An auroral flare at Jupiter

Jupiter's aurora is the most powerful in the Solar System. It is powered largely by energy extracted from planetary rotation, although there seems also to be a contribution from the solar wind. This contrasts with Earth's aurora, which is generated through the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere. The major features of Jupiter's aurora (based on far-ultraviolet, near-infrared and visible-wavelength observations) include a main oval that generally corotates with the planet and a region of patchy, diffuse emission inside the oval on Jupiter's dusk side. Here we report the discovery of a rapidly evolving, very bright and localized emission poleward of the northern main oval, in a region connected magnetically to Jupiter's outer magnetosphere. The intensity of the emission increased by a factor of 30 within 70 s, and then decreased on a similar timescale, all captured during a single four-minute exposure. This type of flaring emission has not previously been reported for Jupiter (similar, but smaller, transient events have been observed at Earth), and it may be related directly to changes in the solar wind.     

An abundant population of small irregular satellites around Jupiter

Irregular satellites have eccentric orbits that can be highly inclined or even retrograde relative to the equatorial planes of their planets. These objects cannot have formed by circumplanetary accretion, unlike the regular satellites that follow uninclined, nearly circular and prograde orbits. Rather, they are probably products of early capture from heliocentric orbits. Although the capture mechanism remains uncertain, the study of irregular satellites provides a window on processes operating in the young Solar System. Families of irregular satellites recently have been discovered around Saturn (thirteen members, refs 6, 7), Uranus (six, ref. 8) and Neptune (three, ref. 9). Because Jupiter is closer than the other giant planets, searches for smaller and fainter irregular satellites can be made. Here we report the discovery of 23 new irregular satellites of Jupiter, so increasing the total known population to 32. There are five distinct satellite groups, each dominated by one relatively large body. The groups were most probably produced by collisional shattering of precursor objects after capture by Jupiter.     

彗—木相撞辐射引力波的估算

选用一合理的模型，估算了１９９４年７月发生的彗（ＳＬ９）—木相撞辐射引力波的强度和功率．所得结果表明引力辐射强度远低于目前引力波检测装置所达到的灵敏度．计算过程与所得结果富有启发性     

A pulsating auroral X-ray hot spot on Jupiter

Jupiter's X-ray aurora has been thought to be excited by energetic sulphur and oxygen ions precipitating from the inner magnetosphere into the planet's polar regions. Here we report high-spatial-resolution observations that demonstrate that most of Jupiter's northern auroral X-rays come from a 'hot spot' located significantly poleward of the latitudes connected to the inner magnetosphere. The hot spot seems to be fixed in magnetic latitude and longitude and occurs in a region where anomalous infrared and ultraviolet emissions have also been observed. We infer from the data that the particles that excite the aurora originate in the outer magnetosphere. The hot spot X-rays pulsate with an approximately 45-min period, a period similar to that reported for high-latitude radio and energetic electron bursts observed by near-Jupiter spacecraft. These results invalidate the idea that jovian auroral X-ray emissions are mainly excited by steady precipitation of energetic heavy ions from the inner magnetosphere. Instead, the X-rays seem to result from currently unexplained processes in the outer magnetosphere that produce highly localized and highly variable emissions over an extremely wide range of wavelengths.     

Prediction of a global climate change on Jupiter

Jupiter's atmosphere, as observed in the 1979 Voyager space craft images, is characterized by 12 zonal jet streams and about 80 vortices, the largest of which are the Great Red Spot and three White Ovals that had formed in the 1930s. The Great Red Spot has been observed continuously since 1665 and, given the dynamical similarities between the Great Red Spot and the White Ovals, the disappearance of two White Ovals in 1997-2000 was unexpected. Their longevity and sudden demise has been explained however, by the trapping of anticyclonic vortices in the troughs of Rossby waves, forcing them to merge. Here I propose that the disappearance of the White Ovals was not an isolated event, but part of a recurring climate cycle which will cause most of Jupiter's vortices to disappear within the next decade. In my numerical simulations, the loss of the vortices results in a global temperature change of about 10 K, which destabilizes the atmosphere and thereby leads to the formation of new vortices. After formation, the large vortices are eroded by turbulence over a time of approximately 60 years--consistent with observations of the White Ovals-until they disappear and the cycle begins again.     

Transient aurora on Jupiter from injections of magnetospheric electrons

Energetic electrons and ions that are trapped in Earth's magnetosphere can suddenly be accelerated towards the planet. Some dynamic features of Earth's aurora (the northern and southern lights) are created by the fraction of these injected particles that travels along magnetic field lines and hits the upper atmosphere. Jupiter's aurora appears similar to Earth's in some respects; both appear as large ovals circling the poles and both show transient events. But the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Earth are so different---particularly in the way they are powered---that it is not known whether the magnetospheric drivers of Earth's aurora also cause them on Jupiter. Here we show a direct relationship between Earth-like injections of electrons in Jupiter's magnetosphere and a transient auroral feature in Jupiter's polar region. This relationship is remarkably similar to what happens at Earth, and therefore suggests that despite the large differences between planetary magnetospheres, some processes that generate aurorae are the same throughout the Solar System.     

小行星轨道受木星的平均摄动研究

引进行星系统的基本作用量子η＝λＧＭ＊／ｃ≈９．２８×１０１４ｍ２ｓ－１和行星椭圆轨道的无量纲根数,推导以这种根数表示的小行星轨道受木星的平均摄动函数和三体摄动方程;再由摄动方程计算小行星轨道受木星的平均摄动;最后,给出了几颗特殊小行星轨道受木星的一阶平均摄动数值     

木星轨道卫星深层介质充电电势仿真研究

采用GEANT4-RIC方法, 对处于木星轨道的星用电路板FR4 (环氧玻璃布层压板)介质和电缆PTFE (聚四氟乙烯)介质的充电过程进行模拟研究, 计算不同接地状态、不同介质厚度和不同屏蔽层厚度条件下, 介质内部的充电电势。研究结果表明, 介质充电电势与介质接地方式密切相关, 双面接地可以大大降低介质的充电电势; 使用薄介质以及增加屏蔽层厚度也是降低介质内部充电电势的有效方法。     

基于附壁射流理论的全射流喷头射流元件设计

采用附壁点模型及控制面模型分析射流附壁模型,推导出附壁半径,以及对应各种位差时的附壁距离的计算方法.编程对10PXH,30PXH隙控式全射流喷头射流元件的附壁半径、附壁距离进行了初步计算,计算结果与实际采用的结构尺寸基本吻合,可以用来指导射流元件的结构设计.并利用木村模型对射流核心区域的流动进行了分析,核心区域的计算结果表明射流元件内附壁现象基本上发生在初始段内.     

平流层飞艇热力学建模与仿真研究

文章基于对飞艇热状况形成机制的分析,建立了针对临近空间飞艇的热力学模型,主要有对流换热数学模型和辐射换热数学模型,并编写了热特性仿真计算软件,对飞艇在巡航阶段艇内气体温度变化进行仿真分析。结果显示:平流层飞艇氦气平均温度的变化主要受太阳辐射强度的影响,夜晚较低,白天较高,温差约为55℃;副气囊空气温度的变化趋势基本与氦气一致,且氦气和空气最大超热都超过40℃。     

A nebula of gases from Io surrounding Jupiter

Several planetary missions have reported the presence of substantial numbers of energetic ions and electrons surrounding Jupiter; relativistic electrons are observable up to several astronomical units (au) from the planet. A population of energetic (>30[?]keV) neutral particles also has been reported, but the instrumentation was not able to determine the mass or charge state of the particles, which were subsequently labelled energetic neutral atoms. Although images showing the presence of the trace element sodium were obtained, the source and identity of the neutral atoms---and their overall significance relative to the loss of charged particles from Jupiter's magnetosphere---were unknown. Here we report the discovery by the Cassini spacecraft of a fast (>103[?]km[?]s-1) and hot magnetospheric neutral wind extending more than 0.5[?]au from Jupiter, and the presence of energetic neutral atoms (both hot and cold) that have been accelerated by the electric field in the solar wind. We suggest that these atoms originate in volcanic gases from Io, undergo significant evolution through various electromagnetic interactions, escape Jupiter's magnetosphere and then populate the environment around the planet. Thus a 'nebula' is created that extends outwards over hundreds of jovian radii.     

Semi-annual oscillations in Saturn's low-latitude stratospheric temperatures

Observations of oscillations of temperature and wind in planetary atmospheres provide a means of generalizing models for atmospheric dynamics in a diverse set of planets in the Solar System and elsewhere. An equatorial oscillation similar to one in the Earth's atmosphere has been discovered in Jupiter. Here we report the existence of similar oscillations in Saturn's atmosphere, from an analysis of over two decades of spatially resolved observations of its 7.8-microm methane and 12.2-microm ethane stratospheric emissions, where we compare zonal-mean stratospheric brightness temperatures at planetographic latitudes of 3.6 degrees and 15.5 degrees in both the northern and the southern hemispheres. These results support the interpretation of vertical and meridional variability of temperatures in Saturn's stratosphere as a manifestation of a wave phenomenon similar to that on the Earth and in Jupiter. The period of this oscillation is 14.8 +/- 1.2 terrestrial years, roughly half of Saturn's year, suggesting the influence of seasonal forcing, as is the case with the Earth's semi-annual oscillation.     

平流层飞艇太阳能电池热性能数值模型

平流层飞艇太阳能电池的温度对电池转化效率有着显著的影响;同时在正午时分可能对飞艇蒙皮以及内部浮升气体的温度造成不利的影响,并恶化飞艇的"超热"、"超压"现象。因此,很有必要对平流层飞艇太阳能电池热性能进行分析;但是相关研究却不是很全面。建立了平流层飞艇太阳能电池热性能分析数值模型,包括太阳能电池的太阳辐射模型、多层热传递模型。基于该数值模型,开发了MATLAB仿真程序。设计并开展了飞艇太阳能电池温度地面测试试验,对所建的热模型进行了验证。在研究过程中,分析了太阳能电池在一天内的温度变化情况。此外,详细讨论了日期、隔热层、太阳能电池外部封装层透波率以及风速等因素对于太阳能电池温度的影响。可以为平流层飞艇太阳能电池的设计提供有用的参考信息,为平流层飞艇热控制及热设计提供依据。     

Atmospheric science: stratospheric cooling and the troposphere

Satellite observations of tropospheric temperatures seem to show less warming than surface temperatures, contrary to physical predictions. Fu et al. show that statistical correction for the effect of stratospheric cooling brings the satellite-based estimates of tropospheric warming into closer agreement with observations of surface warming. Here we apply the method of Fu et al. to output from a state-of-the-art coupled climate model and show that simulated tropospheric temperature trends are consistent with those observed and that their method is robust.     

Detection of stratospheric ozone intrusions by windprofiler radars

Stratospheric ozone attenuates harmful ultraviolet radiation and protects the Earth's biosphere. Ozone is also of fundamental importance for the chemistry of the lowermost part of the atmosphere, the troposphere. At ground level, ozone is an important by-product of anthropogenic pollution, damaging forests and crops, and negatively affecting human health. Ozone is critical to the chemical and thermal balance of the troposphere because, via the formation of hydroxyl radicals, it controls the capacity of tropospheric air to oxidize and remove other pollutants. Moreover, ozone is an important greenhouse gas, particularly in the upper troposphere. Although photochemistry in the lower troposphere is the major source of tropospheric ozone, the stratosphere-troposphere transport of ozone is important to the overall climatology, budget and long-term trends of tropospheric ozone. Stratospheric intrusion events, however, are still poorly understood. Here we introduce the use of modern windprofiler radars to assist in such transport investigations. By hourly monitoring the radar-derived tropopause height in combination with a series of frequent ozonesonde balloon launches, we find numerous intrusions of ozone from the stratosphere into the troposphere in southeastern Canada. On some occasions, ozone is dispersed at altitudes of two to four kilometres, but on other occasions it reaches the ground, where it can dominate the ozone density variability. We observe rapid changes in radar tropopause height immediately preceding these intrusion events. Such changes therefore serve as a valuable diagnostic for the occurrence of ozone intrusion events. Our studies emphasize the impact that stratospheric ozone can have on tropospheric ozone, and show that windprofiler data can be used to infer the possibility of ozone intrusions, as well as better represent tropopause motions in association with stratosphere-troposphere transport.     

Direct and indirect effects of solar variations on stratospheric ozone and temperature

We have used a fully coupled chemistry-climate model (WACCM) to investigate the relative importance of the direct and indirect effects of 11a solar variations on stratospheric temperature and ozone. Although the model does not contain a quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and uses fixed sea surface temperature (SST), it is able to produce a second maximum solar response in tropical lower stratospheric (TLS) temperature and ozone of approximately 0.5 K and 3%, respectively. In the TLS, the solar spectral variations in the chemistry scheme play a more important role than solar spectral variations in the radiation scheme in generating temperature and ozone responses. The chemistry effect of solar variations causes significant changes in the Brewer-Dobson (BD) circulation resulting in ozone anomalies in the TLS. The model simulations also show a negative feedback in the upper stratosphere between the temperature and ozone responses. A wavelet analysis of the modeled ozone and temperature time series reveals that the maximum solar responses in ozone and temperature caused by both chemical and radiative effects occur at different altitudes in the upper stratosphere. The analysis also confirms that both the direct radiative and indirect ozone feedback effects are important in generating a solar response in the upper stratospheric temperatures, although the solar spectral variations in the chemistry scheme give the largest solar cycle power in the upper stratospheric temperature.     

天山天池一次强降水过程中的地形效应

2010年6月22日至23日,新疆天山天池发生了一次特大暴雨过程,6 h累积降水量高达124 mm。利用WRF中尺度数值模式对本次强降水过程进行数值模拟,探讨了天山地形在本次强对流过程的作用。结果表明,控制北疆地区的西北气流遇博格达山脉阻挡,除了一部分西北气流以12 m·s-1的速度沿迎风坡爬升之外,另一部分偏西绕流因为狭管效应以18~24m·s-1速度沿山体西侧绕流爬升,两支气流在山顶汇合造成的对流增强为本次大暴雨过程的发生提供了动力条件。由于地形阻挡和狭谷效应,博格达山西坡上低层偏西气流的垂直分布随高度递减,造成山坡上水平辐合增强,对应的气旋式涡度进一步加强,最大值达136×10-5s-1,有利于降水量增加。高低层风场配置相反,垂直风切变加强,有利于强对流的发生。东北偏东方向移动的多单体系统受博格达山西坡地形阻挡抬升与局地生成的对流单体合并,是本次天池发生大暴雨过程的主要原因。