Arthur D. Richmond

Bio: Arthur D. Richmond is an academic researcher from National Center for Atmospheric Research. The author has contributed to research in topics: Thermosphere & Ionosphere. The author has an hindex of 67, co-authored 262 publications receiving 15605 citations. Previous affiliations of Arthur D. Richmond include University of California, Los Angeles & High Altitude Observatory.

Low‐latitude E region ionization by energetic ring current particles

Abstract: Energetic neutral particles resulting from the charge exchange of ring current ions with geocoronal hydrogen are known to strike the atmosphere at low latitudes. We have evaluated the ionization rates caused by these particles in the low-latitude upper E region ionosphere. We find that these particles are an important quiet time source of E region ionization at night and that they can account for the observed increases in nighttime ionization that correlate with geomagnetic activity. This ionization has previously been attributed to 1- to 10-keV electron precipitation. However, sufficiently intense precipitating electron fluxes have not been measured at low latitudes, and we know of no source of such electrons.

Theoretical study of new plasma structures in the low‐latitude ionosphere during a major magnetic storm

Abstract: [1] Theoretical model simulations for an intense magnetic storm show the creation of a low-latitude electron density arch aligned along the geomagnetic field created by strong uplift of the F2 layer that is driven by the penetration electric field. When the arch forms during the day, a new F2 layer is created at the original altitude by photoionization, and a density hole can be created between this new F2 layer and the arch. When the arch forms during the night, the F2 layer is not recreated and no hole forms. In a vertical profile of electron density, the daytime elevated ionospheric layer can appear distinctly from the recreated F2 layer, in which case the elevated layer is called the F3 layer. A latitude cut through the night-side arch shows the characteristics of an equatorial electron density trough, bounded to the north and south by enhanced densities associated with plasma that has diffused down along the geomagnetic field from the elevated layer. It is pointed out that the signature of the night-side arch has been seen in low Earth orbit spacecraft data, but has not been previously associated with an arch structure.

TIME‐GCM study of the ionospheric equatorial vertical drift changes during the 2006 stratospheric sudden warming

Abstract: This modeling study quantifies the daytime low-latitude vertical E×B drift changes in the longitudinal wave number 1 (wn1) to wn4 during the major extended January 2006 stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) period as simulated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere electrodynamics general circulation model (TIME-GCM), and attributes the drift changes to specific tides and planetary waves (PWs). The largest drift amplitude change (approximately 5 m/s) is seen in wn1 with a strong temporal correlation to the SSW. The wn1 drift is primarily caused by the semidiurnal westward propagating tide with zonal wave number 1 (SW1), and secondarily by a stationary planetary wave with zonal wave number 1 (PW1). SW1 is generated by the nonlinear interaction of PW1 and the migrating semidiurnal tide (SW2) at high latitude around 90–100 km. The simulations suggest that the E region PW1 around 100–130 km at the different latitudes has different origins: at high latitudes, the PW1 is related to the original stratospheric PW1; at midlatitudes, the model indicates PW1 is due to the nonlinear interaction of SW1 and SW2 around 95–105 km; and at low latitudes, the PW1 might be caused by the nonlinear interaction between DE2 and DE3. The time evolution of the simulated wn4 in the vertical E×B drift amplitude shows no temporal correlation with the SSW. The wn4 in the low-latitude vertical drift is attributed to the diurnal eastward propagating tide with zonal wave number 3 (DE3), and the contributions from SE2, TE1, and PW4 are negligible.

Thermospheric Dynamics and Electrodynamics

Abstract: The thermosphere is that part of the earth1s atmosphere at heights between about 90 km and 500 km. The lower boundary is defined to lie at the temperature minimum which occurs on the average around 90 km, called the mesopause. Figure 1 shows the mean temperature structure of the atmosphere according to the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976. The temperature increases rapidly with height in the lower thermosphere, and becomes asymptotic to a value on the order of 1000 K at high altitudes.

Longitudinal and interhemispheric variations of auroral ionospheric electrodynamics in a realistic geomagnetic field

Abstract: We investigate the influences of nondipolar features of the geomagnetic field (field strength, orientation, and magnetic coordinate distortion) on auroral ionospheric electrodynamics. We present a conceptual model in which both the electric potential and the distribution functions of precipitating auroral particles are invariant in the magnetic latitude/magnetic local time reference frame, and we explore the predictions of this model concerning longitudinal (or universal time) and interhemispheric (north/south) variations of auroral electrodynamic parameters at ±68° magnetic latitude for a fixed magnetic local time and solar zenith angle. The conductances, electric fields and currents, ion drift velocity components, and Joule heating tend to have two minima and maxima with respect to longitude in the northern hemisphere but have a single minimum and maximum in the southern hemisphere. Particularly large variations are found for the field-aligned current density (maximum/minimum = 1.76) and the regional Joule heating (maximum/minimum = 1.88), with maxima near northwest Iceland and northwest Alaska, and minima over north-central Siberia and Hudson Bay. The variations of field-aligned current intensity may imply a tendency for more frequent field-aligned electron acceleration and thus brighter aurora near northwest Iceland and northwest Alaska than elsewhere. The longitudinal variations of Joule heating may contribute significantly to universal time variations of total hemispheric Joule heating. Whether or not the conceptual model is correct, at least some of the various electrodynamic parameters must have longitudinal and hemispheric variations of the general magnitudes the model predicts.

Riemann manifold Langevin and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods

Abstract: The paper proposes Metropolis adjusted Langevin and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling methods defined on the Riemann manifold to resolve the shortcomings of existing Monte Carlo algorithms when sampling from target densities that may be high dimensional and exhibit strong correlations. The methods provide fully automated adaptation mechanisms that circumvent the costly pilot runs that are required to tune proposal densities for Metropolis–Hastings or indeed Hamiltonian Monte Carlo and Metropolis adjusted Langevin algorithms. This allows for highly efficient sampling even in very high dimensions where different scalings may be required for the transient and stationary phases of the Markov chain. The methodology proposed exploits the Riemann geometry of the parameter space of statistical models and thus automatically adapts to the local structure when simulating paths across this manifold, providing highly efficient convergence and exploration of the target density. The performance of these Riemann manifold Monte Carlo methods is rigorously assessed by performing inference on logistic regression models, log-Gaussian Cox point processes, stochastic volatility models and Bayesian estimation of dynamic systems described by non-linear differential equations. Substantial improvements in the time-normalized effective sample size are reported when compared with alternative sampling approaches. MATLAB code that is available from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/statistics/research/rmhmc allows replication of all the results reported.

International Reference Ionosphere 2000

Abstract: The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is the international standard for the specification of ionospheric densities and temperatures. It was developed and is being improved-updated by a joint working group of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). A new version of IRI is scheduled for release in the year 2000. This paper describes the most important changes compared to the current version of IRI: (1) an improved representation of the electron density in the region from the F peak down to the E peak including a better description of the F1 layer occurrence statistics and a more realistic description of the low-latitude bottomside thickness, (2) inclusion of a model for storm-time conditions, (3) inclusion of an ion drift model, (4) two new options for the electron density in the D region, and (5) an improved model for the topside electron temperatures. The outcome of the most recent IRI Workshops (Kuhlungsborn, 1997, and Nagoya, 1998) will be reviewed, and the status of several ongoing task force activities (e.g., efforts to improve the representation of electron and ion densities in the topside ionosphere and the inclusion of a plasmaspheric extension) will be discussed. A few typical IRI applications will be highlighted in section 6.

DARN/SUPERDARN : A global view of the dynamics of high-latitude convection

Abstract: The Dual Auroral Radar Network (DARN) is a global-scale network of HF and VHF radars capable of sensing backscatter from ionospheric irregularities in the E and F-regions of the high-latitude ionosphere. Currently, the network consists of the STARE VHF radar system in northern Scandinavia, a northern-hemisphere, longitudinal chain of HF radars that is funded to extend from Saskatoon, Canada to central Finland, and a southern-hemisphere chain that is funded to include Halley Station, SANAE and Syowa Station in Antarctica. When all of the HF radars have been completed they will operate in pairs with common viewing areas so that the Doppler information contained in the backscattered signals may be combined to yield maps of high-latitude plasma convection and the convection electric field. In this paper, the evolution of DARN and particularly the development of its SuperDARN HF radar element is discussed. The DARN/SupperDARN network is particularly suited to studies of large-scale dynamical processes in the magnetosphere-ionosphere system, such as the evolution of the global configuration of the convection electric field under changing IMF conditions and the development and global extent of large-scale MHD waves in the magnetosphere-ionosphere cavity. A description of the HF radars within SuperDARN is given along with an overview of their existing and intended locations, intended start of operations, Principal Investigators, and sponsoring agencies. Finally, the operation of the DARN experiment within ISTP/GGS, the availability of data, and the form and availability of the Key Parameter files is discussed.

The ionospheric disturbance dynamo

Abstract: A numerical simulation study of the thermospheric winds produced by auroral heating during magnetic storms, and of their global dynamo effects, establishes the main features of the ionospheric disturbance dynamo. Driven by auroral heating, a Hadley cell is created with equatorward winds blowing above about 120 km at mid-latitudes. The transport of angular momentum by these winds produces a subrotation of the mid-latitude thermosphere or westward motion with respect to the earth. The westward winds in turn drive equatorward Pedersen currents which accumulate charge toward the equator, resulting in the generation of a poleward electric field, a westward E × B drift, and an eastward current. When realistic local time conductivity variations are simulated, the eastward mid-latitude current is found to close partly via lower latitudes, resulting in an ‘anti-Sq’ type of current vortex. Both electric field and current at low latitudes thus vary in opposition to their normal quiet-day behavior. This total pattern of disturbance winds, electric fields, and currents is superimposed upon the background quiet-day pattern. When the neutral winds are artificially confined on the nightside, the basic pattern of predominantly westward E × B plasma drifts still prevails on the nightside but no longer extends into the dayside. Considerable observational evidence exists, suggesting that the ionospheric disturbance dynamo has an appreciable influence on storm-time ionospheric electric fields at middle and low latitudes.

Riemann manifold Langevin and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods

Abstract: The paper proposes Metropolis adjusted Langevin and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling methods defined on the Riemann manifold to resolve the shortcomings of existing Monte Carlo algorithms when sampling from target densities that may be high dimensional and exhibit strong correlations. The methods provide fully automated adaptation mechanisms that circumvent the costly pilot runs that are required to tune proposal densities for Metropolis-Hastings or indeed Hamiltonian Monte Carlo and Metropolis adjusted Langevin algorithms. This allows for highly efficient sampling even in very high dimensions where different scalings may be required for the transient and stationary phases of the Markov chain. The methodology proposed exploits the Riemann geometry of the parameter space of statistical models and thus automatically adapts to the local structure when simulating paths across this manifold, providing highly efficient convergence and exploration of the target density. The performance of these Riemann manifold Monte Carlo methods is rigorously assessed by performing inference on logistic regression models, log-Gaussian Cox point processes, stochastic volatility models and Bayesian estimation of dynamic systems described by non-linear differential equations. Substantial improvements in the time-normalized effective sample size are reported when compared with alternative sampling approaches. MATLAB code that is available from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/statistics/research/rmhmc allows replication of all the results reported.