson, R. F.; Ren, H.; Sigman, D. M.; Winckler, G.; Fleisher, M. Q.; Marcantonio, F.; Ravelo, A. C.

2016-01-01

The equatorial Pacific Ocean is one of the major high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions in the global ocean. In such regions, the consumption of the available macro-nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate is thought to be limited in part by the low abundance of the critical micro-nutrient iron. Greater atmospheric dust deposition could have fertilized the equatorial Pacific with iron during the last ice age—the Last Glacial Period (LGP)—but the effect of increased ice-age dust fluxes on primary productivity in the equatorial Pacific remains uncertain. Here we present meridional transects of dust (derived from the 232Th proxy), phytoplankton productivity (using opal, 231Pa/230Th and excess Ba), and the degree of nitrate consumption (using foraminifera-bound δ15N) from six cores in the central equatorial Pacific for the Holocene (0-10,000 years ago) and the LGP (17,000-27,000 years ago). We find that, although dust deposition in the central equatorial Pacific was two to three times greater in the LGP than in the Holocene, productivity was the same or lower, and the degree of nitrate consumption was the same. These biogeochemical findings suggest that the relatively greater ice-age dust fluxes were not large enough to provide substantial iron fertilization to the central equatorial Pacific. This may have been because the absolute rate of dust deposition in the LGP (although greater than the Holocene rate) was very low. The lower productivity coupled with unchanged nitrate consumption suggests that the subsurface major nutrient concentrations were lower in the central equatorial Pacific during the LGP. As these nutrients are today dominantly sourced from the Subantarctic Zone of the Southern Ocean, we propose that the central equatorial Pacific data are consistent with more nutrient consumption in the Subantarctic Zone, possibly owing to iron fertilization as a result of higher absolute dust fluxes in this region. Thus, ice-age iron fertilization in the

No iron fertilization in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the last ice age.

PubMed

Costa, K M; McManus, J F; Anderson, R F; Ren, H; Sigman, D M; Winckler, G; Fleisher, M Q; Marcantonio, F; Ravelo, A C

2016-01-28

The equatorial Pacific Ocean is one of the major high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions in the global ocean. In such regions, the consumption of the available macro-nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate is thought to be limited in part by the low abundance of the critical micro-nutrient iron. Greater atmospheric dust deposition could have fertilized the equatorial Pacific with iron during the last ice age--the Last Glacial Period (LGP)--but the effect of increased ice-age dust fluxes on primary productivity in the equatorial Pacific remains uncertain. Here we present meridional transects of dust (derived from the (232)Th proxy), phytoplankton productivity (using opal, (231)Pa/(230)Th and excess Ba), and the degree of nitrate consumption (using foraminifera-bound δ(15)N) from six cores in the central equatorial Pacific for the Holocene (0-10,000 years ago) and the LGP (17,000-27,000 years ago). We find that, although dust deposition in the central equatorial Pacific was two to three times greater in the LGP than in the Holocene, productivity was the same or lower, and the degree of nitrate consumption was the same. These biogeochemical findings suggest that the relatively greater ice-age dust fluxes were not large enough to provide substantial iron fertilization to the central equatorial Pacific. This may have been because the absolute rate of dust deposition in the LGP (although greater than the Holocene rate) was very low. The lower productivity coupled with unchanged nitrate consumption suggests that the subsurface major nutrient concentrations were lower in the central equatorial Pacific during the LGP. As these nutrients are today dominantly sourced from the Subantarctic Zone of the Southern Ocean, we propose that the central equatorial Pacific data are consistent with more nutrient consumption in the Subantarctic Zone, possibly owing to iron fertilization as a result of higher absolute dust fluxes in this region. Thus, ice-age iron fertilization in the

The role of the Indonesian Throughflow in equatorial Pacific thermocline ventilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, Keith B.; Cane, Mark A.; Naik, Naomi H.; Schrag, Daniel P.

1999-09-01

The role of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) in the thermocline circulation of the low-latitude Pacific Ocean is explored using a high-resolution primitive equation ocean circulation model. Seasonally forced runs for a domain with an open Indonesian passage are compared with seasonally forced runs for a closed Pacific domain. Three cases are considered: one with no throughflow, one with 10 Sv of imposed ITF transport, and one with 20 Sv of ITF transport. Two idealized tracers, one that tags northern component subtropical water and another that tags southern component subtropical water, are used to diagnose the mixing ratio of northern and southern component waters in the equatorial thermocline. It is found that the mixing ratio of north/south component waters in the equatorial thermocline is highly sensitive to whether the model accounts for an ITF. Without an ITF, the source of equatorial undercurrent water is primarily of North Pacific origin, with the ratio of northern to southern component water being approximately 2.75 to 1. The ratio of northern to southern component water in the Equatorial Undercurrent with 10 Sv of ITF is approximately 1.4 to 1, and the ratio with 20 Sv of imposed ITF is 1 to 1.25. Estimates from data suggest a mean mixing ratio of northern to southern component water of less than 1 to 1. Assuming that the mixing ratio changes approximately linearly as the ITF transport varies between 10 and 20 Sv, an approximate balance between northern and southern component water is reached when the ITF transport is approximately 16 Sv. It is also shown that for the isopycnal surfaces within the core of the equatorial undercurrent, a 2°C temperature front exists across the equator in the western equatorial Pacific, beneath the warm pool. The implications of the model results and the temperature data for the heat budget of the equatorial Pacific are considered.

Pacific decadal variability in the view of linear equatorial wave theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emile-Geay, J. B.; Cane, M. A.

2006-12-01

It has recently been proposed, within the framework of the linear shallow water equations, that tropical Pacific decadal variability can be accounted for by basin modes with eigenperiods of 10 to 20 years, amplifying a mid- latitude wind forcing with an essentially white spectrum (Cessi and Louazel 2001; Liu 2003). We question this idea here, using a different formalism of linear equatorial wave theory. We compute the Green's function for the wind forced response of a linear equatorial shallow water ocean, and use the results of Cane and Moore (1981) to obtain a compact, closed form expression for the motion of the equatorial thermocline, which applies to all frequencies lower than seasonal. At very low frequencies (decadal timescales), we recover the planetary geostrophic solution used by Cessi and Louazel (2001), as well as the equatorial wave solution of Liu (2003), and give a formal explanation for this convergence. Using this more general solution to explore more realistic wind forcings, we come to a different interpretation of the results. We find that the equatorial thermocline is inherently more sensitive to local than to remote wind forcing, and that planetary Rossby modes only weakly alter the spectral characteristics of the response. Tropical winds are able to generate a strong equatorial response with periods of 10 to 20 years, while midlatitude winds can only do so for periods longer than about 50 years. Since the decadal pattern of observed winds shows similar amplitude for tropical and midlatitude winds, we conclude that the latter are unlikely to be responsible for the observed decadal tropical Pacific SST variability. References : Cane, M. A., and Moore, D. W., 1981: A note on low-frequency equatorial basin modes. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 11(11), 1578 1584. Cessi, P., and Louazel, S., 2001: Decadal oceanic response to stochastic wind forcing. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 31, 3020 3029. Liu, Z., 2003: Tropical ocean decadal variability and resonance of planetary

Lagrangian mixed layer modeling of the western equatorial Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shinoda, Toshiaki; Lukas, Roger

1995-01-01

Processes that control the upper ocean thermohaline structure in the western equatorial Pacific are examined using a Lagrangian mixed layer model. The one-dimensional bulk mixed layer model of Garwood (1977) is integrated along the trajectories derived from a nonlinear 1 1/2 layer reduced gravity model forced with actual wind fields. The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) data are used to estimate surface freshwater fluxes for the mixed layer model. The wind stress data which forced the 1 1/2 layer model are used for the mixed layer model. The model was run for the period 1987-1988. This simple model is able to simulate the isothermal layer below the mixed layer in the western Pacific warm pool and its variation. The subduction mechanism hypothesized by Lukas and Lindstrom (1991) is evident in the model results. During periods of strong South Equatorial Current, the warm and salty mixed layer waters in the central Pacific are subducted below the fresh shallow mixed layer in the western Pacific. However, this subduction mechanism is not evident when upwelling Rossby waves reach the western equatorial Pacific or when a prominent deepening of the mixed layer occurs in the western equatorial Pacific or when a prominent deepening of the mixed layer occurs in the western equatorial Pacific due to episodes of strong wind and light precipitation associated with the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. Comparison of the results between the Lagrangian mixed layer model and a locally forced Eulerian mixed layer model indicated that horizontal advection of salty waters from the central Pacific strongly affects the upper ocean salinity variation in the western Pacific, and that this advection is necessary to maintain the upper ocean thermohaline structure in this region.

Longitudinal Differences of Ionospheric Vertical Density Distribution and Equatorial Electrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yizengaw, E.; Zesta, E.; Moldwin, M. B.; Damtie, B.; Mebrahtu, A.; Valledares, C.E.; Pfaff, R. F.

2012-01-01

Accurate estimation of global vertical distribution of ionospheric and plasmaspheric density as a function of local time, season, and magnetic activity is required to improve the operation of space-based navigation and communication systems. The vertical density distribution, especially at low and equatorial latitudes, is governed by the equatorial electrodynamics that produces a vertical driving force. The vertical structure of the equatorial density distribution can be observed by using tomographic reconstruction techniques on ground-based global positioning system (GPS) total electron content (TEC). Similarly, the vertical drift, which is one of the driving mechanisms that govern equatorial electrodynamics and strongly affect the structure and dynamics of the ionosphere in the low/midlatitude region, can be estimated using ground magnetometer observations. We present tomographically reconstructed density distribution and the corresponding vertical drifts at two different longitudes: the East African and west South American sectors. Chains of GPS stations in the east African and west South American longitudinal sectors, covering the equatorial anomaly region of meridian approx. 37 deg and 290 deg E, respectively, are used to reconstruct the vertical density distribution. Similarly, magnetometer sites of African Meridian B-field Education and Research (AMBER) and INTERMAGNET for the east African sector and South American Meridional B-field Array (SAMBA) and Low Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network (LISN) are used to estimate the vertical drift velocity at two distinct longitudes. The comparison between the reconstructed and Jicamarca Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) measured density profiles shows excellent agreement, demonstrating the usefulness of tomographic reconstruction technique in providing the vertical density distribution at different longitudes. Similarly, the comparison between magnetometer estimated vertical drift and other independent drift observation

Saturn’s gravitational field induced by its equatorially antisymmetric zonal winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Dali; Zhang, Keke; Schubert, Gerald; Anderson, John D.

2018-05-01

The cloud-level zonal winds of Saturn are marked by a substantial equatorially antisymmetric component with a speed of about 50ms‑1 which, if they are sufficiently deep, can produce measurable odd zonal gravitational coefficients ΔJ 2k+1, k = 1, 2, 3, 4. This study, based on solutions of the thermal-gravitational wind equation, provides a theoretical basis for interpreting the odd gravitational coefficients of Saturn in terms of its equatorially antisymmetric zonal flow. We adopt a Saturnian model comprising an ice-rock core, a metallic dynamo region and an outer molecular envelope. We use an equatorially antisymmetric zonal flow that is parameterized, confined in the molecular envelope and satisfies the solvability condition required for the thermal-gravitational wind equation. The structure and amplitude of the zonal flow at the cloud level are chosen to be consistent with observations of Saturn. We calculate the odd zonal gravitational coefficients ΔJ 2k+1, k = 1, 2, 3, 4 by regarding the depth of the equatorially antisymmetric winds as a parameter. It is found that ΔJ 3 is ‑4.197 × 10‑8 if the zonal winds extend about 13 000 km downward from the cloud tops while it is ‑0.765 × 10‑8 if the depth is about 4000 km. The depth/profile of the equatorially antisymmetric zonal winds can eventually be estimated when the high-precision measurements of the Cassini Grand Finale become available.

Equatorial waves in the NCAR stratospheric general circulation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boville, B. A.

1985-01-01

Equatorially trapped wave modes are very important in the tropical stratospheric momentum balance. Kelvin waves and mixed Rossby-gravity waves are believed to be responsible for the quasi-biennial oscillation of the zonal winds in the equatorial lower stratosphere. Both Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves have been identified in observations and in numerical models. Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves are identified in a general circulation model extending from the surface into the mesosphere and looks at the effect on the waves of lowering the top of the model.

Equatorial ionospheric electrodynamics during solar flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruilong; Liu, Libo; Le, Huijun; Chen, Yiding

2017-05-01

Previous investigations on ionospheric responses to solar flares focused mainly on the photoionization caused by the increased X-rays and extreme ultraviolet irradiance. However, little attention was paid to the related electrodynamics. In this letter, we explored the equatorial electric field (EEF) and electrojet (EEJ) in the ionosphere at Jicamarca during flares from 1998 to 2008. It is verified that solar flares increase dayside eastward EEJ but decrease dayside eastward EEF, revealing a negative correlation between EEJ and EEF. The decreased EEF weakens the equatorial fountain effect and depresses the low-latitude electron density. During flares, the enhancement in the Cowling conductivity may modulate ionospheric dynamo and decrease the EEF. Besides, the decreased EEF is closely related to the enhanced ASY-H index that qualitatively reflects Region 2 field-aligned current (R2 FAC). We speculated that solar flares may also decrease EEF through enhancing R2 FAC that leads to an overshielding-like effect.

Understanding the Longitudinal Variability of Equatorial Electrodynamics using integrated Ground- and Space-based Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yizengaw, E.; Moldwin, M.; Zesta, E.

2015-12-01

The currently funded African Meridian B-Field Education and Research (AMBER) magnetometer array comprises more than thirteen magnetometers stationed globally in the vicinity of geomagnetic equator. One of the main objectives of AMBER network is to understand the longitudinal variability of equatorial electrodynamics as function of local time, magnetic activity, and season. While providing complete meridian observation in the region and filling the largest land-based gap in global magnetometer coverage, the AMBER array addresses two fundamental areas of space physics: first, the processes governing electrodynamics of the equatorial ionosphere as a function of latitude (or L-shell), local time, longitude, magnetic activity, and season, and second, ULF pulsation strength at low/mid-latitude regions and its connection with equatorial electrojet and density fluctuation. The global AMBER network can also be used to augment observations from space-based instruments, such us the triplet SWARM mission and the upcoming ICON missions. Thus, in coordination with space-based and other ground-based observations, the AMBER magnetometer network provides a great opportunity to understand the electrodynamics that governs equatorial ionosphere motions. In this paper we present the longitudinal variability of the equatorial electrodynamics using the combination of instruments onboard SWARM and C/NOFS satellites and ground-based AMBER network. Both ground- and pace-based observations show stronger dayside and evening sector equatorial electrodynamics in the American and Asian sectors compared to the African sector. On the other hand, the African sector is home to stronger and year-round ionospheric bubbles/irregularities compared to the American and Asian sectors. This raises the question if the evening sector equatorial electrodynamics (vertical drift), which is believed to be the main cause for the enhancement of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth rate, is stronger in the

Modeling Global Ocean Biogeochemistry With Physical Data Assimilation: A Pragmatic Solution to the Equatorial Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jong-Yeon; Stock, Charles A.; Yang, Xiaosong; Dunne, John P.; Rosati, Anthony; John, Jasmin; Zhang, Shaoqing

2018-03-01

Reliable estimates of historical and current biogeochemistry are essential for understanding past ecosystem variability and predicting future changes. Efforts to translate improved physical ocean state estimates into improved biogeochemical estimates, however, are hindered by high biogeochemical sensitivity to transient momentum imbalances that arise during physical data assimilation. Most notably, the breakdown of geostrophic constraints on data assimilation in equatorial regions can lead to spurious upwelling, resulting in excessive equatorial productivity and biogeochemical fluxes. This hampers efforts to understand and predict the biogeochemical consequences of El Niño and La Niña. We develop a strategy to robustly integrate an ocean biogeochemical model with an ensemble coupled-climate data assimilation system used for seasonal to decadal global climate prediction. Addressing spurious vertical velocities requires two steps. First, we find that tightening constraints on atmospheric data assimilation maintains a better equatorial wind stress and pressure gradient balance. This reduces spurious vertical velocities, but those remaining still produce substantial biogeochemical biases. The remainder is addressed by imposing stricter fidelity to model dynamics over data constraints near the equator. We determine an optimal choice of model-data weights that removed spurious biogeochemical signals while benefitting from off-equatorial constraints that still substantially improve equatorial physical ocean simulations. Compared to the unconstrained control run, the optimally constrained model reduces equatorial biogeochemical biases and markedly improves the equatorial subsurface nitrate concentrations and hypoxic area. The pragmatic approach described herein offers a means of advancing earth system prediction in parallel with continued data assimilation advances aimed at fully considering equatorial data constraints.

PMP-2 Report: Equatorial Wave Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirota, I.

1982-01-01

The activities of the pre-MAP project 2 (PMP-2) from 1978 through 1981 are described. The following topics relating to the equatorial middle atmosphere are discussed briefly: (1) the semi-annual oscillation and Kelvin waves; (2) planetary Rossby waves; (3) upper mesospheric waves; and (4) gravity waves.

Space Weather Research in the Equatorial Region: A Philosophical Reinforcement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chukwuma, Victor; Odunaike, Rasaki; Laoye, John

Investigations using radio waves reflected from the ionosphere, at high-and mid-latitudes indicate that ionospheric absorption can strongly increase following geomagnetic storms; which appears to suggest some definite relationship between ionospheric radio wave absorption and geomagnetic storms at these latitudes. However, corresponding earlier studies in the equatorial region did not appear to show any explicit relationship between ionospheric radio wave absorption and geomagnetic storm activity. This position appeared acceptable to the existing scientific paradigm, until in an act of paradigm shift, by a change of storm selection criteria, some more recent space weather investigations in the low latitudes showed that ionospheric radio wave absorption in the equatorial region clearly increases after intense storms. Given that these results in the equatorial region stood against the earlier results, this paper presently attempts to highlight their philosophical underpinning and posit that they constitute a scientific statement.

Multiple Magnetic Storm Study of the High-Altitude Redistribution of Equatorial Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bust, G. S.; Crowley, G.; Curtis, N.; Anderson, D.

2008-12-01

During geomagnetic storms, particularly when prompt penetration electric fields (PPE) occur, the equatorial plasma can be lifted to very high altitudes and then diffuse along magnetic field lines to higher than normal latitudes. During these cases very high plasma density (total electron content (TEC) greater than 200 TECU) can be found at these higher latitudes. Shortly after the PPE lifts the equatorial plasma to higher altitudes, at least in the US sector, phenomena known as storm-enhanced density (SED) can occur. SEDs occur in the post-noon time frame and consist of a very high density bulge that seems to occur in the southern USA and Caribbean region, followed by a narrow plume of high density plasma that flows into the high-latitude throat near local noon, and across the polar cap. An outstanding research question is: Exactly how is the high density SED plasma, particularly in the bulge related to the PPE and lifting of the equatorial plasma? Ionospheric imaging of electron density and TEC seem to show a gap in density between the poleward extent of the equatorial plasma and the equatorial extent of the SED plasma. Further, there are magnetic storm events where SEDs do not form (November 2004 as a good example). This paper will investigate the relationship between the equatorial high altitude plasma distribution during magnetic storms, and the initiation and evolution of the SED feature. We will examine eight separate storms from 2003-2006 using the ionospheric data assimilation algorithm IDA4D. In particular we will focus on time periods when LEO satellite GPS TEC data is available from CHAMP, SACC, GRACE and the COSMIC constellation (2006 and beyond). These data sets directly measure the TEC above the satellites, and therefore are good tracers of the high altitude plasma distribution. IDA4D ingests these data sets and uses them to get an improved image of the plasma density for the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere. The resulting 4D images of high

Bottomside sinusoidal irregularities in the equatorial F region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valladares, C. E.; Hanson, W. B.; Mcclure, J. P.; Cragin, B. L.

1983-01-01

By using the Ogo 6 satellite, McClure and Hanson (1973) have discovered sinusoidal irregularities in the equatorial F region ion number density. In the present investigation, a description is provided of the properties of a distinct category of sinusoidal irregularities found in equatorial data from the AE-C and AE-E satellites. The observed scale sizes vary from about 300 m to 3 km in the direction perpendicular to B, overlapping with and extending the range observed by using Ogo 6. Attention is given to low and high resolution data, a comparison with Huancayo ionograms, the confinement of 'bottomside sinusoidal' (BSS) irregularities essentially to the bottomside of the F layer, spectral characteristics, and BSS, scintillation, and ionosonde observations.

Ocean dynamics, not dust, have controlled equatorial Pacific productivity over the past 500,000 years

PubMed Central

Winckler, Gisela; Anderson, Robert F.; Jaccard, Samuel L.; Marcantonio, Franco

2016-01-01

Biological productivity in the equatorial Pacific is relatively high compared with other low-latitude regimes, especially east of the dateline, where divergence driven by the trade winds brings nutrient-rich waters of the Equatorial Undercurrent to the surface. The equatorial Pacific is one of the three principal high-nutrient low-chlorophyll ocean regimes where biological utilization of nitrate and phosphate is limited, in part, by the availability of iron. Throughout most of the equatorial Pacific, upwelling of water from the Equatorial Undercurrent supplies far more dissolved iron than is delivered by dust, by as much as two orders of magnitude. Nevertheless, recent studies have inferred that the greater supply of dust during ice ages stimulated greater utilization of nutrients within the region of upwelling on the equator, thereby contributing to the sequestration of carbon in the ocean interior. Here we present proxy records for dust and for biological productivity over the past 500 ky at three sites spanning the breadth of the equatorial Pacific Ocean to test the dust fertilization hypothesis. Dust supply peaked under glacial conditions, consistent with previous studies, whereas proxies of export production exhibit maxima during ice age terminations. Temporal decoupling between dust supply and biological productivity indicates that other factors, likely involving ocean dynamics, played a greater role than dust in regulating equatorial Pacific productivity. PMID:27185933

Ocean dynamics, not dust, have controlled equatorial Pacific productivity over the past 500,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winckler, Gisela; Anderson, Robert F.; Jaccard, Samuel L.; Marcantonio, Franco

2016-05-01

Biological productivity in the equatorial Pacific is relatively high compared with other low-latitude regimes, especially east of the dateline, where divergence driven by the trade winds brings nutrient-rich waters of the Equatorial Undercurrent to the surface. The equatorial Pacific is one of the three principal high-nutrient low-chlorophyll ocean regimes where biological utilization of nitrate and phosphate is limited, in part, by the availability of iron. Throughout most of the equatorial Pacific, upwelling of water from the Equatorial Undercurrent supplies far more dissolved iron than is delivered by dust, by as much as two orders of magnitude. Nevertheless, recent studies have inferred that the greater supply of dust during ice ages stimulated greater utilization of nutrients within the region of upwelling on the equator, thereby contributing to the sequestration of carbon in the ocean interior. Here we present proxy records for dust and for biological productivity over the past 500 ky at three sites spanning the breadth of the equatorial Pacific Ocean to test the dust fertilization hypothesis. Dust supply peaked under glacial conditions, consistent with previous studies, whereas proxies of export production exhibit maxima during ice age terminations. Temporal decoupling between dust supply and biological productivity indicates that other factors, likely involving ocean dynamics, played a greater role than dust in regulating equatorial Pacific productivity.

Ocean dynamics, not dust, have controlled equatorial Pacific productivity over the past 500,000 years.

PubMed

Winckler, Gisela; Anderson, Robert F; Jaccard, Samuel L; Marcantonio, Franco

2016-05-31

Biological productivity in the equatorial Pacific is relatively high compared with other low-latitude regimes, especially east of the dateline, where divergence driven by the trade winds brings nutrient-rich waters of the Equatorial Undercurrent to the surface. The equatorial Pacific is one of the three principal high-nutrient low-chlorophyll ocean regimes where biological utilization of nitrate and phosphate is limited, in part, by the availability of iron. Throughout most of the equatorial Pacific, upwelling of water from the Equatorial Undercurrent supplies far more dissolved iron than is delivered by dust, by as much as two orders of magnitude. Nevertheless, recent studies have inferred that the greater supply of dust during ice ages stimulated greater utilization of nutrients within the region of upwelling on the equator, thereby contributing to the sequestration of carbon in the ocean interior. Here we present proxy records for dust and for biological productivity over the past 500 ky at three sites spanning the breadth of the equatorial Pacific Ocean to test the dust fertilization hypothesis. Dust supply peaked under glacial conditions, consistent with previous studies, whereas proxies of export production exhibit maxima during ice age terminations. Temporal decoupling between dust supply and biological productivity indicates that other factors, likely involving ocean dynamics, played a greater role than dust in regulating equatorial Pacific productivity.

Attributing Tropical Cyclogenesis to Equatorial Waves in the Western North Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreck, Carl J., III; Molinari, John; Mohr, Karen I.

2009-01-01

The direct influences of equatorial waves on the genesis of tropical cyclones are evaluated. Tropical cyclogenesis is attributed to an equatorial wave when the filtered rainfall anomaly exceeds a threshold value at the genesis location. For an attribution threshold of 3 mm/day, 51% of warm season western North Pacific tropical cyclones are attributed to tropical depression (TD)-type disturbances, 29% to equatorial Rossby waves, 26% to mixed Rossby-Gravity waves, 23% to Kelvin waves, 13% to the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), and 19% are not attributed to any equatorial wave. The fraction of tropical cyclones attributed to TD-type disturbances is consistent with previous findings. Past studies have also demonstrated that the MJO significantly modulates tropical cyclogenesis, but fewer storms are attributed to the MJO than any other wave type. This disparity arises from the difference between attribution and modulation. The MJO produces broad regions of favorable conditions for cyclogenesis, but the MJO alone might not determine when and where a storm will develop within these regions. Tropical cyclones contribute less than 17% of the power in any portion of the equatorial wave spectrum because tropical cyclones are relatively uncommon equatorward of 15deg latitude. In regions where they are active, however, tropical cyclones can contribute more than 20% of the warm season rainfall and up to 50% of the total variance. Tropical cyclone-related anomalies can significantly contaminate wave-filtered precipitation at the location of genesis. To mitigate this effect, the tropical cyclone-related rainfall anomalies were removed before filtering in this study.

Aerosol Transport Over Equatorial Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatebe, C. K.; Tyson, P. D.; Annegarn, H. J.; Kinyua, A. M.; Piketh, S.; King, M.; Helas, G.

1999-01-01

Long-range and inter-hemispheric transport of atmospheric aerosols over equatorial Africa has received little attention so far. Most aerosol studies in the region have focussed on emissions from rain forest and savanna (both natural and biomass burning) and were carried out in the framework of programs such as DECAFE (Dynamique et Chimie Atmospherique en Foret Equatoriale) and FOS (Fires of Savanna). Considering the importance of this topic, aerosols samples were measured in different seasons at 4420 meters on Mt Kenya and on the equator. The study is based on continuous aerosol sampling on a two stage (fine and coarse) streaker sampler and elemental analysis by Particle Induced X-ray Emission. Continuous samples were collected for two seasons coinciding with late austral winter and early austral spring of 1997 and austral summer of 1998. Source area identification is by trajectory analysis and sources types by statistical techniques. Major meridional transports of material are observed with fine-fraction silicon (31 to 68 %) in aeolian dust and anthropogenic sulfur (9 to 18 %) being the major constituents of the total aerosol loading for the two seasons. Marine aerosol chlorine (4 to 6 %), potassium (3 to 5 %) and iron (1 to 2 %) make up the important components of the total material transport over Kenya. Minimum sulfur fluxes are associated with recirculation of sulfur-free air over equatorial Africa, while maximum sulfur concentrations are observed following passage over the industrial heartland of South Africa or transport over the Zambian/Congo Copperbelt. Chlorine is advected from the ocean and is accompanied by aeolian dust recirculating back to land from mid-oceanic regions. Biomass burning products are transported from the horn of Africa. Mineral dust from the Sahara is transported towards the Far East and then transported back within equatorial easterlies to Mt Kenya. This was observed during austral summer and coincided with the dying phase of 1997/98 El

Influence of Assimilation of Subsurface Temperature Measurements on Simulations of Equatorial Undercurrent and South Equatorial Current Along the Pacific Equator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halpern, David; Leetmaan, Ants; Reynolds, Richard W.; Ji, Ming

1997-01-01

Equatorial Pacific current and temperature fields were simulated with and without assimilation of subsurface temperature measurements for April 1992 - March 1995, and compared with moored bouy and research vessel current measurements.

Investigating the effect of geomagnetic storm and equatorial electrojet on equatorial ionospheric irregularity over East African sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seba, Ephrem Beshir; Nigussie, Melessew

2016-11-01

The variability of the equatorial ionosphere is still a big challenge for ionospheric dependent radio wave technology users. To mitigate the effect of equatorial ionospheric irregularity on trans-ionospheric radio waves considerable efforts are being done to understand and model the equatorial electrodynamics and its connection to the creation of ionospheric irregularity. However, the effect of the East-African ionospheric electrodynamics on ionospheric irregularity is not yet well studied due to lack of multiple ground based instruments. But, as a result of International Heliophysical Year (IHY) initiative, which was launched in 2007, some facilities are being deployed in Africa since then. Therefore, recently deployed instruments, in the Ethiopian sector, such as SCINDA-GPS receiver (2.64°N dip angle) for TEC and amplitude scintillation index (S4) data and two magnetometers, which are deployed on and off the magnetic equator, data collected in the March equinoctial months of the years 2011, 2012, and 2015 have been used for this study in conjunction with geomagnetic storm data obtained from high resolution OMNI WEB data center. We have investigated the triggering and inhibition mechanisms for ionospheric irregularities using, scintillation index (S4), equatorial electrojet (EEJ), interplanetary electric field (IEFy), symH index, AE index and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz on five selected storm and two storm free days. We have found that when the eastward EEJ fluctuates in magnitude due to storm time induced electric fields at around noontime, the post-sunset scintillation is inhibited. All observed post-sunset scintillations in equinox season are resulted when the daytime EEJ is non fluctuating. The strength of noontime EEJ magnitude has shown direct relation with the strength of the post-sunset scintillations. This indicates that non-fluctuating EEJ stronger than 20 nT, can be precursor for the occurrence of the evening time ionospheric irregularities

New observations of Yanai waves and equatorial inertia-gravity waves in the Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrar, J. T.; Durland, T.

2011-12-01

In the 1970's and 1980's, there was a great deal of research activity on near-equatorial variability at periods of days to weeks associated with oceanic equatorial inertia-gravity waves and Yanai waves. At that time, the measurements available for studying these waves were much more limited than today: most of the available observations were from island tide gauges and a handful of short mooring records. We use more than a decade of the extensive modern data record from the TAO/TRITON mooring array in the Pacific Ocean to re-examine the internal-wave climate in the equatorial Pacific, with a focus on interpretation of the zonal-wavenumber/frequency spectrum of surface dynamic height relative to 500-m depth. Many equatorial-wave meridional modes can be identified, for both the first and second baroclinic mode. We also estimated zonal-wavenumber/frequency spectra for the zonal and meridional wind stress components. The location and extent of spectral peaks in dynamic height is readily rationalized using basic, linear theory of forced equatorial waves and the observed wind stress spectrum.

Velocity variations of an Equatorial plume throughout a Jovian year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reese, E.; Beebe, R. F.

1975-01-01

Features in the equatorial zone of Jupiter show that the equatorial plume reported by Pioneer 10 has existed for an 11-year interval. During this interval the plume has shown an acceleration which can be interpreted as a constant component of 3 x 10 to minus 8th power m/sq cm and a sinusoidal component which anticorrelates with the planetocentric declination of the sun, D sub s, and has an amplitude of -0.96 meters per second per degree change of D sub s. The sinusoidal component has been interpreted in terms of solar heating. Throughout this interval of time the equatorial zone has appeared abnormally dark and has contained many dark projections along the northern edge. When the plume approaches to within 25 to 30 deg of these features they are deflected in the direction of motion of the plume and then dissipate or become obscured as the plume passes. After passage of the plume normal features are again observed.

The Interplanetary and Magnetospheric Causes of Extreme DB/dt at Equatorial Locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adebesin, Babatunde O.; Pulkkinen, Antti; Ngwira, Chigomezyo M.

2016-01-01

The 1 min resolution solar wind and geomagnetic data obtained from seven equatorial low-latitude stations during four extreme geomagnetic activities are used to investigate the extreme dB/dt perturbations. Simulations of the magnetospheric-ionospheric environment were also performed for varying amplitudes of the solar proton density. Simulations were carried out using the Space Weather Modeling Framework BATS-R-US + RCM model. Both the observations and simulations demonstrated that the appearance time of the extreme dB/dt perturbations at equatorial stations during disturbed conditions is instantaneous and equitable to those experienced at auroral regions yielding time lags of the order of a few seconds. We find that the rapid dB/dt enhancements are caused by the electric field of magnetospheric current origin, which is being enhanced by solar wind density and ram pressure variations and boosted by the equatorial electro jet. Our results indicate that the solar wind proton density variations could be used as a predictor of extreme dB/dt enhancement at equatorial latitudes.

Equatorial waves in temperature in the altitude range 4 to 70 km

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna Murthy, B. V.; Satheesan, K.; Parameswaran, K.; Sasi, M. N.; Ramkumar, Geetha; Bhavanikumar, Y.; Raghunath, K.; Krishniah, M.

2002-04-01

Using altitude profiles of temperature in the range 4 to 70 km derived from Mesosphere-Stratosphere- Troposphere radar and lidar observations at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E) from 18 January 1999 to 5 March 1999, characteristics of equatorial waves are studied. Two-dimensional Fourier-transform analysis of the temperature profiles is carried out to identify the periodicities and their vertical wave numbers. From the characteristics obtained, equatorial slow Kelvin waves with periodicities 15.7 d, 9.4 d, 7.8 d and 6.7 d are identified in the troposphere and stratosphere regions and among these 7.8 d and 6.7 d periodicities are found to penetrate into the mesosphere. Equatorial waves with smaller periodicities in the range 5.2 d to 3.6 d are also observed. The vertical flux of horizontal momentum (zonal) of the identified slow Kelvin-wave periodicities in the altitude region 4-25 km is estimated. It is found that equatorial waves modulate tropical tropopause temperature and altitude.

The onset and growth of the 1990 equatorial disturbance on Saturn

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beebe, R. F.; Barnet, C.; Sada, P. V.; Murrell, A. S.

1992-01-01

Observational data are presented which are consistent with the generation of the Saturn equatorial surface brightenings observed in September, 1990, by a single convective disturbance which created constructively and destructively interfering wave patterns. The initial development, size, duration, and appearance of this storm are similar to the equatorial storms of 1876 and 1933. Attention is given to the motions of the initial convective disturbance and its expansion and mature phases.

Detection of the Equatorial Ionospheric Irregularities Using the POD GPS Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharenkova, I.; Astafyeva, E.; Cherniak, I.

2015-12-01

By making use of GPS measurements from Precise Orbit Determination (POD) GPS antenna onboard Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites we present results of the equatorial irregularities/plasma bubbles detection. For a given research we use data from a multi-satellite constellation consisting of the three Swarm satellites and the TerraSAR-X satellite. The major advantage of such LEO constellation is rather similar orbit altitude of ~500 km. The GPS-based indices, characterizing the occurrence and the strength of the ionospheric irregularities, were derived from the LEO GPS observations of a zenith-looking onboard GPS antenna. To study GPS fluctuation activity at the topside equatorial ionosphere we used TEC-based indices ROT (rate of TEC change) and ROTI (rate of TEC Index), proposed by Pi et al. (1997). We demonstrate a successful implementation of this technique for several case studies of the equatorial plasma bubbles occurrence in the post-midnight and morning LT hours during the year 2014. The ionospheric irregularities detected with GPS technique in Swarm/TerrasSAR-X data are consistent with the in situ plasma density variations registered by the three Swarm satellites (PLP measurements), as well as by three DMSP satellites at ~840 km orbital height, which indicate a large altitudinal extent of the observed phenomenon. Also we analyzed the global/seasonal distribution of the ionospheric irregularities at the topside equatorial region caused the phase fluctuations in GPS measurements onboard LEO satellite. We demonstrate that ROT/ROTI technique can be applied to LEO GPS data for geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions, as well as detection of the storm-induced equatorial irregularities in the morning local time.

Effects of the equatorial ionosphere on L-band Earth-space transmissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Ernest K.; Flock, Warren L.

1993-01-01

Ionosphere scintillation can effect satellite telecommunication up to Ku-band. Nighttime scintillation can be attributed to large-scale inhomogeneity in the F-region of the ionosphere predominantly between heights of 200 and 600 km. Daytime scintillation has been attributed to sporadic E. It can be thought of as occurring in three belts: equatorial, high-latitude, and mid-latitude, in order of severity. Equatorial scintillation occurs between magnetic latitudes +/- 25 degrees, peaking near +/- 10 degrees. It commonly starts abruptly near 2000 local time and dies out shortly after midnight. There is a strong solar cycle dependence and a seasonal preference for the equinoxes, particularly the vernal one. Equatorial scintillation occurs more frequently on magnetically quiet than on magnetically disturbed days in most longitudes. At the peak of the sunspot cycle scintillation depths as great as 20 dB were observed at L-band.

Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves in Reanalysis and CMIP5 Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castanheira, J. M.; Marques, C. A. F.

2014-12-01

Convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) are a result of the interplay between the physics and dynamics in the tropical atmosphere. As a result of such interplay, tropical convection appears often organized into synoptic to planetary-scale disturbances with time scales matching those of equatorial shallow water waves. CCEWs have broad impacts within the tropics, and their simulation in general circulation models is still problematic. Several studies showed that dispersion of those waves characteristics fit the dispersion curves derived from the Matsuno's (1966) solutions of the shallow water equations on the equatorial beta plane, namely, Kelvin, equatorial Rossby, mixed Rossby-gravity, and inertio-gravity waves. However, the more common methodology used to identify those waves is yet controversial. In this communication a new methodology for the diagnosis of CCEWs will be presented. It is based on a pre-filtering of the geopotential and horizontal wind, using 3--D normal modes functions of the adiabatic linearized equations of a resting atmosphere, followed by a space--time spectral analysis to identify the spectral regions of coherence. The methodology permits a direct detection of various types of equatorial waves, compares the dispersion characteristics of the coupled waves with the theoretical dispersion curves and allows an identification of which vertical modes are more involved in the convection. Moreover, the proposed methodology is able to show the existence of free dry waves and moist coupled waves with a common vertical structure, which is in conformity with the effect of convective heating/cooling on the effective static stability, as traduced in the gross moist stability concept. The methodology is also sensible to Doppler shifting effects. The methodology has been applied to the ERA-Interim horizontal wind and geopotential height fields and to the interpolated Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) data produced by the National Oceanic and

Spatio-Temporal Evolutions of Non-Orthogonal Equatorial Wave Modes Derived from Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, C.; Cai, M.

2015-12-01

Equatorial waves have been studied extensively due to their importance to the tropical climate and weather systems. Historically, their activity is diagnosed mainly in the wavenumber-frequency domain. Recently, many studies have projected observational data onto parabolic cylinder functions (PCF), which represent the meridional structure of individual wave modes, to attain time-dependent spatial wave structures. In this study, we propose a methodology that seeks to identify individual wave modes in instantaneous fields of observations by determining their projections on PCF modes according to the equatorial wave theory. The new method has the benefit of yielding a closed system with a unique solution for all waves' spatial structures, including IG waves, for a given instantaneous observed field. We have applied our method to the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset in the tropical stratosphere where the wave-mean flow interaction mechanism for the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) is well-understood. We have confirmed the continuous evolution of the selection mechanism for equatorial waves in the stratosphere from observations as predicted by the theory for the QBO. This also validates the proposed method for decomposition of observed tropical wave fields into non-orthogonal equatorial wave modes.

Westward equatorial electrojet during daytime hours. [relation to geomagnetic horizontal field depression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rastogi, R. G.

1974-01-01

The phenomenon of the depression of the geomagnetic horizontal field during the daytime hours of magnetically quiet days at equatorial stations is described. These events are generally seen around 0700 and 1600 LT, being more frequent during the evening than the morning hours. The evening events are more frequent during periods of low solar activity and in the longitude region of weak equatorial electrojet currents. The latitudinal extent of the phenomenon is limited to the normal equatorial electrojet region, and on some occasions the phenomenon is not seen at both stations, separated by only a few hours in longitude. During such an event, the latitudinal profile of the geomagnetic vertical field across the equator is reversed, the ionospheric drift near the equator is reversed toward the east, the q type of sporadic E layer is completely absent, and the height of the peak ionization in the F2 region is decreased. It is suggested that these effects are caused by a narrow band of current flowing westward in the E region of the ionosphere and within the latitude region of the normal equatorial electrojet, due to the reversal of the east-west electrostatic field at low latitudes.

Disruption of Saturn's quasi-periodic equatorial oscillation by the great northern storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Leigh N.; Guerlet, Sandrine; Orton, Glenn S.; Cosentino, Richard G.; Fouchet, Thierry; Irwin, Patrick G. J.; Li, Liming; Flasar, F. Michael; Gorius, Nicolas; Morales-Juberías, Raúl

2017-11-01

The equatorial middle atmospheres of the Earth1, Jupiter2 and Saturn3,4 all exhibit a remarkably similar phenomenon—a vertical, cyclic pattern of alternating temperatures and zonal (east-west) wind regimes that propagate slowly downwards with a well-defined multi-year period. Earth's quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) (observed in the lower stratospheric winds with an average period of 28 months) is one of the most regular, repeatable cycles exhibited by our climate system1,5,6, and yet recent work has shown that this regularity can be disrupted by events occurring far away from the equatorial region, an example of a phenomenon known as atmospheric teleconnection7,8. Here, we reveal that Saturn's equatorial quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) (with an 15-year period3,9) can also be dramatically perturbed. An intense springtime storm erupted at Saturn's northern mid-latitudes in December 201010-12, spawning a gigantic hot vortex in the stratosphere at 40° N that persisted for three years13. Far from the storm, the Cassini temperature measurements showed a dramatic 10 K cooling in the 0.5-5 mbar range across the entire equatorial region, disrupting the regular QPO pattern and significantly altering the middle-atmospheric wind structure, suggesting an injection of westward momentum into the equatorial wind system from waves generated by the northern storm. Hence, as on Earth, meteorological activity at mid-latitudes can have a profound effect on the regular atmospheric cycles in Saturn's tropics, demonstrating that waves can provide horizontal teleconnections between the phenomena shaping the middle atmospheres of giant planets.

The interplanetary and magnetospheric causes of extreme dB/dt at equatorial locations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adebesin, Babatunde O.; Pulkkinen, Antti; Ngwira, Chigomezyo M.

2016-11-01

The 1 min resolution solar wind and geomagnetic data obtained from seven equatorial/low-latitude stations during four extreme geomagnetic activities are used to investigate the extreme dB/dt perturbations. Simulations of the magnetospheric-ionospheric environment were also performed for varying amplitudes of the solar proton density. Simulations were carried out using the Space Weather Modeling Framework/BATS-R-US + RCM model. Both the observations and simulations demonstrated that the appearance time of the extreme dB/dt perturbations at equatorial stations during disturbed conditions is instantaneous and equitable to those experienced at auroral regions yielding time lags of the order of a few seconds. We find that the rapid dB/dt enhancements are caused by the electric field of magnetospheric current origin, which is being enhanced by solar wind density and ram pressure variations and boosted by the equatorial electrojet. Our results indicate that the solar wind proton density variations could be used as a predictor of extreme dB/dt enhancement at equatorial latitudes.

Global geologic mapping of Mars: The western equatorial region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, D.H.

1985-01-01

Global geologic mapping of Mars was originally accomplished following acquisition of orbital spacecraft images from the Mariner 9 mission. The mapping program represented a joint enterprise by the U.S. Geological Survey and other planetary scientists from universities in the United States and Europe. Many of the Mariner photographs had low resolution or poor albedo contrast caused by atmospheric haze and high-sun angles. Some of the early geologic maps reflect these deficiencies in their poor discrimination and subdivision of rock units. New geologic maps made from higher resolution and better quality Viking images also represent a cooperative effort, by geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Arizona State University, and the University of London. This second series of global maps consists of three parts: 1) western equatorial region, 2) eastern equatorial region, and 3) north and south polar regions. These maps, at 1:15 million scale, show more than 60 individual rock-stratigraphic units assigned to three Martian time-stratigraphic systems. The first completed map of the series covers the western equatorial region of Mars. Accompanying the map is a description of the sequence and distribution of major tectonic, volcanic, and fluvial episodes as recorded in the stratigraphic record. ?? 1985.

The Neogene equatorial Pacific: A view from 2009 IODP drilling on Expedition 320/321. (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyle, M. W.; Shackford, J.; Holbourn, A. E.; Tian, J.; Raffi, I.; Pälike, H.; Nishi, H.

2013-12-01

The equatorial Pacific responds strongly to global climate and is a source of ENSO, the largest global decadal climate oscillation. Equatorial Pacific circulation and upwelling result from global atmospheric circulation patterns so it is unsurprising that oceanographic changes in the equatorial Pacific reverberate globally. IODP expedition 320/321 (Pacific Equatorial Age Transect) drilled 8 sites to reconstruct a 50-million-year record of ocean change for the equatorial Pacific. The resulting record, when spliced together, will resolve orbital variations through most of the Cenozoic. All sedimentary sequences have now been scanned by XRF, so that biogeochemical changes through the Cenozoic can be studied. Here we report data from IODP Sites U1335, U1336, U1337, and U1338, the Neogene part of the PEAT megasplice. Sediments of the Neogene equatorial Pacific are primarily biogenic carbonates, with about 15% biogenic silica tests and 5% assorted other components, including clays. Typically, highest sediment deposition occurs when plate tectonic movement carries a drill site underneath the equatorial zone, indicating that equatorial upwelling and high productivity have been consistent features of the Neogene equatorial Pacific. Sedimentation rates become significantly slower and dissolution of both biogenic carbonates and silica are more pronounced when sites are beyond 3° in latitude away from the equator, as biogenic sediment production drops but dissolution does not. The differences between equatorial and off-equator sites allow assessment of productivity vs dissolution as drivers of the sediment record. Carbonate dissolution can also be assessed by a ratio of XRF-estimated carbonate to dissolution resistant biogenic residue, like barite. There is a common stratigraphy of carbonate variation in the Neogene equatorial Pacific, as proposed by earlier work from DSDP Leg 85 and ODP Leg 138. The new Exp 320/321 drilling extends the high-resolution record from ~0-5 Ma

Geology of the Venus equatorial region from Pioneer Venus radar imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Senske, D. A.; Head, James W.

1989-01-01

The surface characteristics and morphology of the equatorial region of Venus were first described by Masursky et al. who showed this part of the planet to be characterized by two topographic provinces, rolling plains and highlands, and more recently by Schaber who described and interpreted tectonic zones in the highlands. Using Pioneer Venus (PV) radar image data (15 deg S to 45 deg N), Senske and Head examined the distribution, characteristics, and deposits of individual volcanic features in the equatorial region, and in addition classified major equatorial physiographic and tectonic units on the basis of morphology, topographic signature, and radar properties derived from the PV data. Included in this classification are: plains (undivided), inter-highland tectonic zones, tectonically segmented linear highlands, upland rises, tectonic junctions, dark halo plains, and upland plateaus. In addition to the physiographic units, features interpreted as coronae and volcanic mountains have also been mapped. The latter four of the physiographic units along with features interpreted to be coronae.

Equatorial Oscillations in Jupiter's and Saturn's Atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flasar, F. Michael; Guerlet, S.; Fouchet, T.; Schinder, P. J.

2011-01-01

Equatorial oscillations in the zonal-mean temperatures and zonal winds have been well documented in Earth's middle atmosphere. A growing body of evidence from ground-based and Cassini spacecraft observations indicates that such phenomena also occur in the stratospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. Earth-based midinfrared measurements spanning several decades have established that the equatorial stratospheric temperatures on Jupiter vary with a cycle of 4-5 years and on Saturn with a cycle of approximately 15 years. Spectra obtained by the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) during the Cassini swingby at the end of 2000, with much better vertical resolution than the ground-based data, indicated a series of vertically stacked warm and cold anomalics at Jupiter's equator; a similar structurc was seen at Saturn's equator in CIRS limb measurements made in 2005, in the early phase of Cassini's orbital tour. The thermal wind equation implied similar patterns of mean zonal winds increasing and decreasing with altitude. On Saturn the peak-to-pcak amplitude of this variation was nearly 200 meters per second. The alternating vertical pattern of wanner and colder cquatorial tcmperatures and easterly and westerly tendencies of the zonal winds is seen in Earth's equatorial oscillations, where the pattern descends with time, The Cassini Jupiter and early Saturn observations were snapshots within a limited time interval, and they did not show the temporal evolution of the spatial patterns. However, more recent Saturn observations by CIRS (2010) and Cassini radio-occultation soundings (2009-2010) have provided an opportunity to follow the change of the temperature-zonal wind pattern, and they suggest there is descent, at a rate of roughly one scale height over four years. On Earth, the observed descent in the zonal-mean structure is associated with the absorption of a combination of vertically propagating waves with easlerly and westerly phase velocities. The peak-to-peak zonal wind

Vertical Rise Velocity of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Estimated from Equatorial Atmosphere Radar Observations and High-Resolution Bubble Model Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, T.; Ajith, K. K.; Yamamoto, M.; Niranjan, K.

2017-12-01

Equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) is a well-known phenomenon in the equatorial ionospheric F region. As it causes severe scintillation in the amplitude and phase of radio signals, it is important to understand and forecast the occurrence of EPBs from a space weather point of view. The development of EPBs is presently believed as an evolution of the generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability. We have already developed a 3D high-resolution bubble (HIRB) model with a grid spacing of as small as 1 km and presented nonlinear growth of EPBs which shows very turbulent internal structures such as bifurcation and pinching. As EPBs have field-aligned structures, the latitude range that is affected by EPBs depends on the apex altitude of EPBs over the dip equator. However, it was not easy to observe the apex altitude and vertical rise velocity of EPBs. Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) in Indonesia is capable of steering radar beams quickly so that the growth phase of EPBs can be captured clearly. The vertical rise velocities of the EPBs observed around the midnight hours are significantly smaller compared to those observed in postsunset hours. Further, the vertical growth of the EPBs around midnight hours ceases at relatively lower altitudes, whereas the majority of EPBs at postsunset hours found to have grown beyond the maximum detectable altitude of the EAR. The HIRB model with varying background conditions are employed to investigate the possible factors that control the vertical rise velocity and maximum attainable altitudes of EPBs. The estimated rise velocities from EAR observations at both postsunset and midnight hours are, in general, consistent with the nonlinear evolution of EPBs from the HIRB model.

An Enduring Rapidly Moving Storm as a Guide to Saturn's Equatorial Jet's Complex Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanchez-Lavega, A.; Garcia-Melendo, E.; Perez-Hoyos, S.; Hueso, R.; Wong, M. H.; Simon, A.; Sanz-Requena, J. F.; Antunano, A.; Barrado-Izagirre, N.; Garate-Lopez, I.;

EphA2 and Src regulate equatorial cell morphogenesis during lens development

PubMed Central

Cheng, Catherine; Ansari, Moham M.; Cooper, Jonathan A.; Gong, Xiaohua

2013-01-01

High refractive index and transparency of the eye lens require uniformly shaped and precisely aligned lens fiber cells. During lens development, equatorial epithelial cells undergo cell-to-cell alignment to form meridional rows of hexagonal cells. The mechanism that controls this morphogenesis from randomly packed cuboidal epithelial cells to highly organized hexagonal fiber cells remains unknown. In Epha2-/- mouse lenses, equatorial epithelial cells fail to form precisely aligned meridional rows; moreover, the lens fulcrum, where the apical tips of elongating epithelial cells constrict to form an anchor point before fiber cell differentiation and elongation at the equator, is disrupted. Phosphorylated Src-Y424 and cortactin-Y466, actin and EphA2 cluster at the vertices of wild-type hexagonal epithelial cells in organized meridional rows. However, phosphorylated Src and phosphorylated cortactin are not detected in disorganized Epha2-/- cells with altered F-actin distribution. E-cadherin junctions, which are normally located at the basal-lateral ends of equatorial epithelial cells and are diminished in newly differentiating fiber cells, become widely distributed in the apical, lateral and basal sides of epithelial cells and persist in differentiating fiber cells in Epha2-/- lenses. Src-/- equatorial epithelial cells also fail to form precisely aligned meridional rows and lens fulcrum. These results indicate that EphA2/Src signaling is essential for the formation of the lens fulcrum. EphA2 also regulates Src/cortactin/F-actin complexes at the vertices of hexagonal equatorial cells for cell-to-cell alignment. This mechanistic information explains how EphA2 mutations lead to disorganized lens cells that subsequently contribute to altered refractive index and cataracts in humans and mice. PMID:24026120

Estimating new production in the equatorial Pacific Ocean at 150 deg W

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dugdale, Richard C.; Wilkerson, Frances P.; Barber, Richard T.; Chavez, Francisco P.

1992-01-01

A major goal of the WEC88 cruise of the R/V Wecoma to the equatorial Pacific (made in February-March 1988) was to establish rates of new production along a meridional section at 150 deg W and to compare these measured rates with the relatively high values for the equatorial Pacific that had been reported previously using indirect methods and models. Production values were obtained from the traditional approach using N-15 labeled nitrate uptake, and by using C-14 fixation values multiplied by f (proportion of new production) from various sources: from N-15 data, from a C-14 fixation-versus-f relationship, or from a nitrate-versus-f relationship. The ratios of directly measured nitrate and carbon uptake and the ratios of nitrate to nitrate plus ammonium uptake, i.e., values of f, agree well; values of f calculated from carbon uptake or from nitrate concentration are overestimates for the equatorial upwelling region. Carbon-to-nitrogen uptake ratios measured with C-14 and N-15, respectively, approximate the Redfield molar ratio, 6.6 C:N. The overall mean value of f (0.17) helps confirm the view that the low primary production in the enriched eastern equatorial Pacific is due to failure of the nitrate-uptake system.

Larger CO2 source at the equatorial Pacific during the last deglaciation

PubMed Central

Kubota, Kaoru; Yokoyama, Yusuke; Ishikawa, Tsuyoshi; Obrochta, Stephen; Suzuki, Atsushi

2014-01-01

While biogeochemical and physical processes in the Southern Ocean are thought to be central to atmospheric CO2 rise during the last deglaciation, the role of the equatorial Pacific, where the largest CO2 source exists at present, remains largely unconstrained. Here we present seawater pH and pCO2 variations from fossil Porites corals in the mid equatorial Pacific offshore Tahiti based on a newly calibrated boron isotope paleo-pH proxy. Our new data, together with recalibrated existing data, indicate that a significant pCO2 increase (pH decrease), accompanied by anomalously large marine 14C reservoir ages, occurred following not only the Younger Dryas, but also Heinrich Stadial 1. These findings indicate an expanded zone of equatorial upwelling and resultant CO2 emission, which may be derived from higher subsurface dissolved inorganic carbon concentration. PMID:24918354

ENSO-driven nutrient variability recorded by central equatorial Pacific corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaVigne, M.; Nurhati, I. S.; Cobb, K. M.; McGregor, H. V.; Sinclair, D. J.; Sherrell, R. M.

2012-12-01

Recent evidence for shifts in global ocean primary productivity suggests that surface ocean nutrient availability is a key link between global climate and ocean carbon cycling. Time-series records from satellite, in situ buoy sensors, and bottle sampling have documented the impact of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on equatorial Pacific hydrography and broad changes in biogeochemistry since the late 1990's, however, data are sparse prior to this. Here we use a new paleoceanographic nutrient proxy, coral P/Ca, to explore the impact of ENSO on nutrient availability in the central equatorial Pacific at higher-resolution than available from in situ nutrient data. Corals from Christmas (157°W 2°N) and Fanning (159°W 4°N) Islands recorded a well-documented decrease in equatorial upwelling as a ~40% decrease in P/Ca during the 1997-98 ENSO cycle, validating the application of this proxy to Pacific Porites corals. We compare the biogeochemical shifts observed through the 1997-98 event with two pre-TOGA-TAO ENSO cycles (1982-83 and 1986-87) reconstructed from a longer Christmas Island core. All three corals revealed ~30-40% P/Ca depletions during ENSO warming as a result of decreased regional wind stress, thermocline depth, and equatorial upwelling velocity. However, at the termination of each El Niño event, surface nutrients did not return to pre-ENSO levels for ~4-12 months after, SST as a result of increased biological draw down of surface nutrients. These records demonstrate the utility of high-resolution coral nutrient archives for understanding the impact of tropical Pacific climate on the nutrient and carbon cycling of this key region.

Free and Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves Simulated by CMIP5 Climate Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marques, Carlos A. F.; Castanheira, José M.

2015-04-01

It is well known that precipitation in the equatorial belt does not occur randomly, but is often organized into synoptic to planetary-scale disturbances with time scales smaller than a season. Several studies have shown that a large fraction of the convection variability in such disturbances is associated with dynamical Equatorial Waves, such as the Kelvin, Equatorial Rossby, Mixed Rossby-Gravity, Eastward and Westward Inertio-Gravity waves (e.g. Kiladis et al., Rev. Geophys., 2009). The horizontal structures and dispersion characteristics of such Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves (CCEWs) correspond to the solutions of the shallow water (SW) equations on an equatorial β-plane obtained by Matsuno (J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 1966). CCEWs have broad impacts within the tropics, but their simulation in general circulation models is still problematic. Using space-time spectral analyses of a proxy field for tropical convection (e.g. outgoing long wave radiation (OLR)), it has been shown the existence of spectral peaks aligned along the dispersion curves of equatorially trapped wave modes of SW theory, which have been interpreted as the effect of equatorial wave processes (e.g. Takayabu, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 1994; Wheeler and Kiladis, JAS, 1999). However, different equatorial modes may not be well separated in the wavenumber-frequency domain due to a vertical variation of the horizontal basic flow, that may introduce Doppler shiftings and changes in the vertical heating profiles which may distort the theoretical dispersion curves (Yang et al., JAS, 2003). In this communication, we present a new methodology for the diagnosis of CCEWs, which is based on a pre-filtering of the geopotential and horizontal wind, via three-dimensional (3-D) normal mode functions of the adiabatic linearized equations of a resting atmosphere, followed by a space-time power and cross spectral analysis applied to the 3-D normal mode filtered fields and the OLR (or other fields that may be proxies

Longitudinal Variation and Waves in Jupiter's South Equatorial Wind Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon-Miller, A. A.; Rogers, John H.; Gierasch, Peter J.; Choi, David; Allison, Michael; Adamoli, Gianluigi; Mettig, Hans-Joerg

2012-01-01

We have conducted a detailed study of the cloud features in the strong southern equatorial wind jet near 7.5 S planetographic latitude. To understand the apparent variations in average zonal wind jet velocity at this latitude [e.g.. 1,2,3], we have searched for variations iIi both feature latitude and velocity with longitude and time. In particular, we focused on the repetitive chevron-shaped dark spots visible on most dates and the more transient large anticyclonic system known as the South Equatorial Disturbance (SED). These small dark spots are interpreted as cloud holes, and are often used as material tracers of the wind field.

MACSAT - A Near Equatorial Earth Observation Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, B. J.; Park, S.; Kim, E.-E.; Park, W.; Chang, H.; Seon, J.

MACSAT mission was initiated by Malaysia to launch a high-resolution remote sensing satellite into Near Equatorial Orbit (NEO). Due to its geographical location, Malaysia can have large benefits from NEO satellite operation. From the baseline circular orbit of 685 km altitude with 7 degrees of inclination, the neighboring regions around Malaysian territory can be frequently monitored. The equatorial environment around the globe can also be regularly observed with unique revisit characteristics. The primary mission objective of MACSAT program is to develop and validate technologies for a near equatorial orbit remote sensing satellite system. MACSAT is optimally designed to accommodate an electro-optic Earth observation payload, Medium-sized Aperture Camera (MAC). Malaysian and Korean joint engineering teams are formed for the effective implementation of the satellite system. An integrated team approach is adopted for the joint development for MACSAT. MAC is a pushbroom type camera with 2.5 m of Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) in panchromatic band and 5 m of GSD in four multi-spectral bands. The satellite platform is a mini-class satellite. Including MAC payload, the satellite weighs under 200 kg. Spacecraft bus is designed optimally to support payload operations during 3 years of mission life. The payload has 20 km of swath width with +/- 30 o of tilting capability. 32 Gbits of solid state recorder is implemented as the mass image storage. The ground element is an integrated ground station for mission control and payload operation. It is equipped with S- band up/down link for commanding and telemetry reception as well as 30 Mbps class X-band down link for image reception and processing. The MACSAT system is capable of generating 1:25,000-scale image maps. It is also anticipated to have capability for cross-track stereo imaging for Digital elevation Model (DEM) generation.

Observational features of equatorial coronal hole jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisticò, G.; Bothmer, V.; Patsourakos, S.; Zimbardo, G.

2010-03-01

Collimated ejections of plasma called "coronal hole jets" are commonly observed in polar coronal holes. However, such coronal jets are not only a specific features of polar coronal holes but they can also be found in coronal holes appearing at lower heliographic latitudes. In this paper we present some observations of "equatorial coronal hole jets" made up with data provided by the STEREO/SECCHI instruments during a period comprising March 2007 and December 2007. The jet events are selected by requiring at least some visibility in both COR1 and EUVI instruments. We report 15 jet events, and we discuss their main features. For one event, the uplift velocity has been determined as about 200 km s-1, while the deceleration rate appears to be about 0.11 km s-2, less than solar gravity. The average jet visibility time is about 30 min, consistent with jet observed in polar regions. On the basis of the present dataset, we provisionally conclude that there are not substantial physical differences between polar and equatorial coronal hole jets.

Long-term trend of Pacific South Equatorial Current bifurcation over 1950-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Fangguo; Hu, Dunxin; Wang, Qingye; Wang, Fujun

2014-05-01

This study investigates the long-term change of the Pacific South Equatorial Current (SEC) bifurcation latitude (SBL) over 1950-2010 with Simple Ocean Data Assimilation version 2.2.4. Results indicate that the SBL averaged within upper 200 m has migrated southward at 0.020°S yr-1, comparable in magnitude with -0.024°N yr-1 for the North Equatorial Current bifurcation latitude (NBL). The SEC transport into the Coral Sea has increased. Due to the southward SBL migration, most of the increased SEC water was transported equatorward, contributing to the Equatorial Undercurrent intensification. Experiments with a nonlinear 1.5 layer reduced gravity model indicate that the southward migration of SBL is mainly caused by positive Ekman flux divergence trend in the eastern tropical South Pacific, while that of NBL is caused by negative Ekman flux divergence trend in the western tropical North Pacific.

Equatorial cavities on asteroids, an evidence of fission events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tardivel, Simon; Sánchez, Paul; Scheeres, Daniel J.

2018-04-01

This paper investigates the equatorial cavities found on asteroids 2008 EV5 and 2000 DP107 Alpha. As the likelihood of these cavities being impact craters is demonstrated to be low, the paper presents a fission mechanism that explains their existence as a scar of past fission events. The dynamical environment of "top-shaped" asteroids is such that, at high spin rates, an identifiable equatorial region enters into tension before the rest of the body. We propose hypothetical past shapes for 2008 EV5 and 2000 DP107, with mass added within the cavity to recreate a smoother equatorial ridge. The dynamical environment of these hypothetical parent bodies reveal that this modified region is indeed set in tension when spin is increased. The fission process requires tensile strength at the interface between the ejecta and the remaining body, at the moment of fission, between 0 and 2 Pa for 2008 EV5 and between 0 and 15 Pa for 2000 DP107, depending on the precise fission scenario considered. Going back to the spin-up deformation phase of the asteroids, the paper examines how kinetic sieving can form predominantly rocky equators, whose tensile strength could be much lower than that of the rest of the body. This process could explain the low cohesion values implied for this fission mechanism.

Preface: C/NOFS Results and Equatorial Ionospheric Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klenzing, J.; de La Beaujardiere, O.; Gentile, L. C.; Retterer, J.; Rodrigues, F. S.; Stoneback, R. A.

2014-01-01

The Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite was launched into orbit in April 2008 as part of an ongoing effort to understand and identify plasma irregularities that adversely impact the propagation of radio waves in the upper atmosphere. Combined with recent improvements in radar, airglow, and ground-based studies, as well as state-of-the-art modeling techniques, the C/NOFS mission has led to new insights into equatorial ionospheric electrodynamics. In order to document these advances, the C/NOFS Results and Equatorial Dynamics Technical Interchange Meeting was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 12 to 14 March 2013. The meeting was a great success with 55 talks and 22 posters, and covered topics including the numerical simulations of plasma irregularities, the effects of atmospheric tides, stratospheric phenomena, and magnetic storms on the upper atmosphere, causes and predictions of scintillation-causing ionospheric irregularities, current and future instrumentation efforts in the equatorial region. The talks were broken into the following three topical sessions: A. Ambient Ionosphere and Thermosphere B. Transient Phenomena in the Low-Latitude Ionosphere C. New Missions, New Sensors, New Science and Engineering Issues. The following special issue was planned as a follow-up to the meeting. We would like to thank Mike Pinnock, the editors and staff of Copernicus, and our reviewers for their work in bringing this special issue to the scientific community. Our thanks also go to Patricia Doherty and the meeting organizing committee for arranging the C/NOFS Technical Interchange Meeting.

Dynamics of Whistler-mode Waves Below LHR Frequency: Application for the Equatorial Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balikhin, M. A.; Shklyar, D. R.

2017-12-01

Plasma waves that are regularly observed in the vicinity of geomagnetic equator since 1970's are often referred to as "equatorial noise" or "equatorial magnetosonic" emission. Currently, it is accepted that these waves can have significant effects on both the processes of loss and acceleration of energetic electrons within the radiation belts. A model to explain the observed features of the equatorial noise is presented. It is assumed that the loss-cone instability of supra-thermal ions is the reason for their generation. It is argued that as these waves propagate their growth/damping rate changes and, therefore the integral wave amplification is more important to explain observed spectral features than the local growth rate. The qualitative correspondence of Cluster observations with dynamical spectra arising from the model is shown.

Meteorology of Jupiter's Equatorial Hot Spots and Plumes from Cassini

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, David Sanghun; Showman, Adam P.; Vasavada, Ashwin R.; Simon-Miller, Amy A.

2013-01-01

We present an updated analysis of Jupiter's equatorial meteorology from Cassini observations. For two months preceding the spacecraft's closest approach, the Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) onboard regularly imaged the atmosphere. We created time-lapse movies from this period in order to analyze the dynamics of equatorial hot spots and their interactions with adjacent latitudes. Hot spots are relatively cloud-free regions that emit strongly at 5 lm; improved knowledge of these features is crucial for fully understanding Galileo probe measurements taken during its descent through one. Hot spots are quasistable, rectangular dark areas on visible-wavelength images, with defined eastern edges that sharply contrast with surrounding clouds, but diffuse western edges serving as nebulous boundaries with adjacent equatorial plumes. Hot spots exhibit significant variations in size and shape over timescales of days and weeks. Some of these changes correspond with passing vortex systems from adjacent latitudes interacting with hot spots. Strong anticyclonic gyres present to the south and southeast of the dark areas appear to circulate into hot spots. Impressive, bright white plumes occupy spaces in between hot spots. Compact cirrus-like 'scooter' clouds flow rapidly through the plumes before disappearing within the dark areas. These clouds travel at 150-200 m/s, much faster than the 100 m/s hot spot and plume drift speed. This raises the possibility that the scooter clouds may be more illustrative of the actual jet stream speed at these latitudes. Most previously published zonal wind profiles represent the drift speed of the hot spots at their latitude from pattern matching of the entire longitudinal image strip. If a downward branch of an equatorially-trapped Rossby wave controls the overall appearance of hot spots, however, the westward phase velocity of the wave leads to underestimates of the true jet stream speed.

Integrated bio-magnetostratigraphy of ODP Site 709 (equatorial Indian Ocean).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, Giuliana; Fioroni, Chiara; Florindo, Fabio

2015-04-01

Over the last decade, calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the lower Eocene-Oligocene sediments has shown great potential, through identification of several new nannofossil species and bioevents (e.g. Fornaciari et al., 2010; Bown and Dunkley Jones, 2012; Toffanin et al., 2013). These studies formed the basis for higher biostratigraphic resolution leading to definition of a new nannofossil biozonation (Agnini et al., 2014). In this study, we investigate the middle Eocene-lower Oligocene sediments from ODP Hole 709C (ODP Leg 115) by means of calcareous nannofossils and magnetostratigraphy. Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 709 was located in the equatorial Indian Ocean and biostratigraphy has been investigated in the nineties (Okada, 1990; Fornaciari et al., 1990) while paleomagnetic data from the Initial Report provided only a poorly constrained magnetostratigraphic interpretation, thus the cored succession was dated only by means of biostratigraphy. Our goal is to test the reliability in the Indian Ocean of the biohorizons recently identified at Site 711 (Fioroni et al., in press), by means of high resolution sampling, new taxonomic updates, quantitative analyses on calcareous nannofossils allowed to increase the number of useful bioevents and to compare their reliability and synchroneity. The new magnetostratigraphic analyses and integrated stratigraphy allow also to achieve an accurate biochronology of the time interval spanning Chrons C20 (middle Eocene) and C12 (early Oligocene). In addition, this equatorial site represents an opportunity to study the carbonate accumulation history and the large fluctuations of the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) during the Eocene (e.g. Pälike et al., 2012). The investigated interval encompasses the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO), and the long cooling trend that leads to the Oligocene glacial state. By means of our new bio-magnetostratigraphic data and paleoecological results we provide further insights on

Rocket observations of electron-density irregularities in the equatorial ionosphere below 200 km

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klaus, D. E.; Smith, L. G.

1978-01-01

Nike Apache rockets carring instrumentation to measure electron density and its fine structure in the equatorial ionosphere were launched from Chilca, Peru in May and June 1975. The fine structure experiment and the data reduction system are described. Results obtained from this system are presented and compared with those obtained by VHF radar and from other rocket studies. A description of the equatorial ionosphere and its features is also presented.

Characteristics of Volcanic Stratospheric Aerosol Layer Observed by CALIOP and Ground Based Lidar at Equatorial Atmosphere Radar Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abo, Makoto; Shibata, Yasukuni; Nagasawa, Chikao

2018-04-01

We investigated the relation between major tropical volcanic eruptions in the equatorial region and the stratospheric aerosol data, which have been collected by the ground based lidar observations at at Equatorial Atmosphere Radar site between 2004 and 2015 and the CALIOP observations in low latitude between 2006 and 2015. We found characteristic dynamic behavior of volcanic stratospheric aerosol layers over equatorial region.

Equatorial ion composition, 140-200 km, based on Atmosphere Explorer E data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, N. J.; Grebowsky, J. M.; Hedin, A. E.; Spencer, N. W.

1993-01-01

We have used in situ measurements of ion composition and horizontal winds, taken from equatorial orbiting Atmosphere Explorer E in eccentric orbit during 1975-1976 to investigate the bottomside ionosphere at altitudes 140-200 km. Representative daytime altitude profiles of ionization were stable against wide variations in horizontal wind patterns. Special features that sometimes appeared in the structured nightside ionization were apparent ion composition waves, intermediate layers of enhanced ionization, and ionization depletions similar to equatorial ionization bubbles. Apparent ion composition waves displayed a horizontal wave length of about 650 km. Enhanced layers of ionization appeared to be newly separated from the bottomside midnight F layer; its ions were primarily NO(+) and O2(+) without significant densities of metallic ions, an indication that metallic ions are not required to produce the layers at altitudes above 140 km. Equatorial ionization depletions were observed at lower altitudes than previously reported and displayed molecular ion depletions as well as O(+) depletions.

Optimal Joint Remote State Preparation of Arbitrary Equatorial Multi-qudit States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Tao; Jiang, Min

2017-03-01

As an important communication technology, quantum information transmission plays an important role in the future network communication. It involves two kinds of transmission ways: quantum teleportation and remote state preparation. In this paper, we put forward a new scheme for optimal joint remote state preparation (JRSP) of an arbitrary equatorial two-qudit state with hybrid dimensions. Moreover, the receiver can reconstruct the target state with 100 % success probability in a deterministic manner via two spatially separated senders. Based on it, we can extend it to joint remote preparation of arbitrary equatorial multi-qudit states with hybrid dimensions using the same strategy.

Solar Cycle Effects on Equatorial Electrojet Strength and Low Latitude Ionospheric Variability (P10)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veenadhari, B.; Alex, S.

2006-11-01

veena_iig@yahoo.co.in The most obvious indicators of the activity of a solar cycle are sunspots, flares, plages, and soon. These are intimately linked to the solar magnetic fields, heliospheric processes which exhibit complex but systematic variations. The changes in geomagnetic activity, as observed in the ground magnetic records follow systematic correspondence with the solar activity conditions. Thus the transient variations in the magnetic field get modified by differing solar conditions. Also the solar cycle influences the Earth causing changes in geomagnetic activity, the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. Daily variations in the ground magnetic field are produced by different current systems in the earth’s space environment flowing in the ionosphere and magnetosphere which has a strong dependence on latitude and longitude of the location. The north-south (Horizontal) configuration of the earth’s magnetic field over the equator is responsible for the narrow band of current system over the equatorial latitudes and is called the Equatorial electrojet (EEJ) and is a primary driver for Equatorial Ionization anomaly (EIA). Equatorial electric fields and plasma drifts play the fundamental roles on the morphology of the low latitude ionosphere and strongly vary during geomagnetically quiet and disturbed periods. Quantitative study is done to illustrate the development process of EEJ and its influence on ionospheric parameters. An attempt is also made to examine and discuss the response of the equatorial electrojet parameters to the fast varying conditions of solar wind and interplanetary parameters.

Bispectral analysis of equatorial spread F density irregularities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labelle, J.; Lund, E. J.

1992-01-01

Bispectral analysis has been applied to density irregularities at frequencies 5-30 Hz observed with a sounding rocket launched from Peru in March 1983. Unlike the power spectrum, the bispectrum contains statistical information about the phase relations between the Fourier components which make up the waveform. In the case of spread F data from 475 km the 5-30 Hz portion of the spectrum displays overall enhanced bicoherence relative to that of the background instrumental noise and to that expected due to statistical considerations, implying that the observed f exp -2.5 power law spectrum has a significant non-Gaussian component. This is consistent with previous qualitative analyses. The bicoherence has also been calculated for simulated equatorial spread F density irregularities in approximately the same wavelength regime, and the resulting bispectrum has some features in common with that of the rocket data. The implications of this analysis for equatorial spread F are discussed, and some future investigations are suggested.

Vertical rise velocity of equatorial plasma bubbles estimated from Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) observations and HIRB model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulasi Ram, S.; Ajith, K. K.; Yokoyama, T.; Yamamoto, M.; Niranjan, K.

2017-06-01

The vertical rise velocity (Vr) and maximum altitude (Hm) of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were estimated using the two-dimensional fan sector maps of 47 MHz Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR), Kototabang, during May 2010 to April 2013. A total of 86 EPBs were observed out of which 68 were postsunset EPBs and remaining 18 EPBs were observed around midnight hours. The vertical rise velocities of the EPBs observed around the midnight hours are significantly smaller ( 26-128 m/s) compared to those observed in postsunset hours ( 45-265 m/s). Further, the vertical growth of the EPBs around midnight hours ceases at relatively lower altitudes, whereas the majority of EPBs at postsunset hours found to have grown beyond the maximum detectable altitude of the EAR. The three-dimensional numerical high-resolution bubble (HIRB) model with varying background conditions are employed to investigate the possible factors that control the vertical rise velocity and maximum attainable altitudes of EPBs. The estimated rise velocities from EAR observations at both postsunset and midnight hours are, in general, consistent with the nonlinear evolution of EPBs from the HIRB model. The smaller vertical rise velocities (Vr) and lower maximum altitudes (Hm) of EPBs during midnight hours are discussed in terms of weak polarization electric fields within the bubble due to weaker background electric fields and reduced background ion density levels.