Diagnosis of chemistry-dynamics interactions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

We apply the recently developed middle atmosphere climate feedback-response analysis method (MCFRAM) to diagnosing the temperature variations associated with chemistry-dynamics interactions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). By using measurements from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometer (SABER) onboard the TIMED satellite and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM), we identify and isolate the distinctive characteristics of different components in the observed temperature variations. Both the temperature trends associated with the anthropogenic forcing and temperature changes associated with natural and internal feedback processes are quantified based on MCFRAM defined partial temperature changes corresponding to localized radiative heating, non-localized chemical heating, eddy transport, and transport by the mean meridional circulation of energy and chemical species.