Coupling processes int he middle/upper atmospheres of the terrestrial planets

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One of the significant questions about our atmosphere which remains only partially solved is why it maintains a similar structure year to year in spite of variations in the temperature, winds, constituent distributions and the form of the large scale waves. To date, much effort has been exerted in successfully defining the characteristics of these cycles. While it is important for these cycles to be understood, it is equally important to understand the underlying mechanisms which maintain this quasi-equilibrium. With this knowledge we can predict how these atmospheres might evolve should conditions change (for example due to solar variability, natural disasters or anthropogenic influences). Such an effort is not trivial. The atmosphere is a non-linear system with non-local radiative connections between various heights. The coupling between the large scale wind and temperature fields, contituent distributions and waves of all scales must be indentified and quantified to address this problem. The objective of this proposal is to explore these coupling mechanisms in the middle and upper atmospheres of the terrestrial planets - in particular the Earth and Mars. The program involves the development and refinement of an observation technique developed in Canada called Doppler Imaging for measuring dynamical signatures (wind, temperature and constituent variations), the analysis of space and ground based observations, the development of models to explain particular processes and the analysis of general circulation model results. This effort emphasizes measurements and the analysis of observations. The observation technique has potential as a satellite instrument for observing the dynamics in the atmospheres of the Earth, Mars or Venus. The modelling effort will aid in the interpretation of the observations and the validation of the physical processes involved in the observed dynamical features.