How will Geospace Respond to a Changing Climate?

Co-leaders:

Introduction

Task Group 2 will focus on answering these three key questions over the next 4 years:

1. How do changes in tropospheric wave generation and their propagation through a changing atmosphere affect the dynamics of the MLT?

2. By how much is the anthropogenic effect on the ionosphere/thermosphere enhanced during a quiet sun period?

3. Are PMC/NLC characteristics trending?

To answer these questions, five projects are established characterize and understand the impacts of:

Project 1.1 Changes in wave sources (storm tracks, mountain waves, convection and stratospheric heating rates).

Project 1.2 Changes in filtering (changes of background winds due to CO2 trends and ozone layer changes).

Project 1.3 Changes in MLTI dynamics and composition.

Project 2 The enhancement of the anthropogenic effect on the ionosphere/thermosphere during a quiet sun period.

Project 3 PMC/NLC altitude, frequency and brightness changes related to changes in dynamics and chemical composition.