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，也可以保护地球表面免受破坏性的太阳紫外线辐射。臭氧层的耗尽是通过一系列化学反应发生的，在这些化学反应中，臭氧分子通过与卤素(氯、溴等)反应而被破坏。其中一些卤素来自人造卤素。在平流层高度，温度越低，这些反应越强烈。目前的计算机模型能够估计极地地区平流层臭氧空洞发展的程度，但与地面遥感LIDAR(光探测和测距)仪器进行的测量相比，这些模型低估了平流层冷却量。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。通过耦合大气化学和气候模式对南极臭氧层空洞参数的准确预测对于监测臭氧层空洞的恢复至关重要。高分辨率天气研究和预报(WRF)模式将被用来解释大气重力波在低层大气中向上传播的影响，从而影响大气环流、平流层温度，从而影响南极臭氧层的行为。许多南极地面激光雷达数据(来自McMurdo、南极、Davis、Syowa站和Rothera站过去的观测)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“全大气社区气候模式”(WACCM)，以研究南极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，将促进对低层大气动力学的了解，改进或纠正重力波的参数化，从而改进低层大气的模式。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。该奖项将支持一位职业生涯早期的女科学家获得她的第一笔NSF资金，以及支持一名本科生。

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.