CEDAR: Secondary Gravity Wave Coupling Dynamics Between the Mid-Latitude Mesosphere and Thermosphere

本项目研究地球中间层和热层之间的动态耦合过程。它将估算出发生在中层顶区域的重力波破裂过程对热层的动量和能量贡献。具体而言，将研究南半球高层大气中中间层次级重力波动量/能量输运及其耦合过程。这个项目继续了一项国际合作，包括来自美国和新西兰的科学家。在项目期间，一名本科生将参与并接受指导。结果将广泛提供给科学界，并向公众传达一般见解。这项工作将利用现有的地面光学成像、光谱仪和雷达测量与天基测量相结合，研究中间层和热层之间二次重力波耦合的发生和特征。该项目将建立在最近在新西兰约翰山天文台观测到的二次重力波的基础上，这些次重力波是由重力波在接近100公里高度的中层低空区域破裂而产生的。新西兰地区是南半球重力波活动的一个已知的“热点”，这是一个在全球高层大气观测方面代表性不足的地区。

This project addresses the dynamic coupling processes between the Earth's mesosphere and thermosphere. It will yield estimates of the momentum and energy contribution by gravity wave breaking processes occurring in the mesopause region to the thermosphere. Specifically, the mesospheric secondary gravity wave momentum/energy transport and coupling processes in the Southern hemisphere's upper atmosphere will be studied. This project continues an international collaboration involving scientists from the United States and New Zealand. An undergraduate student will be involved and mentored during the project. Results will be made widely available to the scientific community and general insights communicated to the public. This work will utilize existing ground-based optical imaging, spectrometer and radar measurements combined with space-based measurements in order to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of secondary gravity wave coupling between the mesosphere and thermosphere. The project will build upon recent observations at Mt. John Observatory, New Zealand of secondary gravity waves generated by gravity waves breaking at a lower altitude region in the mesosphere near 100 km altitude. The New Zealand region is a known "hotspot" of gravity wave activity in the southern hemisphere, a region of the globe under-represented in terms of upper atmospheric observations.