Collaborative Research: Quantification of Gravity Wave Momentum Fluxes and Instability Events in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) Region at High- and Mid- Latitudes

Global Atmospheric Technologies And Sciences, Inc., Newport News VA

Investigators

Abstract

This project involves comprehensive observational studies, guided by state-of-the-art modeling, to quantify gravity wave (GW) momentum transport and the instability dynamics that drive energy and momentum deposition and GW spectral evolution in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region. The observations will build on recent successes by this team employing an Advanced Mesosphere Temperature Mapper (AMTM), the Weber Wind and Temperature sodium lidar, and other correlative instrumentation operated at the Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research (ALOMAR) in northern Norway (69.3oN). These earlier correlative measurement capabilities have demonstrated an excellent potential to quantify GW momentum fluxes, and the GW characteristics that account for these fluxes, to a degree not possible with traditional airglow imagers or wind profiling radars or lidars. As such, this program represents a new frontier in the community's ability to measure, explore and understand small-scale GW and instability dynamics in the MLT that directly impact the Space-Atmospheric Interaction Region (SAIR) of prime importance to the NSF Aeronomy and CEDAR programs. These studies will continue to employ the high-quality correlative wintertime measurement capabilities at ALOMAR and will include extensive summertime Na lidar and AMTM measurement capability recently available at Bear Lake Observatory (BLO) and the nearby Utah State University (USU) campus (41.9oN). Together these two data sets will provide an excellent measure of the different geophysical forcing effects on the high- and mid-latitude MLT region. These facilities provide the best potential for multiple correlative data sets, given the on-site access to lidar operators. These proven measurement capabilities will also facilitate estimates of the spatial and temporal scales of the GW packets, accounting for mean forcing and the generation of secondary GWs, which are largely unknown at present, but are needed for understanding and parameterizing GW effects in weather, climate, and general circulation models addressing both research and societal needs. The measurements from these two stations, if successful, will provide the necessary inputs for a realistic model development.