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Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations

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A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 8884

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Prof. Dr. Yun Gong

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Guest Editor

School of Earth and Space Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Interests: atmospheric waves; atmosphere–ionosphere coupling; radio remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Guozhu Li

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Guest Editor

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Interests: ionosphere; meteors; radar
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Maosheng He

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Guest Editor

National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Interests: atmosphere–ionosphere coupling; terrestrial planetary space current systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ionosphere, a region of the Earth's upper atmosphere, plays a crucial role in communication and navigation systems. Understanding the dynamics of the atmosphere and ionosphere is paramount due to their impact on radio wave propagation, satellite communications, and global positioning systems, and provides insights into complex ionospheric behavior such as ionospheric storms, irregularities, and plasma dynamics, which are essential for enhancing the reliability and accuracy of modern technological systems.

The ionosphere is not only intricately linked with solar activity but also affected by atmospheric waves. This Special Issue aims to improve our understating of the ionospheric disturbances due to solar activity, ionospheric storms, and atmospheric waves using remote sensing techniques, including but not limited to lidar, ionospheric coherent scatter radar, incoherent scatter radar, ionosondes, meteor radar, and satellites. Studies of the atmosphere and ionosphere and their coupling based on new/improved remote sensing techniques are encouraged.

This Special Issue covers a wide range of subjects on studies of atmospheric and ionospheric dynamics, processes, and effects based on remote sensing techniques. Articles may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Atmospheric gravity waves, tides, and planetary waves;
The impact of atmospheric waves on the ionosphere;
Ionospheric irregularities;
Ionospheric disturbances due to geomagnetic storms, solar flares, and solar eclipses;
Nighttime ionospheric enhancement and ionospheric midnight collapse;
New/improved remote sensing techniques for atmospheric and ionospheric observations.

Prof. Dr. Yun Gong
Prof. Dr. Guozhu Li
Prof. Dr. Maosheng He
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

gravity/tidal/planetary waves
ionospheric irregularities
solar activity
geomagnetic storms
atmosphere–ionosphere coupling
remote sensing techniques

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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17 pages, 8931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Long-Term Relationship Between Thermospheric ∑O/N₂ and Solar EUV Flux

by Hao Li, Cunying Xiao, Kuan Li, Zewei Wang, Xiaoqi Wu, Yang Yu and Luo Xiao

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(4), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17040574 - 8 Feb 2025

Viewed by 481

Abstract

Column O/N₂ ratio (∑O/N₂), a physical quantity representing thermospheric disturbances, is influenced by solar extreme ultraviolet radiation flux (Q_EUV) changes. Investigating the correlation between these two factors is essential for understanding the evolution of the thermosphere. This study examines the correlation and periodic variations of ∑O/N₂ and Q_EUV across different phases of solar activity, using data from the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) spanning from 2002 to 2022. A correlation analysis reveals a positive relationship between ∑O/N₂ and Q_EUV. The function fitting results show that the magnitude of changes in ∑O/N₂ due to Q_EUV variations is approximately 30% of the mean ∑O/N₂. A wavelet analysis reveals their coherence in periodic components of 27-day, annual, and 11-year periods. These results are significant for studying the Sun–Earth coupling mechanism and understanding the impact of space weather on the thermosphere. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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20 pages, 5437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Calibration Method of Multichannel Amplitude and Phase Consistency in Meteor Radar

by Yujian Jin, Xiaolong Chen, Songtao Huang, Zhuo Chen, Jing Li and Wenhui Hao

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(2), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17020331 - 18 Jan 2025

Viewed by 735

Abstract

Meteor radar is a widely used technique for measuring wind in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, with the key advantage of being unaffected by terrestrial weather conditions, thus enabling continuous operation. In all-sky interferometric meteor radar systems, amplitude and phase consistencies between multiple channels exhibit dynamic variations over time, which can significantly degrade the accuracy of wind measurements. Despite the inherently dynamic nature of these inconsistencies, the majority of existing research predominantly employs static calibration methods to address these issues. In this study, we propose a dynamic adaptive calibration method that combines normalized least mean square and correlation algorithms, integrated with hardware design. We further assess the effectiveness of this method through numerical simulations and practical implementation on an independently developed meteor radar system with a five-channel receiver. The receiver facilitates the practical application of the proposed method by incorporating variable gain control circuits and high-precision synchronization analog-to-digital acquisition units, ensuring initial amplitude and phase consistency accuracy. In our dynamic calibration, initial coefficients are determined using a sliding correlation algorithm to assign preliminary weights, which are then refined through the proposed method. This method maximizes cross-channel consistencies, resulting in amplitude inconsistency of <0.0173 dB and phase inconsistency of <0.2064°. Repeated calibration experiments and their comparison with conventional static calibration methods demonstrate significant improvements in amplitude and phase consistency. These results validate the potential of the proposed method to enhance both the detection accuracy and wind inversion precision of meteor radar systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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17 pages, 10252 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Planetary Wave Activity During 2019 Sudden Stratospheric Warming Event Revealed by ERA5 Reanalysis Data

by Yushun Yang and Haiyan Li

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(24), 4739; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16244739 - 19 Dec 2024

Viewed by 748

Abstract

The minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event and the relevant planetary waves are investigated by analyzing ERA5 reanalysis data from July to December 2019. Frequency-wavenumber spectral analysis shows that the quasi-10-day and quasi-16-day waves dominate the stratosphere over the Southern Hemispheric polar region with the eastward-propagating wavenumber 1 during the SSW event. The corresponding amplitudes and phases of each wave mode have been fitted using the two-dimensional harmonic fitting method. The result suggests that quasi-16-day and quasi-10-day waves prior to the SSW event had an important effect on the occurrence of the SSW event. Furthermore, the Eliassen–Palm flux diagnosis shows that the quasi-16-day wave and quasi-10-day wave had poleward and equatorward-propagating components. The poleward-propagating component may have come from the tropical tropospheric convective activity. The equatorward component may have been excited by the atmospheric barotropic/baroclinic instability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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20 pages, 8224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Statistical Analysis of the Occurrence of Ionospheric Scintillations at the Low-Latitude Sanya Station During 2004–2021

by Bo Xiong, Changhao Yu, Xiaolin Li, Yuxiao Li, Lianhuan Hu, Yuqing Wang, Lingxiao Du and Yuxin Wang

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(24), 4668; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16244668 - 13 Dec 2024

Viewed by 749

Abstract

The ionosphere of the Earth often becomes turbulent and develops electron density irregularities that can cause rapid and random changes in the amplitude and phase of radio signals, which is known as ionospheric scintillation. In this study, the statistical behavior of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) ionospheric amplitude scintillation of varying intensities over the Chinese low-latitude station in Sanya (18.34°N, 109.62°E; magnetic latitude: 7.61°N) has been investigated with respect to its dependence on solar activity, seasons, local time (LT), and geomagnetic activity during the period from July 2004 to December 2021. A detailed study on the solar activity dependence of scintillation occurrence shows that the occurrence rates of strong and moderate scintillations significantly increase with enhanced solar activity, but weak amplitude scintillations do not entirely conform to this characteristic. In terms of seasonal dependence, the scintillations in Sanya from 2004 to 2021 mainly occurred during equinoxes and exhibit a distinct equinoctial asymmetry. This asymmetry is characterized by a higher occurrence rate in autumn than in spring during the years 2007, 2011, and from 2017 to 2021, while in other years, the pattern is reversed, with a higher occurrence rate in spring than in autumn. Regarding LT dependence, scintillations are predominantly observed during 19:30–23:30 LT, with a notable persistence beyond midnight during years of high solar activity. Furthermore, geomagnetic disturbances have been observed to promote weak scintillations at 20:00 LT during the autumn and winter of 2014, and from 20:00 LT to 01:00 LT the next day in the latter half of 2013. In contrast, during the spring and autumn of most other years with high solar activity, these disturbances have been found to inhibit weak scintillations from 20:00 LT to midnight. The promoting/inhibiting effect of geomagnetic disturbances on ionospheric scintillation is not solely influenced by electric field disturbances but is to some extent jointly controlled by a variety of factors including solar activity, season, and LT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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20 pages, 8775 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of NO 5.3 μm Emission to the Geomagnetic Storm on 24 April 2023

by Hongshan Liu, Hong Gao, Zheng Li, Jiyao Xu, Weihua Bai, Longchang Sun and Zhongmu Li

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(19), 3683; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16193683 - 2 Oct 2024

Viewed by 787

Abstract

The response of NO emission at 5.3 μm in the thermosphere to the geomagnetic storm on 24 April 2023 is analyzed using TIMED/SABER observations and TIEGCM simulations. Both the observations and the simulations indicate a significant enhancement in NO emission during the storm. Observations show two peaks around 50°S/N in the altitude–latitude distribution of NO emission and its relative variation. Additionally, the peak emission and enhancement are stronger on the nightside compared with the dayside. The peak altitude in the Northern Hemisphere is approximately 2–10 km higher than in the Southern Hemisphere; meanwhile, the peak altitude on the dayside is approximately 2–8 km higher than that on the nightside. Simulations reveal three peaks around 50°S, the equator, and 65°N, with peak altitudes at higher latitudes being slightly lower than those observed. In general, the altitude–latitude distribution structure of the relative variation in simulated NO emission matches observations, with two peaks around 50°S/N. TIEGCM simulations suggest that the increase in NO density and temperature during a geomagnetic storm can lead to an increase in NO emission at most altitudes and latitudes. Furthermore, the significant enhancement around 50°S/N is mainly attributed to the changes in NO density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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15 pages, 2926 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Solar Cycle Dependence of Migrating Diurnal Tide in the Equatorial Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere

by Shuai Liu, Guoying Jiang, Bingxian Luo, Jiyao Xu, Ruilin Lin, Yajun Zhu and Weijun Liu

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(18), 3437; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16183437 - 16 Sep 2024

Viewed by 796

Abstract

Atmospheric migrating diurnal tide (DW1) is one of the prominent variabilities in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). The existence of the solar cycle dependence of DW1 is debated, and there exist different and even opposite findings at different latitudes. In this paper, the solar cycle dependence of temperature DW1 in the equatorial mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is investigated using temperature global observations from TIMED/SABER spanning 22 years (2002–2023). The results show that (a) the solar cycle dependence of temperature DW1 is seen very clearly at the equator. The maximum correlation coefficient between DW1 and the F10.7 index occurs at 87km, with 0.72; the second maximum coefficient occurs at 99 km, with 0.62. The coefficient could reach 0.87 at 87 km and 0.67 at 99 km after dropping the years influenced by the Stratosphere Quasi-biennial oscillation (SQBO) disruption event. (b) DW1 shows a lag response to the solar cycle at the equator. DW1 amplitudes show a 1-year lag to the F10.7 index at 87 km and a 2-year lag to the F10.7 index at 99 km. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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21 pages, 5145 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Climatology of Gravity Waves over the Low-Latitude Region Estimated by Multiple Meteor Radars

by Jianyuan Wang, Wen Yi, Na Li, Xianghui Xue, Jianfei Wu, Hailun Ye, Jian Li, Tingdi Chen, Yaoyu Tian, Boyuan Chang, Zonghua Ding and Jinsong Chen

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(16), 2870; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16162870 - 6 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1733

Abstract

Atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) can strongly modulate middle atmospheric circulation and can be a significant factor for the coupling between the lower atmosphere and the middle atmosphere. GWs are difficult to resolve in global atmospheric models due to their small scale; thus, GW observations play an important role in middle atmospheric studies. The climatology of GW variance and momentum in the low-latitude mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region are revealed using multiple meteor radars, which are located at Kunming (25.6°N, 103.8°E), Sanya (18.4°N, 109.6°E), and Fuke (19.5°N, 109.1°E). The climatology and longitudinal variations in GW momentum fluxes and variance over the low-latitude region are reported. The GWs show strong seasonal variations and can greatly control the mesospheric horizontal winds via modulation of the quasi-geostrophic balance and momentum deposition. The different GW activities between Kunming and Sanya/Fuke are possibly consistent with the unique prevailing surface winds over Kunming and the convective system over the Tibetan Plateau according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) data, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data. These findings provide insight for better understanding the coupling between the troposphere and mesosphere. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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15 pages, 1852 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Interplanetary Magnetic Field Bx Effect on Field-Aligned Currents in Different Local Times

by Yu Sun and Hui Wang

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(6), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17061007 - 13 Mar 2025

Viewed by 366

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) on the strength and latitude of peak field-aligned currents (FACs). FACs are derived through vector magnetic field observations of the Swarm satellite mission. The analysis examines how the responses of FACs to radial IMF vary according to local time, season, and hemisphere. In the dawn and noon–midnight sectors, which are primarily influenced by westward auroral electrojets, the Northern Hemisphere (NH) exhibits stronger poleward FACs (FACp) when the IMF cone angle is ≥135° and weaker FACp when the cone angle is ≤45°. In contrast, the Southern Hemisphere (SH) shows the opposite response to the IMF Bx polarity. The effect of IMF Bx is more pronounced during summer than winter, especially in the noon-to-midnight sector, while its influence on FACs is more significant during the dawn period in winter. The latitude of FACs is most strongly affected by IMF Bx around noon and midnight. A relationship is observed between FAC density and latitude in response to IMF Bx, with stronger FACp occurring at lower latitudes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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14 pages, 6858 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Asymmetric Distribution of Plasma Blobs During High Solar Activity in the Low- to Middle-Latitude Ionosphere

by Zhuo Huang, Jia Zhu, Weihua Luo, Zhengping Zhu, Guodong Jia and Shanshan Chang

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17010082 - 28 Dec 2024

Viewed by 624

Abstract

Using the data from the first satellite of the Republic of China (ROCSAT-1) obtained during high-solar-activity periods (2000–2003), the distributions of plasma density enhancement (plasma blobs) with local time, season and longitude were investigated. Some new features of plasma blobs can be concluded: (a) The distribution of plasma blobs shows remarkable seasonal and interhemispheric asymmetries, with the higher occurrence in June solstice months and in the winter hemisphere. (b) The occurrence of plasma blobs displays longitude dependence, more in the −180~−90°E, −60~0°E and 90~180°E longitude regions. (c) The seasonal and interhemispheric asymmetries of plasma blobs also depend on the longitude. Meridional wind plays an important role in the formation and evolution of low-latitude plasma blobs. Inclination and declination may control the longitudinal distribution of plasma blobs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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15 pages, 7202 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Study of the Tidal Variations in the Ionosphere and the MLT Region over Mohe and Beijing During Six Intense Geomagnetic Storms from 2016 to 2021

by Jiarong Ma, Zheng Ma, Jiaxin Bao, Jiahui Luo, Junfeng Yang and Dan Liu

Remote Sens. 2024, 16(21), 3947; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16213947 - 23 Oct 2024

Viewed by 830

Abstract

Geomagnetic storms can cause large variations in the ionosphere, but their impacts on the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) are not well understood. Based on the Total Electron Content (TEC) data and the meteor neutral winds data over Mohe (53.5°N, 122.3°E) and Beijing (40.3°N, 116.2°E), we analyze the tidal variations during six intense geomagnetic storms from 2016 to 2021. According to the six intense geomagnetic storms, we found that intense geomagnetic storms can lead to diurnal and semidiurnal tidal enhancements in TEC, while their influences on tidal variations in the MLT region are not always captured. Responses of tidal enhancement in the MLT region to the intense geomagnetic storms are more obvious at a lower latitude at Beijing, but the tidal amplitude changes are not proportional to the Dst indices. Some semidiurnal tides are significantly enhanced prior to the onset of geomagnetic storms, which needs to be statistically investigated in the future based on additional observations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes and Effects of Atmospheric and Ionospheric Dynamics Based on Remote Sensing Observations)

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