Lightning generated sferics: diagnostics tools to study upper atmosphere

Atmospherics or sferics that originate from lightning discharges on propagating large distances in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide or in the dispersive regions of ionosphere and magnetosphere form dispersed sferics called tweeks and whistlers respectively. Tweeks are novel diagnostic tool to monitor the nighttime D-region ionosphere. In this paper the lightning sferics (tweeks) recorded at a low latitude station, Suva (18.2o S,178.3oE, geomag. lat. 22.2o S, L = 1.17)) Fiji, in the South Pacific region and Allahabad (geomag. lat. 16.490 N, L=1.09) in India, will be presented and shown how they could be used to probe the night time D-region of the ionosphere. The computed D-region electron density is then compared with the electron density profile obtained from International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 2007 model. Typical records of whistlers observed in Fiji and in India are presented

Coronal Mass Ejection-driven Shocks and the Associated Sudden Commencements-sudden Impulses

Interplanetary (IP) shocks are mainly responsible for the sudden compression of the magnetosphere, causing storm sudden commencement (SC) and sudden impulses (SIs) which are detected by ground-based magnetometers. On the basis of the list of 222 IP shocks compiled by Gopalswamy et al., we have investigated the dependence of SC/SIs amplitudes on the speed of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that drive the shocks near the Sun as well as in the interplanetary medium. We find that about 91% of the IP shocks were associated with SC/SIs. The average speed of the SC/SI-associated CMEs is 1015 km/s, which is almost a factor of 2 higher than the general CME speed. When the shocks were grouped according to their ability to produce type II radio burst in the interplanetary medium, we find that the radio-loud (RL) shocks produce a much larger SC/SI amplitude (average approx. 32 nT) compared to the radio-quiet (RQ) shocks (average approx. 19 nT). Clearly, RL shocks are more effective in producing SC/SIs than the RQ shocks. We also divided the IP shocks according to the type of IP counterpart of interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs): magnetic clouds (MCs) and nonmagnetic clouds. We find that the MC-associated shock speeds are better correlated with SC/SI amplitudes than those associated with non-MC ejecta. The SC/SI amplitudes are also higher for MCs than ejecta. Our results show that RL and RQ type of shocks are important parameters in producing the SC/SI amplitude

Rare observations of sprites and gravity waves supporting D, E, F-regions ionospheric coupling

We report rare simultaneous observations of columniform sprites and associated gravity waves (GWs) using the Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) camera and All-sky imager at Prayagraj (25.5° N, 81.9° E, geomag. lat. ~ 16.5° N), India. On 30 May 2014, a Mesoscale Convective System generated a group of sprites over the north horizon that reached the upper mesosphere. Just before this event, GWs (period ~ 14 min) were seen in OH broadband airglow (emission peak ~ 87 km) imaging that propagated in the direction of the sprite occurrence and dissipated in the background atmosphere thereby generating turbulence. About 9–14 min after the sprite event, another set of GWs (period ~ 11 min) was observed in OH imaging that arrived from the direction of the TLEs. At this site, we also record Very Low Frequency navigational transmitter signal JJI (22.2 kHz) from Japan. The amplitude of the JJI signal showed the presence of GWs with ~ 12.2 min periodicities and ~ 18 min period. The GWs of similar features were observed in the ionospheric Total Electron Content variations recorded at a nearby GPS site. The results presented here are important to understand the physical coupling of the troposphere with the lower and upper ionosphere through GWs

The 22 July 2009 Total Solar Eclipse: modeling D region Ionosphere using Narrowband VLF observations

We present D region ionospheric response to 22 July 2009 total solar eclipse by modeling 19.8‐kHz signal from NWC very low frequency (VLF) navigational transmitter located in the Australia. NWC VLF signal was received at five stations located in and around eclipse totality path in the Indian, East Asian, and Pacific regions. NWC signal great circle paths to five stations are unique having eclipse coverage from no eclipse to partiality to totality regions, and the signal is exclusively confined in the low and equatorial regions. Eclipse‐induced modulations in NWC signal have been modeled by using long‐wave propagation capability code to obtain D region parameters of reflection height (H′) and sharpness factor (β). Long‐wave propagation capability modeling showed an increase in H′ of about 2.3 km near central line of totality, 3.0 km in the region near to totality fringe, and 2.4 to 3.0 km in the region under partial eclipse. Using H′ and β, Wait ionosphere electron density (Ne) profile at the daytime altitude of 75 km showed a decrease in Ne by about 58% at a station near totality central line, whereas at totality fringe and in partial eclipse region decrease in the Ne was between 63% and 71% with respect to normal time values. The eclipse associated variations in the H′, β, and Ne are less in low‐latitude region as compared to midlatitude. The study contributes to explain observations of wave‐like signature in the D region during an eclipse and difference in the eclipse effect in the different latitude‐longitude sectors

Solar flares induced D-region ionospheric and geomagnetic perturbations

The D-region ionospheric perturbations caused by solar flares occurred during January 2010 to February 2011, a low solar activity period of current solar cycle 24, have been examined on NWC transmitter signal (19.8 kHz) recorded at an Indian low latitude station, Allahabad (Geographic lat. 25.75 °N, long. 81.85 °E). A total of 41 solar flares, including 21 C-class, 19 M-class and 01 X-class, occurred during the daylight part of the NWC-Allahabad transmitter receiver great circle path. The local time dependence of solar flare effect on the change in the VLF amplitude (ΔA), time delay (Δt) between VLF peak amplitude and X-ray flux peak have been studied during morning, noon and evening periods of local daytime. Using the Long Wave Propagation Capability code V 2.1 the D-region reference height (H/) and sharpness factor (β) for each class of solar flare (C, M and X), have been estimated. It is found that D-region ionospheric parameters (H/, β) strongly depend on the local time of flares occurrence and their classes. The solar flare time electron density estimated by using H/ and β shows maximum increase in electron density of the order of ~80 as compared with normal day values. Electron density was found to increase exponentially with increase in the solar flux intensity. Solar flare effect on horizontal component (H) of the Earth’s magnetic field over an equatorial station, Tirunelveli (Geographic lat., 8.7°N, long., 77.8°E, dip lat., 0.4 ºN), shows a maximum increase in H of ~ 8.5% for M class solar flares. The increase in H is due to the additional magnetic field produced by the ionospheric electrojet over the equatorial station

Triazole Inhibitors of Cryptosporidium parvum Inosine 5?-Monophosphate Dehydrogenase

Cryptosporidium parvum is an important human pathogen and potential bioterrorism agent. This protozoan parasite cannot salvage guanine or guanosine and therefore relies on inosine 5?-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) for biosynthesis of guanine nucleotides and hence for survival. Because C. parvum IMPDH is highly divergent from the host counterpart, selective inhibitors could potentially be used to treat cryptosporidiosis with minimal effects on its mammalian host. A series of 1,2,3-triazole containing ether CpIMPDH inhibitors are described. A structure?activity relationship study revealed that a small alkyl group on the ?-position of the ether was required, with the (R)-enantiomer significantly more active than the (S)-enantiomer. Electron-withdrawing groups in the 3- and/or 4-positions of the pendent phenyl ring were best, and conversion of the quinoline containing inhibitors to quinoline-N-oxides retained inhibitory activity both in the presence and absence of bovine serum albumin. The 1,2,3-triazole CpIMPDH inhibitors provide new tools for elucidating the role of IMPDH in C. parvum and may serve as potential therapeutics for treating cryptosporidiosis

Very low latitude (L=1.08) whistlers and correlation with lightning activity

We present analysis of more than 2000 lightning-generated whistlers recorded at a low-latitude station, located at Allahabad (geographic latitude, 25.40°N; geographic longitude, 81.93°E; L = 1.081), India, during December 2010 to November 2011. The main focus of this work is on the correlation between observed low-latitude whistlers and lightning activity detected by the World-Wide Lightning Location Network near the conjugate point (geography 9.87°S, 83.59°E) of Allahabad. Whistler occurrence is higher in the postmidnight period as compared to the premidnight period. Whistlers were observed in the daytime only on 2 days that too before 8:30 LT (morning). Seasonally, occurrence is maximum during winter months, which is due to more lightning activity in the conjugate region and favorable ionospheric conditions. About 63% of whistlers were correlated with lightning strokes in the vicinity of the conjugate point within spatial extent of 1000 km (conjugate area). Most (about 53%) whistlers were found to be associated with lightning strokes that were offset to the southeast of the conjugate point. The results indicate that an energy range of 7.5–17.5 kJ of lightning strokes generate most of whistlers at this station. The L shell calculations show that propagation paths of the observed whistlers were embedded in the topside ionosphere. Based on these results we suggest a possibility of ducted mode of propagation even for such very low latitude whistlers

Ethnomedicinal Plants Used in the Health Care System: Survey of the Mid Hills of Solan District, Himachal Pradesh, India

The study was performed in the mid hills of the Dharampur region in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. At the study site, a total of 115 medicinal plants were documented (38 trees, 37 herbs, 34 shrubs, 5 climbers, 1 fern, and 1 grass). In the study region, extensive field surveys were performed between March 2020 and August 2021. Indigenous knowledge of wild medicinal plants was collected through questionnaires, discussions, and personal interviews during field trips. Plants with their correct nomenclature were arranged by botanical name, family, common name, habitat, parts used, routes used, and diseases treated. In the present study, the predominant family was Rosaceae, which represented the maximum number of plant species, 10, followed by Asteraceae and Lamiaceae, which represented 8 plant species. The rural inhabitants of the Dharampur region in the Solan district have been using local plants for primary health care and the treatment of various diseases for a longer time. However, information related to the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants was not documented. The rural inhabitants of the Dharampur region reported that the new generation is not so interested in traditional knowledge of medicinal plants due to modernization in society, so there is an urgent need to document ethnomedicinal plants before such knowledge becomes inaccessible and extinct

A Screening Pipeline for Antiparasitic Agents Targeting Cryptosporidium Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase

Persistent diarrhea is a leading cause of illness and death among impoverished children, and a growing share of this disease burden can be attributed to the parasite Cryptosporidium. There are no vaccines to prevent Cryptosporidium infection, and the treatment options are limited and unreliable. Critically, no effective treatment exists for children or adults suffering from AIDS. Cryptosporidium presents many technical obstacles for drug discovery; perhaps the most important roadblock is the difficulty of monitoring drug action. Here we have developed a set of methods to accelerate the drug discovery process for cryptosporidiosis. We exploit the opportunities for experimental manipulation in the related parasite Toxoplasma to genetically engineer a Cryptosporidium model. This new model parasite mirrors the metabolism of Cryptosporidium for a particularly promising drug target that supplies the building blocks for DNA and RNA. Drug effectiveness can be assayed through simple fluorescence measurements for many candidates. Using this assay as an initial filter, and adapting other assays to a high throughput format, we identify several novel chemical compounds that exhibit markedly improved anti-cryptosporidial activity and excellent selectivity