Response of Thermospheric Hydrogen to Solar Variability and Greenhouse Gases

Abstract:

Geocoronal hydrogen forms the upper boundary of the Earth’s HOx chemisty and is a byproduct of methane and water vapor below. We will discuss observational and modeling studies of the upper atmospheric hydrogen response to the solar cycle and increases in greenhouse gases. The Wisconsin Northern hemisphere hydrogen airglow data set spans over two solar cycles. These data show a statistically significant solar cycle variation and a possible increase in intensity between successive solar maximum periods. We will discuss these data in the context of recent modeling studies with a single-column version of the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model. We investigate mechanisms associated with the solar cycle and greenhouse gas forcing of hydrogen by separately doubling carbon dioxide and methane, as well as doubling both together. These simulations indicate that carbon dioxide cooling, as well as methane changes to the source species for hydrogen, both lead to predicted increases in the upper thermospheric hydrogen density and that the response of hydrogen to greenhouse gases depends on the phase of the solar cycle. However, the effect of greenhouse gas doubling is not as large as the modeled solar cycle variability of thermospheric hydrogen. I will discuss results from these simulations and comparisons to observations.