Temperature and Compositional Responses in the Middle Atmosphere to Solar Irradiance Variation: Comparisons Between TIMED/SABER Measurements and Model Simulations

In this paper we investigate the thermal and photochemical responses of the middle atmosphere to solar irradiance variation in a two-dimensional model that fully couples radiation, dynamics, and photochemistry in the middle atmosphere. The daily solar irradiance measured by the TIMED/SEE instrument is parameterized and updates the model input in the short wavelength range used to radiatively and photochemically drive the model in a set of seven-year numerical simulations. The model outputs of the temperature and Ox fields are compared with TIMED/SABER measurements in the same period. We find qualitative agreements of the responses between the model and measurements. Statistical and sensitivity analyses to the model outputs differentiate the relative importance of the driving forces that cause the temperature and Ox variations due to radiative heating, chemical heating, and dynamical transport.