Premium
A thermosphere‐ionosphere‐mesosphere‐electrodynamics general circulation model (time‐GCM): Equinox solar cycle minimum simulations (30–500 km)
Author(s) -
Roble R. G.,
Ridley E. C.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/93gl03391
Subject(s) - thermosphere , mesosphere , atmospheric sciences , atmospheric tide , gravity wave , ionosphere , equinox , stratosphere , atmosphere (unit) , solar cycle , geophysics , physics , geology , wave propagation , meteorology , quantum mechanics , magnetic field , solar wind
A new simulation model of the mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere with coupled electrodynamics has been developed and used to calculate the global circulation, temperature and compositional structure between 30–500 km for equinox, solar cycle minimum, geomagnetic quiet conditions. The model incorporates all of the features of the NCAR thermosphere‐ionosphere‐electrodynamics general circulation model (TIE‐GCM) but the lower boundary has been extended downward from 97 to 30 km (10 mb) and it includes the physical and chemical processes appropriate for the mesosphere and upper stratosphere. The first simulation used Rayleigh friction to represent gravity wave drag in the middle atmosphere and although it was able to close the mesospheric jets it severely damped the diurnal tide. Reduced Rayleigh friction allowed the tide to penetrate to thermospheric heights but did not close the jets. A gravity wave parameterization developed by Fritts and Lu (1993) allows both features to exist simultaneously with the structure of tides and mean flow dependent upon the strength of the gravity wave source, The model calculates a changing dynamic structure with the mean flow and diurnal tide dominant in the mesosphere, the in‐situ generated semi‐diurnal tide dominating the lower thermosphere and an in‐situ generated diurnal tide in the upper thermosphere. The results also show considerable interaction between dynamics and composition, especially atomic oxygen between 85 and 120 km.