Cissi Y. Lin

A study of the nonlinear response of the upper atmosphere to episodic and stochastic acoustic‐gravity wave forcing

Perturbations caused by geophysical and anthropogenic events on the ground have been observed to propagate upward and impact the upper atmosphere. Gravity waves with wavelengths less than 750 km are known to be responsible for the total electron content (TEC) perturbations and to play a significant role in the mass, momentum, and energy budgets of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). These waves are however difficult to continuously measure, globally resolve, and deterministically specify in first-principle ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) models. In this study, we investigate IT response to induced acoustic-gravity waves (AGWs) resulting from strong time-varying lower atmospheric wave forcing, including a traveling wave packet (TWP) and stochastic gravity wave (SGW) fields using the nonlinear Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model (GITM) with high-resolution grids of 0.08° in longitude and latitude. When TWP and SGW forcing occurs concurrently, the induced gravity waves (GWs) cause variation of ±8.8% in neutral, ±6.2% in electron density, and ±1.5% in TEC. The magnitudes decrease by 2.4% (from ±8.8% to ±6.4%) with the SGW effects simulated separately and subtracted; importantly interactions between TWP and SGW contribute to ±1.4% of the perturbations. On the other hand, the induced acoustic waves (AWs) cause variation of ±13.9% in neutral, ±2.1% in electron density, and ±0.4% in TEC. Furthermore, GWs sustain tens of minutes after the TWP has passed through the lower atmosphere and clear TIDs and TADs are developed. We demonstrate that clear wave structures from an episodic event can be isolated even under a ubiquitously and overwhelmingly perturbed atmosphere.

Soft X‐ray irradiance measured by the Solar Aspect Monitor on the Solar Dynamic Observatory Extreme ultraviolet Variability Experiment

The Solar Aspect Monitor (SAM) is a pinhole camera on the Extreme ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. SAM projects the solar disk onto the CCD through a metallic filter designed to allow only solar photons shortward of 7 nm to pass. Contamination from energetic particles and out-of-band irradiance is, however, significant in the SAM observations. We present a technique for isolating the 0.01–7 nm integrated irradiance from the SAM signal to produce the first results of broadband irradiance for the time period from May 2010 to May 2014. The results of this analysis agree with a similar data product from EVEs EUV SpectroPhotometer to within 25%. We compare our results with measurements from the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer Solar X-ray Photometer and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Solar EUV Experiment at similar levels of solar activity. We show that the full-disk SAM broadband results compared well to the other measurements of the 0.01–7 nm irradiance. We also explore SAMs capability toward resolving spatial contribution from regions of solar disk in irradiance and demonstrate this feature with a case study of several strong flares that erupted from active regions on 11 March 2011.

Impact of the vertical dynamics on the thermosphere at low and middle latitudes: GITM simulations

In this study, the influences of the electric fields at low and middle latitudes on the ionosphere and thermosphere are investigated by using the non-hydrostatic Global Ionosphere and Thermosphere Model (GITM). The equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and the equatorial thermosphere anomaly (ETA) are well reproduced in the simulation when the electric fields are included. The term analysis of the continuity equation of the neutral mass density shows that the daytime upward vertical wind near the geomagnetic equator tends to increase the local neutral mass density at 400 km altitude, while the divergence in the meridional wind associated with the meridional ion-drag force tends to transport the neutral mass density away from the geomagnetic equator which might contribute to the formation of the ETA trough. The vertical dynamics is modulated by the vertical forces including ion-drag force and pressure gradient force acting on the neutrals, and the changing vertical dynamics can also feedback to vertical ion-drag and pressure gradient forces, particularly near the geomagnetic equator. The daytime vertical ion-drag force near the geomagnetic equator is generally upward while the daytime vertical pressure gradient force near the geomagnetic equator is reduced at most times after adding in the electric fields at low and middle latitudes. Meanwhile, the sudden introduction of the electric fields at low and middle latitudes induces an acoustic wave.