Progress of International Meridian Circle Program

In 2024,the Chinese Meridian Project(CMP)completed its construction,deploying 282 instruments across 31 stations.This achievement not only provides a robust foundation but also serves as a reference template for the International Meridian Circle Program(IMCP).The IMCP aims to integrate and establish a comprehensive network of ground-based monitoring stations designed to track the propagation of space weather events from the Sun to Earth.Additionally,it monitors various disturbances generated within the Earth system that impact geospace.Over the past two years,significant progress has been made on the IMCP.In particular,the second phase of construction for the China-Brazil Joint Laboratory for Space Weather has been completed,and the North Pole and Southeast Asia networks are under active construction.The 2024 IMCP joint observation campaign was successfully conducted.To facilitate these developments,the scientific program committee of IMCP was established,following the success of 2023 IMCP workshop and the space weather school,which was co-hosted with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization(APSCO)and sponsored by Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)and Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics(SCOSTEP).Preparations are now underway for the 2024 workshop in collaboration with the National Institute for Space Research(INPE)in Brazil.

基于非相干散射雷达和GPS观测研究Millstone Hill地区等离子体层电子含量

本文尝试结合非相干散射雷达和GPS TEC观测数据提取等离子体层总电子含量(PTEC).我们首先描述所用的技术方法,然后具体利用了Millstone Hill台站的观测数据研究该地区上空等离子体层总电子含量(PTEC)的变化情况.我们采用变化标高的Chapman函数对非相干散射雷达测得的电子浓度剖面数据进行拟合,然后通过对剖面积分得到100km到1000km高度范围的电离层总电子含量.GPS提供的TEC数据为高度达20200km的总电子含量,两者之差可近似看成等离子体层的电子含量.本文分别选取太阳活动高年(2000,2002年)和太阳活动低年(2005,2008年)Millstone Hill台站的静日数据进行研究.结果表明,等离子体层电子含量及其所占GPSTEC的比例具有明显的周日变化.PTEC含量在白天高于夜间,而所占GPS TEC的百分比,夜间明显高于白天.太阳活动高年所选月份等离子体层电子含量在4～14TECU(1TECU=1016el/m2)范围内变化,夜间所占比例可达60%左右.太阳活动低年所选月份等离子体层电子含量在3～7TECU范围内变化,所占比例夜间最高可达80%左右.我们所得到的结果与前人基于其它观测手段所得结果在变化趋势上一致,在量级上也大致相当.因此,这从一个侧面证明了我们所用方法的可靠性.非相干散射雷达能够探测包括F2层峰值以下及以上高度的电子浓度,利用这一设备所观测得到的资料来推算电离层电子含量将比前人基于电离层垂测仪观测资料进行的推算更具真实性,由此得到的等离子体层电子含量也将更为接近真实情况.

Nighttime meridional neutral wind responses to SAPS simulated by the TIEGCM:A universal time effect

The present work uses the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model(TIEGCM),under geomagnetically disturbed conditions that are closely related to the southward interplanetary magnetic field(IMF),to investigate how the nighttime poleward wind(30°–50°magnetic latitude and 19–22 magnetic local time)responds to subauroral polarization streams(SAPS)that commence at different universal times(UTs).The SAPS effects on the poleward winds show a remarkable UT variation,with weaker magnitudes at 00 and 12 UT than at 06 and 18 UT.The strongest poleward wind emerges when SAPS commence at 06 UT,and the weakest poleward wind develops when SAPS occur at 00 UT.A diagnostic analysis of model results shows that the pressure gradient is more prominent for the developing of the poleward wind at 00 and 12 UT.Meanwhile,the effect of ion drag is important in the modulation of the poleward wind velocity at 06 and 18 UT.This is caused by the misalignment of the geomagnetic and geographic coordinate systems,resulting in a large component of ion drag in the geographically northward(southward)direction due to channel orientation of the SAPS at 06 and 18 UT(00 and 12 UT).The Coriolis force effect induced by westward winds maximizes(minimizes)when SAPS commence at 12 UT(00 UT).The centrifugal force due to the accelerated westward winds shows similar UT variations as the Coriolis force,but with an opposite effect.

HⅠ emission from the red giant Y CVn with the VLA and FAST

Imaging studies with the Very Large Array（VLA） have revealed H I emission associated with the extended circumstellar shells of red giants. We analyze the spectral map obtained on Y CVn, a J-type carbon star on the Asymptotic Giant Branch. The H I line profiles can be interpreted with a model of a detached shell resulting from the interaction of a stellar outflow with the local interstellar medium.We reproduce the spectral map by introducing a distortion along a direction corresponding to the star＇s motion in space. We then use this fitting to simulate observations expected from the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope（FAST）, and discuss its potential for improving our description of the outer regions of circumstellar shells.

Monitoring the geospace response to the Great American Solar Eclipse on 21 August 2017

Since ancient times,solar eclipses have fascinated—and sometimes terrified—humankind.Solar eclipses are direct sensory experiences.As the sun vanishes from the sky,birds fall silent during the midday twilight.Modern instrumentation has enabled research into the consequences of this sudden change in irradiation within the upper atmosphere.For the first time in 26 years。

East Asian VLBI Network observations of active galactic nuclei jets:imaging with KaVA+Tianma+Nanshan

The East Asian Very Long Baseline Interferometry(VLBI) Network(EAVN) is a rapidly evolving international VLBI array that is currently promoted under joint efforts among China,Japan and Korea.EAVN aims at forming a joint VLBI Network by combining a large number of radio telescopes distributed over East Asian regions.After the combination of the Korean VLBI Network(KVN) and the VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry(VERA) into Ka VA,further expansion with the joint array in East Asia is actively promoted.Here we report the first imaging results(at 22 and 43 GHz) of bright radio sources obtained with Ka VA connected to Tianma 65-m and Nanshan 26-m Radio Telescopes in China.To test the EAVN imaging performance for different sources,we observed four active galactic nuclei(AGN) having different brightness and morphology.As a result,we confirmed that the Tianma 65-m Radio Telescope(TMRT) significantly enhances the overall array sensitivity,a factor of 4 improvement in baseline sensitivity and 2 in image dynamic range compared to the case of Ka VA only.The addition of the Nanshan 26-m Radio Telescope(NSRT) further doubled the east-west angular resolution.With the resulting high-dynamic-range,high-resolution images with EAVN(Ka VA+TMRT+NSRT),various fine-scale structures in our targets,such as the counter-jet in M87,a kink-like morphology of the 3 C 273 jet and the weak emission in other sources are successfully detected.This demonstrates the powerful capability of EAVN to study AGN jets and to achieve other science goals in general.Ongoing expansion of EAVN will further enhance the angular resolution,detection sensitivity and frequency coverage of the network.

2002～2003年SSW期间东亚扇区电离层南北赤道异常峰经向运动

研究2002~2003年平流层突然增温(SSW)期间,东亚扇区电离层赤道异常南北峰位置的变化特征.通过与该期间平流层再分析数据(温度、风速)、电离层赤道电激流(EEJ)强度、地磁活动指数以及太阳辐射指数比较,分析了赤道异常南北峰变化的机理.结果表明,在SSW期间,南北峰均出现大尺度的准16日周期性经向运动,这种经向运动(赤道异常峰位置的周期振荡)与EEJ强度变化相关,两者在准16日周期振荡上存在同相关系,而与太阳活动和地磁活动无明显关系.此外,赤道异常峰的平均位置及其准16日周期振荡的振幅都具有南北不对称性.在位置上,赤道异常南峰比赤道异常北峰更远离磁赤道,在振幅上南峰强于北峰.在南北峰位置不对称性方面,需要结合低纬度地区电离层高度的跨赤道中性风和太阳直射点等因素进行综合分析,而SSW期间大气中性风的变化可能会增加低纬度地区电离层动力学过程的复杂性.

Ionospheric longitudinal variations at midlatitudes: Incoherent scatter radar observation at Millstone Hill

Incoherent scatter radar （ISR） extra-wide coverage experiments during the period of 1978-2011 at Millstone Hill are used to investigate longitudinal differences in electron density. This work is motivated by a recent finding of the US east-west coast difference in TEC suggesting a combined effect of changing geomagnetic declination and zonal winds. The current study pro- vides strong supporting evidence of the longitudinal change and the plausible mechanism by examining the climatology of electron density Ne on both east and west sides of the radar with a longitude separation of up to 40% for different heights within 300-450 kin. Main findings include： 1） The east-west difference can be up to 60% and varies over the course of the day, being positive （East side Ne 〉 West side Ne） in the late evening, and negative （West side Ne 〉 East side Ne） in the pre-noon. 2） The east-west difference exists throughout the year. The positive （relative） difference is most pronounced in winter; the negative （relative） difference is most pronounced in early spring and later summer. 3） The east-west difference tends to enhance toward decreasing solar activity, however, with some seasonal dependence; the enhancements in the positive and negative differences do not take place simultaneously. 4） Both times of largest positive and largest negative east-west differences in Ne are earlier in summer and later in winter. The two times differ by 12-13 h, which remains constant throughout the year. 5） Variations at different heights from 300-450 km are similar. Zonal wind climatology above Millstone Hill is found to be perfectly consistent with what is expected based on the electron density difference between the east and west sides of the site. The magnetic declination-zonal wind mechanism is true for other longitude sectors as well, and may be used to understand longitudinal variations elsewhere. It may also be used to derive thermospheric zonal winds.

国际子午圈计划的科学挑战和观测系统

随着科技发展,人类活动对地面基础设施、空间系统和太空飞行器等高科技设施的依赖性日益增强.然而,这些高科技设施却常常遭受着来自太阳活动、地震、大气和气候变化、地磁场变化,以及全球电场波动等多种危害的威胁.监测和了解这些危害,并减轻其影响,是21世纪重要的科学挑战之一.这些危害尽管形式不同,但是有一个共同之处是会在电离层和中高层大气这个地球空间环境的关键圈层留下自己的印记.国际子午圈计划是一项由中国科学院牵头的国际大科学计划,其目标是整合、部署和运行一个全球研究和监测网络,充分利用电离层和中高层大气的"显示屏"效果来追踪这些日地空间危害的踪迹.文章展示了国际子午圈计划全球观测系统所需的位置分布,即优先沿120°E~60°W大子午圈部署监测设备,实现对主要地理和地磁纬度变化的最佳覆盖,继而辅之以30°E~150°W的第二个子午圈来捕捉经度变化.而后简单地描述了中国子午工程,以及横跨中国、俄罗斯和美洲的一些国家在内的120°E~60°W大子午圈上的监测台站和设备.

Scientific challenges and instrumentation for the International Meridian Circle Program

Earth’s ecosystems and human activities are threatened by a broad spectrum of hazards of major importance for the safety of ground infrastructures,space systems and space flight:solar activity,earthquakes,atmospheric and climatic disturbances,changes in the geomagnetic field,fluctuations of the global electric circuit.Monitoring and understanding these major hazards to better predict and mitigate their effects is one of the greatest scientific and operational challenges of the 21st century.Though diverse,these hazards share one feature in common:they all leave their characteristic imprints on a critical layer of the Earth’s environment:its ionosphere,middle and upper atmosphere(IMUA).The objective of the International Meridian Circle Program(IMCP),a major international program led by the Chines Academy of Sciences(CAS),is to deploy,integrate and operate a global network of research and monitoring instruments to use the IMUA as a screen on which to detect these imprints.In this article,we first show that the geometry required for the IMCP global observation system leads to a deployment of instruments in priority along the 120°E-60°W great meridian circle,which will cover in an optimal way both the dominant geographic and geomagnetic latitude variations,possibly complemented by a second Great Circle along the 30°E-150°W meridians to capture longitude variations.Then,starting from the Chinese Meridian Project(CMP)network and using it as a template,we give a preliminary and promising description of the instruments to be integrated and deployed along the 120°E-60°W great circle running across China,Australia and the Americas.

Cold plasma redistribution throughout geospace

The redistribution of the electrically charged cold plasma of ionospheric origin involves the equatorial,low,mid,auroral,and polar-latitude regions in a multi-step,system-wide process linking the regions of geospace.Observations with ground and space-based instruments characterize the geospace plume-regularly occurring channels of enhanced plasma density flowing at both ionospheric and magnetospheric altitudes.Convection in the SAPS channel transports the eroded material to the noontime cusp in the ionosphere and to the dayside magnetopause at high altitudes.As the fluxes of cold plume plasma traverse the cusp and enter the polar cap,they form the polar tongue of ionization.At the cusp the plume plasma provides a rich source of heavy ions for the magnetospheric injection and acceleration via the mechanisms operative on those field lines.

Observations of the step-like accelerating processes of cold ions in the reconnection layer at the dayside magnetopause

Cold ions of plasmaspheric origin have been observed to abundantly appear in the magnetospheric side of the Earth's magnetopause. These cold ions could affect the magnetic reconnection processes at the magnetopause by changing the Alfvén velocity and the reconnection rate, while they could also be heated in the reconnection layer during the ongoing reconnections. We report in situ observations from a partially crossing of a reconnection layer near the subsolar magnetopause. During this crossing, step-like accelerating processes of the cold ions were clearly observed, suggesting that the inflow cold ions may be separately accelerated by the rotation discontinuity and slow shock inside the reconnection layer.

Meridional movement of northern and southern equatorial ionization anomaly crests in the East-Asian sector during 2002-2003SSW

The present paper investigates the asymmetrical variability of the location of the north and the south equatorial ionization anomaly(EIA) crests in the East-Asian sector,along with their association with simultaneous observations of equatorial electrojet(EEJ) strength,geomagnetic activity index,and solar flux index during the 2002-2003 sudden stratospheric wanning(SSW) event.Analysis of these observations indicates the existence of a large-scale quasi 16-day periodic meridional movement in both EIA crests,and also reveals a strong correlation between the quasi 16-day oscillation in geomagnetic latitudes of the EIA crest and EEJ strength.The latitude of the northern/southern EIA crest and the EEJ strength indicate that obvious synchronous periodic oscillations were in-phase in the northern and southern hemisphere when the SSW occurred.In addition,it is also found that both the EIA crest location and amplitude of the periodic movement of the EIA locations exhibit hemispheric asymmetry.The amplitude of the periodic movement of the EIA location in the southern hemisphere is larger than that of the northern hemisphere,and the southern EIA crest is further off from the equator than the north one.Understanding these asymmetries requires a combination of mechanisms that involve at least trans-equator meridional winds and the position of a sub-solar point;however,potential disturbances in neutral winds associated with the SSW may additionally complicate the equatorial ionospheric dynamics.

The nighttime ionospheric response and occurrence of equatorial plasma irregularities during geomagnetic storms:a case study

Recent studies revealed that the long-lasting daytime ionospheric enhancements of Total Electron Content(TEC)were sometimes observed in the Asian sector during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms e.g.,Lei(J Geophys Res Space Phys 123:3217-3232,2018),Li(J Geophys Res Space Phys 125:e2020JA028238,2020).However,they focused only on the dayside ionosphere,and no dedicated studies have been performed to investigate the nighttime ionospheric behavior during such kinds of storm recovery phases.In this study,we focused on two geomagnetic storms that happened on 7-8 September 2017 and 25-26 August 2018,which showed the prominent daytime TEC enhancements in the Asian sector during their recovery phases,to explore the nighttime large-scale ionospheric responses as well as the small-scale Equatorial Plasma Irregularities(EPIs).It is found that during the September 2017 storm recovery phase,the nighttime ionosphere in the American sector is largely depressed,which is similar to the daytime ionospheric response in the same longitude sector;while in the Asian sector,only a small TEC increase is observed at nighttime,which is much weaker than the prominent daytime TEC enhancement in this longitude sector.During the recovery phase of the August 2018 storm,a slight TEC increase is observed on the night side at all longitudes,which is also weaker than the prominent daytime TEC enhancement.For the small-scale EPIs,they are enhanced and extended to higher latitudes during the main phase of both storms.However,during the recovery phases of the first storm,the EPIs are largely enhanced and suppressed in the Asian and American sectors,respectively,while no prominent nighttime EPIs are observed during the second storm recovery phase.The clear north-south asymmetry of equatorial ionization anomaly crests during the second storm should be responsible for the suppression of EPIs during this storm.In addition,our results also suggest that the dusk side ionospheric response could be affected by the daytime ionospheric plasma density/TEC variations during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms,which further modulates the vertical plasma drift and plasma gradient.As a result,the growth rate of post-sunset EPIs will be enhanced or inhibited.