CEDAR: Interactions of Short-Period Gravity Waves with the Horizontally-Inhomogeneous Structure of the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) Region

本研究的目的是研究陆地中层和低层热层（MLT）区动态和水平非均匀结构调制的短周期小尺度重力波的动力学效应。尽管这些波对MLT的结构和变率有重要贡献，但目前对重力波产生、传播和耗散的理解没有考虑到局部结构的影响，因此可能存在观测偏差。与多尺度重力波相互作用相关的具体科学问题将在研究工作中通过三维数值模拟来解决，使用作为该项目一部分获得的计算集群硬件，以及在多个设施中使用气辉成像仪、雷达和激光雷达对MLT的观测。这些数据将用于约束模型模拟并验证其结果。该项目还将为未来波致气辉和温度扰动的层析成像研究提供理论基础，以便更准确地评估重力波通量和多尺度结构。

The goal of this project is to investigate the dynamical effects of short-period, small-scale gravity waves as modulated by the dynamic and horizontally inhomogeneous structure of the terrestrial mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region. Although such waves contribute significantly to the structure and variability of the MLT, the present understanding of gravity wave generation, propagation, and dissipation has not taken the effects of local structure into account and thus may suffer from observational bias. Specific science questions related to multi-scale gravity wave interaction will be addressed in the research work through both 3-D numerical modeling, using computing cluster hardware acquired as part of this project, as well as observations of the MLT by airglow imagers, radars, and lidars at multiple facilities. The data will be used to constrain the model simulations as well as validate its results. The project will also provide a theoretical foundation for future tomographic imaging studies of wave induced airglow and temperature perturbations in order to facilitate more accurate assessments of gravity wave fluxes and multi-scale structure.