Is OH in the Upper Mesosphere a Sensitive Indicator for Eddy Diffusion? New Insights From SHIMMER Data

Details Is OH in the Upper Mesosphere a Sensitive Indicator for Eddy Diffusion? New Insights From SHIMMER Data Is OH in the Upper Mesosphere a Sensitive Indicator for Eddy Diffusion? New Insights From SHIMMER Data

Dec 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufmsa54a..09e&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #SA54A-09

Physics

0340 Middle Atmosphere: Composition And Chemistry, 3332 Mesospheric Dynamics

Scientific paper

The Spatial Heterodyne Imager for Mesospheric Radicals (SHIMMER) on STPSat-1 allows the observation of the diurnal variation of mesospheric hydroxyl (OH) with high vertical resolution. In our initial study, we compared the OH diurnal cycle measured in the summer of 2007 around 55 degrees north with a one dimensional photochemical model calculation without taking into account vertical transport. We found excellent agreement at 74km, but significant differences at higher altitudes. Sensitivity studies we have done suggest that inclusion of vertical transport, as given by an eddy diffusion (Kzz) coefficient, will change the shape of the calculated OH diurnal cycle. Here we explore this further using both model and data and address the question as to whether OH could be used as a diagnostic for Kzz. Calculations from the WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model) suggest significant latitudinal variation in Kzz. This suggests that SHIMMER data at tropical latitudes might provide an important constraint. In addition, the model data OH discrepancy is reflected in a similar (but opposite) discrepancy with TIMED/SABER ozone data. Given the well known anticorrelation between odd oxygen and odd hydrogen, this is an important validation of our conclusions derived from SHIMMER. Ultimately, we seek to provide a self-consistent model formulation which is consistent with SHIMMER OH, SABER O3 and WACCM gravity wave specifications.

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