An Innovative Modeling Approach for Understanding Venus' Cloud-layer Dynamics, Polar Vortices, and the Influence of Waves

尽管宇宙飞船已经多次造访金星，但人们对金星是如何形成的知之甚少。中高层大气和云层移动并相互作用。最近的金星快车号宇宙飞船在模拟大气活动时提供了新的数据。研究人员将使用特殊的、严格的计算机程序来模拟金星的中高层大气。在这个模型中，他们将基本大气水平设置为金星表面以上可以观测到云的高度。不同类型的波将作为力量引入这个基本大气水平，以观察它们是如何驱动大气环流的。金星快车的新测量结果将指导和确认计算机模型，使金星中高层大气的模型更加真实。这个模型的结果将反馈给其他模拟地球的科学家。美国大气有助于了解气候变化，从而有利于国家利益。研究人员还将为初中和高中以及大学本科和研究生课程设计与行星大气有关的课堂实验。金星大气层在云层高度及以上的动态和循环尚不清楚。在这项研究中，首席研究员将采用一种创新的方法来模拟金星的大气动力学，使用基于社区大气模型（CAM）的计算机代码。要建立模型的大气的下边界被定义为从金星表面观测到云层的高度开始。动力学计算将集中在这种云层大气上。将引入不同种类的波，包括潮汐、罗斯比波和重力波，以影响大气下层边界的力。金星快车号航天器在云层及云层以上的测量结果将指导并验证大气模型。然后，金星的中高层大气可以在时间和空间上尚未测量到数据的地点进行建模。CAM计算机代码对地球的适应性？对金星大气的研究得到的结果将反馈给地球气候研究界，有利于了解气候变化的国家利益。研究人员将为加州大学洛杉矶分校外展的初中和高中，以及本科和研究生班设计一系列与stem相关的实际实验，解决行星大气的物理学问题。

Even though spacecraft have visited the planet Venus many times, little is understood about how Venus? middle and upper atmosphere and clouds move and interact. The recent spacecraft Venus Express provides new data to consider when modeling activity in the atmosphere. The investigators will model Venus' middle and upper atmosphere using special, rigorous computer programs. For this modeling, they set the base atmospheric level to be considered as the height above Venus' surface where clouds are observed. Different types of waves will be introduced as forces at this base atmospheric level to see how they drive the circulation in the atmosphere. The new measurements from Venus Express will guide and confirm the computer modeling, making more realistic models of Venus' middle and upper atmosphere. The results of this modeling will be fed back to other scientists modeling the Earth?s atmosphere to understand climate change, thus benefiting the national interest. The investigators will also design classroom experiments related to planetary atmospheres for middle and high schools, and undergraduate and graduate college-level classes.The dynamics and circulation of the planet Venus' atmosphere at cloud heights and above are poorly understood. In this study, the principal investigator will employ an innovative approach to modeling the dynamics of Venus' atmosphere, using a computer code based on the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). The lower boundary of the atmosphere to be modeled is defined to begin at the height where clouds are observed above Venus' surface. Dynamical calculations will focus on this cloud-level atmosphere. Different kinds of waves will be introduced, including tides, Rossby waves, and gravity waves, to effect forces at the lower boundary of the atmosphere. New measurements from the Venus Express spacecraft mission at cloud levels and above will guide and validate the atmospheric modeling. Venus' middle and upper atmosphere can then be modeled at locations in time and space where data have not yet been measured. Adaptations of the CAM computer code for the Earth?s atmosphere resulting from this study of Venus' atmosphere will be fed back to the Earth climate research community, benefiting the national interest in understanding climate change. The investigators will design a series of STEM-related practical experiments addressing the physics of planetary atmospheres for UCLA outreach middle and high schools, and for undergraduate and graduate university classes.