HR: 11:05h
AN: SA42A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Effect of The October-November 2003 Super-storms On Thermospheric Density and Composition
AU: * Crowley, G
EM: gcrowley@swri.edu
AF: Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238 United States
AU: Tapley, B
EM: tapley@csr.utexas.edu
AF: Center for Space Research, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78734 United States
AU: Bettadpur, S
EM: bettadpur@csr.utexas.edu
AF: Center for Space Research, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78734 United States
AU: Cheng, M
EM: cheng@csr.utexas.edu
AF: Center for Space Research, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78734 United States
AU: Paxton, L J
EM: larry.paxton.jhuapl.edu
AF: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 United States
AU: Zhang, Y
EM: yongliang.zhang@jhuapl.edu
AF: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 United States
AU: Morrison, D
EM: Daniel.Morrison.@jhuapl.edu
AF: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 United States
AU: Christensen, A
EM: andy.christensen@ngc.com
AF: Northrop Grumman Space Technology, One Space Park, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 United States
AU: Meier, R
EM: meier@uap2.nrl.navy.mil
AF: George Mason University School of Computational Sciences, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 United States
AU: Strickland, D J
EM: strick@cpi.com
AF: Computational Physics, Inc, 8001 Braddock Road Suite 210, Springfield, VA 22151 United States
AB: Changes in the density and composition of the neutral atmosphere create variable satellite drag, adversely affecting our ability to identify and track objects in space and to predict their re-entry into the atmosphere. There is currently limited insight into their causes, or ability to predict these density changes. In recent years, models of the coupled thermosphere-ionosphere system have been developed that identify the major contributors to the aeronomy of the upper atmosphere, and offer the potential for space-weather specification and prediction. Very little work has been done to validate the global models with large ionosphere-thermosphere data sets. Some of the uncertainty in the global first-principles models results from difficulty in accurately specifying the inputs of solar fluxes at a range of wavelengths, high-latitude particle precipitation and electric fields, and upward propagating waves and tides. Another difficulty is finding adequate data for a meaningful validation. The October-November 2003 Super-storms provide an opportunity to validate the models for extreme conditions. There are a large number of observations to help specify both the inputs to the model, and to validate the model predictions. We present accelerometer data from the GRACE mission to test our understanding and modeling of the effects of solar EUV, Joule heating and momentum forcing on thermospheric densities in the 300 - 500 km region for these storms. We also use observations from the TIMED-GUVI instrument to validate the model predictions of thermospheric composition.
DE: 2435 Ionospheric disturbances
DE: 0355 Thermosphere--composition and chemistry
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting