Research Projects: THERMES

Thermosphere and Mesosphere affecting the Stratosphere

In this study we focus on stratospheric consequences of particle precipitation in the mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) region, in the form of auroral electron precipitation and proton precipitation at high latitudes, as well as relativistic electron precipitation at auroral and subauroral latitudes. We are interested in the production of odd nitrogen NOx=N+NO+NO2 due to these excess ionisation events since the long-lived species can be transported to lower altitudes and other latitudes, where they may affect stratospheric ozone, causing chemistry-dynamics coupling in the atmosphere. Specifically, we want to have a quantitative answer to the following questions:

1) What is the long-term effect of excess ionisation events in the MLT region on stratospheric ozone due to production and transport of odd nitrogen compounds?

2) How do the short-term extreme ionisation events affect the stratospheric ozone and atmospheric dynamics?