Quantifying energetic particle precipitation into the atmosphere

该提案将结合兰开斯特大学和英国南极调查局提供的专业知识和数据集，回答一系列关于带电粒子沉降到大气中的意义的重要问题。这将通过建立一个关键环节，推进关于太阳活动如何影响对流层和平流层变率的辩论。两个半球间的地面仪器网络将用于提供高能电子降水的估计。兰开斯特大学是全球温度计阵列（GLORIA）的PI研究所，BAS是南极-北极辐射带动态沉积VLF大气研究协会（AARDDVARK）的联合PI研究所。该项目旨在提供进入大气的高能电子通量的全球图景，以回答关键问题：高能电子沉淀对大气化学和动力学的意义是什么？本提案的主要目的将是利用riometer（相对电离层不透明度计）和VLF（甚低频）无线电波观测以及磁层中电子分布的高级建模，以确定大气中特别是极地地区高能电子降水的特征。这些仪器对不同的电子能量作出反应，通过将观测结果与磁层中电子的适当模拟相结合，就有可能估计电子降水事件的位置、能谱和通量，特别是在极地地区，以及对平流层和中间层的大气化学有影响的能量。该数据产品将特别用于耦合气候模式，作为表示地磁活动与大气之间耦合的输入，而不是像Ap或Kp这样的广义地磁指数。虽然主要目的是产生电子通量谱，但这可以很容易地转换为离子对产生率，甚至NOx剖面，以适应模型输入要求。该数据产品将用于离子和中性化学模型，以确定相应的氮氧化物生产水平。我们将用它来回答以下关键问题：在亚暴和风暴期间，氮氧化物分布是如何变化的？2. 不同半球的氮氧化物产量有何不同？我们将确定太阳风驱动大气化学的作用，而不是太阳辐照度。GLORIA和AARDDVARK的半球间性质意味着我们将能够同时确定两个极地地区的氮氧化物产量，并确定不同季节的差异和相似之处。这些都是关于大气化学在高层大气中的重要性以及它如何受到地磁活动的影响的重要问题。因此，我们将能够回答高能电子沉淀对大气化学和动力学的意义是什么？

This proposal will combine the expertise and data sets provided by Lancaster University and the British Antarctic Survey to answer a series of important questions regarding the significance of charged particle precipitation into the atmosphere on atmospheric chemistry. This will advance the debate on how solar activity affects tropospheric and stratospheric variability by establishing a key link in the chain. Two inter-hemispheric, ground-based networks of instruments will be used to provide estimates of energetic electron precipitation. Lancaster is the PI institute for the Global Riometer Array (GLORIA) and BAS is the co-PI institute of the Antarctic-Arctic Radiation-belt Dynamic Deposition VLF Atmospheric Research Konsortia (AARDDVARK). This project aims to provide a global picture of the fluxes of energetic electrons entering the atmosphere in order to answer the key question: what is the significance of energetic electron precipitation to atmospheric chemistry and dynamics? The primary aim of this proposal will be to utilise the riometer (relative ionospheric opacity meter) and VLF (very low frequency) radio wave observations together with advanced modelling of the electron distributions in the magnetosphere, in order to determine the characteristics of energetic electron precipitation in the atmosphere and the polar regions in particular. These instruments respond to different electron energies and by combining the observations with suitable modelling of the electrons in the magnetosphere it is possible to make estimates of the location, energy spectrum and flux of electron precipitation events, particularly in the polar regions, and at energies that have implications for atmospheric chemistry in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The data product will be of particular use for coupled-climate models as an input to represent the coupling between geomagnetic activity and the atmosphere, instead of broad geomagnetic indexes such as Ap or Kp. Although the key aim is to produce electron flux spectra, this can be easily converted into ion-pair production rates or even NOx profiles to suit the model input requirements. This data product will be employed in an ion and neutral chemistry model to determine the corresponding level of NOx production. We will use this to answer the following key questions: 1. How does the NOx profile vary during substorms and storms? 2. How does NOx production vary between hemispheres? We will determine the role of solar wind driving of atmospheric chemistry rather than solar irradiance. The inter-hemispheric nature of GLORIA and AARDDVARK means that we will be able to determine NOx production in both polar regions simultaneously and determine differences and similarities from season to season. These are important questions concerning the importance of atmospheric chemistry in the upper atmosphere and how it is influenced by geomagnetic activity. We will therefore be able to answer what is the significance of energetic electron precipitation to atmospheric chemistry and dynamics?