| 1. |
- de Jong, R. S., et al.
(författare)
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4MOST : Project overview and information for the First Call for Proposals
- 2019
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Ingår i: The Messenger. - : European Southern Observatory. - 0722-6691. ; 175, s. 3-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- We introduce the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST), a new high-multiplex, wide-field spectroscopic survey facility under development for the four-metre-class Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at Paranal. Its key specifications are: a large field of view (FoV) of 4.2 square degrees and a high multiplex capability, with 1624 fibres feeding two low-resolution spectrographs (R = λ/Δλ ~ 6500), and 812 fibres transferring light to the high-resolution spectrograph (R ~ 20 000). After a description of the instrument and its expected performance, a short overview is given of its operational scheme and planned 4MOST Consortium science; these aspects are covered in more detail in other articles in this edition of The Messenger. Finally, the processes, schedules, and policies concerning the selection of ESO Community Surveys are presented, commencing with a singular opportunity to submit Letters of Intent for Public Surveys during the first five years of 4MOST operations.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Abdalla, E., et al.
(författare)
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Cosmology intertwined : A review of the particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology associated with the cosmological tensions and anomalies
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of High Energy Astrophysics. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-4048 .- 2214-4056. ; 34, s. 49-211
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The standard Λ Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model provides a good description of a wide range of astrophysical and cosmological data. However, there are a few big open questions that make the standard model look like an approximation to a more realistic scenario yet to be found. In this paper, we list a few important goals that need to be addressed in the next decade, taking into account the current discordances between the different cosmological probes, such as the disagreement in the value of the Hubble constant H0, the σ8–S8 tension, and other less statistically significant anomalies. While these discordances can still be in part the result of systematic errors, their persistence after several years of accurate analysis strongly hints at cracks in the standard cosmological scenario and the necessity for new physics or generalisations beyond the standard model. In this paper, we focus on the 5.0σ tension between the Planck CMB estimate of the Hubble constant H0 and the SH0ES collaboration measurements. After showing the H0 evaluations made from different teams using different methods and geometric calibrations, we list a few interesting new physics models that could alleviate this tension and discuss how the next decade's experiments will be crucial. Moreover, we focus on the tension of the Planck CMB data with weak lensing measurements and redshift surveys, about the value of the matter energy density Ωm, and the amplitude or rate of the growth of structure (σ8,fσ8). We list a few interesting models proposed for alleviating this tension, and we discuss the importance of trying to fit a full array of data with a single model and not just one parameter at a time. Additionally, we present a wide range of other less discussed anomalies at a statistical significance level lower than the H0–S8 tensions which may also constitute hints towards new physics, and we discuss possible generic theoretical approaches that can collectively explain the non-standard nature of these signals. Finally, we give an overview of upgraded experiments and next-generation space missions and facilities on Earth that will be of crucial importance to address all these open questions.
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| 4. |
- Aikio, A. T., et al.
(författare)
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Temporal evolution of two auroral arcs as measured by the Cluster satellite and coordinated ground-based instruments
- 2004
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 22:12, s. 4089-4101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The four Cluster s/c passed over Northern Scandinavia on 6 February 2001 from south-east to north-west at a radial distance of about 4.4 R-E in the post-midnight sector. When mapped along geomagnetic field lines, the separation of the spacecraft in the ionosphere was confined to within 110 km in latitude and 50 km in longitude. This constellation allowed us to study the temporal evolution of plasma with a time scale of a few minutes. Ground-based instrumentation used involved two all-sky cameras, magnetometers and the EISCAT radar. The main findings were as follows. Two auroral arcs were located close to the equatorward and poleward edge of a large-scale density cavity, respectively. These arcs showed a different kind of a temporal evolution. (1) As a response to a pseudo-breakup onset, both the up- and downward field-aligned current (FAC) sheets associated with the equatorward arc widened and the total amount of FAC doubled in a time scale of 1-2 min. (2) In the poleward arc, a density cavity formed in the ionosphere in the return (downward) current region. As a result of ionospheric feedback, a strongly enhanced ionospheric southward electric field developed in the region of decreased Pedersen conductance. Furthermore, the acceleration potential of ionospheric electrons, carrying the return current, increased from 200 to 1000 eV in 70 s, and the return current region widened in order to supply a constant amount of return current to the arc current circuit. Evidence of local acceleration of the electron population by dispersive Alfven waves was obtained in the upward FAC region of the poleward arc. However, the downward accelerated suprathermal electrons must be further energised below Cluster in order to be able to produce the observed visible aurora. Both of the auroral arcs were associated with broad-band ULF/ELF (BBELF) waves, but they were highly localised in space and time. The most intense BBELF waves were confined typically to the return current regions adjacent to the visual arc, but in one case also to a weak upward FAC region. BBELF waves could appear/disappear between s/c crossings of the same arc separated by about 1 min.
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| 5. |
- Büchert, A., et al.
(författare)
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Dioxin contamination in food : Bayreuth, Germany, from September 28 to October 1, 2000
- 2001
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. - : Ecomed Publishers. - 0944-1344 .- 1614-7499. ; 8:2, s. 84-88
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dioxin and PCB monitoring programs for food and feeding stuff in most countries of the world, including many European Countries are currently inadequate. Better control of food production lines and food processing procedures is needed to minimize entry of dioxin to the food chain and will help to avoid dioxin contamination accidents. This would also improve the ability to trace back a possible contamination to its source. European guidelines for monitoring programs should be established to ensure comparable and meaningful results. These guidelines should define the minimum requirements for the design of monitoring programs, analytical methods, and quality assurance.Though data from Northern Europe shows that the general population exposure to dioxin and PCB has decreased during the last ten years these compounds continue to be a risk of accidental contamination of the food chain. The most prominent recent example is the Belgian dioxin contamination of feeding stuff in 1999. The Belgian dioxin contamination was not detected due to dioxin monitoring programs but by their direct biological effects seen in animals. Four other cases of dioxin contamination have been detected in Europe since 1997 due to local monitoring programs. One of them (citrus pulp pellets 1998) was in a much larger scale than the Belgian dioxin contamination.The general population's exposure to dioxins and PCBs is still in the same range (1-4 pg WHO-TEQ/kg body weight and day) as the recently revised WHO tolerable daily intake (TDI). There is concern that short-term high level exposure to dioxins, furans, and PCB may cause biological effects on the human fetal development and further research is required.Further actions to control sources building on considerable advances already made in many countries may need to be supplemented by measures to prevent direct contamination of feeding stuff or food to reduce general population exposure further.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Lunde, J., et al.
(författare)
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Ion-dispersion and rapid electron fluctuations in the cusp : a case study
- 2008
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 26:8, s. 2485-2502
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present results from co-ordinated measurements with the low altitude REIMEI satellite and the ESR (EISCAT Svalbard Radar), together with other ground-based instruments carried out in February 2006. The results mainly relate to the dayside cusp where clear signatures of so-called ion-dispersion are seen in the satellite data. The cusp ion-dispersion is important for helping to understand the temporal and spatial structure of magnetopause reconnection. Whenever a satellite crosses boundaries of flux tubes or convection cells, cusp structures such as ion-dispersion will always be encountered. In our case we observed 3 distinct steps in the ion energy, but it includes at least 2 more steps as well, which we interpret as temporal features in relation to pulsed reconnection at the magnetopause. In addition, fast variations of the electron flux and energy occurring during these events have been studied in detail. The variations of the electron population, if interpreted as structures crossed by the REIMEI satellite, would map near the magnetopause to similar features as observed previously with the Cluster satellites. These were explained as Alfven waves originating from an X-line of magnetic reconnection.
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| 8. |
- Marklund, G.T., Ivchenko, N., Karlsson, T., Fazakerley, A., Dunlop, M., Lindqvist, P.A., Buchert, S., Owen, C., Taylor, M., Vaivalds, A., Carter, P., Andre, M. and Balogh, A.
(författare)
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Temporal evolution of the electric field accelerating electrons away from the auroral ionosphere.
- 2001
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Ingår i: Nature. ; 414:6865, s. 724-727
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The bright night-time aurorae that are visible to the unaided eye are caused by electrons accelerated towards Earth by an upward-pointing electric field(1-3). On adjacent geomagnetic field lines the reverse process occurs: a downward-pointing electric fie
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| 9. |
- Ogawa, Y., et al.
(författare)
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Relationship between auroral substorm and ion upflow in the nightside polar ionosphere
- 2013
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Ingår i: J GEOPHYS RES-SPACE. - 2169-9380. ; 118:11, s. 7426-7437
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigated ionospheric ion upflow during an auroral substorm using simultaneous European Incoherent Scatter radar and IMAGE satellite data. Approximately 6 min after an initial brightening identified with data from the IMAGE wideband imaging camera instrument, ion upflow was seen and the electron temperature became enhanced, too. The ion upflow, with a velocity of about 150 m/s, and the electron temperature enhancement lasted for about 25 min. During the poleward expansion phase, surges of large upward ion velocity and flux, and high ion and electron temperatures occurred over Longyearbyen. The upward ion flux reached 2x10(14) m(-2)s(-1). Naturally enhanced ion-acoustic lines (NEIALs) were seen near the poleward edge of the expanded auroral oval both near the end of expansion phase 17 min after onset and also later in the recovery phase. The NEIALs seemed to be accompanied by another type of enhanced echoes, obliquely to the local geomagnetic field. Data from the Low Energy Neutral Atom instrument on the IMAGE satellite show that energetic neutral oxygen reaches the IMAGE satellite about 40 min after the initial brightening, and oxygen continues to get detected during the recovery phase. We propose that ion upflow at the poleward edge of the auroral oval during the expansion phase is related to ion/neutral outflow with energy below 18-27 eV, whereas during the recovery phase of a substorm upward ions are accelerated up to about 60 eV and flow out in the entire polar region.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Aikio, A. T., et al.
(författare)
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Swarm Satellite and EISCAT Radar Observations of a Plasma Flow Channel in the Auroral Oval Near Magnetic Midnight
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:6, s. 5140-5158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present Swarm satellite and EISCAT radar observations of electrodynamical parameters in the midnight sector at high latitudes. The most striking feature is a plasma flow channel located equatorward of the polar cap boundary within the dawn convection cell. The flow channel is 1.5 degrees wide in latitude and contains southward electric field of 150 mV/m, corresponding to eastward plasma velocities of 3,300 m/s in the F-region ionosphere. The theoretically computed ion temperature enhancement produced by the observed ion velocity is in accordance with the measured one by the EISCAT radar. The total width of the auroral oval is about 10 degrees in latitude. While the poleward part is electric field dominant with low conductivity and the flow channel, the equatorward part is conductivity dominant with at least five auroral arcs. The main part of the westward electrojet flows in the conductivity dominant part, but it extends to the electric field dominant part. According to Kamide and Kokubun (1996), the whole midnight sector westward electrojet is expected to be conductivity dominant, so the studied event challenges the traditional view. The flow channel is observed after substorm onset. We suggest that the observed flow channel, which is associated with a 13-kV horizontal potential difference, accommodates increased nightside plasma flows during the substorm expansion phase as a result of reconnection in the near-Earth magnetotail.
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| 12. |
- Amm, O., et al.
(författare)
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Towards understanding the electrodynamics of the 3-dimensional high-latitude ionosphere : present and future
- 2008
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 26:12, s. 3913-3932
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Traditionally, due to observational constraints, ionospheric modelling and data analysis techniques have been devised either in one dimension (e. g. along a single radar beam), or in two dimensions (e. g. over a network of magnetometers). With new upcoming missions like the Swarm ionospheric multi-satellite project, or the EISCAT 3-D project, the time has come to take into account variations in all three dimensions simultaneously, as they occur in the real ionosphere. The link between ionospheric electrodynamics and the neutral atmosphere circulation which has gained increasing interest in the recent years also intrinsically requires a truly 3-dimensional (3-D) description. In this paper, we identify five major science questions that need to be addressed by 3-D ionospheric modelling and data analysis. We briefly review what proceedings in the young field of 3-D ionospheric electrodynamics have been made in the past to address these selected question, and we outline how these issues can be addressed in the future with additional observations and/or improved data analysis and simulation techniques. Throughout the paper, we limit the discussion to high-latitude and mesoscale ionospheric electrodynamics, and to directly data-driven (not statistical) data analysis.
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| 13. |
- Andrews, David J., et al.
(författare)
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MARSIS Observations of Field-Aligned Irregularities and Ducted Radio Propagation in the Martian Ionosphere
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:8, s. 6251-6263
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Knowledge of Mars's ionosphere has been significantly advanced in recent years by observations from Mars Express and lately Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN. A topic of particular interest are the interactions between the planet's ionospheric plasma and its highly structured crustal magnetic fields and how these lead to the redistribution of plasma and affect the propagation of radio waves in the system. In this paper, we elucidate a possible relationship between two anomalous radar signatures previously reported in observations from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding instrument on Mars Express. Relatively uncommon observations of localized, extreme increases in the ionospheric peak density in regions of radial (cusp-like) magnetic fields and spread echo radar signatures are shown to be coincident with ducting of the same radar pulses at higher altitudes on the same field lines. We suggest that these two observations are both caused by a high electric field (perpendicular to B) having distinctly different effects in two altitude regimes. At lower altitudes, where ions are demagnetized and electrons magnetized, and recombination dominantes, a high electric field causes irregularities, plasma turbulence, electron heating, slower recombination, and ultimately enhanced plasma densities. However, at higher altitudes, where both ions and electrons are magnetized and atomic oxygen ions cannot recombine directly, the high electric field instead causes frictional heating, a faster production of molecular ions by charge exchange, and so a density decrease. The latter enables ducting of radar pulses on closed field lines, in an analogous fashion to interhemispheric ducting in the Earth's ionosphere.
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| 14. |
- Baloukidis, D., et al.
(författare)
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A Comparative Assessment of the Distribution of Joule Heating in Altitude as Estimated in TIE-GCM and EISCAT Over One Solar Cycle
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 128:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During geomagnetically active times, Joule (or frictional) heating in the Lower Thermosphere-Ionosphere is a significant source of thermal energy, greatly affecting density, temperature, composition and circulation. At the same time, Joule heating and the associated Pedersen conductivity are amongst the least known parameters in the upper atmosphere in terms of their quantification and spatial distribution, and their parameterization by geomagnetic parameters shows large discrepancies between estimation methodologies, primarily due to a lack of comprehensive measurements in the region where they maximize. In this work we perform a long-term statistical comparison of Joule heating as calculated by the NCAR Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) and as obtained through radar measurements by the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT). Statistical estimates of Joule heating and Pedersen conductivity are obtained from a simulation run over the 11 year period spanning from 2009 until 2019 and from radar measurements over the same period, during times of radar measurements. The results are statistically compared in different Magnetic Local Time sectors and Kp level ranges in terms of median values and percentiles of altitude profiles. It is found that Joule heating and Pedersen conductivity are higher on average in TIE-GCM than in EISCAT for low Kp and are lower than EISCAT for high Kp. It is also found that neutral winds cannot account for the discrepancies between TIE-GCM and EISCAT. Comparisons point toward the need for a Kp-dependent parameterization of Joule heating in TIE-GCM to account for the contribution of small scale effects. During times of high solar activity, Joule (or frictional) heating in the Lower Thermosphere-Ionosphere is a significant source of thermal energy, greatly affecting density, temperature, composition and circulation. Joule heating is largely unknown, due to a lack of measurements in the altitude ranges where it maximizes. In this work we compare Joule heating estimates from the NCAR Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) and as obtained through radar measurements by the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT), from a simulation run over the 11 year period spanning from 2009 until 2019 and from radar measurements over the same period. The results are compared in different Magnetic Local Time sectors and Kp level ranges in terms of median values and percentiles of altitude profiles. It is found that Joule heating and Pedersen conductivity are higher on average in TIE-GCM than in EISCAT for low activity levels and are lower than EISCAT for high activity levels. It is also found that neutral winds cannot account for the discrepancies between TIE-GCM and EISCAT. Comparisons point toward the need for a new parameterization of Joule heating in TIE-GCM to account for the contribution of small scale effects. Joule heating and Pedersen conductivity are calculated in Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) and European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT) during solar cycle 24, as a function of Kp, Magnetic Local Time and altitudeJoule heating and Pedersen conductivity in TIE-GCM are under-estimated for high Kp compared to EISCAT measurementsComparisons point toward the need for parameterization of small scale effects in TIE-GCM
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| 15. |
- Buchert, Stephan, et al.
(författare)
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The Pedersen current carried by electrons : a non-linear response of the ionosphere to magnetospheric forcing
- 2008
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 26:9, s. 2837-2844
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observations by the EISCAT Svalbard radar show that electron temperatures T-e in the cusp electrojet reach up to about 4000 K. The heat is tapped and converted from plasma convection in the near Earth space by a Pedersen current that is carried by electrons due to the presence of irregularities and their demagnetising effect. The heat is transfered to the neutral gas by collisions. In order to enhance T-e to such high temperatures the maximally possible dissipation at 50% demagnetisation must nearly be reached. The effective Pedersen conductances are found to be enhanced by up to 60% compared to classical values. Conductivities and conductances respond significantly to variations of the electric field strength E, and "Ohm's law" for the ionosphere becomes non-linear for large E.
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| 16. |
- Buchert, T., et al.
(författare)
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Is there proof that backreaction of inhomogeneities is irrelevant in cosmology?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Classical and quantum gravity. - : IOP PUBLISHING LTD. - 0264-9381 .- 1361-6382. ; 32:21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- No. In a number of papers, Green and Wald argue that the standard FLRW model approximates our Universe extremely well on all scales, except close to strong-field astrophysical objects. In particular, they argue that the effect of inhomogeneities on average properties of the Universe (backreaction) is irrelevant. We show that this latter claim is not valid. Specifically, we demonstrate, referring to their recent review paper, that (i) their two-dimensional example used to illustrate the fitting problem differs from the actual problem in important respects, and it assumes what is to be proven; (ii) the proof of the trace-free property of backreaction is unphysical and the theorem about it fails to be a mathematically general statement; (iii) the scheme that underlies the trace-free theorem does not involve averaging and therefore does not capture crucial non-local effects; (iv) their arguments are to a large extent coordinate-dependent, and (v) many of their criticisms of backreaction frameworks do not apply to the published definitions of these frameworks. It is therefore incorrect to infer that Green and Wald have proven a general result that addresses the essential physical questions of backreaction in cosmology.
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| 17. |
- Grothe, Michel J., 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Differential diagnosis of amnestic dementia patients based on an FDG-PET signature of autopsy-confirmed LATE-NC.
- 2022
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Ingår i: Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. - : Wiley. - 1552-5279. ; 19:4, s. 1234-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Limbic age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE-NC) is common in advanced age and can underlie a clinical presentation mimicking Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied whether an autopsy-derived fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) signature of LATE-NC provides clinical utility for differential diagnosis of amnestic dementia patients.Ante mortem FDG-PET patterns from autopsy-confirmed LATE-NC (N = 7) and AD (N = 23) patients were used to stratify an independent cohort of clinically diagnosed AD dementia patients (N = 242) based on individual FDG-PET profiles.Autopsy-confirmed LATE-NC and AD groups showed markedly distinct temporo-limbic and temporo-parietal FDG-PET patterns, respectively. Clinically diagnosed AD dementia patients showing a LATE-NC-like FDG-PET pattern (N = 25, 10%) were significantly older, showed less abnormal AD biomarker levels, lower APOE ε4, and higher TMEM106B risk allele load. Clinically, they exhibited a more memory-predominant profile and a generally slower disease course.An autopsy-derived temporo-limbic FDG-PET signature identifies older amnestic patients whose clinical, genetic, and molecular biomarker features are consistent with underlying LATE-NC.
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| 18. |
- Habarulema, John Bosco, et al.
(författare)
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Ionospheric Response at Conjugate Locations During the 7-8 September 2017 Geomagnetic Storm Over the Europe-African Longitude Sector
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 125:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper focuses on unique aspects of the ionospheric response at conjugate locations over Europe and South Africa during the 7-8 September 2017 geomagnetic storm including the role of the bottomside and topside ionosphere and plasmasphere in influencing electron density changes. Analysis of total electron content (TEC) on 7 September 2017 shows that for a pair of geomagnetically conjugate locations, positive storm effect was observed reaching about 65% when benchmarked on the monthly median TEC variability in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Hemisphere remained within the quiet time variability threshold of +/- 40%. Over the investigated locations, the Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes showed positive TEC deviations that were in most cases twice the comparative response level in the Northern Hemisphere on the 8 September 2017. During the storm main phase on 8 September 2017, we have obtained an interesting result of ionosonde maximum electron density of the F2 layer and TEC derived from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations showing different ionospheric responses over the same midlatitude location in the Northern Hemisphere. In situ electron density measurements from SWARM satellite aided by bottomside ionosonde-derived TEC up to the maximum height of the F2 layer (hmF2) revealed that the bottomside and topside ionosphere as well as plasmasphere electron content contributions to overall GNSS-derived TEC were different in both hemispheres especially for 8 September 2017 during the storm main phase. The differences in hemispheric response at conjugate locations and on a regional scale have been explained in terms of seasonal influence on the background electron density coupled with the presence of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances and low-latitude-associated processes. The major highlight of this study is the simultaneous confirmation of most of the previously observed features and their underlying physical mechanisms during geomagnetic storms through a multi-data set examination of hemispheric differences.
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| 19. |
- Habarulema, John Bosco, et al.
(författare)
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Storm Time Global Observations of Large-Scale TIDs From Ground-Based and In Situ Satellite Measurements
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:1, s. 711-724
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper discusses the ionosphere's response to the largest storm of solar cycle 24 during 16–18 March 2015. We have used the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) total electron content data to study large‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) over the American, African, and Asian regions. Equatorward large‐scale TIDs propagated and crossed the equator to the other side of the hemisphere especially over the American and Asian sectors. Poleward TIDs with velocities in the range ≈400–700 m/s have been observed during local daytime over the American and African sectors with origin from around the geomagnetic equator. Our investigation over the American sector shows that poleward TIDs may have been launched by increased Lorentz coupling as a result of penetrating electric field during the southward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field, Bz. We have observed increase in SWARM satellite electron density (Ne) at the same time when equatorward large‐scale TIDs are visible over the European‐African sector. The altitude Ne profiles from ionosonde observations show a possible link that storm‐induced TIDs may have influenced the plasma distribution in the topside ionosphere at SWARM satellite altitude.
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| 20. |
- Karlsson, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
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Separating spatial and temporal variations in auroral electric and magnetic fields by Cluster multipoint measurements
- 2004
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 22:7, s. 2463-2472
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cluster multipoint measurements of the electric and magnetic fields from a crossing of auroral field lines at an attitude of 4 R-E are used to show that it is possible to resolve the ambiguity of temporal versus spatial variations in the fields. We show that the largest electric fields (of the order of 300 mV/m when mapped down to the ionosphere) are of a quasi-static nature, unipolar, associated with upward electron beams, stable on a time scale of at least half a minute, and located in two regions of downward current. We conclude that they are the high-altitude analogues of the intense return current/black auroral electric field structures observed at lower altitudes by Freja and FAST. In between these structures there are temporal fluctuations, which are shown to likely be downward travelling Alfven waves. The periods of these waves are 20-40 s, which is not consistent with periods associated with either the Alfvenic ionospheric resonator, typical field line resonances or substorm onset related Pi2 oscillations. The multipoint measurements enable us to estimate a lower limit to the perpendicular wavelength of the Alfven waves to be of the order of 120 kin, which suggests that the perpendicular wavelength is similar to the dimension of the region between the two quasi-static structures. This might indicate that the Alfven waves are ducted within a wave guide, where the quasi-static structures are associated with the gradients making up this waveguide.
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| 21. |
- Kullen, A., et al.
(författare)
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Plasma transport along discrete auroral arcs and its contribution to the ionospheric plasma convection
- 2008
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 26:11, s. 3279-3293
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The role of intense high-altitude electric field (E-field) peaks for large-scale plasma convection is investigated with the help of Cluster E-field, B-field and density data. The study covers 32 E-field events between 4 and 7 R-E geocentric distance, with E-field magnitudes in the range 500 1000 mV/m when mapped to ionospheric altitude. We focus on E-field structures above the ionosphere that are typically coupled to discrete auroral arcs and their return current region. Connected to such E-field peaks are rapid plasma flows directed along the discrete arcs in opposite directions on each side of the arc. Nearly all the E-field events occur during active times. A strong dependence on different substorm phases is found: a majority of intense E-field events appearing during substorm expansion or maximum phase are located on the night-side oval, while most recovery events occur on the dusk-to-dayside part of the oval. For most expansion and maximum phase cases, the average background plasma flow is in the sunward direction. For a majority of recovery events, the flow is in the anti-sunward direction. The net plasma flux connected to a strong E-field peak is in two thirds of the cases in the same direction as the background plasma flow. However, in only one third of the cases the strong flux caused by an E-field peak makes an important contribution to the plasma transport within the boundary plasma sheet. For a majority of events, the area covered by rapid plasma flows above discrete arcs is too small to have an effect on the global convection. This questions the role of discrete auroral arcs as major driver of plasma convection.
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| 22. |
- Marklund, Göran T., et al.
(författare)
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Characteristics of quasi-static potential structures observed in the auroral return current region by Cluster
- 2004
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Ingår i: Nonlinear processes in geophysics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1023-5809 .- 1607-7946. ; 11:5-6, s. 709-720
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Temporal and spatial characteristics of intense quasi-static electric fields and associated electric potential structures in the return current region are discussed using Cluster observations at geocentric distances of about 5 Earth radii. Results are presented from four Cluster encounters with such acceleration structures to illustrate common as well as different features of such structures. The electric field structures are characterized by (all values are projected to 100 cm altitude) peak amplitudes of approximate to 1V/m, bipolar or unipolar profiles, perpendicular scale sizes of approximate to 10km, occurrence at auroral plasma boundaries associated with plasma density gradients, downward field-aligned currents of approximate to 10 muA/m(2), and upward electron beams with characteristic energies of a few hundred eV to a few keV. Two events illustrate he temporal evolution of bipolar, diverging electric field strictures, indicative of positive U-shaped potentials increasing in magnitude from less than 1 kV to a few kV on a few 100s time scale. This is also the typical formation time for ionospheric plasma cavities, which are connected to the potential structure and suggested to evolve hand-in-hand with these. In one of these events an energy decay of inverted-V ions was observed in the upward field-aligned current region prior to the acceleration potential increase in the adjacent downward current region, possibly suggesting that a potential redistribution took place between the two current branches. The other two events were characterized by intense unipolar electric fields, indicative of S-shaped potential contours and were encountered at the polar cap boundary. The total observation time for these events was typically 10-20 s, too short for monitoring the evolution of the structure, bui yet of interest for revealing their short term stability. The locations of the two bipolar events at the poleward boundary of the central plasma sheet and of the two unipolar events at the polar cap boundary, suggest that the special profile shape depends on whether plasma populations, dense enough to support upward field-aligned currents and closure of the return current, exist on both sides, or on one side only, of the boundary.
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| 23. |
- Marklund, Göran T., et al.
(författare)
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Dynamics and characteristics of electric-field structures in the auroral return current region observed by Cluster
- 2006
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Ingår i: Physica Scripta. - 0031-8949 .- 1402-4896. ; T122, s. 34-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The temporal evolution and other characteristics of intense quasi- static electric fields in the return current region are discussed using Cluster observations. A narrow- scale, divergent electric field, the high- altitude signature of a positive U- shaped potential structure, was observed at the poleward edge of the central plasma sheet, close to magnetic midnight at a geocentric distance of about 4.2 Earth radii. Its acceleration potential increased from less than 1 to 3 kV on a 100 s timescale, similar to the formation time for ionospheric plasma density holes, and consistent with previous results for this kind of structure. In the adjacent upward current region, an energy decrease in inverted- V ions was observed some minutes prior to this. The inverted- V potential decrease was roughly equal to the subsequent perpendicular potential increase in the return current region, suggesting that a potential redistribution took place between the two adjacent current branches. Other characteristics of this and three other return current structures are summarized, to illustrate both common and different features of these. The structures are characterized by ( all values have been mapped to the ionospheric level) peak electric- field magnitudes of approximate to 1Vm(-1), bipolar or unipolar profiles, occurrence at plasma boundaries associated with plasma density gradients, perpendicular scale sizes of approximate to 10 km, downward field-aligned currents of approximate to 10 mu A m(-2), and upward electron beams with characteristic energies of a few hundred to a few thousand eV. The bipolar and unipolar electric- field profiles are proposed to reflect whether plasma populations, dense enough to support upward field-aligned currents (by which the return current can close) exist on both sides, or on one side only of the boundary.
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| 24. |
- Marklund, Göran T., et al.
(författare)
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Temporal evolution of the electric field accelerating electrons away from the auroral ionosphere
- 2001
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 414:6865, s. 724-727
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The bright night-time aurorae that are visible to the unaided eye are caused by electrons accelerated towards Earth by an upward-pointing electric field(1-3). On adjacent geomagnetic field lines the reverse process occurs: a downward-pointing electric field accelerates electrons away from Earth(4-11). Such magnetic-field-aligned electric fields in the collisionless plasma above the auroral ionosphere have been predicted(12), but how they could be maintained is still a matter for debate(13). The spatial and temporal behaviour of the electric fields-a knowledge of which is crucial to an understanding of their nature-cannot be resolved uniquely by single satellite measurements. Here we report on the first observations by a formation of identically instrumented satellites crossing a beam of upward-accelerated electrons. The structure of the electric potential accelerating the beam grew in magnitude and width for about 200 s, accompanied by a widening of the downward-current sheet, with the total current remaining constant. The 200-s timescale suggests that the evacuation of the electrons from the ionosphere contributes to the formation of the downward-pointing magnetic-field-aligned electric fields. This evolution implies a growing load in the downward leg of the current circuit, which may affect the visible discrete aurorae.
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| 25. |
- Motoba, T., et al.
(författare)
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In situ evidence for interplanetary magnetic field induced tail twisting associated with relative displacement of conjugate auroral features
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 116, s. A04209-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We provide in situ evidence for a twisted near-Earth tail configuration that is responsible for the time sequence of conjugate auroral features associated with relative interhemispheric displacement during a weak substorm, as reported by Motoba et al. (2010). We analyzed the magnetic field data observed using four Cluster satellites in the vicinity of 11-14 R-E central downtail, in close conjunction with the Iceland-Syowa conjugate optical auroral features. Interestingly, we found that the variations in the magnetic field y component (B-y) at all satellites correlated moderately well with the variations in the time-shifted interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) clock angle (theta(CA)). The correlation coefficients (0.56 similar to 0.61) between the B-y field at Cluster and IMF theta(CA) peaked at a time delay of 52 +/- 1 min from the dayside magnetopause, probably corresponding to the time scale for the reconfiguration of the IMF theta(CA) related B-y field in the near-Earth tail. The IMF theta(CA) related B-y variation at Cluster, regarded as a manifestation of the twisting magnetotail configuration, also roughly coincided with the relative magnetic local time displacement of nightside conjugate auroral forms. These results provide strong evidence that the reconfiguration (twisting) process of the near-Earth tail on a relatively longer time scale controls the nightside conjugate auroral locations in both ionospheres.
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| 26. |
- Nagatsuma, T., Nozawa, S., Buchert, S.C. and Fujii, R.
(författare)
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High latitude Pi3 pulsations observed by the EISCAT VHF radar.
- 2001
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Ingår i: Advances in Space Research. ; 28:7, s. 1093-1096
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Long period irregular magnetic pulsations, Pi3, are found from EISCAT/VHF radar observations at the high latitude in the dawn sector on Sept. 29, 1996. From the comparison between the radar and ground magnetometer data, it is suggested that the meandering
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| 27. |
- Ogawa, T., Buchert, S., Nishitani, N., Sato, N. and Lester, M.
(författare)
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Plasma density suppression process around the cusp revealed by simultaneous CUTLASS and EISCAT Svalbard radar observations.
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. ; 106, s. 5551-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Simultaneous CUTLASS and EISCAT Svalbard radar (ESR) observations on February 1, 1998, are used to study the generation of plasma density suppression, which may ultimately result in polar cap patch formation, occurring around the cusp region under IMF B/s
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| 28. |
- Ogawa, Y., et al.
(författare)
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Coordinated EISCAT Svalbard radar and Reimei satellite observations of ion upflows and suprathermal ions
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 113:A5, s. A05306-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relationship between bulk ion upflows and suprathermal ions was investigated using data simultaneously obtained from the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Svalbard radar (ESR) and the Reimei satellite. Simultaneous observations were conducted in November 2005 and August 2006, and 14 conjunction data sets have been obtained at approximately 630 km in the dayside ionosphere. Suprathermal ions with energies of a few eV were present in the dayside cusp region, and the ion velocity distribution changed from an isotropic Maxwellian near the cusp region to tail heating at energies above a few eV in the cusp region. The velocity distribution of the suprathermal ions has a peak perpendicular or oblique to the geomagnetic field, and the temperature of the suprathermal ions was 0.9-1.4 eV. An increase in the phase space density (PSD) of the suprathermal ions, measured with the Reimei, was correlated with bulk ion upflow observed at the same altitude using EISCAT, and with the energy flux of precipitating electrons with energies of 50-500 eV. The PSD also has a good correlation with the electron temperature, which was increased by precipitation, but not with the ion temperature (0.1-0.3 eV) at the same altitude measured with EISCAT. These results suggest that plasma waves such as broadband extremely low frequency (BBELF) wavefields associated with precipitation are connected to the bulk ion upflows in the cusp and effectively cause the heating of suprathermal ions. The heating of suprathermal ions disagrees with anisotropic heating due to O+-O resonant charge exchange.
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| 29. |
- Ogawa, Y., et al.
(författare)
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On the source of the polar wind in the polar topside ionosphere : First results from the EISCAT Svalbard radar
- 2009
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 36:24, s. L24103-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present quantitative radar observations of both hydrogen ion (H+) and oxygen ion (O+) upflow in the topside polar ionosphere using measurements that were recently carried out with the EISCAT Svalbard Radar and the Reimei satellite. H+ upflow was clearly observed equatorward of the cusp above 500 km altitude. Within the cusp the H+ density was very low, and the upflow was dominated by O+ ions, but on closed field lines the H+ became the larger contributor to the upward flux above about 550 km. The total flux seemed to be conserved, and so below 550 km altitude O+ (with a small upward velocity of similar to 50 m s(-1)) appeared to determine the upward flux which was then maintained by H+! in the topside ionosphere. We also found that the H+ density in the topside polar ionosphere was several times higher than current predictions of ionospheric models like IRI2001.
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| 30. |
- Ogawa, Y., et al.
(författare)
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On the statistical relation between ion upflow and naturally enhanced ion-acoustic lines observed with the EISCAT Svalbard radar
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 116, s. A03313-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have investigated characteristics of ion upflow and naturally enhanced ion-acoustic lines (NEIALs) based on the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Svalbard radar (ESR) data continuously obtained between March 2007 and February 2008. For the ion upflow study we have used approximately 78,000 field-aligned profiles obtained with the ESR. For the NEIAL study we have identified approximately 1500 NEIALs in the ESR data at altitudes between 100 and 500 km. The occurrence frequency of ion upflow shows two peaks, at about 0800 and 1300 magnetic local time (MLT), while only one strong peak is seen around 0900 MLT for NEIALs. The upward ion flux also has only one peak around 1100-1300 MLT. The occurrence frequency of ion upflow varies strongly over season. It is higher in winter than in summer, whereas NEIALs are more frequent in summer than in winter. NEIALs frequently occur under high geomagnetic activity and also high solar activity conditions. Approximately 10% of NEIALs in the F region ionosphere were accompanied by NEIALs in the E region (occurred at altitudes below 200 km). About half of the E region enhanced echoes did not have an F region counterpart. Upshifted NEIALs dominate in the E region whereas downshifted NEIALs are usually stronger above an altitude of 300 km. The high occurrence frequency of NEIALs in the prenoon region (0800-1000 MLT) might be associated with acceleration of thermal ions to suprathermal ones. At the same MLT and geomagnetic latitude suprathermal ions and broadband extremely low frequency (BBELF) wave activity have been observed, according to previous studies.
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| 31. |
- Ogawa, Y., et al.
(författare)
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Upper atmosphere cooling over the past 33 years
- 2014
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 41:15, s. 5629-5635
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Theoretical models and observations have suggested that the increasing greenhouse gas concentration in the troposphere causes the upper atmosphere to cool and contract. However, our understanding of the long-term trends in the upper atmosphere is still quite incomplete, due to a limited amount of available and well-calibrated data. The European Incoherent Scatter radar has gathered data in the polar ionosphere above TromsO for over 33years. Using this long-term data set, we have estimated the first significant trends of ion temperature at altitudes between 200 and 450km. The estimated trends indicate a cooling of 10-15K/decade near the F region peak (220-380km altitude), whereas above 400km the trend is nearly zero or even warming. The height profiles of the observed trends are close to those predicted by recent atmospheric general circulation models. Our results are the first quantitative confirmation of the simulations and of the qualitative expectations.
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| 32. |
- Ozden, C., et al.
(författare)
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FDG Uptake in the Basal Forebrain as Measured by Digital High-Resolution PET Is a Promising Marker of Basal Forebrain Degeneration in the Lewy Body Disease Spectrum A Pilot Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Clinical Nuclear Medicine. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0363-9762 .- 1536-0229. ; 45:4, s. 261-266
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Cognitive decline in diseases of the Lewy body spectrum (LBS) is linked to dysfunction/degeneration of the basal forebrain (BF). Assessment of glucose metabolism in the BF by FDG PET is hampered by the small size of the BF and limited spatial resolution of conventional PET. This pilot study tested the feasibility of assessing BF glucose metabolism by high-resolution digital PET (dPET). Patients and Methods The retrospective study included 12 LBS patients (61-86 years, 5 demented). Whole-brain stereotactic normalization to anatomical standard space was followed by local stereotactic normalization of a 7 x 7 x 7-cm(3) box around the BF to a custom-made 1 x 1 x 1-mm(3) FDG dPET template. FDG uptake was scaled voxelwise to mean FDG uptake in the pons. Scaled FDG uptake in the BF was compared between demented and nondemented LBS patients and tested for correlation with cortical FDG uptake. Results Scaled FDG uptake in the BF was significantly lower in demented compared with nondemented patients (1.14 +/- 0.09 vs 1.25 +/- 0.06, P = 0.031). Brain-wide voxel-based testing for correlations with scaled FDG uptake in the BF revealed a large cluster comprising medial and ventrolateral frontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, insular cortex, and striatum as well as smaller clusters in motor cortex and occipital cortex (P < 0.001, uncorrected). Conclusions These results suggest that dementia-associated BF degeneration in LBS can be sensitively measured as reduced BF FDG uptake on dPET. More accurate delineation of the BF based on individual high-resolution MRI might be useful to make optimal use of improved spatial resolution of dPET and to correct for possible disease- and age-dependent partial volume effects.
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| 33. |
- Palmroth, Minna, et al.
(författare)
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Lower-thermosphere-ionosphere (LTI) quantities : current status of measuring techniques and models
- 2021
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Ingår i: Annales Geophysicae. - : Copernicus Publications. - 0992-7689 .- 1432-0576. ; 39:1, s. 189-237
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The lower-thermosphere-ionosphere (LTI) system consists of the upper atmosphere and the lower part of the ionosphere and as such comprises a complex system coupled to both the atmosphere below and space above. The atmospheric part of the LTI is dominated by laws of continuum fluid dynamics and chemistry, while the ionosphere is a plasma system controlled by electromagnetic forces driven by the magnetosphere, the solar wind, as well as the wind dynamo. The LTI is hence a domain controlled by many different physical processes. However, systematic in situ measurements within this region are severely lacking, although the LTI is located only 80 to 200 km above the surface of our planet. This paper reviews the current state of the art in measuring the LTI, either in situ or by several different remote-sensing methods. We begin by outlining the open questions within the LTI requiring high-quality in situ measurements, before reviewing directly observable parameters and their most important derivatives. The motivation for this review has arisen from the recent retention of the Daedalus mission as one among three competing mission candidates within the European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Explorer 10 Programme. However, this paper intends to cover the LTI parameters such that it can be used as a background scientific reference for any mission targeting in situ observations of the LTI.
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| 34. |
- Rosenqvist, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Modulated reconnection rate and energy conversion at the magnetopause under steady IMF conditions
- 2008
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 35:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use the multi-spacecraft mission Cluster to make observational estimates of the local energy conversion across the dayside high-latitude magnetopause. The energy conversion is estimated during eleven complete magnetopause crossings under steady south-dawnward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We describe a new method to determine the reconnection rate from the magnitude of the local energy conversion. The reconnection rate as well as the energy conversion varies during the course of the eleven crossings and is typically much higher for the outbound crossings. This supports the previous interpretation that reconnection is continuous but its rate is modulated.
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| 35. |
- Sarris, Theodore E., et al.
(författare)
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Daedalus MASE (mission assessment through simulation exercise): A toolset for analysis of in situ missions and for processing global circulation model outputs in the lower thermosphere-ionosphere
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-987X. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Daedalus MASE (Mission Assessment through Simulation Exercise) is an open-source package of scientific analysis tools aimed at research in the Lower Thermosphere-Ionosphere (LTI). It was created with the purpose to assess the performance and demonstrate closure of the mission objectives of Daedalus, a mission concept targeting to perform in-situ measurements in the LTI. However, through its successful usage as a mission-simulator toolset, Daedalus MASE has evolved to encompass numerous capabilities related to LTI science and modeling. Inputs are geophysical observables in the LTI, which can be obtained either through in-situ measurements from spacecraft and rockets, or through Global Circulation Models (GCM). These include ion, neutral and electron densities, ion and neutral composition, ion, electron and neutral temperatures, ion drifts, neutral winds, electric field, and magnetic field. In the examples presented, these geophysical observables are obtained through NCAR’s Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model. Capabilities of Daedalus MASE include: 1) Calculations of products that are derived from the above geophysical observables, such as Joule heating, energy transfer rates between species, electrical currents, electrical conductivity, ion-neutral collision frequencies between all combinations of species, as well as height-integrations of derived products. 2) Calculation and cross-comparison of collision frequencies and estimates of the effect of using different models of collision frequencies into derived products. 3) Calculation of the uncertainties of derived products based on the uncertainties of the geophysical observables, due to instrument errors or to uncertainties in measurement techniques. 4) Routines for the along-orbit interpolation within gridded datasets of GCMs. 5) Routines for the calculation of the global coverage of an in situ mission in regions of interest and for various conditions of solar and geomagnetic activity. 6) Calculations of the statistical significance of obtaining the primary and derived products throughout an in situ mission’s lifetime. 7) Routines for the visualization of 3D datasets of GCMs and of measurements along orbit. Daedalus MASE code is accompanied by a set of Jupyter Notebooks, incorporating all required theory, references, codes and plotting in a user-friendly environment. Daedalus MASE is developed and maintained at the Department for Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace, with key contributions from several partner institutions.
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| 36. |
- Sarris, Theodoros, et al.
(författare)
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Plasma-neutral interactions in the lower thermosphere-ionosphere : The need for in situ measurements to address focused questions
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-987X. ; 9
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The lower thermosphere-ionosphere (LTI) is a key transition region between Earth's atmosphere and space. Interactions between ions and neutrals maximize within the LTI and in particular at altitudes from 100 to 200 km, which is the least visited region of the near-Earth environment. The lack of in situ co-temporal and co-spatial measurements of all relevant parameters and their elusiveness to most remote-sensing methods means that the complex interactions between its neutral and charged constituents remain poorly characterized to this date. This lack of measurements, together with the ambiguity in the quantification of key processes in the 100-200 km altitude range affect current modeling efforts to expand atmospheric models upward to include the LTI and limit current space weather prediction capabilities. We present focused questions in the LTI that are related to the complex interactions between its neutral and charged constituents. These questions concern core physical processes that govern the energetics, dynamics, and chemistry of the LTI and need to be addressed as fundamental and long-standing questions in this critically unexplored boundary region. We also outline the range of in situ measurements that are needed to unambiguously quantify key LTI processes within this region, and present elements of an in situ concept based on past proposed mission concepts.
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| 37. |
- Spicher, A., et al.
(författare)
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Observation of polar cap patches and calculation of gradient drift instability growth times : A Swarm case study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 42:2, s. 201-206
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Swarm mission represents a strong new tool to survey polar cap patches and plasma structuring inside the polar cap. In the early commissioning phase, the three Swarm satellites were operated in a pearls-on-a-string configuration making noon-midnight transpolar passes. This provides an unparalleled opportunity to examine the potential role of the gradient drift instability (GDI) process on polar cap patches by systematically calculating GDI growth times during their transit across the pole from day to night. Steep kilometer-scale gradients appeared in this study as initial structures that persisted during the approximate 90 min it took a patch to cross the polar cap. The GDI growth times were calculated for a selection of the steep density gradients on both the dayside and the nightside. The values ranged from 23 s to 147 s, which is consistent with recent rocket measurements in the cusp auroral region and provides a template for future studies. Growth times of the order of 1 min found both on the dayside and on the nightside support the existing view that the GDI may play a dominant role in the generation of radio wave scintillation irregularities as the patches transit the polar cap from day to night.
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| 38. |
- Vaivads, A., et al.
(författare)
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What high altitude observations tell us about the auroral acceleration : A cluster/DMSP conjunction
- 2003
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 30:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- [1] Magnetic conjugate observations by Cluster and DMSP F14 satellites are used to study the field lines of auroral arc. Cluster is well above the acceleration region and observes upward keV ion beams and bipolar electric structures. The integrated potential at Cluster altitudes shows a dip that is consistent with the keV electron acceleration energy at low altitude. The earthward Poynting flux at Cluster altitudes is comparable to the electron energy flux at low altitudes. Thus, for this event the auroral acceleration can be described as a quasi-stationary potential structure with equipotential lines reaching the Cluster altitudes. The arc forms at the outer edge of the plasma sheet at a density gradient. Multiple Cluster satellite measurements allow us to study the density increase associated with the development of the arc, and to estimate the velocity of the structure. The quasi-potential structure itself may be part of an Alfven wave.
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