Pan-Antarctic Investigations of Mesospheric Wave Dynamics and Influences Using the ANGWIN Network

Gravity waves (GW) are waves generated in a fluid medium or at the interface between two media when the forces of gravity and buoyancy work against each other trying to restore equilibrium. Wind-generated waves on the water surface are examples of gravity waves, as are tsunamis and ocean tides. Gravity waves are also observed in abundance in the atmosphere where air layers with different density interact with each other and transport enormous amount of energy and momentum over large distances.

These waves are key drivers of the air general circulation and temperature distributions through the middle and upper atmosphere; they also affect many weather-related processes.

This award will continue studies of gravity waves at the continental-wide scale in the upper atmosphere over Antarctica. With the wide collaboration of several National Antarctic Programs, these waves will be further investigated to quantify their properties, variability, momentum fluxes and dominant sources within the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region.

This region is important to understand contributions of the MLT gravity waves to the upper atmosphere dynamics and allow better modeling their effects. There is a need to parameterize the GW effects while modeling climate changes and responses to variable solar forcing (aka "space weather"), as well as for numerical weather predictions that are of immense societal importance.

The ANGWIN workshops provide an excellent forum for the in-depth involvement of national and international students and young researchers working together with mid-career scientists in the collaborative research and publications.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.