Modeling the microphysics of mesospheric ice particles: Assessment of current capabilities and basic sensitivities

Rapp, Markus; Thomas, Gary E.

doi:10.1016/j.jastp.2005.10.015

Cited by 284 publications

(432 citation statements)

References 105 publications

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“…This estimate is based on classical droplet-theory where the involved constants have been extrapolated to the thermodynamic conditions of the mesosphere. Rapp and Thomas (2006) conclude that our current knowledge on the ice nucleation process under the thermodynamic conditions of the mesopause region is poor, and, therefore, this is the only feasible approach to handle nucleation of ice particles in the mesopause region. Figure 5 shows the size distribution averaged between 80 and 90 km.…”

Section: Reference Profilementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Jensen et al, 2001), via polar stratospheric clouds , up to studies of noctilucent clouds (e.g. Rapp and Thomas, 2006). The model originated from a one dimensional stratospheric aerosol code developed by Turco et al (1979) and Toon et al (1979) that included both gas phase sulfur chemistry and aerosol microphysics.…”

Section: The Community Aerosol and Radiation Model For Atmospheres: Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At water vapour partial pressures and temperatures of the mesopause region, homogeneous nucleation is considered unlikely such that pre-existing ice nuclei are deemed necessary (Keesee, 1989). Over the years, many different candidates for these nuclei have been proposed, such as ion clusters, sodium bicarbonate molecules, sulfate aerosols, soot particles, and meteoric smoke particles (see Rapp and Thomas, 2006 for a recent review). However, among these, meteoric smoke particles are considered the most likely candidate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distribution of meteoric smoke – sensitivity to microphysical properties and atmospheric conditions

2006

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Abstract. Meteoroids entering the Earth's atmosphere experience strong deceleration and ablate, whereupon the resulting material is believed to re-condense to nanometre-size "smoke particles". These particles are thought to be of great importance for many middle atmosphere phenomena, such as noctilucent clouds, polar mesospheric summer echoes, metal layers, and heterogeneous chemistry. The properties and distribution of meteoric smoke depend on poorly known or highly variable factors such as the amount, composition and velocity of incoming meteoric material, the efficiency of coagulation, and the state and circulation of the atmosphere. This work uses a one-dimensional microphysical model to investigate the sensitivities of meteoric smoke properties to these poorly known or highly variable factors. The resulting uncertainty or variability of meteoric smoke quantities such as number density, mass density, and size distribution are determined. It is found that the two most important factors are the efficiency of the coagulation and background vertical wind. The seasonal variation of the vertical wind in the mesosphere implies strong global and temporal variations in the meteoric smoke distribution. This contrasts the simplistic picture of a homogeneous global meteoric smoke layer, which is currently assumed in many studies of middle atmospheric phenomena. In particular, our results suggest a very low number of nanometre-sized smoke particles at the summer mesopause where they are thought to serve as condensation nuclei for noctilucent clouds.

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Section: Reference Profilementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Community Aerosol and Radiation Model For Atmospheres: Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distribution of meteoric smoke – sensitivity to microphysical properties and atmospheric conditions

2006

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“…Among these are the nucleation of mesospheric ice particles (e.g., Rapp and Thomas, 2006), the mesospheric metal chemistry , the D-region charge balance (e.g., Rapp and Lübken, 2001), the heterogeneous formation of water vapour in the mesosphere (Summers et al, 2001), and even the nucleation of polar stratospheric cloud particles which play a major role in the formation of the ozone hole (e.g., Voigt et al, 2005). While some progress regarding the experimental investigation of these atmospheric trace species has been made over the past years with sounding rockets (e.g., Schulte and Arnold, 1992;Gelinas et al, 1998;Horányi et al, 2000;Rapp et al, 2005;Lynch et al, 2005;Barjatya and Swenson, 2006;Amyx et al, 2008;Strelnikova et al, 2009;Rapp et al, 2010), incoherent scatter radars Strelnikova et al, 2007;Fentzke et al, 2009), satellites (Hervig et al, 2009(Hervig et al, , 2012, and laboratory studies (Saunders and Plane, 2006), much of our knowledge about these particles still relies on model results (e.g., Hunten et al, 1980;Gabrielli et al, 2004;Megner et al, 2006Megner et al, , 2008Bardeen et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In situ observations of meteor smoke particles (MSP) during the Geminids 2010: constraints on MSP size, work function and composition

et al. 2012

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Abstract. We present in situ observations of meteoric smoke particles (MSP) obtained during three sounding rocket flights in December 2010 in the frame of the final campaign of the Norwegian-German ECOMA project (ECOMA = Existence and Charge state Of meteoric smoke particles in the Middle Atmosphere). The flights were conducted before, at the maximum activity, and after the decline of the Geminids which is one of the major meteor showers over the year. Measurements with the ECOMA particle detector yield both profiles of naturally charged particles (Faraday cup measurement) as well as profiles of photoelectrons emitted by the MSPs due to their irradiation by photons of a xenon-flash lamp. The column density of negatively charged MSPs decreased steadily from flight to flight which is in agreement with a corresponding decrease of the sporadic meteor flux recorded during the same period. This implies that the sporadic meteors are a major source of MSPs while the additional influx due to the shower meteors apparently did not play any significant role. Surprisingly, the profiles of photoelectrons are only partly compatible with this observation: while the photoelectron current profiles obtained during the first and third flight of the campaign showed a qualitatively similar behaviour as the MSP charge density data, the profile from the second flight (i.e., at the peak of the Geminids) shows much smaller photoelectron currents. This may tentatively be interpreted as a different MSP composition (and, hence, different photoelectric properties) during this second flight, but at this stage we are not in a position to conclude that there is a cause and effect relation between the Geminids and this observation. Finally, the ECOMA particle detector used during the first and third flight employed three instead of only one xenon flash lamp where each of the three lamps used for one flight had a different window material resulting in different cut off wavelengths for these three lamp types. Taking into account these data along with simple model estimates as well as rigorous quantum chemical calculations, it is argued that constraints on MSP sizes, work function and composition can be inferred. Comparing the measured data to a simple model of the photoelectron currents, we tentatively conclude that we observed MSPs in the 0.5-3 nm size range with generally increasing particle size with decreasing altitude. Notably, this size information can be obtained because different MSP particle sizes are expected to result in different work functions which is both supported by simple classical arguments as well as quantum chemical calculations. clusters, rather than metal silicates, are the major constituents of the smoke particles.

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“…To accurately understand possible changes and predict the future of PMCs, we need to understand the micro-physical properties of the clouds and the conditions under which they form (Rapp and Thomas, 2006;Lübken et al, 2007). The formation of PMCs is governed by the amount of supersaturation of the local atmosphere, thus good measurements of temperature and water vapour in the mesopause region are…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tomographic retrieval of water vapour and temperature around polar mesospheric clouds using Odin-SMR

et al. 2015

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Abstract.A special observation mode of the Odin satellite provides the first simultaneous measurements of water vapour, temperature and polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) brightness over a large geographical area while still resolving both horizontal and vertical structures in the clouds and background atmosphere. The observation mode was activated during June, July and August of 2010 and 2011, and for latitudes between 50 and 82 • N. This paper focuses on the water vapour and temperature measurements carried out with Odin's sub-millimetre radiometer (SMR). The tomographic retrieval approach used provides water vapour and temperature between 75 and 90 km with a vertical resolution of about 2.5 km and a horizontal resolution of about 200 km. The precision of the measurements is estimated to 0.2 ppmv for water vapour and 2 K for temperature. Due to limited information about the pressure at the measured altitudes, the results have large uncertainties (> 3 ppmv) in the retrieved water vapour. These errors, however, influence mainly the mean atmosphere retrieved for each orbit, and variations around this mean are still reliably captured by the measurements.SMR measurements are performed using two different mixer chains, denoted as frequency mode 19 and 13. Systematic differences between the two frontends have been noted. A first comparison with the Solar Occultation For Ice Experiment instrument (SOFIE) on-board the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite and the Fourier Transform Spectrometer of the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE-FTS) on-board SCISAT indicates that the measurements using the frequency mode 19 have a significant low bias in both temperature (> 15 K) and water vapour (> 0.5 ppmv), while the measurements using frequency mode 13 agree with the other instruments considering estimated errors.PMC brightness data is provided by OSIRIS, Odin's other sensor. Combined SMR and OSIRIS data for some example orbits is considered. For these orbits, effects of PMCs on the water vapour distribution are clearly seen. Areas depleted of water vapour are found above layers with PMC, while regions of enhanced water vapour due to ice particle sedimentation are primarily placed between and under the clouds.

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Modeling the microphysics of mesospheric ice particles: Assessment of current capabilities and basic sensitivities

Cited by 284 publications

References 105 publications

Distribution of meteoric smoke – sensitivity to microphysical properties and atmospheric conditions

Distribution of meteoric smoke – sensitivity to microphysical properties and atmospheric conditions

In situ observations of meteor smoke particles (MSP) during the Geminids 2010: constraints on MSP size, work function and composition

Tomographic retrieval of water vapour and temperature around polar mesospheric clouds using Odin-SMR

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