Thermospheric/Ionospheric Extension of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM-X)

摘要

A key question in space weather and space environment study is to understand and to quantify the contribution to thermospheric/ ionosphericvariability by processes from both the lower atmosphere and from the magnetosphere and solar input. The primary goal of this project is address this question by developing a model that encompasses the entire atmosphere, from the ground/ocean to the upper thermosphere. We will achieve this goal by extending the NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model into the thermosphere and ionosphere (WACCM-X), making useof the physics and many of the algorithms of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-IonosphereMesosphere- Electrodynamics General-Circulation Model (NCAR TIME-GCM). Such a seamless whole atmosphere model will enable us to self-consistently study how elements in the coupled upper atmosphere/ionosphere system interact with one another and to determine how this coupled system responds to the variable energy input from the sun and the complex interactions between the lower atmosphere/ocean and the middle and upper atmosphere. The information from this research will be useful for ONR to develop a seamless operational model that simulates the present day structure and dynamics of the thermosphere-ionosphere- mesosphere-lower atmosphere-system including its response to solar variability and globalchange.