测绘学报 ›› 2025, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (2): 248-261.doi: 10.11947/j.AGCS.2025.20240239

• 大地测量学与导航 • 上一篇    

利用GRACE-FO卫星探测不同强度大地磁暴引发的热层大气密度及卫星轨道衰减变化

汪海潮1(), 王长青2, 郭丁昊1, 朱紫彤2,3, 冯伟1,4, 钟敏1,4()   

  1. 1.中山大学测绘科学与技术学院,广东 珠海 519082
    2.中国科学院精密测量科学与技术创新研究院大地测量与地球动力学国家重点实验室,湖北 武汉 430071
    3.中国科学院大学,北京 100049
    4.极地环境立体观测与应用教育部重点实验室(中山大学),广东 珠海 519082
  • 收稿日期:2024-06-14 发布日期:2025-03-11
  • 通讯作者: 钟敏 E-mail:wanghch35@mail2.sysu.edu.cn;zhongm63@mail.sysu.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:汪海潮(2001—),男,硕士生,研究方向为低轨卫星对磁暴事件的探测。 E-mail:wanghch35@mail2.sysu.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    国家重点研发计划(2022YFC2204601);国家自然科学基金(42174103)

Detection of atmospheric density in the thermosphere and satellite orbital decay variations triggered by different intensities of geomagnetic storms using the GRACE-FO satellite

Haichao WANG1(), Changqing WANG2, Dinghao GUO1, Zitong ZHU2,3, Wei FENG1,4, Min ZHONG1,4()   

  1. 1.School of Geospatial Engineering and Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
    2.State Key Laboratory of Geodesy and Earth's Dynamics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
    3.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    4.Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Observation of Polar Environment (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Zhuhai 519082, China
  • Received:2024-06-14 Published:2025-03-11
  • Contact: Min ZHONG E-mail:wanghch35@mail2.sysu.edu.cn;zhongm63@mail.sysu.edu.cn
  • About author:WANG Haichao (2001—), male, postgraduate, majors in the detection of geomagnetic storm events using low-earth orbit satellites. E-mail: wanghch35@mail2.sysu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    The National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFC2204601);The National Natural Science Foundation of China(42174103)

摘要:

目前太阳活动处于高峰期,导致大地磁暴频发,由此引发的热层大气密度变化对低轨卫星的轨道预测和空间飞行安全至关重要。重力卫星搭载的高精度加速度计能够有效探测卫星高度处热层大气密度变化,本文基于GRACE-FO重力卫星加速度计数据,反演了2019—2023年春分点附近发生的4次磁暴事件时的热层大气密度,首次定量分析了不同强度磁暴对卫星高度处热层大气密度和卫星轨道的影响,并利用经验正交函数法研究了密度变化在时空上的特征。结果显示:①GRACE-FO卫星加速度计对中至烈级磁暴的响应显著,X轴方向上的加速度计数据、热层大气密度和卫星轨道衰减率呈现出“山峰”现象。②时间维度上热层大气密度变化与Dst指数密切相关;在空间维度上,南半球的热层大气密度变化普遍高于北半球,且随着纬度的增加,热层大气密度变化更加剧烈。③白昼区热层大气密度变化受到磁暴影响的程度更大,大气温度是白昼区热层大气密度变化的重要因素之一。因此,本文的研究对于理解春分点附近时刻,不同强度大地磁暴对卫星高度处热层大气密度时空变化及卫星轨道衰减的影响规律具有重要的参考价值。

关键词: GRACE-FO卫星, 热层大气密度, 卫星轨道衰减, 大地磁暴强度, 经验正交函数

Abstract:

The current solar activity is at its peak, leading to frequent geomagnetic storms, the resulting variations in the thermospheric atmospheric density are crucial for orbit prediction and space flight safety of low-earth orbit satellites. The high-precision accelerometers carried by gravity satellites can effectively detect variations in thermospheric atmospheric density at satellite altitude. Based on data from the GRACE-FO (gravity recovery and climate experiment follow-on) gravity satellite accelerometer, we inverse the thermospheric density during four geomagnetic storm events near the vernal equinox from 2019 to 2023. We conducted a quantitative analysis for the first time on the impact of geomagnetic storms of different intensities on thermospheric density at satellite altitude and satellite orbits, and the temporal and spatial characteristics of the density variations are investigated by using the method of empirical orthogonal functions. The results are summarized as follows: ① The GRACE-FO satellite accelerometer shows a significant response to moderate to severe geomagnetic storms, with the X-axis accelerometer data, thermospheric density, and satellite orbit decay rate exhibiting “peak” phenomena. ② In the temporal dimension, variations in thermospheric density are closely correlated with the Dst index. In the spatial dimension, thermospheric density variations are generally higher in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere, and the variations become more pronounced with increasing latitude. ③ Thermospheric density variations in the sunlit region are more significantly affected by geomagnetic storms, with atmospheric temperature being one of the key factors influencing the thermospheric density variations in the sunlit region. Therefore, this study provides valuable insights into understanding the spatio-temporal variations in thermospheric density at satellite altitude and satellite orbit decay during geomagnetic storms of varying intensities, particularly around the equinox.

Key words: GRACE-FO satellite, thermospheric density, satellite orbit decay, geomagnetic storm intensity, empirical orthogonal function

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