S. V. Filippov

Experimental Errors of Measurements of Vertical Geomagnetic Gradients in the Stratosphere

The errors of measurements of vertical geomagnetic gradients at altitudes of 20–40 km, using a balloon magnetic gradiometer with a 6-km-long measuring base oriented along gravity, have been studied in the work. The errors related to the deviation of the measuring base position relative to the vertical have been studied during the real balloon flight with the help of the navigation GPS receivers. The deviations of the measuring base within 5°, which can sometimes reach 15°, have been obtained. This results in a decrease in the magnetic gradient measurement accuracy due to the errors introduced in the specification of the normal magnetic field used to detect magnetic anomalies. To eliminate this error, a GPS receiver was built in each magnetometer in order to observe magnetometers during synchronous measurements and to correct the measurements for the normal magnetic field. It has been indicated that the effect of deviations of the measuring base position on the results is not more than 2% of the measured value at such organization of a gradiometer.

Longitudinal statistics of plasma bubbles: Possible tropospheric influence

The assumption about the possible influence of a tropospheric source on the nature of the longitudinal statistics variation (relative frequency of observation) of plasma bubbles determined by the He+ density in the upper ionosphere altitudes is tested. To do this, the statistics are comparatively analyzed with a number of characteristics of the ionosphere and thermosphere, the longitudinal changes of which can be related to the DE3 tidal wave generated in the troposphere. Evidence of the possible influence of the troposphere on the longitudinal statistics of plasma bubbles has been obtained. Based on qualitative analysis, it was found that the thermospheric winds modulated by the DE3 tidal wave can link these statistics with processes in the troposphere.

Equatorial Plasma Bubbles: Effect of Thermospheric Winds Modulated by DE3 Tidal Waves

A hypothesis about the effect of the tropospheric source on the longitudinal distributions of the equatorial plasma bubbles observed in the topside ionosphere was proposed earlier. It was supposed that this influence is transferred mainly by the thermospheric winds modulated by the DE3 tropospheric tidal waves. This conclusion was based on the discovered high degree correlation (R ≅ 0.79) between the variations of the longitudinal distribution of the plasma bubbles and the neutral atmospheric density. In this work, the hypothesis of the effect of the thermospheric tidal waves on the plasma bubbles at the stage of their generation is subjected to further verification. With this purpose, the longitudinal distributions of the frequency of the plasma bubble observations at the different ionospheric altitudes (~600 km, ROCSAT-1; ~1100 km, ISS-b) are analyzed; their principal similarity is revealed. Comparative analysis of these distributions with the longitudinal profile of the deviations of the zonal thermospheric wind (~400 km, CHAMP) modulated by the DE3 tidal wave is carried out; their considerable correlation (R ≅ 0.69) is revealed. We conclude that the longitudinal variations of the zonal wind associated with DE3 tidal waves can effect the longitudinal variations in the appearance frequency of the initial “seeding” perturbations, which further evolve into the plasma bubbles.

Spectral analysis of the multiple-altitude anomalous geomagnetic field

The spectra of the anomalous geomagnetic field measured at ground and balloon (30 km) altitudes were analyzed. The ground-based data were adapted from a map of the anomalous magnetic field of the Earth. A balloon surveys was carried out by the authors. It has been shown that the ground and balloon spectra of the anomalous magnetic field of the Earth substantially differ. Suppositions explaining the differences in the obtained spectra have been suggested.

Changes of lithospheric magnetic anomalies with altitude (According to the CHAMP satellite)

Maps of the magnitude of the full vector and the vertical component of an anomalous lithospheric magnetic field over the Voronezh anticline (VA) for the three high-altitude observation levels were compiled based on geomagnetic measurements from the CHAMP satellite. The isometric positive anomaly centered at about 50° N and 37° E stands out. Its amplitude decreases with increasing observation altitude without changing the form. Comparison of the parameters of the detected anomaly with data obtained for this site by other methods confirms that it really exists and that its spatial position is accurately determined, which indicates the reliability of the values of the selected field of lithospheric anomalies. The change in the parameters of the magnetic anomaly with respect to the observation level over the Earth’s surface is consistent with the concepts of geological structural features of the lithosphere in the region. The anomaly offset to the south on the satellite altitudes apparently indicates an uplift of crystalline basement rocks and a more southern position of VA deep roots relative to that accepted in the global magnetization model. The use of satellite data obtained at different altitudes opens up additional possibilities for the application of gradient methods in the interpretation of the magnetic fields of lithospheric anomalies.

Accuracy estimates for some global analytical models of the Earth’s main magnetic field on the basis of data on gradient magnetic surveys at stratospheric balloons

Two global analytical models of the main magnetic field of the Earth (MFE) have been used to determine their potential in deriving an anomalous MFE from balloon magnetic surveys conducted at altitudes of ∼30 km. The daily mean spherical harmonic model (DMSHM) constructed from satellite data on the day of balloon magnetic surveys was analyzed. This model for the day of magnetic surveys was shown to be almost free of errors associated with secular variations and can be recommended for deriving an anomalous MFE. The error of the enhanced magnetic model (EMM) was estimated depending on the number of harmonics used in the model. The model limited by the first 13 harmonics was shown to be able to lead to errors in the main MFE of around 15 nT. The EMM developed to n = m = 720 and constructed on the basis of satellite and ground-based magnetic data fails to adequately simulate the anomalous MFE at altitudes of 30 km. To construct a representative model developed to m = n = 720, ground-based magnetic data should be replaced by data of balloon magnetic surveys for altitudes of ∼30 km. The results of investigations were confirmed by a balloon experiment conducted by Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Moscow Aviation Institute.

Plasma bubble registration at altitudes of the topside ionosphere: Numerical evaluations

The possibility of registering a plasma bubble at altitudes of the topside ionosphere based on its minor species He+ were studied. The characteristic times of the main aeronomic and electrodynamic processes, in which a bubble and its ion component He+ are involved, were calculated and compared. The recombination processes of helium ions in a bubble, the vertical transfer of a plasma bubble as a whole, and the diffusion transfer of the plasma bubble minor constituent (He+) were considered. The characteristic times of ambipolar and transverse (Bohm) diffusion were calculated when the diffusion transfer was estimated. The effect of the photoionization processes on plasma bubble dissipation were estimated based on the He+ bubble ion component. It was shown that the bubble filling characteristic time with an average He+ depletion to the He+ ambient density is ∼24 h. It was concluded that such a prolonged bubble lifetime makes it possible to register a plasma bubble reliably over approximately two days. However, it has been noted that only a residual plasma bubble structure, i.e., its trace visible in He+ ions, will apparently be registered during most prolonged observations.