Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite
In this article, high spatiotemporal resolution data obtained by the atmospheric density detector carried by China’s APOD satellite are used to study the hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric density. A detailed analysis is first performed on the dual magnetic storm event that occurred near the aut...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/4/714 |
| _version_ | 1797606451588366336 |
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| author | Jiangzhao Ai Yongping Li Xianguo Zhang Chao Xiao Guangming Chen Xiaoliang Zheng Zhiliang Zhang |
| author_facet | Jiangzhao Ai Yongping Li Xianguo Zhang Chao Xiao Guangming Chen Xiaoliang Zheng Zhiliang Zhang |
| author_sort | Jiangzhao Ai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this article, high spatiotemporal resolution data obtained by the atmospheric density detector carried by China’s APOD satellite are used to study the hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric density. A detailed analysis is first performed on the dual magnetic storm event that occurred near the autumnal equinox on 8 September 2017. The results show that the enhancement ratio of atmospheric density in the southern polar region (SPR) on the duskside was approximately 1.33–1.65 times that of the northern polar region (NPR), demonstrating a strong hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric atmospheric density response during the magnetic storm. However, the asymmetry response was smaller on the dawnside, suggesting that the hemispheric density response asymmetry is related to local time (LT). The energy injection in high-latitude regions increases local atmospheric density and forms traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs). TADs can propagate to low-latitude regions over several hours and affect the global distribution of thermospheric atmospheric density. Similarly, the geomagnetic index fitting slope of SPR relative density difference is greater than that of NPR. The SuperDARN convection pattern indicates that the plasma convection velocity of SPR is significantly greater than that of NPR, indicating that joule heating caused by neutral friction of ions in the Southern Hemisphere may be stronger. Subsequently, an analysis of annual solar activity and seasons was carried out on the thermospheric NPR, SPR atmospheric density, and their differences from December 2015 to December 2020. The results show that thermospheric atmospheric density decreases overall as the number of sunspots decreases. The differences between the NPR and SPR atmospheric densities in the thermosphere exhibits a noticeable annual periodicity. The NPR and SPR atmospheric densities appear to have different distribution characteristics in different seasons. The NPR density peak is mainly in March or April. In particular, the “double-peak” phenomenon occurred in 2017, with peaks in March and September, while the most obvious feature of SPR atmospheric density is that its minimum value occurs in the summer months of June and July. This paper reveals the annual, seasonal, and magnetic storm response characteristics of the hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric atmospheric density, which has significant implications for the study of multilayer energy coupling of the magnetosphere–ionosphere–thermosphere. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:15:23Z |
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| id | doaj.art-c37059332a2547aaa5dfed10e7cb57cd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:15:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-c37059332a2547aaa5dfed10e7cb57cd2023-11-17T18:17:43ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-04-0114471410.3390/atmos14040714Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD SatelliteJiangzhao Ai0Yongping Li1Xianguo Zhang2Chao Xiao3Guangming Chen4Xiaoliang Zheng5Zhiliang Zhang6National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaNational Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaNational Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaInstitute of Space Sciences, School of Space Science and Physics, Shandong University, Weihai 264200, ChinaScience and Technology on Aerospace Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Beijing Aerospace Control Center, Beijing 100094, ChinaNational Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaNational Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaIn this article, high spatiotemporal resolution data obtained by the atmospheric density detector carried by China’s APOD satellite are used to study the hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric density. A detailed analysis is first performed on the dual magnetic storm event that occurred near the autumnal equinox on 8 September 2017. The results show that the enhancement ratio of atmospheric density in the southern polar region (SPR) on the duskside was approximately 1.33–1.65 times that of the northern polar region (NPR), demonstrating a strong hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric atmospheric density response during the magnetic storm. However, the asymmetry response was smaller on the dawnside, suggesting that the hemispheric density response asymmetry is related to local time (LT). The energy injection in high-latitude regions increases local atmospheric density and forms traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs). TADs can propagate to low-latitude regions over several hours and affect the global distribution of thermospheric atmospheric density. Similarly, the geomagnetic index fitting slope of SPR relative density difference is greater than that of NPR. The SuperDARN convection pattern indicates that the plasma convection velocity of SPR is significantly greater than that of NPR, indicating that joule heating caused by neutral friction of ions in the Southern Hemisphere may be stronger. Subsequently, an analysis of annual solar activity and seasons was carried out on the thermospheric NPR, SPR atmospheric density, and their differences from December 2015 to December 2020. The results show that thermospheric atmospheric density decreases overall as the number of sunspots decreases. The differences between the NPR and SPR atmospheric densities in the thermosphere exhibits a noticeable annual periodicity. The NPR and SPR atmospheric densities appear to have different distribution characteristics in different seasons. The NPR density peak is mainly in March or April. In particular, the “double-peak” phenomenon occurred in 2017, with peaks in March and September, while the most obvious feature of SPR atmospheric density is that its minimum value occurs in the summer months of June and July. This paper reveals the annual, seasonal, and magnetic storm response characteristics of the hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric atmospheric density, which has significant implications for the study of multilayer energy coupling of the magnetosphere–ionosphere–thermosphere.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/4/714atmospheric densitythermospherehemispheric asymmetryTADsplasma convection |
| spellingShingle | Jiangzhao Ai Yongping Li Xianguo Zhang Chao Xiao Guangming Chen Xiaoliang Zheng Zhiliang Zhang Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite Atmosphere atmospheric density thermosphere hemispheric asymmetry TADs plasma convection |
| title | Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite |
| title_full | Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite |
| title_fullStr | Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite |
| title_full_unstemmed | Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite |
| title_short | Study on the Hemispheric Asymmetry of Thermospheric Density Based on In-Situ Measurements from APOD Satellite |
| title_sort | study on the hemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric density based on in situ measurements from apod satellite |
| topic | atmospheric density thermosphere hemispheric asymmetry TADs plasma convection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/4/714 |
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