低纬度电离层电子浓度午夜塌陷研究进展

龚韵; 陈鑫坤; 马铮; 张绍东

doi:10.11728/cjss2026.05.2026-0027

低纬度电离层电子浓度午夜塌陷研究进展

doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.05.2026-0027 cstr: 32142.14.cjss.2026-0027

龚韵^1, ,,
陈鑫坤¹,
马铮¹,
张绍东^{1, 2, ,}

1.
武汉大学地球与空间科学技术学院　武汉　430072
2.
贵州师范大学　贵阳　550025

基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目(42374192)和中央高校基本科研业务费专项资金项目(2042026kf0074)共同资助

详细信息

通讯作者:

龚韵　男, 1983年12月出生于湖北省武汉市, 现为武汉大学地球与空间科学技术学院教授、博士生导师, 主要从事中高层大气与电离层耦合机理、无线电雷达自主研制及应用研究. E-mail: yun.gong@whu.edu.cn

张绍东　男, 1972年10月出生于湖北省黄石市, 现为贵州师范大学校长, 武汉大学地球与空间科学技术学院教授、博士生导师, 主要从事中高层大气探测技术、实验观测和数值模拟研究. E-mail: zsd@whu.edu.cn

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出版历程
- 收稿日期: 2026-01-31
- 修回日期: 2026-05-10
- 网络出版日期: 2026-05-20

Recent Rresearch Progress in Low-latitude Ionospheric Midnight Collapse of Electron Density

GONG Yun^{1
, ,},
CHEN Xinkun¹,
MA Zheng¹,
ZHANG Shaodong^{1, 2
, ,}

1.
School of Earth and Space Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072
2.
Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025

摘要

摘要: 低纬度电离层午夜塌陷是夜间电离层电子浓度演变中一种典型的结构性变化, 表征了夜间电离层离子垂直输运及其动力学调制作用. 自该现象被观测以来, 围绕其形态特征与物理机制开展了大量研究, 相关工作采用地基雷达观测、卫星观测资料以及数值模拟等多种研究方法. 本文系统回顾了数十年来低纬度电离层午夜塌陷的研究进展, 重点总结其在不同季节、不同地磁活动水平下的主要形态特征; 围绕其物理机制, 着重讨论离子垂直漂移速度在午夜塌陷形成与演化中的主导作用, 并进一步分析影响离子垂直漂移变化的关键因素. 在此基础上, 结合当前观测与理论研究进展, 对午夜塌陷及相关夜间电离层动力学过程的未来研究方向进行展望.
- 低纬度电离层午夜塌陷 /
- 非相干散射雷达 /
- 电子浓度峰值高度 /
- 离子垂直漂移
Abstract: The low-latitude ionospheric midnight collapse is a typical structural variation in the nighttime evolution of electron density, reflecting vertical ion transport and its dynamical modulation in the nighttime ionosphere. Since the phenomenon was first observed, extensive studies have been conducted by the international scientific community to investigate its morphological characteristics and underlying physical mechanisms, using a variety of approaches including ground-based radar observations, satellite measurements, and numerical model simulations. This paper systematically reviews several decades of research progress on the low-latitude midnight collapse, with particular emphasis on its principal morphological features under different seasonal conditions and levels of geomagnetic activity. Focusing on the physical mechanisms, we highlight the dominant role of vertical ion drift in the formation and evolution of the midnight collapse and further analyze the key factors controlling variations in vertical ion drift. On this basis, future research directions for the midnight collapse and related nighttime ionospheric dynamical processes are discussed in light of recent observational and theoretical advances.
- Midnight collapse of low-latitude ionosphere /
- Incoherent scatter radar /
- Peak height of electron density /
- Vertical ion drift
注释:
医学伦理:
1) 研究不涉及人体或动物实验.
利益冲突:
2) 所有作者均声明不存在利益冲突.

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图 1 (a) 2011年8月16日16:00 LT至8月17日06:00 LT期间阿雷西博非相干散射雷达观测到的电子密度的高度–时间分布, 虚线框标示夜间出现的两次典型午夜塌陷过程. (b) 同一时段F区峰值电子密度(N_mF₂)及其对应峰值高度(h_mF₂)的时间演变, 用虚线框标出与(a)中对应的午夜塌陷阶段 (修改自文献[2])

Figure 1. (a) Height-time distribution of electron density observed by the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar from 16:00 LT on 16 August to 06:00 LT on 17 August 2011, illustrating two representative midnight collapse events highlighted by dashed boxes. (b) Temporal evolution of the F-region peak electron density (N_mF₂) and the corresponding peak height (h_mF₂) during the same interval, with dashed boxes indicating the corresponding collapse phases shown in panel (a) (modified from Ref. [2])

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图 2 一次塌陷的统计特征. (a)持续时间, (b)塌陷幅度, (c)起始时间以, (d)起始高度 (修改自文献[2])

Figure 2. Statistical distributions characterizing the first midnight collapse (a) Duration, (b) Collapse magnitude, (c) Onset time, (d) Initial altitude (modified from Ref. [2])

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图 3 不同季节条件下一次午夜塌陷统计特征. (a)持续时间, (b)塌陷幅度, (c)起始时间, (d)起始高度 (修改自文献[2])

Figure 3. Comparison of the statistical characteristics of the first midnight collapse under different seasonal conditions.(a) Duration, (b) Collapse magnitude, (c) Onset time, (d) Initial altitude (modified from Ref. [2])

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图 4 二次塌陷的统计特征. (a)持续时间, (b)塌陷幅度, (c)起始时间, (d)起始高度 (修改自文献[2])

Figure 4. Statistical properties of the second midnight collapse. (a) Duration, (b) Collapse magnitude, (c) Onset time, (d) Initial altitude (modified from Ref. [2])

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图 5 不同季节条件下二次午夜塌陷统计特征. (a)持续时间, (b)塌陷幅度, (c)起始时间, (d)起始高度 (修改自文献[2])

Figure 5. Seasonal comparison of the statistical characteristics of the second midnight collapse. (a) Duration, (b) Collapse magnitude, (c) Onset time, (d) Initial altitude (modified from Ref. [2])

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图 6 阿雷西博地区2015年3月17日16:00 LT至3月18日12:00 LT期间, 在380 km高度处离子垂直飘移速度及分量随时间的变化情况 (修改自文献[31])

Figure 6. Temporal variations in the ion vertical drift velocity and its components at 380 km over the Arecibo region from 16:00 LT on 17 March to 12:00 LT on 18 March 2015 (modified from Ref. [31])

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