2018 Workshop: Waves and Turbulence

Turbulence (characterized by randomness, nonlinearity, diffusivity, vorticity, and dissipation) remains an outstanding challenge in understanding coupling, energetics and dynamics of the atmosphere.  Turbulence couples the mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) both upward to the upper thermosphere and F-region and downward to the mesosphere and stratosphere.  The upward coupling impacts the composition of the thermosphere and satellite drag. The downward coupling impacts the transport of nitric oxides and the ozone layer.  However significant uncertainties are reported in the estimates of turbulent activity and transport in both observational and modeling studies. Given that the primary source of turbulence is breaking gravity waves, understanding turbulence also requires understanding of instabilities and wave-breaking.  A variety of observational methods (e.g., imager, lidar, radar, ion-gauge) use different techniques and methods to characterize turbulence. General circulation  models characterize wave breaking and turbulence as sub grid-scale models through parameterizations. Understanding the role of wave-breaking and turbulence has seen recent progress in modeling (both in synoptic-scale and mesoscale models) and observations (i.e., resonance lidar, incoherent scatter a radar, low noise ion-gauges, temperature mappers).  Goal is to present current capabilities, identify outstanding challenges, and propose areas for progress and future initiatives.