Collaborative Research: Lidar Investigation of Middle and Upper Atmosphere Temperature, Composition, Chemistry, and Dynamics at McMurdo, Antarctica

铁玻尔兹曼激光雷达（2010年部署在麦克默多）对155公里高度的铁层、中性温度和重力波进行了新的观测，为探索南极中性热层打开了一扇新的大门。在100公里以上的关键区域测量中性离子耦合和焦耳加热，是高层大气科学界最优先的目标。中性大气温度气候学的发展对于校准极地中层-低热层区域的卫星观测和验证全球气候模型至关重要;从现在起的几十年内，这种气候学记录将作为评估南极气候变化中长期温度趋势的基线。对夏季极端铁事件和太阳对铁层底侧影响的研究正在提高对极纬铁化学的认识。利用激光雷达进行的垂直热量和组分通量观测正在增进对极地中层顶区域波致输运的了解，并消除目前中层金属层化学动力学模型中最大的不确定性来源。这也导致了对宇宙尘埃输入的定量估计的改进，这对整个南极大气层和南大洋的各种地球物理过程产生了影响。麦克默多上空中性大气中重力波场的表征和分析正在推进对MLT区域波耦合的理解，并为气候模式中的波参数化方案提供更好的约束。因此，麦克默多激光雷达活动提供了一个新的面貌的组成，化学，温度和动力学的极地高层大气中的一个关键的纬度间隙区域中间的南极和南极圈。Fe-Boltzmann激光雷达已经产生了一个存储在CEDAR/Madrigal数据库中的丰富数据集，其他科学家可以随时使用该数据集来帮助支持他们自己对极地高层大气和气候的研究。该项目为学生和青年研究人员提供了培训机会，使他们能够在南极洲实地考察。该项目还加强了世界各地几所著名大学的课堂教学和研究生课程。

The new observations of iron layers, neutral temperatures, and gravity waves up to 155-km altitudes with the Fe-Boltzmann lidar (deployed at McMurdo in 2010) have opened a new door to explore the Antarctic neutral thermosphere. These measurements of neutral-ion coupling and Joule heating, in the critical region above 100 km, are an objective of highest priority for the upper atmosphere science community. Development of the neutral atmosphere temperature climatology is crucial for calibrating satellite observations of the polar mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) region and validating global climate models; in decades from now this climatology records will serve as the baseline against which long-term temperature trends in the changing Antarctic climate are assessed. The studies of extreme summertime Fe events and solar effects on Fe-layer's bottom side are improving the understanding of iron chemistry at polar latitudes. The vertical heat and constituent flux observations with the lidars are enhancing the knowledge of wave-induced transport in the polar mesopause region and remove the greatest source of uncertainty in current chemical-dynamical models of the mesospheric metal layers. This also led to improvements in quantitative estimates of the cosmic dust input that has implications for a variety of geophysical processes throughout the Antarctic atmosphere and Southern Ocean. The characterization and analysis of the gravity wave field in the neutral atmosphere above McMurdo are advancing the understanding of wave coupling in the MLT region and provide better constraints on wave parameterization schemes in climate models. Thus, the McMurdo lidar campaigns provide a new look into the composition, chemistry, temperature, and dynamics of the polar upper atmosphere in a critical latitudinal gap region mid-way between the South Pole and Antarctic Circle. The Fe-Boltzmann lidar has already produced a rich dataset stored in the CEDAR/Madrigal database, which is readily available to other scientists to help supporting their own research on polar aeronomy and climate. This project provides exceptional opportunities to train students and young researchers by giving them fieldwork experience in Antarctica. The project also enhances classroom teaching and graduate programs at several prominent universities around the world.