Adventures with the First Law from the Earth’s Surface to the Edge of Space

1. Adventures with the First Law from the Earth’s Surface to the Edge of Space Dr. Marty Mlynczak, (B. S. Physics, 1981) NASA Langley Research Center May 5, 2006 Univ. of Missouri – St. Louis

2. Introduction of Co-Author

3. Collaborators Astronomy 001 Prof. Richard Schwartz Physics 10 Prof. Frank Moss Physics 111 Prof. John Ridgen Physics 112 Prof. John Rigden Physics 200 Prof. Said Agamy Physics 201 Prof. Wayne Garver Physics 221 Prof. Jacob Leventhal Physics 223 Prof. Bernard Feldman Physics 225 Prof. Bernard Feldman Physics 231 Prof. Peter Handel Physics 232 Prof. Robert Hight Physics 241 Prof. Dan Kelley Physics 310 Prof. Bernard Feldman Physics 311 Prof. Bernard Feldman Physics 331 Prof. Dan Kelley Physics 356 Prof. Dan Kelley Physics 381 Prof. Jacob Leventhal Hallway discussions Prof. Jerry North

4. OUTLINE • Overview of some aspects of Atmospheric Science • The first law with respect to radiation and chemistry • Energy conversion in the atmosphere • Observing the first law from space • Real-life examples! • Thermostats in the Thermosphere • Hot reactions in the Mesosphere • Cool radiation in the Troposphere – the future challenge • Summary

5. Standard Atmosphere Profile

6. What is a major goal of Atmospheric Science?? To know what the atmosphere will be like at a future date and To understand the atmosphere of the past

7. What will the atmosphere be doing…?? Nowcasting Weather Forecasting Atmospheric Chemistry Climate Change In a few hours…. In a few days…. In a few years…. In a few decades….

8. Atmospheric Science – A Fusion of Physics! Quantum Mechanics Chemistry Fluid Dynamics Thermodynamics Solar Physics Observations Computer Science computer model Computation of Atmospheric State Relevant processes cover 15 orders of magnitude

9. Atmospheric ModelsGeneral Equations • Momentum Equation (F = ma) • Conservation of Mass (Continuity) • Conservation of Energy • a.k.a. the first law of thermodynamics • Relates change of temperature to energy flux in a volume of atmosphere Focus on how to determine Q/t in the atmosphere

10. What is Q/t? • The rate at which a volume of atmosphere gains or loses energy as a result of: • Radiative processes (absorption, emission) • Infrared emitters: CO2, O3, H2O, NO, O • Latent energy gain or loss • Water vapor; exothermic reactions • Heat conduction • Atmosphere/surface • Molecular heat conduction in thermosphere

11. Thermospheric Energy Balance Infrared Cooling NO, CO2, O Solar EUV, UV Thermosphere T, r, q 100 – 200 km Solar Particles e.g., CMEs Airglow O(1D), O2(1D), etc. Conduction Tides, Waves

12. Thermospheric Energy Balance Infrared Cooling NO, CO2, O Thermosphere T, r, q 100 – 200 km

13. Observing the Infrared Energy of the Thermosphere TANGENT POINT Ho Z N(Ho) }Ho SABER Measurements NO (5.3 mm) CO2 (15 mm) SABER Measures Limb Radiance (W m-2 sr-1) - 400 km to Earth Surface -

14. Thermostats in the Thermosphere A look at radiation from Nitric Oxide (NO) during an intense geomagnetic storm How does a thermostat work?

15. Concept of Infrared ‘Natural Thermostat’ Solar Storm Atmosphere Strongly Radiates Energy Enters Atmosphere

16. SABER NO (5.3 mm) Limb Radiance Before and During Storm 80 S, 350 W April 18 April 15

17. Thermospheric Infrared Response • NO 5.3 mm enhancement by far the most dramatic in terms of overall magnitude and radiative effect • Increases by over an order of magnitude in ~ 1 day • Changes in NO emission are due to changes in: • NO abundance • Kinetic temperature • Exothermic production of NO vibrational levels • Atomic Oxygen • Examine the Thermospheric NO response [Mlynczak et al., GRL, 2003] • Energy loss profiles (W/m3) (vertical profiles) • Energy fluxes (W/m2) from thermosphere

18. Vertical Profile of Energy Loss by NO Latitude 77 S This is Q/t ! Before Storm During Storm

19. Another Perspective of the Energy Loss Rate First Law of Thermodynamics: Can express total energy loss (W m-3) in units of K/day Use MSIS as background atmosphere (for now) for rCp Emphasize: • Energy loss rate in K/day does not necessarily equal the radiative cooling rate True Cooling Rate < Energy Loss Rate

20. NO Energy Loss Rates Expressed in K/day Prior to Storm During Storm

21. Example: Cooling Rates at 52 N – April 2002 Quiescent Storm

22. Vertical Profile of Energy Loss by NO Latitude 77 S Before Storm During Storm Vertically integrate these to get energy fluxes

23. Animation Vertically Integrated Thermospheric Energy Loss (W/m2)Southern Hemisphere Polar Projection 2.5 mW/m2 1.5 mW/m2 0.5 mW/m2 NO Radiated Energy W m-2 After Mlynczak et al. 2003

24. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 105

25. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 106

26. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 107

27. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 108

28. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 109

29. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 110

30. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 111

31. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 112

32. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 113

33. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 114

34. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 115

35. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 116

36. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 117

37. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 118

38. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 119

39. Thermospheric NO Radiated Energy W m-2 Day 120

40. NO “Thermostat” Summary • Dramatic increase in NO 5.3-mm emission observed in April 2002 storms (and in October 2003 storms as well) • Emission increases by up to factor of 10 in ~ 1 day • Effects observed from pole to equator • Enhancement lasts ~ 3 days and dies out • Radiative loss comparable to energy inputs – estimates being refined • Physics of NO enhancement still being sorted out – • Temperature increase? • Atomic Oxygen increase? • NO increase? • Exothermic reaction emission?

41. Mesospheric Energy Balance Chemical potential Solar EUV, UV Infrared Cooling NO, CO2, O Heat Quantum internal Airglow O(1D), O2(1D), etc.

42. Hot Reactions in the Mesosphere

43. Latent Energy in the Thermosphere and Mesosphere UV energy absorbed primarily by O2 or O3 Energy goes into three separate pools initially: - Chemical potential energy • Energy used to dissociate molecule O2 + hv  O + O - Internal energy O3 + hv  O2(1D) + O(1D) - Heat Internal energy radiated to space or quenched to heat Chemical potential energy realized by exothermic reactions

44. Key Exothermic Reactions in the Mesosphere “The Magnificent Seven” H + O3 OH + O2 H + O2 + M  HO2 + M HO2 + O  OH + O2 OH + O  H + O2 O + O2 + M  O3 + M O + O + M  O2 + M O + O3 +  O2 + O2

45. Total Solar Heating and Heating Due to Reaction of H and O3 – Photochemical Theory After Mlynczak and Solomon, JGR, 1993 How do we measure the rate of heating due to a chemical reaction??

46. Chemical Heating Rates from the OH Airglow A key reaction is that of atomic hydrogen (H) and ozone (O3) H + O3 OH + O2DHf = 76.9 kcal/mole This reaction (fortunately) preferentially populates the highest-lying vibrational quantum states, u = 9, 8, 7, 6 Due to the low density in the mesosphere, these states radiate copious amounts of energy Rate of emission from OH proportional rate of reaction Measure emission rate, readily derive rate of heating

47. Time-Lapse Movie Energy Deposition Rate H + O3 OH(u) + O2 Zonal Mean, Night May 23 2002 through July 16 2002

48. H + O3 OH + O2 Energy Deposition

49. H + O3 OH + O2 Energy Deposition

50. H + O3 OH + O2 Energy Deposition