Collaborative Research: Observations and Analysis of Wave-Induced Constituent Transport in the Mesopause Region above Cerro Pachon, Chile and Table Mountain, Colorado

这是一项为期5年的科学合作，旨在利用理论、观测和大气化学模型相结合的方法，研究上层中间层和低热层（MLT）的垂直传输机制。 该研究的重点是中层顶区，80-105公里的高度，并采用钠和铁风/温度激光雷达，流星雷达，和气辉数据从两个观测站在塞罗帕雄，智利，桌山，CO。目标是量化波引起的垂直传输在中层顶区以上这些网站，以表征其对通量和垂直分布的热，钠，铁，O，和其他关键成分，并比较测量的涡流扩散参数化方案，传统上用来占大气化学模式中的垂直传输。具体的科学目标包括：1）为了表征热量的垂直通量，Na（在Cerro Pachon）和Fe 2）确定与平流、湍流混合、动力输送和Na/Fe化学有关的有效垂直组分输送速度，并描述其季节变化特征，3）通过模式预测与观测的比较，量化波致输送对中层Na和Fe层结构和季节变化的影响; 4）表征与OH Meinel带相关的有效垂直输送; O（1 S）绿色线和Cerro Pachon全年O2大气带气辉发射; 5）通过模式计算评估波致传输对中间层其他重要组分（如原子O）结构和变化的影响。智力优势：波浪引起的垂直输送的大小和变化的知识是很重要的一系列研究问题，包括大气环流模拟，大气化学模拟，热平衡计算，以及中间层气辉和金属层的研究。这项工作将有助于更深入地了解关键的重力波传输过程及其与大气化学的关系。此外，这项工作将显着提高我们的能力，模型的组成结构的MLT，特别是流星金属和气辉层。更广泛的影响：这项研究对大气科学具有更广泛的影响，因为研究结果可用于描述波浪引起的传输对其他大气区域其他重要成分的影响，如平流层臭氧，这反过来又影响到地球大气的热平衡。因此，该项目的结果可能在全球气候模拟中有重要的应用。此外，直接测量中间层Fe和Na的垂直通量，结合建模，将大大改善目前对全球流星输入通量绝对值的估计，这是非常不确定的。这一点很重要，因为进入MLT的流星碎片最终被输送到低层大气中，在那里影响平流层气溶胶的形成，并最终沉积在海洋中，在那里有助于铁等关键化学物质的浓缩。平流层气溶胶和海洋铁在地球气候中起着重要的作用。平流层气溶胶反射阳光，从而改变地球的辐射收支，而海洋铁促进浮游植物的生长，从而影响全球碳循环，特别是大气二氧化碳。

This is a 5-year scientific collaboration to investigate vertical transport mechanisms in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) using a combination of theory, observations, and atmospheric chemical models. The study focuses on the mesopause region, 80-105 km altitude, and employs Na and Fe wind/temperature lidar, meteor radar, and airglow data from two observation sites at Cerro Pachon, Chile, and Table Mountain, CO. The objectives are to quantify wave-induced vertical transport in the mesopause region above these sites, to characterize its effects on the fluxes and vertical distribution of heat, Na, Fe, O, and other key constituents, and to compare the measurements to the eddy diffusion parameterization schemes that are traditionally used to account for vertical transport in atmospheric chemistry models. Specific scientific goals include: 1) To characterize the vertical fluxes of heat, Na (at Cerro Pachon) and Fe (at Table Mountain) throughout the mesopause region and throughout the year, 2) To determine the effective vertical constituent transport velocities associated with advection, turbulent mixing, dynamical transport and Na/Fe chemistry and to characterize their seasonal variations, 3) To quantify the influence of wave-induced transport on the structure and seasonal variations of the mesospheric Na and Fe layers by comparing model predictions with observations, 4) To characterize the effective vertical transport associated with OH Meinel Band, O(1S) green line and O2 Atmospheric Band airglow emissions throughout the year at Cerro Pachon, and 5) Through model calculations to assess the influence of wave-induced transport on the structure and variations of other important mesospheric constituents such as atomic O. Intellectual Merit: Knowledge of the magnitude and variability of wave-induced vertical transport is important to a wide range of research problems, including general circulation modeling, atmospheric chemistry modeling, thermal balance calculations, and the study of the mesospheric airglow and metal layers. This work will contribute to a much deeper understanding of the key gravity wave transport processes and their relationships to atmospheric chemistry. In addition, this work will significantly enhance our ability to model the constituent structure of the MLT, particularly the meteoric metal and airglow layers. Broader Impacts: The research has broader implications for atmospheric science because the results can be used to characterize the impact of wave-induced transport on other important constituents in other atmospheric regions, such as stratospheric ozone, which in turn affects the thermal balance of the Earth's atmosphere. Hence, the results of this project may have important applications in global climate modeling. Furthermore, the direct measurements of the vertical fluxes of mesospheric Fe and Na, in combination with modeling, will substantially improve current estimates of the absolute value of the global meteoric input flux, which are highly uncertain. This is important because the meteoric debris that enters the MLT is eventually transported into the lower atmosphere, where it affects the formation of stratospheric aerosols and is ultimately deposited in the oceans, where it contributes to the concentration of key chemical species, such as Fe. Both stratospheric aerosols and oceanic Fe play important roles in Earth's climate. Stratospheric aerosols reflect sunlight, which alters the Earth's radiation budget, while oceanic Fe promotes the growth of phytoplankton, which affects the global carbon cycles, in particular atmospheric CO2.