Modeling Seasonal Variations in Ice Giant Atmospheres with Observational Constraints Including Solstice and Equinox

内热被认为是解释外行星大气中云、风暴和行星风的范围所需要的最重要的能量来源，但是天王星几乎没有这样可测量的来源。它的极端轴向倾斜，以及它产生的不寻常的季节性模式，使天王星与其他巨行星区别开来。另一方面，海王星有一个重要的内部热源。然而，这两颗行星现在都显示出越来越多的大气活动，这可能是由于太阳加热的变化影响了大气动力学。本项目将利用明确行星等熵坐标（EPIC）一般气候模式模拟天王星和海王星的大气，包括太阳日照对纬向和经向环流的影响，并研究涡旋稳定性和季节变化的纬向风结构。这种比较模型将阐明太阳日照在驱动冰巨行星大气动力学中的作用，并有助于理解气体和冰巨行星大气的起源和演化。这项工作是跨学科的，将大气动力学、计算物理学和观测天文学领域联系起来，以促进行星天文学观测和建模努力之间的协同作用。该项目涉及一名研究生的实践研究，并将新密歇根州立大学的天文系与路易斯维尔大学的比较行星学实验室联系起来。它包括向以西班牙裔为主的社区进行公共宣传。

AST-0807989ChanoverInternal heat is considered the most important energy source needed to explain the range of clouds, storms, and planetary winds in the atmospheres of the outer planets, but Uranus has little to no such measurable source. This, its extreme axial tilt, and the unusual seasonal pattern it produces, set Uranus apart from the other giant planets. Neptune, on the other hand, has a significant internal heat source. Both planets, however, now show increasing levels of atmospheric activity, which might be due to variations in the solar heating affecting the atmospheric dynamics. This project will use the Explicit Planetary Isentropic Coordinate (EPIC) general climate model to simulate the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune, including the effects of solar insolation on the zonal and meridional circulations, and investigating vortex stability and seasonally-altered zonal wind structure. Such comparative modeling will elucidate the role that solar insolation plays in driving the atmospheric dynamics of ice giant planets, and contribute to understanding the origin and evolution of gas and ice giant atmospheres.The work is interdisciplinary, linking the fields of atmospheric dynamics, computational physics, and observational astronomy, to promote synergy between the observational and modeling endeavors of planetary astronomy. The program involves practical research by a graduate student and links the Astronomy Department at NMSU with the Comparative Planetology Laboratory at the University of Louisville. It includes public outreach to a predominantly Hispanic community.