Variations in eddy diffusion and associated transport processes

Abstract

Variation in the eddy diffusion coefficient constitutes a momentum source. This variation near the turbopause affects both the composition and the wind and temperature fields of the thermosphere. Two types of calculations are carried out, for horizontal winds considered self-consistently in a three-dimensional dynamic model and horizontal winds artificially suppressed to simulate a one-dimensional model. Momentum transfer associated with variations in eddy diffusion coefficients represents the source function in the analysis presented. It is shown that for long-term variations in the thermosphere, the compositional dependence on variations in eddy diffusion coefficients can be entirely different in one and three dimensional models with horizontal winds included. Horizontal winds can greatly reduce the effects of eddy diffusion in general and the ratio between He and O amplitudes in particular.