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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
- Sprache: Englisch
A Problem-Solving Workbook on Ionospheric and Space Physics Enables students to understand and master basic and advanced concepts of space, atmosphere, and ionospheric physics A Problem-Solving Workbook on Ionospheric and Space Physics is a unique textbook that contains a set of problems and exercises accompanied with complete solutions that explore and elucidate the most relevant concepts in ionospheric and space physics. The author has chosen problems that are interesting topic-wise, challenging, and that exemplify the physical and mathematical reasoning in ionospheric and space physics. Specifically, the text conveys core concepts of ionospheric and space physics using a problem-based approach. Each problem elucidates prototypical aspects that readers can easily generalize. Each problem also consists of multi-part questions to facilitate step-by-step understanding. A short introduction to each problem defines the theme and provides context to the readers. In A Problem-Solving Workbook on Ionospheric and Space Physics, readers can expect to learn about: * Remote sensing of ionospheric plasmas from the ground, ionospheric slab thickness of a transparent layer, reflectometry, and doppler effects in reflection/refraction of electromagnetic waves * Chapman theory of ionospheric layer formation, magnetic fields generated by the equatorial electrojet current, and fundamentals of GPS total electron content (TEC) measurements * Barker codes and radar pulse compression, abel inversion of ionosonde trace data, and phase and group velocities of acoustic-gravity waves * The use of deconvolution in radar scans, sporadic-E layers and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability due to wind shear, and Brunt-Vaisala frequency Thanks to the careful selection of included material, A Problem-Solving Workbook on Ionospheric and Space Physics serves as a gateway for advanced students and early-career researchers towards actual research-level problems in the field. As the problems are textbook-agnostic, students can easily self-study and learn about the subject outside the classroom.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Preface
Part I: Ionospheric and Space Phenomena
1 Chapman Theory of Ionospheric Layer Formation
Further Reading
2 Magnetic Fields Resulting from the Equatorial Electrojet Current
Further Reading
3 Phase and Group Velocities of Acoustic‐Gravity Waves
Further Reading
4 Wind Shear, Sporadic‐E Layer, and Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability
Further Reading
5 Brunt‐Vaisala Frequency and Convective Instability
Further Reading
6 Whistler Waves in the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere
Further Reading
7 Radio Wave Absorption in the D‐Region Ionosphere
Further Reading
8 The Sun is Down, the Equatorial Plasma Bubbles are Up
Further Reading
9 Drunken Forest in Space: Why Do the Bubbles Tilt?
Further Reading
10 Linking Two Hemispheres: Geomagnetic Field Conjugacy
Further Reading
11 Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Revisited
Further Reading
Part II: Diagnostic Instruments and Techniques
12 Ionosonde: Sensing Ionospheric Plasmas from the Ground
Further Reading
13 Fundamentals of GPS Total Electron Content (TEC) Measurements
Further Reading
14 Barker Codes and Radar Pulse Compression
Further Reading
15 Abel Inversion of Ionosonde Trace Data
Further Reading
16 Direction‐Scan Radar and Deconvolution
Further Reading
17 Bragg Scattering and Ionospheric Radars
Further Reading
18 Witchcraft: Poor Man's Abel Inversion of Ionograms
Further Reading
19 Fabry‐Perot Interferometers and the Optical Airglow
Further Reading
20 Don't Put out the Glow: What in Heaven is this “Rayleigh” Unit?
Further Reading
21 Focus! Parabolic Ionospheric Layer Approximation
Further Reading
22 Fast and Furious: Zonal Drift
Further Reading
III: Applying Basic Physics to Space Physics
23 Seeing Ghost: Slab Thickness of a Transparent Layer
Further Reading
24 Reflectometry: A Classical Mechanics Analogy
Further Reading
25 Doppler Effects in Reflection/Refraction of Electromagnetic Waves
Further Reading
26 Magnetic Mirrors and the Loss Cone
Further Reading
27 Kolmogorov's
Law: An Order in Disorders
Further Reading
28 Pushed to the Limit: True Resolution in Spectroscopy
Further Reading
29 MIR Mortals: Rapid Depressurization in Space
Further Reading
30 The Gradient‐B Plasma Drift Demystified
Further Reading
31 No Escape: Charged Particles in Magnetic Field
Further Reading
32 E
B Drift for Explorers
Further Reading
Index
End User License Agreement
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
Figure 1.1 (left) Photoionization process of atmospheric neutral particles b...
Chapter 2
Figure 2.1 Global electric current system in the Earth's ionosphere. The equ...
Figure 2.2 Rocket observations and an elementary model describing the basic ...
Figure 2.3 Cross‐sectional geometry of the equatorial electrojet current and...
Figure 2.4 Plot of the dimensionless factor as a function of the ratio
.
Chapter 3
Figure 3.1 Traveling ionospheric disturbances as a physical manifestation of...
Figure 3.2 A graphical representation of acoustic‐gravity wave dispersion re...
Figure 3.3 An example of traveling ionospheric disturbances due to acoustic‐...
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1 Examples of empirical observation revealing the altitude profile ...
Figure 4.2 Geometry of background geomegnatic field and wind shear that woul...
Figure 4.3 Example of wave structures within sporadic‐E layers due to a flui...
Chapter 5
Figure 5.1 Geometry of vertical displacement of air parcels in the Earth's a...
Chapter 6
Figure 6.1 Spectrogram of radio waves in several kilohertz range, revealing ...
Chapter 7
Figure 7.1 Example of predicted radio wave absorption due to ionospheric D‐r...
Figure 7.2 Radio waves propagating through a mixture of electrically charged...
Chapter 8
Figure 8.1 Structures of equatorial plasma bubbles captured by optical airgl...
Figure 8.2 Basic unperturbed configuration of ionospheric plasma at the geom...
Figure 8.3 Ionospheric plasma configuration at the geomagnetic equator, pert...
Chapter 9
Figure 9.1 Growing plumes of equatorial plasma bubbles in low‐latitude ionos...
Figure 9.2 A slice of the F‐region ionosphere, influenced by an eastward win...
Figure 9.3 An example of electron density and Pedersen conductivity profiles...
Figure 9.4 An example of zonal ion drift velocity profile as a function of a...
Figure 9.5 Qualitative profile of the zonal drift velocity as a function of ...
Chapter 10
Figure 10.1 Example observations indicating the geomagnetic conjugacy of cer...
Chapter 11
Figure 11.1 A simplified cartoon illustration of 3‐D configuration of equato...
Figure 11.2 An unperturbed configuration of low‐latitude ionospheric plasma....
Figure 11.3 A locally perturbed configuration of low‐latitude ionospheric pl...
Figure 11.4 Flux tube‐integrated Pedersen conductivities and vertical plasma...
Chapter 12
Figure 12.1 The concept of sensing ionospheric plasma from the ground using ...
Figure 12.2 Radio waves incident on a model ionosphere with unmagnetized pla...
Figure 12.3 Model ionosphere for the question in part (f).
Figure 12.4 Model ionosphere for the question in part (g).
Figure 12.5 Model ionosphere for the question in part (h).
Figure 12.6 Radio waves incident on a model ionosphere with magnetized plasm...
Figure 12.7 Ionogram for the question in part (j).
Figure 12.8 Ionogram for the question in part (k).
Figure 12.9 Slab plasma geometry, illustrating what would happen when the el...
Figure 12.10 Propagation region and evanescent region for radio waves incide...
Figure 12.11 Estimated virtual height curve for the question in part (f).
Figure 12.12 Estimated virtual height curve for the question in part (g).
Figure 12.13 Estimated virtual height curve for the question in part (h).
Figure 12.14 Difference in reflection characteristics between O‐mode and X‐m...
Figure 12.15 Determination of ionospheric parameters for the question in par...
Chapter 13
Figure 13.1 Early demonstration of total electron content observations using...
Figure 13.2 An illustration of L1 and L2 signals from a GPS satellite propag...
Figure 13.3 Basic geometry of ionospheric shell commonly used in GPS total e...
Chapter 14
Figure 14.1 Examples of modern ionospheric imaging using radar observations....
Figure 14.2 Basic concept of transmitted and received signals for a monostat...
Figure 14.3 Radar target configuration for the question in part (a).
Figure 14.4 Radar target configuration for the question in part (b).
Figure 14.5 Radar target configuration for the question in part (c).
Figure 14.6 Basic concept of transmitted and received signals for a monostat...
Figure 14.7 Radar target configuration for the question in part (d).
Figure 14.8 Radar target configuration for the question in part (e).
Figure 14.9 Received radar signals that have been worked out for the questio...
Figure 14.10 Received radar signals that have been worked out for the questi...
Figure 14.11 Received radar signals that have been worked out for the questi...
Figure 14.12 Received radar signals that have been worked out for the questi...
Figure 14.13 Received radar signals (and target locations) that have been wo...
Figure 14.14 The contrast in spatial resolution between coded and uncoded ra...
Chapter 15
Figure 15.1 Basic concept of forward and inverse problems in ionosonde measu...
Figure 15.2 Reflection height curve of ionosonde signals for various soundin...
Figure 15.3 A change in the order of integration, between
and
variables....
Chapter 16
Figure 16.1 Examples of radar network with steerable beams that are quite co...
Figure 16.2 Basic setup for our exercise in a directional radar scan.
Figure 16.3 Radar reflectivity configuration for the question in part (a).
Figure 16.4 Matrix equation relating radar signals, radar beam pattern, and ...
Figure 16.5 Received radar signals from a mystery target for the question in...
Figure 16.6 Received radar signals that have been worked out for the questio...
Figure 16.7 Target reflectivity values that have been worked out for the que...
Chapter 17
Figure 17.1 Radar return echoes can be due to various mechanisms including t...
Figure 17.2 Scattering of electromagnetic radiation by frontal face of a cry...
Figure 17.3 Scattering of electromagnetic radiation by adjacent layers in a ...
Figure 17.4 Bragg scattering of radio waves by plasma density striations tha...
Figure 17.5 Partial transmission and reflection of radio waves at the bounda...
Figure 17.6 A mix of ray path scenarios that may give rise to unusual return...
Figure 17.7 Additional ionogram echoes that may arise on top of regular iono...
Chapter 18
Figure 18.1 Manual ionogram scaling process (a highly labor‐intensive activi...
Figure 18.2 Virtual height values obtained at a discrete set of sounding fre...
Figure 18.3 Modeling the ionospheric altitude profile as a series of steps, ...
Figure 18.4 Schematics of GPS‐LEO radio occultation observations, which ofte...
Chapter 19
Figure 19.1 Airglow emissions from atomic oxygen in the upper atmosphere, wh...
Figure 19.2 Standard laboratory setting of Fabry‐Perot interferometer measur...
Figure 19.3 Doppler effects and their influence in Fabry‐Perot intereferomet...
Figure 19.4 Fabry‐Perot interferometer for ionospheric and upper atmospheric...
Figure 19.5 Azimuthal dependence of the line‐of‐sight Doppler velocity can b...
Chapter 20
Figure 20.1 The Starry Night painting by Vincent van Gogh, an artistic sibli...
Figure 20.2 Conceptual illustration of a Lambertian light source in photomet...
Figure 20.3 Geometrical reciprocity relation between a Lambertian luminous s...
Figure 20.4 Light emission from a thick slab, measured along an oblique line...
Figure 20.5 Lesson learned; hopefully we now know what “rayleigh” unit actua...
Chapter 21
Figure 21.1 Reflection of HF radio wave by ionospheric plasma, represented h...
Figure 21.2 Ionogram for the question in part (j).
Figure 21.3 Annotated ionogram for the answer to the question in part (j)....
Figure 21.4 Example application of parabolic layer approximation for the ion...
Chapter 22
Figure 22.1 Zonal drift velocity of certain ionospheric structures may have ...
Chapter 23
Figure 23.1 The concept of ionospheric slab thickness, in relation to actual...
Figure 23.2 Geometrical setup for the question in part (a).
Figure 23.3 Geometrical setup for the question in part (b).
Figure 23.4 Geometrical setup for the question in part (c).
Figure 23.5 Geometry under consideration for the answer to the question in p...
Chapter 24
Figure 24.1 Example of radio reflectometry measurement of the Earth's topsid...
Figure 24.2 Basic setup for the question in part (a).
Figure 24.3 Basic setup for the question in part (b).
Figure 24.4 A graph of time delay as a function of initial velocity for the ...
Chapter 25
Figure 25.1 Ray paths of HF radio waves in the ionosphere can be quite compl...
Figure 25.2 Basic concept of Doppler shifts due to reflection off a moving o...
Figure 25.3 Transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves at the boun...
Chapter 26
Figure 26.1 The Earth's radiation belt is a form of “mirror machine” magneti...
Figure 26.2 In places where the magnetic field is weak, “mirror machine” mag...
Chapter 27
Figure 27.1 Cascade process from large‐scale eddies to smaller‐scale eddies,...
Chapter 28
Figure 28.1 Example spectra of auroral and solar emission observations in sp...
Figure 28.2 An illustration of basic setup for spectroscopic measurements in...
Figure 28.3 Histogram binning of individually detected photons.
Chapter 29
Figure 29.1 (left) A 1971 USSR postage stamp commemorating the Soyuz 11 spac...
Figure 29.2 A schematic illustration of spacecraft depressurization due to a...
Chapter 30
Figure 30.1 Schematic illustration of gradient‐B drift motion of charged par...
Chapter 31
Figure 31.1 Example numerical simulations of physical phenomena that may ari...
Figure 31.2 Basic setup of special scenario under consideration for this exe...
Figure 31.3 Selected coordinate system to help solve the special scenario ex...
Figure 31.4 Basic configuration of an electrodynamic tether for space vehicl...
Chapter 32
Figure 32.1 A set of conceivable scenarios for the trajectory of a charged p...
Guide
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
Wiley End User License Agreement
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A Problem‐Solving Workbook on Ionospheric and Space Physics
Rezy Pradipta
Boston CollegeNewton, MA, US
This edition first published 2023
© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Inc.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Pradipta, Rezy, author.
Title: A problem-solving workbook on ionospheric and space physics / Rezy Pradipta,
Boston College, Newton, MA.
Description: First edition. | Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2023. | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022040646 (print) | LCCN 2022040647 (ebook) | ISBN
9781119628880 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119628866 (adobe pdf) | ISBN
9781119628903 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Space plasmas–Problems, exercises, etc. |
Ionosphere-Research-Problems, exercises, etc.
Classification: LCC QC718 .P73 2023 (print) | LCC QC718 (ebook) | DDC
523.01–dc23/eng20221110
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022040646
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022040647
Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: © Jason Edwards/Getty Images
Preface
With a growing realization regarding the importance of space weather and its impacts on modern technology, there are clear benefits that can be gained from introducing space science to a wider set of demographics. Within a university ecosystem, space science is predominantly studied in the context of research and is mainly taught in classroom settings at the graduate level. With few exceptions such as in specialized courses for aerospace engineering majors, space science is rarely taught for undergraduates at large. This is an unfortunate gap that can (and should) be bridged as much as possible, since significant number of space science concepts may actually be accessible to those who have completed freshman‐level physics and calculus or linear algebra. If this gap can be successfully bridged, it could broaden the potential exposure to include not only students who are involved in space science research, but also many more undergraduates in physics, mathematics, geoscience, and related engineering fields. We may hope that some quantitative‐minded or technology‐oriented business and law students would be interested as well. This book attempts to demonstrate that quite a number of fundamental concepts in ionospheric and space physics are indeed accessible to those equipped with the basic prerequisites.
This book may be somewhat non‐traditional in terms of its format. It nevertheless shares a common goal with many other textbooks in ionospheric and space physics, which is to convey essential concepts of scientific and technical nature on this very topic to the readers. This book contains a set of thematic exercises as its chapters, accompanied with complete solutions, which explore and elucidate certain concepts that are commonly found in space science. Each thematic exercise is centered on a particular topic, and is presented in the form of multi‐part questions, where the results from one part carry over to help answer the subsequent part(s). A short introduction is provided at the beginning of each exercise to define the theme and bring some context to the readers. In each exercise, the sequential multi‐part questions would dictate the general storyline, while the answers to each part would help connect the dots and fill in the gaps. Compared to traditional ways of telling a storyline, the chapters in this book separate the big picture (the multi‐part questions) from the more minute details (the answers to those questions and the supporting calculations).
To some degree, this format will also challenge readers by framing the key points as questions (e.g. “show that X, Y, and Z are true given the following assumptions”) rather than simply declaring them (e.g. “it had been shown that X, Y, and Z are true | see references”). Of course, readers have the full freedom and convenience to look at the answer key and solutions at any point throughout the book.
The general idea that conveying key points in the form of questions could potentially enhance some aspects of learning may have originated from several different places. A few years ago, I learned from Professor Ting Wu (Harvard Medical School) during a panel discussion event that if people are simply provided with information and a series of facts, then people tend to forget those facts and information rather quickly. However, if people are given a set of questions instead, they tend to remember those questions much longer. For example, the geophysical information “temperature in the troposphere drops by 6.5_C every kilometer due to less heat from the ground surface to warm the air” tends to be quickly forgotten by people. However, when the same information is delivered as an inquiry instead, the situation may actually improve. The question “why is air temperature on the mountains much colder than on the beach even though mountaintops are closer to the Sun?” tends to be remembered longer by people. Therefore, it might actually be a good idea to try inserting core science concepts using challenge questions/problems/exercises as a delivery vehicle, with the hope that they will be better remembered and internalized by the readers.
Such an approach for disseminating scientific knowledge may not be as radical as we think. After all, the traditional Socratic Method also works largely by having teachers ask questions to students as part of learning. It is quite likely that some of us have experienced it in one form or another.
In a number of instances, thematic problems with carefully crafted topics have been serendipitously used by professors and course instructors in universities for their midterm exams and final exams. One example was a final exam problem given in a nuclear reactor engineering class at MIT (22.312 Fall Semester 2014, Final Exam, problem No. 3)y which used a realistic scenario of the so‐called Large‐Break Loss of Coolant Accident (LB‐LOCA) as its underlying theme, to convey a conceptual message that improving the heat transfer coefficient by dripping water on the outer containment shell, to take advantage of evaporative cooling, can be an effective approach in managing such a reactor emergency scenario.
Another example was a midterm exam problem given in a statistical mechanics and thermodynamics class at MIT (8.044 Spring Semester 2003, Exam #3, problem No. 1)z which helps advertise a (then) recent journal article published in Physical Review Letters to second‐year undergraduate students enrolled in the class. The thematic problem gave some degree of confidence to students that they can positively apply the class materials to examine certain aspects of papers published by leading scientists in premier journals.
It is hoped that a problem‐based learning through thematic exercises presented in this book would help introduce a number of fundamental concepts from ionospheric physics and space science to a wider demography of university students. In addition to the scientific and technical concepts (space & atmospheric phenomena, diagnostic instruments & techniques, technological systems), perhaps one will also pick up some history and public policy insight along the way.
Part IIonospheric and Space Phenomena
1Chapman Theory of Ionospheric Layer Formation
Plasma in the Earth's ionosphere comes from several different sources of ionization, including: photoionization by EUV radiation from the sun, ionization by cosmic rays, and impact ionization by precipitating high‐energy charged particles. This exercise specifically explores the basic physical process of ionospheric layer formation due to photoionization by solar illumination. For simplicity, we shall assume single‐species neutral particles in the Earth's atmosphere (denoted as species ). We then assume that, under direct solar illumination, ionospheric plasma is formed via a photoionization process . This basic process is illustrated schematically on the LHS of Figure 1.1.
The rate of electron production by photoionization [unit is e.g. electrons is given by the expression , where is the photoionization cross section , is the number density of neutral species , and is the photon flux . As photoionization happens in the atmosphere, the photon flux will gradually diminish, which is depicted on the RHS of Figure 1.1. Furthermore, due to gravity pointing down, the background density of the neutral species is known to vary with altitude according to the formula where is the scale height.
Figure 1.1 (left) Photoionization process of atmospheric neutral particles by solar EUV radiation. (right) Reduction of solar EUV radiation intensity by the Earth's atmosphere.
(a) As the solar radiation photoionizes an infinitesimal sheet of atmosphere with a vertical thickness
, convince yourselves that the resulting infinitesimal decrease in photon flux is given by
, where
is the solar zenith angle. Hence, show that the photon flux in the atmosphere will vary with altitude according to:
where
is the original value of photon flux outside the Earth's atmosphere.
(b) Using the result obtained previously in part (a), show that the electron production rate as a function of altitude is given by:
(c) By differentiation, show that the rate of electron production
would be largest for
at an altitude
where
.
(d) Define
and
(with “
” Euler's number, not electronic charge). Show that the rate of electron production can then be expressed as:
which is sometimes referred to as the Chapman production function.
(e) In addition to the electron production process, there would be electron loss mechanisms in the upper atmosphere. Taking both production and losses into account, a simple equation that might reasonably describe the net production rate of electrons in the ionosphere is as follows:
where is the electron density, is a coefficient representing recombination process (i.e. ), and is a different coefficient representing electron attachment process (i.e. ).
Show that the electron density will be given by if recombination process is the dominant loss mechanism, and by if electron attachment process is the dominant loss mechanism.
Solutions to the Problems:
(a) If solar radiation passes through an infinitesimal layer of the atmosphere with vertical thickness
at an angle
, then the slant thickness of this infinitesimal layer along the radiation path is
. Since
is the number of photoionizations per second per unit volume, then
will be the number of photoionizations per second per unit cross‐sectional area (i.e. area
radiation path). The number of photoionizations per second is by definition equal to the number of absorbed photons per second. Hence,
