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

该项目涉及全面的观测研究，以最先进的建模为指导，量化重力波动量传输和不稳定动力学，这些动力学驱动中间层和低热层区域的能量和动量沉积以及重力波光谱演变。观测将建立在该团队最近成功使用高级中间层温度成像仪（AMTM）、韦伯风和温度钠激光雷达以及在挪威北方（69.3oN）北极中层大气研究激光雷达观测站（ALOMAR）运行的其他相关仪器的基础上。这些早期的相关测量能力已经证明了量化GW动量通量的良好潜力，以及解释这些通量的GW特性，在一定程度上不可能使用传统的气辉成像仪或风廓线雷达或激光雷达。因此，该计划代表了社区测量，探索和理解MLT中小规模GW和不稳定动力学的能力的新前沿，这些动力学直接影响对NSF Aeronomy和CEDAR计划至关重要的空间-大气相互作用区域（SAIR）。 这些研究将继续采用ALOMAR的高质量相关冬季测量能力，并将包括最近在熊湖天文台（BLO）和附近的犹他州州立大学（USU）校园（41.9oN）提供的广泛的夏季Na激光雷达和AMTM测量能力。这两个数据集将提供一个很好的措施，不同的地球物理强迫的影响，高纬度和中纬度MLT地区。这些设施为多个相关数据集提供了最大的潜力，因为可以现场访问激光雷达操作员。这些经过验证的测量能力也将有助于估计GW数据包的空间和时间尺度，解释平均强迫和次级GW的产生，目前这在很大程度上是未知的，但需要了解和参数化GW在天气，气候和大气环流模型中的影响，以满足研究和社会需求。这两个台站的测量如果成功，将为实际模型的开发提供必要的投入。

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.