Method of monitoring atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen composition in the upper atmosphere on XUV images of the Sun

A method for determining the basic atmosphere O/N₂ based on the solar observations is described. It is shown that, on XUV images of the Sun received by transillumination of the atmosphere, it is possible to observe its state controlling the O/N₂ ratio. The method allows local inhomogeneities of the upper atmosphere to be studied. Its abilities were demonstrated according to the SPIRIT complex on board the Coronas-F satellite.     

Nonlinear internal waves in the upper atmosphere

To investigate the mechanism of mixing in oscillatory doubly diffusive (ODD) convection, we truncate the horizontal modal expansion of the Boussinesq equations to obtain a simplified model of the process. In the astrophysically interesting case with low Prandtl number (traditionally called semiconvection), large-scale shears are generated as in ordinary thermal convection. The interplay between the shear and the oscillatory convection produces intermittent overturning of the fluid with significant mixing. By contrast, in the parameter regime appropriate to sea water, large-scale flows are not generated by the convection. However, if such flows are imposed externally, intermittent overturning with enhanced mixing is observed.     

Perturbations of the upper atmosphere in the cleft region

In the dayside polar region—loosely referred to as the cleft region—particle precipitation and Joule heating cause significant perturbations of the upper atmosphere. Here Dynamics Explorer-2 satellite data are used to present a synopsis of these disturbance effects. Documented are an increase in electron temperature and a decrease in electron density; increases in ion drift speed and ion temperature; an increase in the upward-directed ion velocity; increases in zonal wind speed and neutral gas temperature; and changes in the neutral gas composition and mass density. It is suggested that the increase in electron temperature is partly controlled by the decrease in electron density; that the ion upflow velocity mainly depends on the electron temperature, less frequently on the ion temperature; and that the observed decrease in thermospheric mass density is due to a decrease in the atomic oxygen density, which in turn is caused by diverging wind flows.     

On the energy content of the atmosphere

Summary Vertical profiles of the content of sensible heat, potential energy, and latent heat in the atmosphere between 1000 and 100 mb, during January and July, are derived for the latitude circles 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60°N. Contrasts between oceans and continents are found to vary significantly with latitude and season.

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Zusammenfassung Vertikalprofile des Gehalts an fühlbarer Wärme, potentieller Energie und latenter Wärme in der Atmosphäre zwischen 1000 and 100 mb werden für Januar und Juli und die Breitenkreise 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, und 60°N abgeleitet. Gegensätze zwischen Land und See ändern sich mit geographischer Breite und Jahreszeit.

     

Ozone content of the atmosphere. 3. Statistics of extreme values of the total ozone content in the midlatitude atmosphere

The occurrence frequency of extremely large and extremely small values of the total ozone content (TOC) for Irkutsk, Berlin, and Saskatoon midlatitude stations (located near 52°N but in different climatic zones) are calculated based on the daily satellite measurements in the 1978–2005 period. The data for various seasons are presented. The interannual variability and regional differences are demonstrated. The results indicate that the TOC variability is mainly caused by natural atmospheric processes.     

Lunar tidal winds in the upper atmosphere over Collm

The lunar semidiurnal tide in winds measured at around 90 km altitude has been isolated with amplitudes observed up to 4 m s^–1. There is a marked amplitude maximum in October and also a considerable phase variation with season. The average variation of phase with height indicated a vertical wavelength of more than 80 km but this, and other results, needs to be viewed in the light of the considerable averaging required to obtain statistical significance. Large year-to-year variations in both amplitude and phase were also found. Some phase comparisons with the GSWM model gave reasonable agreement but the model amplitudes above a height of 100 km were much larger than those measured. An attempt to make a comparison with the lunar geomagnetic tide did not yield a statistically significant result.     

Planetary waves in coupling the lower and upper atmosphere

The purpose of the paper is to answer the question if planetary waves (PW) are capable of propagating into the thermosphere. First the simplest vertical structure equation of the classic tidal theory accounting for a realistic vertical temperature profile is considered. Analysis and simulation show that the well-known normal atmospheric modes (NM), which are trapped in the lower and middle atmosphere, exhibit a wave-like vertical structure with a large vertical wavelength in the thermosphere. Moreover, the reflection of these modes from the vertical temperature gradient in the lower thermosphere causes appearance of the wave-energy upward flux in the middle atmosphere, and in a linearized formulation this flux is constant above the source region. To investigate a possibility of the NM forcing by stratospheric vacillations and to consider the propagation of different PW up to the heights of the upper thermosphere, a set of runs with a mechanistic Middle and Upper Atmosphere Model has been performed. The results of the simulation show that quasi-stationary and longer-period PW are not able to penetrate into the thermosphere. The shorter-period NM and ultra-fast Kelvin wave propagate up to the heights of the lower thermosphere. However, above about 150 km they are strongly suppressed by dissipative processes. The role of the secondary waves (nonmigrating tides) arising from nonlinear interaction between the primary migrating tides and quasi-stationary PW is discussed. We conclude that PW are not capable of propagating directly up to the heights of the ionospheric F2 region. It is suggested that other physical processes (for instance, the electrostatic field perturbations) have to be taken into account to explain the observed PW-like structures in ionospheric parameters.     

Gasdynamic propagation of rocket exhaust products in the upper atmosphere

The dispersion of exhaust products of rocket fuel in the direction perpendicular to the motion of a rocket is investigated in this work. A comparison of the results of numerical calculations with a self-similar approximation of a strong cylindrically symmetric explosion is fulfilled. It is shown that at sufficiently high rocket velocity V _∞, which exceeds the sum of gas exhaust velocity V _e from the nozzle and sound speed V _s (V _∞ > V _e +V _s ), a gasdynamic hole can arise around the rocket trajectory in the upper atmosphere, inside which the total concentration of gas becomes less than the equilibrium concentration of gas at a given altitude. The dynamics of the profiles of density and temperature of the exhaust products inside a rocket plume is calculated.     

Antarctica's role in understanding long-term change in the upper atmosphere

Within the global context, Antarctica has a key role to play in understanding long-term change in the upper atmosphere, both because of its isolation from the rest of the world and because of its unique geophysical attributes. Antarctic upper atmosphere data can provide global change observations regarding the mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, plasmasphere and magnetosphere. It will not only provide trend estimates but, just as importantly, it will define the background variability which exists in the upper atmosphere and against which these trends must be resolved. Upper atmospheric change can be driven both from within the Earth's near environment primarily through changing atmospheric composition, dynamics or geomagnetic field, or it can be driven externally, predominantly by the Sun. Recent observations are discussed in the light of increasing interest in global change issues and sun-weather relationships.     

The early history of oxygen and ozone in the atmosphere

There may have been three stages in the growth of oxygen in the terrestrial atmosphere. Prior to the origin of photosynthesis the only source of oxygen was photolysis of water vapor followed by escape of hydrogen to space. The rate of this process was probably less than the rate of release of reduced gases (principally hydrogen) from volcanoes, so the oxygen partial pressure was held to negligibly low values by photochemical reactions with an excess of hydrogen. The photosynthetic source of oxygen was probably in operation as long ago as 3.8 billion years. It released oxygen to the ocean. Presumably most of this oxygen was destroyed in the ocean as long as its rate of supply was less than the rate of supply of readily oxidizable material (principally Fe²⁺) provided by the weathering of rocks. This phase appears to have lasted until about 2 billion years ago, during which period most banded iron formations were deposited. During this period the production of oxygen by algae was limited by competition with photosynthetic bacteria, which preempted the supply of nutrient phosphorus as long as reduced chemicals were available in the environment. Once the photosynthetic oxygen source exceeded the rate of supply of reduced minerals exposed by erosion and weathering, the accumulation of oxygen in the ocean and atmosphere could be controlled only by reaction of oxygen with reduced organic material. This is the stabilization mechanism that operates today. It seems unlikely that oxygen could be consumed at a significant rate by this process until oxygen levels sufficiently high to support respiration had been achieved. I therefore suggest that atmospheric oxygen rose rapidly from essentially zero to approximately its present value (within a factor of 10) when the photosynthetic source of oxygen rose above the weathering source of reduced minerals, probably about 2 billion years ago. The ozone layer and the ultraviolet screen were absent prior to this time and essentially fully developed after this time.Presented at IAGA/IAMAP Symposium on Minor Neutral Constituents in Middle Atmosphere-Chemistry and Transport, Seattle, August, 1977.     

火山活动对热带高空温度变化的影响

本文利用序列回归分析、对比分析和个例分析法分析了火山活动对热带高空大气的温度效应. 主要结论为：火山活动影响最显著的高度是平流层70 hPa约22 km高空,由此高度向上或向下,火山活动的影响都逐渐减小;火山活动将引起平流层大气升温、对流层大气降温,其分界线大致位于对流层顶300 hPa附近;火山活动对于热带70 hPa高空温度距平变化的影响超过了总方差的45.7%;单独考察几次强火山活动（如阿贡火山、皮纳图博火山和厄尔奇冲火山等）的温度效应表明,在热带地区强火山爆发后的20个月内,对热带高空温度的影响超过了其距平变化的80%！成为该时段高空温度变化的决定性因素.     

Global transport and localized layering of metallic ions in the upper atmosphere

A numerical model has been developed which is capable of simulating all phases of the life cycle of metallic ions, and results are described and interpreted herein for the typical case of Fe⁺ ions. This cycle begins with the initial deposition of metallics through meteor ablation and sputtering, followed by conversion of neutral Fe atoms to ions through photoionization and charge exchange with ambient ions. Global transport arising from daytime electric fields and poleward/downward diffusion along geomagnetic field lines, localized transport and layer formation through descending convergent nulls in the thermospheric wind field, and finally annihilation by chemical neutralization and compound formation are treated. The model thus sheds new light on the interdependencies of the physical and chemical processes affecting atmospheric metallics. Model output analysis confirms the dominant role of both global and local transport to the ions life cycle, showing that upward forcing from the equatorial electric field is critical to global movement, and that diurnal and semidiurnal tidal winds are responsible for the formation of dense ion layers in the 90–250 km height region. It is demonstrated that the assumed combination of sources, chemical sinks, and transport mechanisms actually produces F-region densities and E-region layer densities similar to those observed. The model also shows that zonal and meridional winds and electric fields each play distinct roles in local transport, whereas the ion distribution is relatively insensitive to reasonable variations in meteoric deposition and chemical reaction rates.     

Ozone content of the atmosphere. 2. Variability of the total ozone content in the atmosphere and the horizontal wind in the lower thermosphere (Central Europe)

The correlation between total ozone content lower thermosphere horizontal wind parameters, and standard indices of solar activity and geomagnetic activity has been studied. The satellite measurements of TOC for five observatories in Central Europe and the lower thermosphere wind measurements for Collm observatory (Germany) were used for 1996–2003. The quasi-periodic structure of these variations and the correlation between the corresponding periodograms were also studied. The quantitative evaluation of the statistically significant correlations and common periodicities were revealed.     

Recent investigation on the coupling between the ionosphere and upper atmosphere

Scientific attention has recently been focused on the coupling of the earth’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere. In the present work, we review the advances in this field, emphasizing the studies and contributions of Chinese scholars. This work first introduces new developments in the observation instruments of the upper atmosphere. Two kinds of instruments are involved: optical instruments (lidars, FP interferometers and all-sky airglow imagers) and radio instruments (MST radars and all-sky meteor radars). Based on the data from these instruments and satellites, the researches on climatology and wave disturbances in the upper atmosphere are then introduced. The studies on both the sporadic sodium layer and sporadic E-layer are presented as the main works concerning the coupling of the upper atmosphere and the low ionosphere. We then review the investigations on the ionospheric longitudinal structure and the causative atmospheric non-migrating tide as the main progress of the coupling between the atmosphere and the ionospheric F2-region. Regarding the ionosphere-thermosphere coupling, we introduce studies on the equatorial thermospheric anomaly, as well as the influence of the thermospheric winds and gravity waves to the ionospheric F2-region. Chinese scholars have made much advancement on the coupling of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere, including the observation instruments, data precession, and modeling, as well as the mechanism analysis.     

Long-term trends in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere (a review)

The current views on long-term changes in parameters (trends) in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere are considered. The concept of cooling and contraction of the middle and upper atmosphere due to the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is described.     

Orography-caused variations in the 557.7 nm atomic oxygen emission intensity

For the first time, the spatial variations caused by the IGW generated in the troposphere when the air flow around the Kopet-Dag mountain ridge are detected based on the measurements of the spatial distribution of the 557.7 nm atomic oxygen emission intensity. The measurements were carried out at Vannovskii station, the Physicotechnical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Turkmen SSR.     

Global pattern of trends in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere: Recent progress

The global pattern of long-term trends and changes in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere has been presented by Laštovička et al. [2006a. Global change in the upper atmosphere. Science 314 (5803), 1253–1254]. Trends in the mesospheric temperature, electron concentration in the lower ionosphere, electron concentration and height of its maximum in the E-region, electron concentration in the F1-region maximum, thermospheric neutral density and F-region ion temperature qualitatively agree with consequences of the enhanced greenhouse effect and form a consistent pattern of global change in the upper atmosphere. Three groups of parameters were identified as not-fitting this global pattern, the F2-region ionosphere, mesospheric water vapour, and the mesosphere/upper thermosphere dynamics. The paper reports progress in development of the global pattern of trends with emphasis to these three open problems. There are several other factors contributing to long-term trends, namely the stratospheric ozone depletion, mesospheric water vapour concentration changes, long-term changes of geomagnetic activity and of the Earth's magnetic field.     

Latitude variability of acoustic-gravity waves in the upper atmosphere based on satellite data

Based on satellite measurements, we investigated the properties of acoustic-gravity waves in different geographical areas of the Earth’s upper atmosphere. To study wave activity at high latitudes, we used the concentration of neutral particles measured by the low-altitude polar satellite Dynamic Explorer 2 and measurements from the equatorial satellite Atmosphere Explorer-E for analysis of waves at low latitudes. In the range of heights 250–400 km, there are observed latitudinal variations of amplitudes, together with variations in the morphological and spectral properties of acoustic-gravity waves. In the polar regions of thermosphere, the wave amplitudes amount to 3–10% in terms of relative variations of density and do not exceed 3% at low and middle latitudes. At low latitudes, regular fluctuations induced by the solar terminator are clearly seen with a predominant wave mode moving synchronously with terminator. Moreover, at low and middle latitudes, there are observed sporadic local wave packets of small amplitudes (1–2%) that can have origins of various natures. We also investigated the relation between some of the observed wave trains and the earthquakes.     

Relative importance of ozone energy transfer processes in the middle and upper atmosphere

The relative importance of different processes and transitions in the appearance of non-LTE populations for the fundamental levels of ozone was studied by quantifying the kinetic law of every process and transition that affect each level population. The vibrational temperatures and the relative contribution of every transition are presented as a function of altitude. The results show that the appearance of non-LTE populations for the fundamental levels is not produced by a direct imbalance between absorption and emission but as a consequence of imbalanced collisional transitions provoked by the overpopulation of O₃(0 v₂ 0) levels. This fact confirms that the relaxation cascade drives through the bending mode ν₂.