The electrodynamics of the Earth's low-latitude ionosphere is dependent on the ionospheric conductivity and the thermospheric neutral density, temperature, and winds present. This two-part study focused on the gravity wave seeding mechanism of equatorial plasma depletions in the ionosphere and the associated equatorial spread F, as well as the differences between a two-dimensional flux tube integrated electrodynamics model and a three-dimensional model for the same time period. The gravity wave seeding study was based on a parameterization of a gravity wave perturbation using a background empirical thermosphere and a physics-based ionosphere for the case of 12 UT on 26 September 2002. The electrodynamics study utilized a two-dimensional flux tube integrated model in center dipole coordinates, which is derived in this work. This case study examined the relative influence of the zonal wind, meridional wind, vertical wind, temperature, and density perturbations of the gravity wave. It further looked at the angle of the wave front to the field line flux tube, the most influential height of the perturbation, and the difference between planar and thunderstorm source gravity waves with cylindrical symmetry. The results indicate that, of the five perturbation components studied, the zonal wind is the most important mechanism to seed the Rayleigh-Taylor instability needed to develop plasma plumes. It also shows that the bottomside of the F-region is the most important region to perturb, but a substantial E-region influence is also seen. Furthermore, a wave front with a small angle from the field line is necessary, but the shape of the wave front is not critical in the gravity wave is well developed before nightfall. Preliminary results from the three-dimensional model indicate that the equipotential field line assumption of the two-dimensional model is not valid below 100 km and possibly higher. Future work with this model should attempt to examine more of the differences with the two-dimensional model in the electric fields and currents produced as well as with the plasma drifts that lead to plume development.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第19507号 / 理博第4167号 / 新制||理||1598(附属図書館) / 32543 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科地球惑星科学専攻 / (主査)教授 家森 俊彦, 教授 田口 聡, 教授 余田 成男 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

To prepare students for the complex, multidisciplinary problems they will face outside of the classroom, current reform initiatives advocate for the integration of content and practices from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the science classroom. One approach, integrated STEM, uses the engineering design process as a vehicle for learning. However, these lessons can be challenging for students, so it is essential that science educators employ various teaching practices to scaffold student learning. One way to achieve this is through the use of written and oral discourse that promotes meaning-making. The studies in this dissertation utilize Legitimation Code Theory as an analytical framework to create semantic profiles of an integrated STEM unit and middle school teachers’ implementation of integrated STEM lessons. Specifically, we analyze the semantic gravity, or the extent to which meaning is rooted within the context it is acquired in, to map and identify semantic patterns that may promote or constrain meaning-making. The results of these studies indicate that Legitimation Code Theory can be a useful tool for developing and examining integrated STEM curricular materials, evaluating teacher discourse during the implementation of integrated STEM lessons, ascertaining how teachers are integrating multiple disciplinary discourses, and identifying areas where teachers may benefit from additional support as they learn to implement integrated STEM. Keywords: integrated STEM, legitimation code theory, discourse.

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Atmospheric planetary waves play a role in introducing variability to the low-latitude ionosphere. To better understand this coupling, this study investigates times when oscillations seen in both atmospheric planetary waves and ionospheric data-sets have similar periodicity. The planetary wave data-set used are temperature observations made by Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER). These highlight periods during which 2-Day westward propagating wave-number 3 waves are evident in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The ionospheric data-set is Total Electron Content (TEC), which is used to identify periods during which the ionosphere appears to respond to the planetary waves. Data from KP and F10.7 indices are used to determine events that may be of external origin. A 17-year time-span from 2002 to 2018 is used for this analysis so that both times of solar minimum and maximum can be studied. To extract the periods of this collection of data a Morlet Wavelet analysis is used, along with thresholding to indicate events when similar periods are seen in each data-set. Trends are then determined, which can lead to verification of previous assumptions and new discoveries. / Master of Science / The thermosphere and ionosphere are impacted by many sources. The sun and the magnetosphere externally impact this system. Planetary waves, which originate in the lower atmosphere, internally impact this system. This interaction leads to periodic signatures in the ionosphere that reflect periodic signatures seen in the lower atmosphere, the sun and the magnetosphere. This study identifies these times of similar oscillations in the neutral atmosphere, the ionosphere, and the sun, in order to characterize these interactions. Events are cataloged through wavelet analysis and thresholding techniques. Using a time-span of 17 years, trends are identified using histograms and percentages. From these trends, the characteristics of this coupling can be concluded. This study is meant to confirm the theory and provide new insights that will hopefully lead to further investigation through modeling. The goal of this study is to gain a better understanding of the role that planetary waves have on the interaction of the atmosphere and the ionosphere.

A 48-layer version of the COMMA-LIM (Cologne Model of the Middle Atmosphere – Leipzig Institute for Meteorology) three-dimensional global mechanistic model of the Earth\'s atmosphere from 0 km to 135 km with logarithmic pressure height coordinates was developed. The model is capable of reproducing the global structures and propagation of different planetary waves in the middle atmosphere. The contribution of gravity waves, tides, Rossby and Kelvin waves into the zonally averaged momentum budget of the mesosphere / lower thermosphere region has been investigated. / Eine neue Version des COMMA-LIM (Cologne Model of the Middle Atmosphere – Leipzig Institute for Meteorology) wurde im Zusammenhang mit der Erhöhung der vertikalen Schichtauflösung entwickelt. Das COMMA ist ein dreidimensionales globales mechanistisches Modell der Erdatmosphäre mit einer Ausdehnung von ca. 0 – 135 km in logarithmischen Druckkoordinaten. Damit können globale Eigenschaften der mittleren Atmosphäre sowie die Ausbreitung verschiedener planetarer Wellen nachvollzogen werden. Die Beiträge der Schwerewellen, thermischer Gezeiten, Rossby und Kelvin Wellen zur zonal gemitteltem Impulsbalance der Mesosphäre und unteren Thermosphäre wurden untersucht.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第21579号 / 理博第4486号 / 新制||理||1644(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科地球惑星科学専攻 / (主査)教授 橋口 浩之, 教授 塩谷 雅人, 教授 秋友 和典 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Gravity wave amplitudes and momentum fluxes derived from SABER temperature measurements are analysed together with Collm meteor radar zonal winds. The momentum flux (MF) divergence derived from the SABER temperatures shows a maximum that is found at greater altitudes during solar minimum than during solar maximum. Therefore, the zonal mean wind and wind shear profiles are shifted upwards then, leading to a modulation of the otherwise negative correlation between solar cycle and mesosphere/lower thermosphere winds. / Amplituden von Schwerewellen und zugehörigen Impulsflüsse werden zusammen mit Windmessungen des Meteorradars Collm analysiert. Die Impulsflussdivergenz, abgeleitet aus SABER-Temperaturprofilen, hat ein Maximum welches im solaren Minimum nach oben verschoben ist. Dadurch werden auch die Vertikalprofile des Zonalwindes und der Windscherung nach oben verschoben, wodurch die ansonsten negative Sonnenfleckenzyklusabhängigkeit des zonalen Windes in der Mesosphäre/unteren Thermosphäre im solaren Minimum umgekehrt wird.

The equatorial Quasi Biennial Oscillation (QBO) is known to be an important source of inter-annual variability at mid and high latitudes in both hemispheres. Coupling between QBO and the polar vortex has been extensively studied over the past few decades, however, less is known about QBO influences in the mid-latitude mesosphere. One reason for this is the relative lack of instrumentation available to study mesospheric dynamics at mid-latitudes. In this study, we have used the mid-latitude SuperDARN HF radar at Saskatoon (52.16 N, -106.53 E) to study inter-annual variation in mesospheric winds. The specific aim was to determine whether or not a Quasi Biennial signature could be identified in the Saskatoon mesosphere, and if so, to understand its relationship with the equatorial stratospheric QBO. To achieve this goal, a technique has been developed which extracts meteor echoes from SuperDARN near-range gates and then applies least-squares fitting across all radar beam directions to calculate hourly averages of the zonal and meridional components of the mesospheric neutral wind. Subsequent analysis of 13 years (2002-2014) of zonal wind data produced using this technique indicates that there is indeed a significant QBO signature present in Saskatoon mesospheric winds during late winter (Jan-Feb). This mesospheric QBO signature is in opposite phase with the equatorial stratospheric QBO, such that when QBO (at 50 hPa) is in its easterly (westerly) phase, the late winter winds in Saskatoon mesosphere become more (less) westerly. To further examine the source of the signature, we also analyzed winds in the Saskatoon stratosphere between 5 hPa and 70 hPa using the ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis data set, and found that the late winter stratospheric winds become less (more) westerly when QBO is easterly (westerly). This QBO signature in the mid-latitude stratospheric winds is essentially the same as that observed for the polar vortex in previous studies but it is opposite in phase to the mid-latitude mesospheric QBO. We therefore conclude that filtering of gravity waves through QBO-modulated stratospheric winds plays a major role in generating the mesospheric QBO signature we have identified in the Saskatoon HF radar data. When the Saskatoon stratospheric winds are anomalously westward during easterly QBO, the gravity waves having westward momentum might be filtered out, depositing a net eastward momentum in the mesosphere as they propagate upwards. This would result in increased westerly mesospheric winds at Saskatoon. The opposite would happen when the equatorial QBO is westerly. / Master of Science

A 48-layer version of the COMMA-LIM (Cologne Model of the Middle Atmosphere – Leipzig Institute for Meteorology) three-dimensional global mechanistic model of the Earth\''s atmosphere from 0 km to 135 km with logarithmic pressure height coordinates was developed. The model is capable of reproducing the global structures and propagation of different planetary waves in the middle atmosphere. The contribution of gravity waves, tides, Rossby and Kelvin waves into the zonally averaged momentum budget of the mesosphere / lower thermosphere region has been investigated. / Eine neue Version des COMMA-LIM (Cologne Model of the Middle Atmosphere – Leipzig Institute for Meteorology) wurde im Zusammenhang mit der Erhöhung der vertikalen Schichtauflösung entwickelt. Das COMMA ist ein dreidimensionales globales mechanistisches Modell der Erdatmosphäre mit einer Ausdehnung von ca. 0 – 135 km in logarithmischen Druckkoordinaten. Damit können globale Eigenschaften der mittleren Atmosphäre sowie die Ausbreitung verschiedener planetarer Wellen nachvollzogen werden. Die Beiträge der Schwerewellen, thermischer Gezeiten, Rossby und Kelvin Wellen zur zonal gemitteltem Impulsbalance der Mesosphäre und unteren Thermosphäre wurden untersucht.