(LDS6) First CAWSES Campaign Results (Final Report)

Conveners:
Janet Kozyra (jukozyra@srvr5.engin.umich.edu),
Jan Sojka (fasojka@gaim.cass.usu.edu),
Marty Mlynczak (m.g.mlynczak@nasa.gov)

2004 Tuesday 29 June 0100-0300 PM

WORKSHOP PURPOSE

The purpose of the workshop was to:

take a first look at ITM observations during the space weather (25 March - 6 April 2004) and atmospheric coupling (March - April 2004) portions of the First CAWSES campaign
provide a forum for initiating and developing collaborations
collect science issues on which to focus campaign efforts within the international science community in the coming year

The speakers were asked to focus on interesting features in the data and the new science questions they raise.

BACKGROUND ON THE CAWSES CAMPAIGN

The CAWSES campaign was run in association with the CPEA (Coupling Processes in the Equatorial Atmosphere) campaign (April/May 2004) and the ISR World Days campaign (March 29 - April 3, 2004). The focus of the ISR World Days campaign is the coupling between the high- and low-latitude ionospheres. The focus of the CPEA campaign is the coupling from the troposphere up through the thermosphere in a strong convective region over Indonesia. During the ISR World Days, CAWSES functioned to draw together and expand these efforts by coordinating more than 40 collaborating programs (including 20 satellites, all ISR radars, SuperDARN, GPS TEC, and a wide range of ground-based observations listed at http://www.bu.edu/cawses/) to produce a sun-to-Earth data set which dips down into the lower atmosphere. Another focus is on functioning as a testbed for producing new integrated global maps of important geophysical quantities, including: ULF wave parameters for radiation belt studies, higher-resolution GPS TEC maps, and others to be determined. During the CPEA campaign, CAWSES efforts focus on characterizing equinox conditions in the middle atmosphere which also serves as global context for the equatorial atmospheric coupling campaign. An effort will be underway to construct global maps of middle atmosphere quantities (i.e., mesospheric winds extended globally with basis functions, others, etc) where possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SOLAR WIND DRIVERS AND RESULTING ACTIVITY

Magnetic activity during this interval includes a high speed stream with recurrent substorm activity and a 2-day extremely quiet interval followed by two moderate magnetic storms --- the first on April 3 due to a slow CME released on March 31, the second triggered by the leading edge of a high-speed stream. The radiation belts were enhanced throughout much of this interval.

The solar wind drivers during the atmospheric coupling campaign changed dramatically between the months of March and April 2004. Powerful high-speed streams from deep within coronal holes dominated in March. These switched to rather weak high speed streams in April emanating from the edges of coronal holes. Surprisingly enough, the hemispheric power input during these two months indicated that these two types of structures were comparable in geoeffectiveness.

WORKSHOP SUMMARY

Selected early science results reported during the CAWSES workshop include:

Highest levels of odd nitrogen ever seen during entire UARS mission (1994-2004) and corresponding decrease in stratospheric ozone [Jim Russell, Marty Mlynczak]
1. Question: Is this due to natural variability or is it related to superstorms in late Oct/Nov 2003 coupled with a stable vortex?
2. Clear correlations between elevated NOx and vortex position suggesting vertical descent is a factor. May be first example from UARS of descent deep into the stratosphere
3. Attempts planned to verify and track descent of NOx enhancement using TIMED and UARS - other data sets??
4. Plans to run the WACCM-1 atmosphere model with particle inputs from Oct/Nov 2003 superstorms
Unusual positive storm effects, storm enhanced density (SED) plume and strong subauroral polarization (SAPs) electric field seen at Millstone Hill. [Chaosong Huang, John Foster].
First science runs of GAIM, an ionospheric data assimilation model [Jan Sojka]
- Equivalent to 3D global map of the ionosphere
- Based on ionosondes and TEC with underlying physics-based model
Ionospheric Bubbles and Unusual Wave Structures in the Aurora [Larry Paxton]
1. Undulating auroras containing structured proton precipitation were observed during both the April 3 and April 5 storms
2. Unusual occurrence in the TIMED/GUVI data
3. Are these related through the global electrodynamics to the trigger for equatorial bubbles occurring near the same time on these days?
Convection Features: Extremely quiet SuperDARN convection patterns on April 1 and 2. 115 kV peak polar cap potential drop during storm on April 3. Large swings in IMF By. SAPs fields on April 3 seen around 14 UT. [Mike Ruhoniemi]
Mid-to-low latitude electrodynamics [Dave Anderson]
- Observed prompt penetration electric fields
- Attempts will be made to follow development for the 1st time from the extremely quiet April 2 interval to active conditions
New Insights into coupling to low altitudes [Larissa Goncharenko]
1. New evidence that SAPs electric fields penetrate to low altitudes (down to 150 km) and produce ion and neutral heating
2. Clear wave signatures in Ti - propagating from below - seen as high as 160 km
Traveling ionospheric disturbances at 1800 UT on day 097 (April 5) seen on 4 consecutive orbits from the CHAMP satellite [Eric Sutton, Jeff Forbes]
Large enhancement in the 2-day wave and diurnal tide - other interesting activity during same time period [Scott Palo]
- MST radar data available from the south pole all the way to Svalbard [ http://sisko.Colorado.edu/TIMED]
FPI Meridional winds over Sondrestrom are reduced in March 2004 over those from 2002-2003 in same season [Rick Niciejewski ].

FUTURE PLANS

A summary of these results was presented at the CAWSES organizational meeting in Paris on July 17, 2004. Plans are being formulated to begin an international analysis effort, run largely over the internet with workshops at major internationl and national meetings where possible. The CAWSES website at Boston University will maintain links to sites serving data and distribute information coordinating the international analysis efforts. To be most effective, this analysis effort must rely heavily on national CAWSES programs (already established in Germany, India, China, and Japan; others to follow) as well as national programs like CEDAR covering similar science areas. It is hoped that the CEDAR community can take a lead in the US efforts involving the ITM science by sponsoring a series of CAWSES/CEDAR workshops focused on science issues and by coordinating the US contribution to integrated global maps of important geophysical parameters. With leadership, these integrated global maps will develop into innovative analysis tools (shared by the international community) to address open science questions in ways that have not been possible before. They will also create an important new capability and establish a user community in the years leading up to the I*Y 2007 programs (eGY, IPY, IHY, etc.).