Whole Atmosphere Impacts of Auroral EEP in WACCM

This work presents recent results of an auroral Energetic Electron Precipitation (EEP) study using two long (>200 years) Community Earth System Model (CESM) Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) simulations. One simulation uses auroral EEP while the other does not. Comparison results using auroral EEP versus without show expected significant losses (~10%) in upper stratospheric ozone and a small increase (~5%) in lower stratospheric ozone during the southern hemisphere spring. Impacts from auroral EEP are zonally asymmetric and extend into the troposphere. The strongest surface temperature response (~1 K) is found near the Aleutian Isles throughout the year. Results suggest strong impacts from auroral EEP throughout the entire atmosphere, from the thermosphere to the surface.