SWG6: Space Climate: Radiation, Particles, & Responses

OVERVIEW

The HAO space climate working group studies the climatology of the geospace environment and the drivers and responses of the coupled Sun-Earth system. Its goal is to enable a better understanding and attribution of solar variability, its impact on the upper atmosphere and space climate, and its interaction with anthropogenic change from monthly to decadal and longer time-scales.

OBJECTIVES

  • Solar Modeling
    • Solar Irradiance Modeling: Compute spectral solar irradiance from MHD solar models (VIS, IR). Construct a Grand Minimum irradiance scenario from physics-based model. Develop a more realistic treatment of the chromosphere/corona in the MURaM code (see SWG1, SWG2)
    • Implement data assimilation in the MHD-SWT tachocline model capable to predict flux emergence and solar variability on time-scales varying from months to years (see SWG5)
  • Solar and Heliospheric Observations
    • Use historical and present synoptic data to determine periodicities and long-term variations in the solar atmosphere and solar wind, including patterns of activity (e.g., active longitudes) and possible solar cycle precursors (e.g. bright points)
    • Solar Minimum Campaign: Continue legacy work on comparison of solar minima. Engage with the scientific community to organize observational campaigns for the coming solar minimum.
    • Analyze IRIS MgII high spectral/spatial resolution data to identify sources of variability in the MgII index and improve empirical irradiance models (in collaboration with LASP)
    • Revive PSPT to bring back photospheric/chrmospheric observations at MLSO aimed to understand solar irradiance (in collaboration with LASP)
  • Geospace, Atmospheric, and Climate Modeling
    • Enhance and expand atmospheric and geospace modeling capabilities for response to solar irradiance, geomagnetic disturbances, solar energetic particles, and atmospheric variability (see SWG4)
    • Construct improved estimates of solar spectral irradiance to guide development of upper atmosphere and climate models.
    • Investigate the whole-atmosphere and ionosphere response to solar variability and anthropogenic change (see SWG4)
    • • Geospace/Upper/Lower Atmosphere Observations:
    • Quantify changes due to solar variability to estimate anthropogenic effects throughout the atmosphere, ionosphere, and geospace using space- and ground-based data
    • Investigate NOx dependence on particle and radiative forcing, and its solar cycle variability.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

The NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model–eXtended (WACCM-X)

Model calculations of the zonal mean annual mean changes in temperature under low solar activity conditions, as a function of latitude and pressure, for the a 30-year simulation period from 1973 to 2003

Model calculations of the zonal mean annual mean changes in temperature under low solar activity conditions, as a function of latitude and pressure, for the a 30-year simulation period from 1973 to 2003. Negative contours, ranging from -9 to -1 K, with a 1 K interval, are shown in white; positive contours, at +1 and +2 K, are shown in red. The zero-change line is shown in black.

Category

SWG