Earth and space share the same turbulence

June 7 () –

Researchers have discovered that turbulence in the thermosphere exhibits the same physical laws than the wind in the lower atmosphere.

Furthermore, the wind in the thermosphere rotates predominantly in a cyclonic direction, counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

The findings, published in Geophysical Research Lettersreveal a new unifying principle for Earth’s diverse environmental systems and potentially improve forecasting of terrestrial and space weather.

From time to time we’ve tuned in to see the latest weather forecast, and while it gives us a good idea of ​​our daily atmospheric conditions, the research that goes into studying how Earth’s air moves is dizzyingly complex.

“At the fundamental level, we study the interaction of kinetic energy in the atmosphere at different sizes and scales, That energy comes mainly in the form of wind and turbulence. “Over the decades, an enormous amount of data has given us insight into how this energy flows and dissipates to affect the climate in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere,” he explains. it’s a statement Professor Huixin Liu of the Faculty of Sciences of the Kyushu University, who led the study. “My research focuses on movements in the upper atmosphere, specifically in the thermosphere, where we explore the corresponding laws governing the dynamics and energy flow in the region.”

The thermosphere is a section of the atmosphere approximately 80-550 km above sea level and is often known as the gateway to space. It is a critical region for space operations, and is where the International Space Station is located, as well as most satellites. It is also where auroras form.

Liu collaborated with meteorology researcher Dr. Facundo L. Poblet from the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Rostock, whose work focuses on dynamics and turbulence in the lower atmosphere below an altitude of 100 km.

“My research focuses on space physics and “I wanted to see if we could apply his meteorological methods to my field of research,” explains Liu.

The team analyzed thermosphere wind data from two satellites, the Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and the Gravity Field and Steady State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE). Using the data, the team calculated the third-order structure function of the wind, a statistical quantity that provides information about the underlying turbulence. To their astonishment, they discovered that the thermosphere exhibits a scaling law similar to that of the lower atmosphere.

“This means that both the thermosphere and troposphere, despite having drastically different atmospheric compositions and dynamics, follow the same physical laws. “The way turbulence moves, forms and dissipates in these two regions is very similar.”Liu continues.

Despite notable advances in understanding the thermosphere, the intricate interplay of turbulence has remained largely elusive, and the team is happy that their findings shed new light on this little-explored aspect of near-space dynamics.

“Like atmospheric weather prediction, understanding energy distributions in the thermosphere is vital to advancing our understanding of spatial dynamics,” concludes Liu. “We hope that these findings can be used to improve space weather prediction and ensure the continued functionality and safety of satellite-based technologies essential to everyday life.”