Assessing the impact of middle atmosphere observations on day-to-day variability in lower thermospheric winds using WACCM-X

Recent studies have shown that day-to-day variability in thermospheric winds (100–300 km altitude) driven by meteorological from below affects ionospheric E and lower F regions, highlighting the need for accurate, continuous specification of throughout entire atmosphere geospace weather prediction systems. To better understand nature forcing on coupled thermosphere/ionosphere system, this study uses Specified Dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model eXtended (SD-WACCM-X) to quantify how meteorology underlying impacts thermosphere. For study, global specifications are produced a high-altitude version Navy Global Environmental (NAVGEM-HA), which assimilates standard observations surface through atmosphere, satellite-based temperature constituents middle (MA) region 10–90 altitude. Two SD-WACCM-X simulations January–February 2013 period performed using NAVGEM-HA with without assimilation MA observations. Results show availability strongly constrains modeled spectrum planetary scale waves (zonal wavenumbers 1–3) Specifically, amplitudes solar non-migrating DE3 tide westward quasi-two day wave (Q2DW) nearly twice as large compared diagnostics these differences related non-linear wave-wave interactions impacting mode sources baroclinic/barotropic instability near summer mesospheric easterly jet Q2DW. This highlights importance constraining whole models needed next-generation space capabilities.