HR: 16:30h
AN: SA42B-03 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Current Issues in Multidimensional Modeling of the Extratropical Middle Atmosphere
AU: * Siskind, D E
EM: siskind@uap2.nrl.navy.mil
AF: E.O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AB: The environment in which Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs) form, the summer high latitude mesopause region, presents unique challenges for multidimensional middle atmospheric models. To simulate the strong dynamical cooling requires an accurate simulation of both the large scale meridional circulation and of small scale breaking gravity waves. In addition, the chemistry and transport of water vapor must be considered in order to obtain a self consistent picture of the relative humidity at the mesopause. Finally, chemical effects such as ozone and atomic oxygen heating are also important. Two and three dimensional models have been generally successful at obtaining the general features of the mesopause environment. However, recent attempts to model some of the more subtle aspects of the PMC distribution, their environment and their variation have been less successful. Issues such as PMC height, north-south differences,and solar cycle variations have pointed to differences between various models which need to be reconciled in order that possible global change effects can be understood. In this talk, I will present a review of these modeling issues, emphasize the connection with how various models are formulated and suggest tests and avenues for future model development.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801)
DE: 0340 Middle atmosphere--composition and chemistry
DE: 0341 Middle atmosphere--constituent transport and chemistry (3334)
DE: 0342 Middle atmosphere--energy deposition
SC: SPA - Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting