Collaborative Research: Characterizing Atmospheric Gravity Waves and their Effects on the Antarctic Ozone Layer

平流层臭氧是一种重要的温室气体，它也保护地球表面免受破坏性的太阳紫外线辐射。臭氧层的损耗是通过一系列的化学反应发生的，在这些化学反应中，臭氧分子与卤素（氯、溴等）和一些源自人造卤碳的卤素发生反应而被破坏。这些反应随着平流层高度的低温而增强。目前的计算机模型能够估计极地上空平流层臭氧空洞发展的程度，但是与地面遥感激光雷达（LIDAR）仪器测量的结果相比，这些模型低估了平流层冷却的程度。该项目旨在更好地了解大气重力波在地球平流层中的作用及其对南极臭氧层的潜在影响。耦合大气化学和气候模式准确预报南极臭氧空洞参数是监测臭氧空洞恢复的关键。反过来，这对于了解《蒙特利尔议定书》的目标是否正在实现至关重要。高分辨率天气研究与预报（WRF）模式将用于解释在低层大气中向上传播的大气重力波的影响，从而影响大气环流、平流层温度以及南极臭氧层的行为。一些南极地面激光雷达数据（来自麦克默多站、南极站、戴维斯站、Syowa站以及过去在罗瑟拉站的观测）将用于验证和检查WRF模拟结果。增强的重力波参数化将用于运行“全大气群落气候模式”（WACCM），以研究南极洲上空的平流层环流和温度。这项研究工作是一项具有成本效益的投资，它将提高对低层大气动力学的认识水平，改进或纠正重力波的参数化，从而改进低层大气的模型。反过来，这将提高对低层大气过程如何影响臭氧消耗反应的理解。该奖项将支持一位早期职业女性科学家获得她的第一笔NSF资金，并支持一名本科生。

Stratospheric ozone is an important greenhouse gas that also protects the planet's surface from destructive solar ultraviolet radiation. Depletion of the ozone layer occurs through a series of chemical reactions in which ozone molecules are destroyed by reacting with halogens (chlorine, bromine, etc.) with some of the halogens originating from man-made halocarbons. These reactions are enhanced with cold temperatures at stratospheric altitudes. Current computer models are capable estimating the magnitude of ozone hole development in the stratosphere over the polar regions, but the models underestimate the amount of stratospheric cooling as compared to measurements made by ground-based remote-sensing LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instruments. This project seeks to better understand the role of atmospheric gravity waves in the Earth's stratosphere and their potential effects on the Antarctic ozone layer. Accurate forecasts of the Antarctic ozone hole parameters by coupling atmospheric chemistry and climate models are critical for monitoring ozone hole recovery. This, in turn, is important for understanding whether or not the goals of the Montreal protocol are being met.The high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model will be used to account for effects of atmospheric gravity waves that propagate upward in the lower atmosphere and, therefore, affect atmospheric circulation, stratospheric temperature, and consequently behavior of the Antarctic ozone layer. A number of Antarctic ground-based lidar data (from McMurdo, South Pole, Davis, Syowa stations, and past observations at Rothera Station) will be used to validate and examine the WRF modeling results. The enhanced gravity wave parameterization will be used to run "The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model" (WACCM) to study the stratospheric circulation and temperatures above Antarctica. This research effort is a cost-effective investment that will advance the state of knowledge of lower atmosphere dynamics and improve or correct parameterization of gravity waves and, thereby, improve models of the lower atmosphere. In turn this will improve understanding of how lower atmosphere processes can affect ozone depletion reactions. The award will support an early career female scientist with her first NSF funding, as well as support an undergraduate student.