Cathode erosion site distributions in an applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thruster

Erosion can influence cathode life,and is thus considered to be one of the main factors limiting the application of applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters.In this paper,erosion sites on graphite cathodes are studied so as to identify the influence of applied magnetic field and the ratio of propellant mass flow rate supplied from cathode and anode.The experiment results show that the application of applied magnetic field can significantly reduce the erosion rate of the cathode compared to that without magnetic field.The erosion sites on the cathode vary with the relative position of the convergent-divergent magnetic field,and are mainly distributed in the divergent part of the field.The erosion sites on the cathodes are found to be related to the propellant supply.The decreasing anode mass flow rate enlarges the range of erosion.These results are much helpful for the analysis of cathode erosion site location since they provide evidences of erosion mechanisms and point out the directions for further research.

China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite search coil magnetometerdata and initial results

Four levels of the data from the search coil magnetometer(SCM) onboard the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite(CSES)are defined and described. The data in different levels all contain three components of the waveform and/or spectrum of the induced magnetic field around the orbit in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 20 kHz; these are divided into an ultra-low-frequency band(ULF,10–200 Hz), an extremely low frequency band(ELF, 200–2200 Hz), and a very low frequency band(VLF, 1.8–20 kHz). Examples of data products for Level-2, Level-3, and Level-4 are presented. The initial results obtained in the commission test phase demonstrated that the SCM was in a normal operational status and that the data are of high enough quality to reliably capture most space weather events related to low-frequency geomagnetic disturbances.

Ionospheric TEC and plasma anomalies possibly associated with the 14 July 2019 M_(w) 7.2 Indonesia Laiwui earthquake,from analysis of GPS and CSES data

This study presents signatures of seismo-ionospheric perturbations possibly related to the 14 July 2019 M_(w)7.2 Laiwui earthquake,detected by a cross-validation analysis of total electron content(TEC)data of the global ionospheric map(GIM)from GPS and plasma parameter data recorded by the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite(CSES).After separating pre-seismic ionospheric phenomena from the ionospheric disturbances due to the magnetospheric and solar activities,we have identified three positive temporal anomalies,around the epicenter,at 1 day,3 days and 8 days before the earthquake(14 July 2019),along with a negative anomaly 6 days after the earthquake.These results agree well with the TEC spatial variations in latitude-longitude-time(LLT)maps.To confirm these anomalies further,we employed the moving mean method(MMM)to analyze ionospheric plasma parameters(electron,O^(+) and He^(+) densities)recorded by the Langmuir probe(LAP)and Plasma Analyzer Package(PAP)onboard the CSES.The analysis detected on,on Day Two,Day Four,and Day Seven before the earthquake,remarkable enhancements along the orbits around when in proximity to the epicenter.To make the investigations still more convincing,we compared the orbits on which anomalous readings were recorded to their corresponding four nearest revisiting orbits;the comparison did indeed indicate the existence of plasma parameter anomalies that appear to be associated with the Laiwui earthquake.All these results ilustrate that the unusual ionospheric perturbations detected through GPS and CSES data are possibly associated with the M_(w)7.2 Laiwui earthquake,which suggests that at least some earthquakes may be predicted by alertness to pre-seismic ionospheric anomalies over regions known to be at seismic risk.This case study also contributes additional information of value to our understanding of lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling.

Wavenumber-4 spectral component extracted from TIMED/SABER observations

The wavenumber spectral components WN4 at the mesosphere and low thermosphere(MLT)altitudes(70–10 km)and in the latitude range between±45°are obtained from temperature data(T)observed by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry(SABER)instruments on board the National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)’s Thermosphere–Ionosphere–Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics(TIMED)spacecraft during the 11-year solar period from 2002 to 2012.We analyze in detail these spectral components WNk and obtain the main properties of their vertical profiles and global structures.We report that all of the wavenumber spectral components WNk occur mainly around 100 km altitude,and that the most prominent component is the wavenumber spectral component WN4 structure.Comparing these long duration temperature data with results of previous investigations,we have found that the yearly variation of spectral component WN4 is similar to that of the eastward propagating non-migrating diurnal tide with zonal wavenumber 3(DE3)at the low latitudes,and to that of the semi-diurnal tide with zonal wavenumber 2(SE2)at the mid-latitudes:the amplitudes of the A4 are larger during boreal summer and autumn at the low-latitudes;at the mid-latitudes the amplitudes have a weak peak in March.In addition,the amplitudes of component WN4 undergo a remarkable short period variation:significant day-to-day variation of the spectral amplitudes A4 occurs primarily in July and September at the low-latitudes.In summary,we conclude that the non-migrating tides DE3 and SE2 are likely to be the origins,at the low-latitudes and the mid-latitudes in the MLT region,respectively,of the observed wavenumber spectral component WN4.

On the ion distributions at the separatrices during symmetric magnetic reconnection

A particle-in-cell simulation of symmetric reconnection with zero guide field is carried out to understand the dynamics of ions along the separatrices.Through the investigation of ion velocity distributions at different moments and locations along the separatrices,a typical distribution is found:two counter-streaming populations in the perpendicular direction,with another two populations accelerated into distinct energy levels in the parallel direction.Backward tracing of ions reveals that the counter-streaming cores are mostly composed of ions initially located at the same side of the separatrix,while the other two accelerated populations in the parallel direction are composed of ions crossing through the neutral sheet.Through analysis of energy conversion of these populations,it is found that the ion energization along the separatrix is attributable primarily to the Hall electric field,while that in the region between the two separatrices is caused primarily by the induced reconnection electric field.For the counter-streaming population,the low-energy ions that cross the separatrix twice are affected by both Hall and reconnection electric fields,while the high-energy ions that directly enter the separatrix from the unperturbed plasma are energized mainly by the Hall electric field.For the two energized populations in the parallel direction,the ions with lower-energy are accelerated mainly by the in-plane electric field and the Hall electric field on the opposite side of the separatrix,whereas the ions with higher-energy not only experience the same energization process but also are constantly accelerated by the reconnection electric field.

Effects of polarization-reversed electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves on the ring current dynamics

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron(EMIC)waves are widely believed to play an important role in influencing the radiation belt and ring current dynamics.Most studies have investigated the effects or characteristics of EMIC waves by assuming their left-handed polarization.However,recent studies have found that the reversal of polarization,which occurs at higher latitudes along the wave propagation path,can change the wave-induced pitch angle diffusion coefficients.Whether such a polarization reversal can influence the global ring current dynamics remains unknown.In this study,we investigate the ring current dynamics and proton precipitation loss in association with polarization-reversed EMIC waves by using the ring current-atmosphere interactions model(RAM).The results indicate that the polarization reversal of H-band EMIC waves can truly decrease the scattering rates of protons of 10 to 50 keV or>100 keV in comparison with the scenario in which the EMIC waves are considered purely left-handed polarized.Additionally,the global ring current intensity and proton precipitation may be slightly affected by the polarization reversal,especially during prestorm time and the recovery phase,but the effects are not large during the main phase.This is probably because the H-band EMIC waves contribute to the proton scattering loss primarily at E<10 keV,an energy range that is not strongly affected by the polarization reversal.

Effects of a dipole-like crustal field on solar wind interaction with Mars

A three-dimensional four species multi-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model was constructed to simulate the solar wind global interaction with Mars. The model was augmented to consider production and loss of the significant ion species in the Martian ionosphere, i.e., H^+, O2^+, O^+, CO^+2, associated with chemical reactions among all species. An ideal dipole-like local crustal field model was used to simplify the empirically measured Martian crustal field. Results of this simulation suggest that the magnetic pile-up region (MPR) and the velocity profile in the meridian plane are asymmetric, which is due to the nature of the multi-fluid model to decouple individual ion velocity resulting in occurrence of plume flow in the northern Martian magnetotail. In the presence of dipole magnetic field model, boundary layers, such as bow shock (BS) and magnetic pile-up boundary (MPB), become protuberant. Moreover, the crustal field has an inhibiting effect on the flux of ions escaping from Mars, an effect that occurs primarily in the region between the terminator (SZA 90°) and the Sun Mars line of the magnetotail (SZA 180°), partially around the terminator region. In contrast, near the tailward central line the crustal field has no significant impact on the escaping flux.

The source of tropospheric tides

With the method of Hough mode decomposition(HMD),the tidal sources of the three main tidal components,namely,the migrating components DW1(diurnal westward propagating wavenumber 1)and SW2(semidiurnal westward propagating wavenumber 2)and the non-migrating component DE3(diurnal eastward propagating wavenumber 3),at the tropospheric altitudes(1–12 km)and in the latitude range of±60°,were obtained from National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP)Climate Forecast System Reanalysis(CFSR)data during the interval from 1988 to 2011.We analyzed these sources in detail at 6 km and obtained the main properties of their yearly variations.The DW1 source was found to present a weak seasonal variation in the lower latitudes(about±10°–15°).That is,the amplitudes of the DW1 sources were larger in the summer months than in the winter months,and DW1 presented semi-annual variation near the equator(±10°)such that the DW1 source was larger at the equinoxes than at the solstices.In addition,the SW2 source was symmetric and was stronger in the southern hemisphere than in the northern hemisphere.The SW2 source presented remarkable annual and semi-annual variation such that the amplitudes were largest during the March equinox months and larger during the June solstice months.In contrast,DE3 appeared mainly around the equatorial latitudes within about±30°.The DE3 source presented remarkable semiannual variation that was larger around the solstices than the equinoxes in the southern hemisphere,and it was opposite in the northern hemisphere.By HMD,we found that the tropospheric tides were primarily dominated by some leading propagating Hough modes,specifically,the(1,1),(2,3),and(3,3)modes;the influences of the other Hough modes were negligible.The consequences of an El Niño–Southern Oscillation modulation of tidal amplitudes for the energy and momentum budgets of the troposphere may now be expected to attract attention.In summary,the above yearly variations of the main tidal sources and the Hough coefficients demonstrate that an HMD analysis can be used to investigate the tropospheric tides.

Return to the Moon:New perspectives on lunar exploration

Lunar exploration is deemed crucial for uncovering the origins of the Earth-Moon system and is the first step for advancing humanity’s exploration of deep space.Over the past decade,the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program(CLEP),also known as the Chang’e(CE)Project,has achieved remarkable milestones.It has successfully developed and demonstrated the engineering capability required to reach and return from the lunar surface.Notably,the CE Project has made historic firsts with the landing and on-site exploration of the far side of the Moon,along with the collection of the youngest volcanic samples from the Procellarum KREEP Terrane.These achievements have significantly enhanced our understanding of lunar evolution.Building on this success,China has proposed an ambitious crewed lunar exploration strategy,aiming to return to the Moon for scientific exploration and utilization.This plan encompasses two primary phases:the first crewed lunar landing and exploration,followed by a thousand-kilometer scale scientific expedition to construct a geological cross-section across the lunar surface.Recognizing the limitations of current lunar exploration efforts and China’s engineering and technical capabilities,this paper explores the benefits of crewed lunar exploration while leveraging synergies with robotic exploration.The study refines fundamental lunar scientific questions that could lead to significant breakthroughs,considering the respective engineering and technological requirements.This research lays a crucial foundation for defining the objectives of future lunar exploration,emphasizing the importance of crewed missions and offering insights into potential advancements in lunar science.

Key Questions of Solar Wind-Moon Interaction

Key questions on solar wind-Moon interaction are reviewed.As the nearest celestial body to Earth,Moon’s space environment is distinctive to Earth’s mainly because of lack of a significant atmosphere/ionosphere and a global magnetic field.From a global respective,solar wind can bombard its surface,and the solar wind materials cumulated in the soil record the evolution of the Solar System.Many small-scale remanent magnetic fields are scattered over the lunar surface and,just as planetary magnetic fields protect planets,they are believed to divert the incident solar wind and shield the local lunar surface beneath,thus producing unique local surface environment that is critical to activities of human beings/facilities,thus providing unique landing sites to explore the origins of lunar swirls and remanent magnetic fields.Evidences have hinted that this local interaction,however,may be also distinct with the interacting scenario on planets,and the specific process has not been revealed because of lack of in situ observations in the near-Moon space or on the ground.The global and local solar wind interactions of the Moon represent 2 types of characteristic interaction of celestial bodies with stellar wind in deep space,i.e.,the interactions of nonmagnetized bodies and of small-scale magnetized bodies,both of which may occur on asteroids and Mars.The deep-space celestial bodies,either difficult or impossible to reach for human beings or artificial satellites,are hard to measure,and the exploration of the Moon can reveal the mystery of stellar wind interaction on these bodies.

The azimuthal currents in the ion-driven magnetic nozzle

Ion-driven magnetic nozzles(Ti>Te)are designed as intrinsic parts of cutting-edge propulsive technologies such as variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rockets(VASIMRs)and applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters.Employing a two-dimensional axisymmetric particle-in-cell(PIC)code,in the ion-driven magnetic nozzle,the compositions and distributions of azimuthal currents in different axial regions are investigated under various inlet ion temperatures Ti0 and found to differ dramatically from that in the electron-driven magnetic nozzles.Previously reported to be all paramagnetic and vanishing under a high magnetic field,the azimuthal currents resulting from the E 3 B drift are shown to turn diamagnetic and sustain a considerable magnitude when Ti0 is considered.The previously reported profile of diamagnetic drift current is altered by the introduction of inlet ion temperature,and the paramagnetic part is significantly suppressed.Moreover,a wide range of paramagnetic currents appear downstream due to the inward detachment of ions,which can also be reduced by increasing inlet ion temperature.Albeit considered in this paper,the azimuthal currents resulting from grad-B and curvature drift are still negligible in all cases of interest.The magnitude of diamagnetic azimuthal currents increases with amplifying Ti0,indicating a clear physical image of energy transformation from ion thermal energy to the directed kinetic energy through electromagnetic processes in the magnetic nozzle.Additionally,the magnetic inductive strength also has noticeable impacts on the azimuthal currents,the current magnitude tends to decrease as the magnetic field increases,and over-increment of it may result in larger divergence angles and lower nozzle efficiency.