[1] Data from a DPS-4 Digisonde and an ionospheric scintillation monitor, both located at the low-latitude station Hainan (109.1°E, 19.5°N; dip latitude 9°N), were analyzed to study the strong range spread F (SSF) and its correlation with ionospheric scintillations observed in the period of declining solar cycle 23 from 2003 to 2007. The results show that the maximum and minimum of the occurrence of SSF appeared in nearly the same months as those of the GPS L band scintillations. The variations in SSF occurrence were also similar to those of the scintillations. From 2003 to 2007, both the SSF and the scintillation occurrences decreased from the high solar activity year to the low solar activity year. The correlation coefficient between the occurrences of the SSF and the GPS L band scintillation was as high as 0.93, suggesting associated mechanisms producing SSF and scintillations. Electron density depletions extending from the bottomside to the topside ionosphere are the likely cause explaining the high correlation.
The magnetocaloric effect was investigated in LaFe11.7Si1.3, which undergoes a first-order transition at ∼188 K from the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic state. The magnetic entropy change upon a field increase from 0 to 5 T is as large as 29 J/kg K (212 mJ/cm3 K). The adiabatic temperature change obtained via direct measurements reaches 4 K under a field change from 0 to 1.4 T. The large values of entropy change and adiabatic temperature change confirmed the large potential of present compound LaFe11.7Si1.3 as a magnetic refrigerant in the corresponding temperature range.
Magnetic entropy change ΔS of compounds La(Fe1−xCox)11.2Si1.8 with the cubic NaZn13-type structure was investigated around their Curie temperature TC. It is found that the phase transition is completely reversible, indicating a nature of second order phase transition. The maximum value of |ΔS|∼13.0 J/kg K under a field of 5 T was achieved in compound LaFe11.2Si1.8 at its TC of ∼222 K, which exceeds that of most materials involving a second order transition at the corresponding temperature. With increasing substitution of Co for Fe from x=0 to x=0.8, TC shifts from 222 to 307 K and entropy change decreases. However, |ΔS| still has a considerable magnitude near room temperature. The large magnetic entropy change is believed to be due to the abrupt change of magnetization at TC, which is associated with the strong structural and magnetic interplay in the compounds.
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