The Impacts of Thermospheric Circulation and Exospheric Transport on the Coupled System

Abstract

The boundary between the thermosphere and exosphere is often given the simplified description of being a separation between highly collisional continuum mechanics and a collisionless domain. The realistic smooth transition through this space has historically presented a challenge to model as the assumptions used to simplify the Boltzmann equation in fluid models are invalidated at higher altitudes. A lack of rigorous modeling of the region limits the ability to understand the dynamics of light atmospheric species. This manuscript describes the dynamics present in a two-way coupled fluid-particle atmospheric model extending from the mesosphere through the exosphere with a smooth transition between fluid and particle domains. This model is used to examine the coupled nature of the thermosphere and exosphere using the fluid simulation TIME-GCM and the direct simulation Monte Carlo simulation Monaco. The coupled model allows for examination of the thermosphere circulation and exosphere transport mechanisms, as well as their impacts on the distribution of hydrogen. In this analysis, upper transport regions in the exosphere are revealed and distinguished from lower transport regions during June solstice. Furthermore, coupling allows TIME-GCM to account for effects of lateral exospheric transport of hydrogen, altering its upper boundary condition and consequentially the spatial distribution of hydrogen throughout the thermosphere. Finally, it is asserted that a self-consistent hydrogen exobase distribution is necessary to constrain other analytical extrapolation techniques used to predict the vertical hydrogen profile in the exosphere. Plasma interactions are excluded from this study to isolate neutral dynamics.