<strong>Signatures of a Strong Wintertime Polar Vortex on Thermospheric O/N2 and Plasma Density </strong>

Katelynn Greer; Larisa Goncharenko; Lynn Harvey; Nick Pedatella

Presentation information

[E] Oral

P (Space and Planetary Sciences ) » P-EM Solar-Terrestrial Sciences, Space Electromagnetism & Space Environment

[P-EM12] Coupling Processes in the Atmosphere-Ionosphere System

Sun. May 21, 2023 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM 101 (International Conference Hall, Makuhari Messe)

convener:Huixin Liu(Earth and Planetary Science Division, Kyushu University SERC, Kyushu University), Yuichi Otsuka(Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University), Loren Chang(Department of Space Science and Engineering, National Central University), Yue Deng(University of Texas at Arlington), Chairperson:Charles Lin(Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University), Susumu Saito(Electronic Navigation Research Institute, National Institute of Maritime, Port, and Aviation Technology)

11:30 AM - 11:45 AM

[PEM12-09] Signatures of a Strong Wintertime Polar Vortex on Thermospheric O/N2 and Plasma Density

*Katelynn Greer¹, Larisa Goncharenko², Lynn Harvey¹, Nick Pedatella³ (1.LASP, 2.MIT-Haystack, 3.NCAR-HAO)

Keywords:Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Polar Vortex

The polar vortex is a major feature of the winter hemisphere, and its strength affects the dynamical structure (temperature and winds) and composition throughout the entire atmospheric column, from the troposphere to the thermosphere. In this work we investigate the strength of the polar vortex using the NAM index and its impact on both thermospheric composition (using the TIMED/GUVI instrument) as well as ionospheric plasma density (using TEC). While signatures of weak polar vortex events (associated with Sudden Stratospheric Warmings) in the thermosphere and ionosphere have been thoroughly investigated, less is known about the opposite conditions, a very strong polar vortex. Here we show that strong vortex events may have reversed O/N2 structures as compared to weak vortex conditions implying that there are critical dynamics associated with the state of the polar vortex that drive thermosphere composition.