This research aims to understand the influence of lower thermospheric atomic oxygen ([O]) and dynamics on the thermospheric Semi Annual Oscillation (SAO). [O] number densities between 95-100 km from WACCM-X are much closer to the observations from SABER instrument on TIMED satellite as compared to those from MSIS. We compare the phase and amplitude of SAO from different simulations with empirical models and observational datasets, and explore different mechanisms that can improve the SAO in IT models.
Malhotra, G., Ridley, A., Jones, M., (2021) Impacts of Lower Thermospheric Atomic Oxygen and Dynamics on Thermospheric Semiannual Oscillation using GITM and WACCM-X, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
This research aims to understand the importance of lower thermospheric atomic oxygen on the upper thermosphere. O number densities between 95-100 km from WACCM-X are much closer to the observations from SABER instrument on TIMED satellite as compared to those from MSIS. We show in this study that the correction of the lower boundary atomic oxygen yields better agreement between GITM and GUVI O/N2 in the upper thermosphere .
Malhotra, G., Ridley, A. J., Marsh, D. R., Wu, C., Paxton, L. J., & Mlynczak, M. G. (2020). Impacts of Lower Thermospheric Atomic Oxygen on Thermospheric Dynamics and Composition Using the Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, e2020JA027877. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA027877
