Whole Atmosphere Interconnections Between Terrestrial and Space Weather - The Global-Scale Wave Perspective

Processes generated by terrestrial weather in the lower atmosphere (i.e., troposphere and stratosphere) are increasingly recognized by the research community as sources of variability in both the structure and composition of the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere (ITM) region over a broad range of time scales. In particular, our ability to predict the effects of space weather in VLEO (very low Earth orbit <300 km) hinges on understanding a narrow layer of Earth’s upper atmosphere, the lower thermosphere-ionosphere (LTI) region of 110-250 km. As the convergence point of energy and processes that interconnect Earth’s atmosphere with space, the LTI is simultaneously exposed to persistent atmospheric wave forcing from below, and solar and magnetic forcing from above. The presentation will (i) highlight the important role of global-scale wave dynamics, i.e., tides, Planetary Waves, Ultrafast Kelvin waves in driving the dynamics and structure of the LTI, (ii) point out the fundamental gaps in our current understanding, and (iii) illustrate how focused and coordinated investigations such as within NASA’s Living With a Star program may help to transform our understanding of atmospheric coupling from the ground to the edge of space.