An Overview of the Impact of Energetic Particle Precipitation it ti on the Stratosphere and Mesosphere Charles Jackman NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Aspen GCI Workshop 2010 Colorado June 13-17, 2010
Acknowledgments: Cora Randall University of Colorado, Boulder, CO Howard Singer NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, Boulder, CO Janet Kozyra University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Manuel López-Puertas Instituto de-astrofisica de Andalucia, Granada, SPAIN Eric Fleming NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Daniel Marsh Francis Vitt and Rolando Garcia Daniel Marsh, Francis Vitt, and Rolando Garcia National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO
Outline I. Introduction II. HO x [H, OH, HO 2 ] impacts III. NO x [N, NO, NO 2 ] impacts IV. Ozone impacts V. Conclusions
I. Introduction Focus on Electrons and Protons Comprise most (~90% or so) of Energetic Particles Ultimate origin of Energetic Particles is the Sun
Animation of Coronal Mass Ejection
Electron Precipitation Auroral electrons auroral zone [~62-75 o geomag. lat.] 70 o 80 o 90 o N geomagnetic 60 o 50 o 40 o Magnetic storms/solar events push auroral boundary Equatorward Large dependence: 1) Diurnally - day, night 2) Seasonally 3) With magnetic/solar activity
Electron Precipitation 60 o 50 o 40 o 70 o 80 o 90 o N geomagnetic Medium & high energy electrons subauroral (diffuse, relativistic) [~55-65 o geom. lat.]
Electron Precipitation Auroral electrons auroral zone [~62-75 o geomag. lat.] 70 o 80 o 90 o N geomagnetic 60 o 50 o 40 o Medium & high energy electrons subauroral (diffuse, relativistic) [~55-65 o geom. lat.]
Electron Precipitation Also: South Atlantic Anomaly weak field all electrons low latitude [~0-30 o S geom. lat., ~0-45 o E geom. lon.] 0 o 10 o 20 o 30 o 40 o 50 o 60 o 70 o 80 o 90 o S geomagnetic
Protons mostly enter through the magnetotail and precipitate in the polar caps Solar Proton Events (SPEs)
Impulsive Flare Event on October 28, 2003 Halloween Storms View with SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) Extreme UV Imaging Telescope
Proton Precipitation Solar protons 40 o 50 o Polar Caps >~60 80 o o geomag. 90o N geomagnetic lat. 60 o 70o Very intense solar events push polar cap boundaries Equatorward
Energetic Particle Precipitation (of interest here) Electrons Auroral (~1-30 kev) Medium energy (~30-300 kev) High energy (~300-3000 kev) Solar Protons Medium to High energy (~1-300 MeV)
125 10 kev electron 1 kev electron Thermosphere 1 MeV proton Altit tude (km m) 100 75 1 MeV electron 50 25 100 kev electron Middle Atmosphere Mesosphere Bremsstrahlung (X-rays) penetrate further Stratosphere Mesopause 10 MeV proton Stratopause 100 MeV proton 0 Troposphere Atmospheric Structure Tropopause
Energetic Particle Precipitation Much of the energy deposited by energetic particles creates ion pairs: free Electron & positive Ion
Energetic Particle Precipitation Solar Extreme UltraViolet and X-rays Medium & High Energy Electrons Solar Protons
Energetic Particles also Produce HO x and NO x Both of which can destroy Ozone
II. HO x [H, OH, HO 2 ] impacts
Energetic Particles Enhance HO x (H, OH, HO 2 ) Swider and Keneshea (1973) first proposed that t HO x constituents produced by solar protons (November 1969 Solar Proton Event) HO x constituents are produced through water cluster ion formation & neutralization Primarily short-term effects (during and for a few hours after a Solar Proton Event) Predictions of HO production by energetic particles Predictions of HO x production by energetic particles not confirmed up through 2004
HO x Production January 2005 SPEs NASA Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) providing first global OH observations
Aura MLS & Model Predictions OH on Jan. 15 (before SPE) 90 Latitudes 69-70 o N 80 Altitu ude (km) MLS Jan. 15 70 60 50 40 Arctic OH Model Jan. 15 30 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 OH concentration [cm -3 ] x10 6 from Verronen et al. [2006]
Altitu ude (km) Aura MLS & Model Predictions OH on Jan. 15 (before SPE) & Jan. 18 (during SPE) 90 Latitudes 69-70 o N 80 70 60 50 Arctic OH Model Jan. 15 Model Jan. 18 MLS Jan. 15 40 MLS Jan. 18 30 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 OH concentration [cm -3 ] x10 6 from Verronen et al. [2006]
III. NO x [N, NO, NO 2 ] impacts
Energetic Particles Enhance NO x (N, NO, NO 2 ) NO x constituents are produced by primary electrons and protons (and associated secondary electrons) dissociating N 2 g 2 Short- and long-term effects as NO x constituents can last for weeks Downward transport (especially in winter) of thermospheric NO x (electrons, extreme UV, X-rays) First proposed in 1970s Observed in the 1980s.
>21 >21 24 18 12 6 0 Pressure (hp Pa).1 1 10 24 Pressure (hp Pa) 18 9 1 15 15 12 10 NO 2 (p ppbv).1 6 100 Latitude (deg) 100-90 -60-30 0 30 60 90 Latitude -90-60 -30 0 30 60 90 0 (deg) Latitude (deg) December 1-5, 1978 January 5-9, 1979 NO 2 (p ppbv) 24 18 12 6 0 Pre essure (hpa) 1 9 >21 NASA Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere.1 (LIMS) NO 2 obs. 10 15 100-90 -60-30 0 30 60 90 Latitude (deg) January 19-23, 1979 9 from Russell et al. (1984)
>21 >21 24 18 12 6 0 Pressure (hp Pa).1 1 10 24 Pressure (hp Pa) 18 9 1 15 15 12 10 NO 2 (p ppbv).1 6 100 Latitude (deg) 100-90 -60-30 0 30 60 90 Latitude -90-60 -30 0 30 60 90 0 (deg) Latitude (deg) December 1-5, 1978 January 5-9, 1979 NO 2 (p ppbv) 24 18 12 6 0 Pre essure (hpa).1 1 10 15 9 >21 100-90 -60-30 0 30 60 90 Latitude (deg) January 19-23, 1979 9 LIMS NO 2 obs. from Russell et al. (1984)
Electrons Enhance NO x (N, NO, NO 2 ) Canadian Space Agency Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment observations (and several other instruments) Good evidence of downward transport of thermospheric NO x to middle atmosphere in winter Cora Randall to show some of this in her talk
Solar Protons Enhance NO x (N, NO, NO 2 ) Mesospheric & stratospheric NO x (NO, NO 2 ) constituents t increased due to solar protons Observed by several satellite instruments
27-Oct-2003 29-Oct-2003 30-Oct-2003 Polar vortex edge Geomagnetic pole WACCM NO x (NO+NO 2 ) vmr 55 km European Space Agency Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) NO x (NO+NO 2 ) in 50-55 km (Northern Hemisphere) from López-Puertas et al. [2005]
27-Oct-2003 29-Oct-2003 30-Oct-2003 Polar vortex edge Geomagnetic pole WACCM NO x (NO+NO 2 ) vmr 55 km MIPAS NO x (NO+NO 2 2) in 50-55 km (No. Hem.) Enhanced by Oct. 2003 Solar Proton Events (Halloween Storms) from López-Puertas et al. [2005]
Model Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) Dan Marsh, Rolando Garcia, & Francis Vitt (NCAR) - Domain [90 o S 90 o N, 0-145 km] - Atmospheric physics & photochemistry - Interactive dynamics Simulations: With and Without Solar Proton Events (SPEs) over years 1963 2004
WACCM Comparisons Average four realizations With SPEs Perturbed result Average four realizations Without SPEs Base result Difference Perturbed and Base results to compute SPE-caused change
WACCM - NO x (NO+NO 2 ) change (ppbv) sure (h hpa) 100 80 60 40 July 2000 SPE 30 20 15 10 5 60-90 o S ~15 ppbv increase Pres July August September Year 2000
Is there any evidence that a SPE-caused NO x enhancement could last weeks after an event? Yes, Randall et al. (2001)
NO x (NO+NO 2 ) in SH Polar Vortex in Sep./Oct. tential Tem mperature e Po Interannual Variability 1991-1999 1400 1200 1000 800 600 UARS HALOE 2000 ~15 ppbv Likely caused by the July 2000 SPE 0 5 10 15 20 25 NO x (ppbv) 40.0 37.2 34.2 30.7 26.3 20.22 WACCM (wo SPEs) Mean Altitude (km) from Randall et al. (2001)
NO x (NO+NO 2 ) in SH Polar Vortex in Sep./Oct. UARS HALOE WACCM (with SPEs) 2000 2000 from Jackman et al. (2008)
NO x enhances larger family NO y (N, NO, NO 2, NO 3, N 2 O 5, HNO 3, HO 2 NO 2, ClONO 2,BrONO 2 ) Whose lifetime can be long (~months to years)
WACCM - NO y % change 60-90 o S re (hpa a) 1000 Jul. 2000 SPE Nov. 2000 SPE Apr. 2001 SPE ressur 200 100 20 10 Pr J A S O N D J F M A M J Year 2000 Year 2001
IV. Ozone impacts
How does Energetic Particle Precipitation-produced produced HO x and NO y impact Ozone? HO x reduces mesospheric & upper stratospheric ozone Also, impacts mesospheric temperature & winds Short-lived effects (~days) NO y impacts stratospheric & lower mesospheric y ozone Also, may impact stratospheric temperature & winds Short to long-lived effects (~days to months)
Percentage Change in Ozone at 0.5 hpa (~55 km) from July 13, 2000 to July 14/15, 2000 Northern Hemisphere Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet 2 (SBUV/2) 15-35% depletion 60 o S Geomagnetic Latitude
Percentage Change in Ozone at 0.5 hpa (~55 km) from July 13, 2000 to July 14/15, 2000 Northern Hemisphere SBUV/2 WACCM 15-35% depletion Jackman et al. (2008)
Jul. 2000 SPE Nov. 2000 SPE Apr. 2001 SPE 60-90 o S Pressur re (hpa) WACCM NO y % change J A S O N D J F M A M J Year 2000 Year 2001
Jul. 2000 SPE Nov. 2000 SPE Apr. 2001 SPE 60-90 o S Pressur re (hpa) WACCM NO y % change Pressure (hpa) J A S O N D J F M A M J Year 2000 Year 2001 WACCM Ozone % change J A S O N D J F M A M J Year 2000 Year 2001
WACCM - Ozone % change Ozone decrease more HO x -induced O 3 loss 60-90 o S Pr ressure e (hpa a) Ozone decrease both HO x -& NO y -induced O 3 loss important -20 Ozone decrease more -10 NO y -induced O 3 loss -5 +5 0 +10 Ozone increase NO y interferes with Cl and Br chemistry J A S O N D J F M A M J Year 2000 Year 2001
Ozone Production by SPEs (Interaction between Manmade & Natural Influences) NO y from July 2000 SPEs transported to lower stratosphere and interfere with Cl y and Br y via ClO + NO 2 ClONO 2 Normally chlorine destroys ozone: Cl + O 3 ClO + O 2 ClO + O Cl + O 2 Net: O 3 + O O 2 + O 2 Chlorine (& bromine) losses for Ozone are reduced thus Ozone is increased
V. Conclusions Both electrons and protons influence the polar mesosphere and stratosphere particularly during certain years e.g., Near solar max; Large geomagnetic activity; Unusual meteorology HO x produced is short-lived, but depletes ozone NO x produced is long-lived, and affects ozone (both decrease and increase) Solar protons influence mesospheric & stratospheric Solar protons influence mesospheric & stratospheric ozone, but is not observable in total ozone
Thank you for your attention!