This is a three-year data analysis effort investigating solar cycle and long-term variations of mesospheric temperatures and tidal perturbations. The investigation will utilize data taken by Michelson Interferometers (MI) over the last 12.5 years at Eureka (80 degrees North, 85.9 degrees West), Canada; Resolute Bay (75 degrees North, 95 degrees West), Canada; and South Pole (90 degrees South), Antarctica; and since 1986 at Sondre Stromfjord (67.0 degrees North, 51 degrees West), Greenland. The MIs have been making observations of temperature and airglow emissions for over a decade during six months of polar winter night each year. These continuous measurements provide a unique resource to investigate the effects of solar-terrestrial disturbances on Arctic and Antarctic mesospheric thermodynamics. The observational dataset spans a complete solar cycle, making it well suited for correlating solar variability with temperatures and tidal amplitudes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). Well-proven Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) techniques will be employed to elucidate solar cycle and long-term trend terms in the MI temperature time series data. An improved knowledge of the influence of solar radiation on mesospheric composition and temperature is critical for space environmental science and climate studies.
The educational impacts of this project are substantial. It will give graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in modern research and software development, acquire teamwork and a broad range of research skills and will inspire them to continue with graduate school and choose research careers. The project also will establish collaboration between the PI and high school teachers, nationwide, via Embry-Riddle University's (ERAU) TeachSpace Program. The PI will partner with researchers at National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to train teachers (through the TeachSpace program) to incorporate an advanced atmospheric model into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curricula of their schools, and to excite and motivate talented students to learn about space science and to remain active in physics, science, engineering and math.
