View in EDS

The Long‐Term Trend of Thermospheric Compositions From Whole Atmospheric Simulation and Satellite Observation.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Long‐Term Trend of Thermospheric Compositions From Whole Atmospheric Simulation and Satellite Observation.
Authors: Hsu, Chih‐Ting1 (AUTHOR) chihting@ucar.edu, Wang, Wenbin1 (AUTHOR), Qian, Liying1 (AUTHOR), Aa, Ercha2 (AUTHOR), Mclnerney, Joseph M.1 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Shun‐Rong2 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Yongliang3 (AUTHOR), Newheart, Anastasia4 (AUTHOR), Lin, Dong1,5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics. Oct2025, Vol. 130 Issue 10, p1-13. 13p.
Subject Terms: *Oxygen, *Greenhouse gases, *Nitrogen compounds, Remote sensing, Atmospheric composition, Atmospheric models
Company/Entity: National Center for Atmospheric Research (U.S.)
Abstract: This study examines the long‐term trend of column‐integrated atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen ratio, ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$, in the upper atmosphere and investigates the cause of this long‐term trend in ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. We first validate the feasibility of using a physics‐based model for a long‐term climate reanalysis by applying a model‐data comparison between 2002 and 2018. ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ simulated by NSF NCAR's Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) and measured by Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) aboard the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission is used to determine the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ from 2002 to 2018 and validate the model result. The model and data show good agreement after removing the impact of solar irradiance and geomagnetic activity using a least‐squares fitting method, revealing a decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ of about −0.54% ${-}0.54\%$ per decade relative to the ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ in 2018 in the model and about −0.45% ${-}0.45\%$ per decade in data along the satellite orbit during the period between 2002 and 2018. A decreasing trend of global ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ of about −0.70% ${-}0.70\%$ per decade is found in the model between 1960 and 2018. After that, four WACCM‐X long‐term simulations are performed from 1960 to 2018 to identify the cause of the decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. The results show that this decreasing trend is mainly caused by the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. Plain Language Summary: One of the challenges in studying climate change and long‐term trends in the thermosphere and ionosphere is the limited availability of long‐term data. A long‐term simulation of the whole atmosphere can help mitigate this problem. This paper focuses on the long‐term trend of the column‐integrated atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen ratio, ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. NSF NCAR's Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) is applied to simulate the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ between 1960 and 2018. We first compare the ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ trend from WACCM‐X with that from Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) aboard the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics mission after 2002 to validate the simulation results in representing climate change in the upper atmosphere. We find good agreement between the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ from WACCM‐X and GUVI data. After that, four WACCM‐X simulations with different forcing conditions are performed to investigate the possible cause of the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. A decreasing trend of global ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ with ∼−0.7% ${\sim} -0.7\%$ per decade relative to ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ in 2018 is found in all simulation results. By comparing the simulation results, we identify that the major cause of the decreasing trend of thermospheric ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ is the increase in greenhouse gases over the past decades. Key Points: ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ from long‐term WACCM‐X simulation (1960–2018) is compared with Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED)/Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ collected between 2002 and 2018A decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ is found in both TIMED/GUVI (−0.45% ${-}0.45\%$ per decade) and WACCM‐X ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ (−0.54% ${-}0.54\%$ per decade)Numerical simulations demonstrate that the decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ is mainly contributed to by the increase in greenhouse gas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 188926178
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Long‐Term Trend of Thermospheric Compositions From Whole Atmospheric Simulation and Satellite Observation.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hsu%2C+Chih‐Ting%22">Hsu, Chih‐Ting</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> chihting@ucar.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Wenbin%22">Wang, Wenbin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qian%2C+Liying%22">Qian, Liying</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aa%2C+Ercha%22">Aa, Ercha</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mclnerney%2C+Joseph+M%2E%22">Mclnerney, Joseph M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Shun‐Rong%22">Zhang, Shun‐Rong</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Yongliang%22">Zhang, Yongliang</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Newheart%2C+Anastasia%22">Newheart, Anastasia</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lin%2C+Dong%22">Lin, Dong</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Space+Physics%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 130 Issue 10, p1-13. 13p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oxygen%22">Oxygen</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Greenhouse+gases%22">Greenhouse gases</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nitrogen+compounds%22">Nitrogen compounds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Remote+sensing%22">Remote sensing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Atmospheric+composition%22">Atmospheric composition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Atmospheric+models%22">Atmospheric models</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectCompany
  Label: Company/Entity
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Center+for+Atmospheric+Research+%28U%2ES%2E%29%22">National Center for Atmospheric Research (U.S.)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study examines the long‐term trend of column‐integrated atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen ratio, ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$, in the upper atmosphere and investigates the cause of this long‐term trend in ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. We first validate the feasibility of using a physics‐based model for a long‐term climate reanalysis by applying a model‐data comparison between 2002 and 2018. ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ simulated by NSF NCAR's Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) and measured by Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) aboard the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission is used to determine the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ from 2002 to 2018 and validate the model result. The model and data show good agreement after removing the impact of solar irradiance and geomagnetic activity using a least‐squares fitting method, revealing a decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ of about −0.54% ${-}0.54\%$ per decade relative to the ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ in 2018 in the model and about −0.45% ${-}0.45\%$ per decade in data along the satellite orbit during the period between 2002 and 2018. A decreasing trend of global ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ of about −0.70% ${-}0.70\%$ per decade is found in the model between 1960 and 2018. After that, four WACCM‐X long‐term simulations are performed from 1960 to 2018 to identify the cause of the decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. The results show that this decreasing trend is mainly caused by the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. Plain Language Summary: One of the challenges in studying climate change and long‐term trends in the thermosphere and ionosphere is the limited availability of long‐term data. A long‐term simulation of the whole atmosphere can help mitigate this problem. This paper focuses on the long‐term trend of the column‐integrated atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen ratio, ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. NSF NCAR's Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) is applied to simulate the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ between 1960 and 2018. We first compare the ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ trend from WACCM‐X with that from Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) aboard the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics mission after 2002 to validate the simulation results in representing climate change in the upper atmosphere. We find good agreement between the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ from WACCM‐X and GUVI data. After that, four WACCM‐X simulations with different forcing conditions are performed to investigate the possible cause of the long‐term trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$. A decreasing trend of global ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ with ∼−0.7% ${\sim} -0.7\%$ per decade relative to ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ in 2018 is found in all simulation results. By comparing the simulation results, we identify that the major cause of the decreasing trend of thermospheric ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ is the increase in greenhouse gases over the past decades. Key Points: ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ from long‐term WACCM‐X simulation (1960–2018) is compared with Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED)/Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ collected between 2002 and 2018A decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ is found in both TIMED/GUVI (−0.45% ${-}0.45\%$ per decade) and WACCM‐X ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ (−0.54% ${-}0.54\%$ per decade)Numerical simulations demonstrate that the decreasing trend of ΣO/N2 ${\Sigma }O/{N}_{2}$ is mainly contributed to by the increase in greenhouse gas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=188926178
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1029/2025JA034285
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Oxygen
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Greenhouse gases
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nitrogen compounds
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Remote sensing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Atmospheric composition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Atmospheric models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: National Center for Atmospheric Research (U.S.)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Long‐Term Trend of Thermospheric Compositions From Whole Atmospheric Simulation and Satellite Observation.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hsu, Chih‐Ting
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wang, Wenbin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Qian, Liying
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Aa, Ercha
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mclnerney, Joseph M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Shun‐Rong
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Yongliang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Newheart, Anastasia
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lin, Dong
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 10
              Text: Oct2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 21699380
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 130
            – Type: issue
              Value: 10
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
              Type: main
ResultId 1