All-sky Airglow Imager Research Articles

Equatorial secondary cosmic ray observatory to study space weather and terrestrial events

Recently, equatorial secondary cosmic ray observatory has been established at Equatorial Geophysical Research Laboratory (EGRL), Tirunelveli, (Geographic Coordinates: 8.71°N, 77.76°E), to study secondary cosmic rays (SCR) produced due to the interaction of primary cosmic rays with the Earth’s atmosphere. EGRL is a regional center of Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), located near the equator in the Southern part of India. Two NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors are installed inside the temperature controlled environment. One detector is cylindrical in shape of size 7.62 cm × 7.62 cm and another one is rectangular cuboid of 10.16 cm × 10.16 cm × 40.64 cm size. Besides NaI(Tl) detectors, various other research facilities such as the Geomagnetic observatory, Medium Frequency Radar System, Digital Ionosonde, All-sky airglow imager, Atmospheric electricity laboratory to measure the near-Earth atmospheric electric fields are also available at EGRL. With the accessibility of multi- instrument facilities, the objective is set to understand the relationship between SCR and various atmospheric and ionospheric processes, during space weather and terrestrial events.For gamma-ray spectroscopy, it is important to test the performance of the NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors and to calibrate the gamma-ray spectrum in terms of energy. The present article describes the details of the experimental setup installed near the equator to study cosmic rays, along with the performance testing and calibration of the detectors under various conditions. A systematic shift in the gain is observed with varying temperature of the detector system. It is found that the detector’s response to the variations in the temperature is not just linear or non-linear type, but it depends on the history of the variation, indicating temperature hysteresis effects on NaI detector and PMT system. This signifies the importance of isothermal environment while studying SCR flux using NaI(Tl) detectors, especially for the experiments conducted during daytime such as solar eclipses etc.

Mesospheric front observations by the OH airglow imager carried out at Ferraz Station on King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula, in 2011

Abstract. The main goals of this work are to characterize and investigate the potential wave sources of four mesospheric fronts identified in the hydroxyl near-infrared (OH-NIR) airglow images, obtained with an all-sky airglow imager installed at Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station (EACF, as per its Portuguese acronym) located on King George Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. We identified and analyzed four mesospheric fronts in 2011 over King George Island. In addition, we investigate the atmospheric background environment between 80 and 100 km altitude and discuss the ducts and propagation conditions for these waves. For that, we used wind data obtained from a meteor radar operated at EACF and temperature data obtained from the TIMED/SABER satellite. The vertical wavenumber squared, m2, was calculated for each of the four waves. Even though no clearly defined duct (indicated by positive values of m2 sandwiched between layers above and below with m2 < 0) was found in any of the events, favorable propagation conditions for horizontal propagation of the fronts were found in three cases. In the fourth case, the wave front did not find any duct support and it appeared to dissipate near the zenith, transferring energy and momentum to the medium and, consequently, accelerating the wind in the wave propagation direction (near to south) above the OH peak (88–92 km). The likely wave sources for these four cases were investigated by using meteorological satellite images and in two cases we could find that strong instabilities were potential sources, i.e., a cyclonic activity and a large convective cloud cell. In the other two cases it was not possible to associate troposphere sources as potential candidates for the generation of such wave fronts observed in the mesosphere and secondary wave sources were attributed to these cases. Keywords. Atmospheric composition and structure (airglow and aurora) – meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics; waves and tides)

Detection of large-scale concentric gravity waves from a Chinese airglow imager network

Concentric gravity waves (CGWs) contain a broad spectrum of horizontal wavelengths and periods due to their instantaneous localized sources (e.g., deep convection, volcanic eruptions, or earthquake, etc.). However, it is difficult to observe large-scale gravity waves of >100 km wavelength from the ground for the limited field of view of a single camera and local bad weather. Previously, complete large-scale CGW imagery could only be captured by satellite observations. In the present study, we developed a novel method that uses assembling separate images and applying low-pass filtering to obtain temporal and spatial information about complete large-scale CGWs from a network of all-sky airglow imagers. Coordinated observations from five all-sky airglow imagers in Northern China were assembled and processed to study large-scale CGWs over a wide area (1800 km × 1 400 km), focusing on the same two CGW events as Xu et al. (2015). Our algorithms yielded images of large-scale CGWs by filtering out the small-scale CGWs. The wavelengths, wave speeds, and periods of CGWs were measured from a sequence of consecutive assembled images. Overall, the assembling and low-pass filtering algorithms can expand the airglow imager network to its full capacity regarding the detection of large-scale gravity waves.

Edge of polar cap patches

AbstractOn the night of 4 December 2013, a sequence of polar cap patches was captured by an all‐sky airglow imager (ASI) in Longyearbyen, Norway (78.1°N, 15.5°E). The 630.0 nm airglow images from the ASI of 4 second exposure time, oversampled the emission of natural lifetime (with quenching) of at least ∼30 sec, introduce no observational blurring effects. By using such high‐quality ASI images, we succeeded in visualizing an asymmetry in the gradients between the leading/trailing edges of the patches in a 2‐D fashion. The gradient in the leading edge was found to be 2–3 times steeper than that in the trailing edge. We also identified fingerlike structures, appearing only along the trailing edge of the patches, whose horizontal scale size ranged from 55 to 210 km. These fingers are considered to be manifestations of plasma structuring through the gradient‐drift instability (GDI), which is known to occur only along the trailing edge of patches. That is, the current 2‐D observations visualized, for the first time, how GDI stirs the patch plasma and such a mixing process makes the trailing edge more gradual. This result strongly implies a close connection between the GDI‐driven plasma stirring and the asymmetry in the large‐scale shape of patches and then suggests that the fingerlike structures can be used as markers to estimate the fine‐scale structure in the plasma flow within patches.

Low Latitude Plasma Blobs: A Review

In recent years, there has been renewed activity in the study of local plasma density enhancements in the low latitude F region ionosphere (low latitude plasma blobs). Satellite, all-sky airglow imager, and radar measurements have identified the characteristics of these blobs, and their coupling to Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs). New information related to blobs has also been obtained from the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite. In this paper, we briefly review experimental, theoretical and modeling studies related to low latitude plasma blobs.

A case study of A mesoscale gravity wave in the MLT region using simultaneous multi-instruments in Beijing

In this work, we used observational data from an all-sky airglow imager at Xinglong (40.2°N, 117.4°E), a sodium lidar at Yanqing (40.4°N, 116.0°E) and a meteor radar at Shisanling (40.3°N, 116.2°E) to study the propagation of a mesoscale gravity wave. During the night of March 1, 2011, the imager identified a mesoscale gravity wave structure in the OH airglow that had a wave period of 2hours, propagated along an azimuthal direction (clockwise) with an angle of 163°, a phase speed of 73m/s, and a horizontal wavelength of 566km. Simultaneous measurements provided by the sodium lidar also showed a perturbation in the sodium layer with a 2-hour period. Based on the SABER/TIMED and radar data, we estimated that the momentum flux and the energy flux of the gravity wave were approximately 0.59m2/s2 and 0.22mW/m2, respectively. Ray-tracing analysis showed that the gravity wave was likely generated in the center of Lake Baikal owing to the existence of a jet- front system in the upper troposphere at that time.

Statistical Comparison of Gravity Wave Characteristics Obtained from Airglow All-Sky Observation at Mt. Bohyun, Korea and Shigaraki, Japan

Previously, all-sky airglow images observed at Shigaraki (, ), Japan, during 2004 and 2005 were analyzed in relation to those observed at Mt. Bohyun (, ) for a comparison of their gravity wave characteristics (Kim et al. 2010). By applying the same selection criteria of waves and cloud coverages as in the case of Mt. Bohyun all-sky images, we derived apparent wavelengths, periods, phase velocities, and monthly occurrence rates of gravity waves at Shigaraki in this study. The distributions of wavelengths, periods, and speeds derived for Shigaraki were found to be roughly similar to those for Mt. Bohyun. However, the overall occurrence rates of gravity waves at Shigaraki were 36% and 34% for OI 557.7 nm and OH Meinel band airglow layers, respectively, which were significantly higher than those at Mt. Bohyun. The monthly occurrence rates did not show minima near equinox months, unlike those for Mt. Bohyun. Furthermore, the seasonal preferential directions that were clearly apparent for Mt. Bohyun were not seen in the wave propagation trends for Shigaraki. These differences between the two sites imply different origins of the gravity waves near the Korean peninsula and the Japanese islands. The gravity waves over the Japanese islands may originate from sources at various altitudes; therefore, wind filtering may not be effective in causing any seasonal preferential directions in the waves in the airglow layers. Our analysis of the Shigaraki data supports recent theoretical studies, according to which gravity waves can be generated from in situ sources, such as mesosphere wind shear or secondary wave formation, in the mesosphere.

Operational Space Weather Services in National Space Science Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Operational Space Weather Services in National Space Science Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Multi‐instrument, high‐resolution imaging of polar cap patch transportation

AbstractTransionospheric radio signals in the high‐latitude polar cap are susceptible to degradation when encountering sharp electron density gradients associated with discrete plasma structures, or patches. Multi‐instrument measurements of polar cap patches are examined during a geomagnetic storm interval on 22 January 2012. For the first time, we monitor the transportation of patches with high spatial and temporal resolution across the polar cap for 1–2 h using a combination of GPS total electron content (TEC), all‐sky airglow imagers (ASIs), and Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) HF radar backscatter. Simultaneous measurements from these data sets allow for continuous tracking of patch location, horizontal extent, and velocity despite adverse observational conditions for the primary technique (e.g., sunlit regions in the ASI data). Spatial collocation between patch‐like features in relatively coarse but global GPS TEC measurements and those mapped by high‐resolution ASI data was very good, indicating that GPS TEC can be applied to track patches continuously as they are transported across the polar cap. In contrast to previous observations of cigar‐shaped patches formed under weakly disturbed conditions, the relatively narrow dawn‐dusk extent of patches in the present interval (500–800 km) suggests association with a longitudinally confined plasma source region, such as storm‐enhanced density (SED) plume. SuperDARN observations show that the backscatter power enhancements corresponded to the optical patches, and for the first time we demonstrate that the motion of the optical patches was consistent with background plasma convection velocities.

Recent investigation on the coupling between the ionosphere and upper atmosphere

Scientific attention has recently been focused on the coupling of the earth’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere. In the present work, we review the advances in this field, emphasizing the studies and contributions of Chinese scholars. This work first introduces new developments in the observation instruments of the upper atmosphere. Two kinds of instruments are involved: optical instruments (lidars, FP interferometers and all-sky airglow imagers) and radio instruments (MST radars and all-sky meteor radars). Based on the data from these instruments and satellites, the researches on climatology and wave disturbances in the upper atmosphere are then introduced. The studies on both the sporadic sodium layer and sporadic E-layer are presented as the main works concerning the coupling of the upper atmosphere and the low ionosphere. We then review the investigations on the ionospheric longitudinal structure and the causative atmospheric non-migrating tide as the main progress of the coupling between the atmosphere and the ionospheric F2-region. Regarding the ionosphere-thermosphere coupling, we introduce studies on the equatorial thermospheric anomaly, as well as the influence of the thermospheric winds and gravity waves to the ionospheric F2-region. Chinese scholars have made much advancement on the coupling of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere, including the observation instruments, data precession, and modeling, as well as the mechanism analysis.

Observation of nighttime medium-scale travelling ionospheric disturbances by two 630-nm airglow imagers near the auroral zone

This is the first statistical study of high-latitude nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) observed by all-sky airglow imagers in the European and Canadian longitudinal sectors. We investigate the MSTIDs observed in the 630-nm airglow imagers at Tromsø (magnetic latitude: 67.1°N), Norway, for two winters, and at Athabasca (61.7°N), Canada, for 2 years. At both stations, the MSTIDs were observed mostly before midnight with an occurrence rate of more than 50% of clear observation hours at Tromsø and ∼30% at Athabasca. The average wavelengths, phase velocities, and periods of the observed MSTIDs were 150–200km, 50–80m/s, and 30–60min, respectively. We found that MSTIDs at Tromsø tend to show eastward motion in addition to the typical westward and southwestward motion at middle latitudes. At Athabasca, westward and southwestward motions prevail except for the summer when characteristic northward-moving MSTIDs with larger wavelengths and faster phase velocities were observed. At both stations, some MSTIDs showed characteristic changes of their phase velocity and directions in association with auroral activity, suggesting that they are plasma structures affected by auroral electric field. Vertical wavelengths of gravity waves were estimated by using simultaneous thermospheric wind data obtained at Tromsø, showing that most of these MSTIDs can exist as gravity waves in the thermosphere. On the basis of these results, we conclude that the high-latitude nighttime MSTIDs are caused mainly by the Perkins and E–F coupling instabilities similar to those at middle latitudes and that an additional source by atmospheric gravity waves from lower altitudes also comes into play.

Investigation of a mesospheric bore event over northern China

Abstract. A mesospheric bore event was observed using an OH all-sky airglow imager (ASAI) at Xinglong (40.2° N, 117.4° E), in northern China, on the night of 8–9 January 2011. Simultaneous observations by a Doppler meteor radar, a broadband sodium lidar, and TIMED/SABER OH intensity and temperature measurements are used to investigate the characteristics and environment of the bore propagation and the possible relations with the Na density perturbations. The bore propagated from northeast to southwest and divided the sky into bright and dark halves. The calculations show that the bore has an average phase velocity of 68 m s−1. The crests following the bore have a horizontal wavelength of ~ 22 km. These parameters are consistent with the hydraulic jump theory proposed by Dewan and Picard, as well as the previous bore reports. Simultaneous wind measurements from the Doppler meteor radar at Shisanling (40.3° N, 116.2° E) and temperature data from SABER on board the TIMED satellite are used to characterize the propagating environment of the bore. The result shows that a thermal-Doppler duct exists near the OH layer that supports the horizontal propagation of the bore. Simultaneous Na lidar observations at Yanqing (40.4° N, 116.0° E) suggest that there is a downward displacement of Na density during the passage of the mesospheric bore event.

Statistical characteristics of high frequency gravity waves observed by OH airglow imaging from Tirunelveli (8.7°N)

The importance of high frequency gravity waves in the upper mesospheric region is now well recognized. In this study, we examine the characteristics of high frequency gravity waves observed in OH emission by an all-sky airglow imager operated from Tirunelveli (8.7°N, 77.8°E) during 2007. Background wind information was obtained from co-located MF radar from which the intrinsic wave parameters were estimated. The study reveals predominance of meridionally propagating waves. The phase speeds of the waves were found to be relatively higher during equinoxes compared to solstices. Nearly half of the observed waves showed vertically evanescent behavior. We probed the relative importance of various terms in the gravity wave dispersion relation. We found that the contribution from the wind shear and curvature terms are not significant for statistical studies of high frequency wave events. Nevertheless, they may be important for case studies of individual wave events. Moreover, the analysis revealed the importance of wave reflections arising out of oppositely directed background winds for the short horizontal wavelength gravity waves. This could explain the observed predominance in the propagation towards the meridional directions.

Observation of a mesospheric front in a thermal-doppler duct over King George Island, Antarctica

Abstract. A mesospheric front was observed with an all-sky airglow imager on the night of 9–10 July 2007 at Ferraz Station (62° S, 58° W), located on King George island on the Antarctic Peninsula. The observed wave propagated from southwest to northeast with a well defined wave front and a series of crests behind the main front. The wave parameters were obtained via a 2-D Fourier transform of the imager data providing a horizontal wavelength of 33 km, an observed period of 6 min, and a horizontal phase speed of 92 m s−1. Simultaneous mesospheric winds were measured with a medium frequency (MF) radar at Rothera Station (68° S, 68° W) and temperature profiles were obtained from the SABER instrument on the TIMED satellite. These wind and temperature profiles were used to estimate the propagation environment of the wave event. A wavelet technique was applied to the wind in the plane of wave propagation at the OH emission height spanning three days centered on the front event to define the dominant periodicities. Results revealed a dominance of near-inertial periods, and semi-diurnal and terdiurnal tides suggesting that the ducting structure enabling mesospheric front propagation occurred on large spatial scales. The observed tidal motions were used to reconstruct the winds employing a least-squares method, which were then compared to the observed ducting environment. Results suggest an important contribution of large-scale winds to the ducting structure, but with buoyancy frequency variations in the vertical also expected to be important. These results allow us to conclude that the wave front event was supported by a duct including contributions from both winds and temperature.

Unusual optical observations of OI greenline during a geospace event on 1 February 2008

[1] We herein report the first observations of an unusual phenomenon recorded by an all-sky airglow imager from the low-latitude site Panhala (16.8°N, 74.1°E, geographic; 8.2°N geomagnetic), on the night of 1 February 2008, during the main phase of a moderate geomagnetic storm. The observations of OI 557.7 nm emission reveal discrete, transient, filamentary structures referred to as “streaks.” No such features were seen in the OI 630.0 nm emission and the mesospheric sodium and hydroxyl emissions. Here we speculate on possible mechanisms for generation of such structures, though we cannot conclude firmly that any one of them was responsible for the observed features. This is a puzzling observation made from very low geomagnetic latitude during the main phase of a moderate recurrent geomagnetic storm in the declining phase of solar cycle. In spite of the limitations in identifying the mechanism or mechanisms responsible for this striking observation, it is felt that understanding of processes driving such unusual and rare events will substantiate our knowledge on the mysterious coupling processes occurring in the equatorial upper atmosphere.

Statistical characteristics of gravity wave activities observed by an OH airglow imager at Xinglong, in northern China

Abstract. An all-sky airglow imager (ASAI) was installed at Xinglong, in northern China (40.2° N, 117.4° E) in November 2009 to study the morphology of atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region. Using one year of OH airglow imager data from December 2009 to November 2010, the characteristics of short-period AGWs are investigated and a yearlong AGW climatology in northern China is first ever reported. AGW occurrence frequency in summer and winter is higher than that in equinoctial months. Observed bands mainly have horizontal wavelengths from 10 to 35 km, observed periods from 4 to 14 min and observed horizontal phase speeds in the range of 30 to 60 m s−1. Most of the bands propagate in the meridional direction. The propagation directions of the bands show a strong southwestward preference in winter, while almost all bands propagate northeastward in summer. Although the wind filtering in the middle atmosphere may control AGW propagations in the zonal direction, the non-uniform distribution of wave sources in the lower atmosphere may contribute to the anisotropy in the meridional direction in different seasons. Additionally, as an indication of local instability, the characteristics of ripples are also analyzed. It also shows seasonal variations, occurring more often in summer and winter and mainly moving westward in summer and eastward in winter.

Case study of a mesospheric wall event over Ferraz station, Antarctica (62° S)

Abstract. On 16–17 July 2007 during an observational campaign at Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station (62° S, 58° W), a mesospheric wall was observed with an airglow all-sky imager. The wave appeared like an extensive dark region in the all-sky airglow images, with a large depletion in the OH emission. Simultaneous mesospheric winds measured with a MF radar at Rothera station and temperature profiles from SABER instrument, on board of TIMED satellite, were used to obtain the propagation condition of the wave. Wind measurements during four days, around the time of observation of the wave, are presented in order to discuss the type and consistence of the duct in which this wave was propagating. By using wavelet analysis and tidal amplitude components we found that 12 and 8 h components were the most important periodicities around the time interval of the wave observation. A collocated imaging spectrometer, for mesospheric temperature measurements, has been operated simultaneously with the all-sky imager. Direct effects of the mesospheric front have been seen in the spectrometric measurements, showing an abrupt decrease in both OH intensity and rotational temperature when the wave front passes overhead. The main contribution of the present work is the investigation of the type of duct in which the wall event was propagating. We found evidences for a thermal duct structure to support the mesospheric wall propagation. This result was obtained by two types of analysis: (a) the tidal components analysis and winds filtering (harmonic analysis), and (b) comparison between the terms of the m2 dispersion relation.

Climatology of short-period mesospheric gravity waves over Halley, Antarctica (76°S, 27°W)

We present a first detailed climatological study of individual quasi-monochromatic mesospheric, short-period gravity-wave events observed over Antarctica. The measurements were made using an all-sky airglow imager located at Halley Station (76°S, 27°W) and encompass the 2000 and 2001 austral winter seasons. Distributions of wave parameters were found to be similar to findings at other latitudes. The wave headings exhibited unusually strong anisotropy with a dominant preference for motion towards the Antarctic continent and a rotation from westward during fall, to poleward in mid-winter, to eastward in spring. This rotation was accompanied by a systematic increase of ∼50% in the magnitudes of the horizontal wavelengths and observed phase speeds. It is postulated that the observed wave anisotropy was due to a succession of wave sources of different characteristics lying equatorward of Halley, or a dominant source mechanism evolving with time during the winter months.

Propagation characteristics of nighttime mesospheric and thermospheric waves observed by optical mesosphere thermosphere imagers at middle and low latitudes

Abstract We review measurements of nighttime atmospheric/ionospheric waves in the upper atmosphere in Japan, Indonesia, and Australia, using all-sky airglow imagers of optical mesosphere thermosphere imagers (OMTIs). The imagers observe two-dimensional patterns of airglow emissions from oxygen (wavelength: 557.7 nm) and hydroxyl (OH) (near-infrared band) in the mesopause region (80–100 km) and from oxygen (630.0 nm) in the thermosphere/ionosphere (200–300 km). Several statistical studies were done to investigate propagation characteristics of small-scale (less than 100 km) gravity waves in the mesopause region and medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs, ∼100–1,000 km) in the thermosphere/ionosphere. Clear seasonal variations of occurrence and propagation directions were reported for these waves. The propagation directions in the mesopause region are controlled by wind filtering, ducting processes and relative location to the wave sources in the troposphere. Poleward-propagating waves tend to be observed in the summer in the mesopause region at several stations, suggesting that mesospheric gravity waves are generated by intense convective activity in the equatorial troposphere. On the other hand, systematic equatorward and westward motions were observed for all seasons for nighttime MSTIDs in the midlatitude ionosphere with geomagnetic conjugacy between the northern and southern hemispheres. Ionospheric instabilities may play important role for the generation and propagation of these MSTIDs. We also give an example of simultaneous observation of quasi-periodic southward-moving waves in the mesopause region and in the thermosphere at the geographic equator. From these results, we discuss mean wind acceleration by mesospheric gravity waves and penetration of gravity waves from the mesosphere to the thermosphere.

Medium-Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances and Plasma Bubbles Observed by an All-Sky Airglow Imager at Yonaguni, Japan

We report on nighttime airglow imaging observations of the low latitude ionosphere by means of a 630-m all-sky imager installed in March 2006 at Yonaguni, Japan (24.5°N, 123.0°E; 14.6°N geomagnetic), about 100 km east of Taiwan. The imager detected medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) for about 7 hours on the night of 26 May 2006. A dense GPS network in Japan also observed the same MSTID event on this night. The imager and GEONET data indicate that most of the MSTIDs propagated southwestward from the north of Japan to the south of Yonaguni and Taiwan over 4000 km, with a southern limit of 19°N (geomagnetic latitude 9°N) or lower On the night of 10 November 2006, the imager observed two weak emission bands that were embedded on the F-region anomaly crest to the south of Yonaguni. The simultaneous electron density profiles from the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC mission demonstrate that the weak emission bands are due to density depletions in equatorial plasma bubbles. These case studies suggest that the Yonaguni imager in collaboration with other instruments is very suitable for the study of ionospheric disturbances in and around the northern F-region anomaly crest.