High-Latitude Austral Atmospheric Dynamics

当代极地航空学最引人注目的方向之一是研究平流层和大气上层区域（如中间层）的动力耦合。在2002年春季平流层主要突然变暖之前，南极冬季中间层动力学温度测量已经通过实验清楚地表明南半球存在这种动力耦合——冬季中间层温度测量显示与臭氧空洞面积有很强的相关性。这些结果表明，导致平流层变暖的动力过程在南方冬季已经存在，并且，这种早期的中间层信号导致了估计春季臭氧空洞面积的潜在能力。需要对这些现象进行进一步观察，以更好地了解其潜在过程。这些最近的结果表明了南极长期中间层测量的内在价值，因为它们确实为了解大气动力学及其对全球气候变化的影响及其社会影响提供了一个窗口。为了对该大气区域的全球尺度动力学和热力学有一个基本的了解，对南极极帽中性高层大气的测量也是相关的。麦克默多站大部分时间都在极帽内，使其成为南极洲地磁纬度最高的站。麦克默多站和南极站的联合测量开始解决高地磁纬度地区存在持续和可预测的热层垂直中性风的特殊问题，这是南极首次报道的。这些垂直风的存在对这一区域大气的能量学有深远的影响。这些调查与国际南极航空联合会的同事们的观测同时进行，将加强目前对这一极地大气动力学问题及其对全球环流的影响的了解。除了科学意义之外，在平流层臭氧空洞面积达到最大值后的第一个十年里，维持中间层/热层航空测量具有广泛的社会意义。这项研究也有助于培训和教育研究生和本科生，包括代表性不足的群体。

One of the most compelling and contemporary polar aeronomy directions is the investigation of dynamical coupling of the stratosphere and the upper regions of the atmosphere, such as the mesosphere. The South Pole wintertime mesospheric kinetic temperature measurements, preceding the springtime major stratospheric sudden warming of 2002, have clearly shown experimentally the presence of this dynamical coupling in the Southern Hemisphere - the wintertime mesospheric temperature measurements showed a strong correlation with the ozone hole area. These results indicate that the dynamical processes leading to the stratospheric warming were already in place during the austral winter and, that, this early mesospheric signal leads to the potential ability to estimate the springtime ozone hole area. Further observations on these phenomena are needed to understand better the underlying processes. These recent results indicate the intrinsic value of long-term mesospheric measurements at South Pole, as they do provide a window of knowledge into the dynamics of the atmosphere and their effects on Global Climate Change, as well as its societal implications. Austral polar cap neutral upper atmosphere measurements are also relevant in order to gain a basic understanding on the global-scale dynamics and thermodynamics of this atmospheric region. McMurdo Station is within the polar cap most of the day, making it the highest geomagnetic latitude station at Antarctica. Combined measurements from McMurdo and South Pole Stations are beginning to address the special problem of the existence of persistent and predictable thermospheric vertical neutral winds at high geomagnetic latitudes, first reported from South Pole. The existence of these vertical winds has profound effects on the energetics of this region of the atmosphere. These investigations, simultaneous with the observations of the international Antarctic Aeronomy Consortium colleagues, will enhance the present understanding of this polar atmospheric dynamics problem and its effect on global circulation. In addition to the scientific interest, there are broad social implications dependent on maintaining mesospheric/thermospheric aeronomy measurements through the first decade after maximum of the stratospheric ozone hole area. This research also contributes to the training and education of for both graduate and undergraduate students, including underrepresented groups.