Study of the dynamics of mesosphere and lower thermosphere region (80 to 100 km high) over King George Island, Antarctica (62 deg S)

• Grant number: 10/06608-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2010
• End date: January 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Prado Batista
• Grantee: José Valentin Bageston
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The main objective of the present research project is to study the dynamics of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region in Antarctica, specially over the King George island where the Brazilian Antarctic station "Comandante Ferraz" (62°S) is located. This study include the investigation of the likely gravity wave sources in the Earth's atmosphere by monitoring the gravity waves with an airglow all-sky imager, winds and temperature data and by applying the reverse ray tracing technique. In order to successfully conduct this study, the following instruments will be used: 1) an all-sky airglow imager (main instrument) used to observe and characterize the gravity waves around the high of 87 km; 2) a medium frequency (MF) radar operated at Rothera station (68°S), that gives wind measurements mainly between the altitudes of 80 and 100 km (in this study the used data refers to 2007), in cooperation with British Antarctic Survey (BAS); and 3) a meteor radar operated at Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station since march 25, 2010, as a scientific cooperation between the NorthWest Research Associates/Colorado Research Associates Division (NWRA/CoRA) and the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Most of the meteors collected by the radar came from altitudes between 80 km and 100 km, which are used to estimate the winds in such region. Must be emphasized that this radar is operated co-located and simultaneously with the airglow imager, at Ferraz Station. In this investigation also will be used satellite data (TIMED/SABER and GOES); climatologic data set from NCEP and ECMWF and winds from HWM-09 model (for the altitude range outside of the radar measurements and climatologic data). In summary, this project has as goals to study the gravity waves and their likely sources in the atmosphere by using ground observations (optical and radar techniques), satellite observations and the ray tracing model. The expected results would contribute to better understanding the atmospheric dynamics at high latitudes of the South Hemisphere. Besides, it is important to study the small-scale gravity waves since they play an important role in forcing the large-scale circulation and the thermal and constituent structures in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere due to their vertical fluxes of energy and momentum. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FRITTS, D. C.; JANCHES, D.; IIMURA, H.; HOCKING, W. K.; BAGESTON, J. V.; LEME, N. M. P.. Drake Antarctic Agile Meteor Radar first results: Configuration and comparison of mean and tidal wind and gravity wave momentum flux measurements with Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, v. 117, JAN 21 2012. (10/06608-2)

GIONGO, GABRIEL AUGUSTO; BAGESTON, JOSE VALENTIN; BATISTA, PAULO PRADO; WRASSE, CRISTIANO MAX; BITTENCOURT, GABRIELA DORNELLES; PAULINO, IGO; PAES LEME, NEUSA MARIA; FRITTS, DAVID C.; JANCHES, DIEGO; HOCKING, WAYNE; et al. Mesospheric front observations by the OH airglow imager carried out at Ferraz Station on King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula, in 2011. Annales Geophysicae, v. 36, n. 1, p. 253-264, FEB 27 2018. (10/06608-2)

DENARDINI, C. M.; AVEIRO, H. C.; SOBRAL, J. H. A.; BAGESTON, J. V.; GUIZELLI, L. M.; RESENDE, L. C. A.; MORO, J.. E region electric fields at the dip equator and anomalous conductivity effects. Advances in Space Research, v. 51, n. 10, p. 1857-1869, MAY 15 2013. (10/06608-2, 11/00898-1)

JOSÉ VALENTIN BAGESTON; CRISTIANO MAX WRASSE; GABRIEL AUGUSTO GIONGO; EMÍLIA CORREIA; COSME ALEXANDRE O.B. FIGUEIREDO; DELANO GOBBI; HISAO TAKAHASHI; PAULO P. BATISTA; RICARDO A.B. DA COSTA. Historical line of airglow observations at Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Station: measurements of temperature and studies on gravity waves. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, v. 95, 2023-11-03. (19/05455-2, 19/22548-4, 10/06608-2, 18/09066-8)

BAGESTON, J. V.; WRASSE, C. M.; BATISTA, P. P.; HIBBINS, R. E.; FRITTS, D. C.; GOBBI, D.; ANDRIOLI, V. F.. Observation of a mesospheric front in a thermal-doppler duct over King George Island, Antarctica. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, v. 11, n. 23, p. 12137-12147, 2011. (10/06608-2)

FRITTS, D. C.; JANCHES, D.; IIMURA, H.; HOCKING, W. K.; BAGESTON, J. V.; LEME, N. M. P.. Drake Antarctic Agile Meteor Radar first results: Configuration and comparison of mean and tidal wind and gravity wave momentum flux measurements with Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES, v. 117, p. 17-pg., 2012-01-21. (10/06608-2)