Inter-hemispheric comparisons of geospace environment in the polar regions—A proposed cooperative research program between China and Norway

The Chinese Zhongshan Station in Antarctica and the stations in Svalbard (Auroral station at Longyearbyen and NP station at Ny lesund) are closely magnetic conjugate. All of them are equipped similar measurement instruments dealing with upper atmospheric physics. Therefore, there is a good reason to conduct a cooperative research program between China and Norway to do the inter hemispheric comparisons of geospace environment in the polar regions. It will make significant contribution to further understanding of the coupled magnetosphere ionsphere system. The scientific aims of the cooperative project are: to experimentally verify the modeled complicated conjugate relationship between Zhongshan Station in the Antarctic and Svalbard in the Arctic. To derive knowledge from the conjugate characteristics of auroral formations, ionospheric features and space plasma waves in the polar regions, which in turn will lead to better understanding of the solar wind magnetosphere ionosphere coupling processes. The proposed research contents, research methods and experimental techniques are discussed, and the manners of the cooperative research are suggested in the paper.

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。

GLOBAL SUBSTORM PROCESSES IN GEOSPACE AND FRONTIERS IN SUBSTORM RESEARCH

This paper discusses the problems we confront in the study of magnetospheric substorms. This includes the global processes of magnetospheric substorms, the origin of the southern-northern component of interplanetary magnetic field, quantitative effects of the interplanetary conditions, driving processes of the solar wind, location of the triggering of the expansion phase, and relationship between magnetospheric storms and substorms. Moreover, the research directions in the future have also been discussed.

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.

Progress in polar upper atmospheric physics research in China

The Chinese Antarctic Great Wall, Zhongshan, Kunlun and Arctic Yellow River stations have unique geographical locations, well suited to carry out polar upper atmospheric observations. This paper reviews the tremendous history of nearly 30 years of Chinese polar expeditions and major progress in polar upper atmospheric physics research. This includes the polar upper atmospheric physics conjugate observation system at Zhongshan Station in the Antarctic and Yellow River Station in the Arctic, and original research achievements in polar ionospheric fields, aurora and particle precipitation, the polar current system, polar plasma convection, geomagnetic pulsations and space plasma waves, inter-hemispheric comparisons of the space environment, space weather in polar regions, power spectrum of the incoherent scatter radar, ionospheric heating experiments and polar meso- spheric summer echoes, polar ionosphere-magnetosphere numerical simulation and others. Finally, prospects for Chinese polar upper atmospheric physics research are outlined.

Magnetospheric Physics in China: 2002-2004

This brief report presents the latest advances of the magnetospheric physics researches in China during the period of 2002-2004. The progress of the magnetospheric space mission DSP is given in another dedicated paper of this issue.

How virtual reality can help visualise and assess geohazards

Geohazard research requires extensive spatiotemporal understanding based on an adequate multi-scale representation of modelling results.The most commonly applied representation basis for collected data is still the one of a 2D plane,typically a map.Digital maps of spatial data can be visualised and processed by using Geographic Information Systems.It is far less common to use 3D geomodels for the analysis and visualisation of spatial data.For the visualisation of both spatial and temporal hazard components,there are no standardised tools.We claim that a full geohazard assessment is only possible inside a new type of geoscientific and technological environment that is at the same time multi-dimensional,spatiotemporal,integrated,fully interactive(tele-)immersive,and collaborative.Surface and subsurface processes are interacting at various scales that are difficult to be overviewed at once.Virtual Reality(VR)technology could provide an attractive solution to overcome the multi-dimensional and spatiotemporal obstacles.The review of geoscientific applications using VR technology developed by multiple teams around the world shows that some solutions have already been developed many years ago,but widespread use was not possible.This is clearly changing now and soon we will see if VR can contribute to a better understanding of geo-processes.