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

该项目涉及地球中间层和热层之间的动态耦合过程。它将估计在中层顶区发生的重力波破裂过程对热层的动量和能量贡献。具体地说，将研究南半球高层大气中的中层次要重力波动量/能量输送和耦合过程。该项目延续了美国和新西兰科学家之间的国际合作。一名本科生将在项目期间参与并指导。结果将向科学界广泛提供，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、光谱仪和雷达测量结合天基测量，以调查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山上观察到的基础上。新西兰约翰天文台对重力波在100公里高度附近的中间层较低海拔区域破裂产生的次要重力波进行了研究。新西兰地区是南半球重力波活动的一个众所周知的“热点”，这是一个在高层大气观测方面表现不足的地区。

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.