The EISCAT_3D Science Case:Atmospheric Section

Ian McCreaSTFC RAL

Preparatory Phase WP3: Science Case Work Package

• Engaging with potential new users• Holding targeted workshops• Gathering requirements for new science• Revising/developing the science case• Feeding science demands back to radar design• Issuing periodic versions of science case,

consistent with the PSD

The Science Working Group

• Convenors: Anita Aikio, Ian McCrea• 5-10 members at any time• Mix of existing and new EISCAT users• Membership rotates annually• Cover a wide range of science topics• Atmospheric science, space weather, modelling...• Two meetings with each committee, email

exchanges in between

Timetable of Activities• Current WG members: Mark Clilverd, Markus Rapp, Yasonobu Ogawa,

Kjellmar Oksavik, Asta Pellinen-Wannberg.

• First Meeting: FMI Helsinki 14/1/2011 (also Kirsti Kauristie and Pekka Verronen)

• Second Meeting: Uppsala 17/5/2011 (also Stephan Buchert and Thomas Leyser)

• First version of the science case due in Month 9 (July)

• Next roll of WG: Space Weather and Modelling

• Annual reports each year

• Final version of case in month 48

Structure of the Science Case

• Executive Summary• Introduction to EISCAT_3D• The Science Case:– Atmospheric physics and global change– Space and plasma physics– Solar system science– Space weather and service applications– Radar techniques, coding and analysis

Structure of the Atmospheric Section

• Background• Dynamical coupling in the atmosphere• Solar-terrestrial effects on atmospheric chemistry• Dynamical and chemical coupling in the

mesosphere• Atmospheric turbulence in the stratosphere and

troposphere• Short and long-term change in the upper

atmosphere

Dynamical Coupling in the Atmosphere:Topics Covered

• Rossby and gravity waves, winds, tides

• Wave breaking and dissipation

• Effects on large-scale circulation

• Consequences for composition and transport

Dynamical Coupling in the Atmosphere:Key Science Questions

• What is the three-dimensional structure of the wave fields propagating upwards from the troposphere? How do their characteristics change as they move upwards to thermospheric heights?

• How does atmospheric turbulence form and evolve? How is this process different in the different atmospheric layers?

• What is the relationship between changes in chemistry and changes in dynamics?

• How do waves and turbulence interact to modify the global-scale circulation of the middle atmosphere? What effects are seen when the normal circulation is disrupted?

• What is the relationship between the waves generated in the upper atmosphere and the processes which cause them?

Solar-terrestrial effects on chemistry:Topics covered

• Energetic particles and HOx/NOx

• Modulation of ozone density

• Links to dynamics• Links to surface

temperature anomalies• D-region chemistry• Active experiments on

the D-region

Solar-terrestrial effects on chemistry:Key Science Questions

• What are the durations and extents of the energetic particle events which modulate chemistry?

• How does the wave and tidal climatology change when the heat balance of the middle atmosphere is modulated, for example by changes in chemistry?

• What processes link these changes to apparent effects at lower altitudes?

• Can high-resolution continuous observations help validate chemical/dynamical models of the D-region?

• Can we improve our models through targeted active experiments?

Dynamical and Chemical Coupling in the MesosphereTopics Covered

• Chemistry and turbulence in mesospheric thin layers

• Structure and aspect sensitivity in PMSE

• PMWE: turbulence or dust?• Long-term trends• Other kinds of D-region fine

structure (plasma instabilities)

Dynamical and Chemical Coupling in the MesosphereKey Science Questions

• How much small-scale structure is contained in mesospheric thin layers? Is this linked to wave activity, or plasma physics, or both?

• What explains the aspect sensitivity of PMSE and PMWE layers?

• What is the horizontal and vertical structure of the dust size in PMSE layers, and how does this vary?

• Are PMWE layers linked to both dust and turbulence, or only to turbulence? How do they form, and what determines when they appear?

• Are mesospheric thin layers signs of global change, connected to human activity?

Stratosphere and Troposphere:Topics Covered

• Changes in wave propagation

• Stratospheric warmings

• Turbulence and wave dissipation

• Stratosphere/ troposphere exchange processes

• Atmospheric vorticity

Stratosphere and Troposphere:Key Science Questions

• How does turbulence in the troposhere and stratosphere form and develop?

• What are the effects of turbulence and wave dissipation on energy exchange between atmospheric layers?

• How do stratospheric warming events affect the atmosphere at other heights, and at other latitudes?

• Can the upper atmosphere exert a downward control on the troposphere, and if so how?

Short and long-term change:Topics Covered

• Long-term cooling and contraction of the thermosphere

• Long-term change in the mesosphere

• Understanding shorter-term variations

• Effects on satellite drag

• Problems with models and predictability

Short and long-term change:Key Science Questions

• How does long-term change in the troposphere affect its energy exchange with the other atmospheric layers?

• Is greenhouse warming of the lower atmosphere resulting in long-term cooling of the upper atmosphere? If so, what effect is this having?

• What are the problems with our current models of the upper atmosphere, and what implications might these have for predictability?

• Can we use EISCAT_3D data as a basis to make improved predictions of shorter-term variations in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, such as those connected to the solar cycle?

What happens next?• Last meeting with this version of the panel

• Good discussions yesterday – some work needed to accommodate the changes

• Continue to work on atmospheric section by email

• Need to work more on the key science questions

• Close to final version of atmospheric case by the time of the July submission

Things to think about......• Are the section headings correct?

• Are there major areas missing?

• Are the key science questions appropriate?

• Are there important questions missing?

• Have the questions been answered already?

• Can EISCAT_3D really make a contribution?