Modeling Mesospheric Gravity Waves Using Starfire and MesoD Data: A CEDAR Study

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Ths project will rigorously test models describing grvity waves and their interaction with chemical processes and associated nightglow in the mesosphere, using extensive, high-quality data derived from the Starfire and Meso-D campaigns. The PI has already progressed considedrably in modeling the effects of gravity waves on the distributions of minor species in tghe mesosphere/lower thermosphere region, and of subsequent perturbations in thed airglow emissions involving these minor species. In addition, he has developed a realistic full-wave model describing gravity wave propagation in an inhomogeneous atmosphere. The chemical/nightglow perturbation model has been linked with their full-wave model to provide a powerful tool for exploring gravity wave interactions with chemical and nightglow processes. However, he was required to make assumptions in simulations that couldn't be tested due to lack of corroborative measurements. With the Starfire and Meso-D data sets, the PI will perform realistic simulations of observed nightglow fluctuations by incorporating realistic background winds and temperature profiles in the model. This will provide a unique opportunity for the PI to further characterize waves and their effects in the region by quantitatively evaluating the energetics of the waves, evaluate the forcing of the mean state by the waves, and elucidate the coupling between tghe upper and lower atmosphere.