[1] Thermospheric neutral density and composition exhibit a strong seasonal variation, with maxima near the equinoxes, a primary minimum during northern hemisphere summer, and a secondary minimum during southern hemisphere summer. This pattern of variation is described by thermospheric empirical models. However, the mechanisms are not well understood. The annual insolation variation due to the Sun-Earth distance can cause an annual variation, large-scale interhemispheric circulation can cause a global semiannual variation, and geomagnetic activity can also have a small contribution to the semiannual amplitude. However, simulations by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) indicates that these seasonal effects do not fully account for the observed annual/semiannual amplitude, primarily because of the lack of a minimum during northern hemisphere summer. A candidate for causing this variation is a change in composition, driven by eddy mixing in the mesopause region. Other observations and model studies suggest that eddy diffusion in the mesopause region has a strong seasonal variation, with eddy diffusion larger during solstices than equinoxes, and stronger turbulence in summer than in winter. A seasonal variation of eddy diffusion compatible with this description is obtained. Simulations show that when this function is imposed at the lower boundary of the TIE-GCM, neutral density variation consistent with satellite drag data and O/N 2 consistent with measurements by TIMED/GUVI, are obtained. These model-data comparisons and analyses indicate that turbulent mixing originated from the lower atmosphere may contribute to seasonal variation in the thermosphere, particularly the asymmetry between solstices that cannot be explained by other mechanisms.

[1] The Solar EUV Experiment (SEE) is one of four scientific instruments on the NASA Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics Dynamics (TIMED) spacecraft, which has been simultaneously observing the Sun and Earth's upper atmosphere since January 2002. The SEE instrument measures the irradiance of the highly variable, solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, one of the major energy sources for the upper atmosphere. The primary SEE data product is the solar spectral irradiances from 0.1 to 194 nm in 1 nm intervals that are fundamental for the TIMED mission's investigation of the energetics in the tenuous, but highly variable, layers of the Earth's atmosphere above 60 km. The TIMED mission began normal operations on 22 January 2002, a time when the Sun displayed maximum levels of activity for solar cycle 23, and has provided daily measurements as solar activity has declined to moderate levels. Solar irradiance variability observed by SEE during the 2 years of the TIMED prime mission includes a variety of moderate and large flares over periods of seconds to hours and dozens of solar rotational cycles over a typical period of 27 days. The SEE flare measurements provide important, new results because of the simultaneous spectral coverage from 0.1 to 194 nm, albeit limited temporal coverage due to its 3% duty cycle. In addition, the SEE measurements reveal important, new results concerning phase shifts of 2-7 days in the intermediate-term variations between different UV wavelengths that appear to be related to their different center-to-limb variations. The new solar EUV irradiance time series from SEE are also important in filling the ''EUV Hole,'' which is the gap in irradiance measurements in the EUV spectrum since the 1980s. The solar irradiances measured by SEE (Version 7, released July 2004) are compared with other measurements and predictions from models of the solar EUV irradiance. While the measurement comparisons show reasonable agreement, there are significant differences between SEE and some of the models in the EUV range. The data processing algorithms and calibrations are also discussed.

Key developments have been made to the NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X). Among them, the most important are the self‐consistent solution of global electrodynamics, and transport of O+ in the F‐region. Other ionosphere developments include time‐dependent solution of electron/ion temperatures, metastable O+ chemistry, and high‐cadence solar EUV capability. Additional developments of the thermospheric components are improvements to the momentum and energy equation solvers to account for variable mean molecular mass and specific heat, a new divergence damping scheme, and cooling by O(3P) fine structure. Simulations using this new version of WACCM‐X (2.0) have been carried out for solar maximum and minimum conditions. Thermospheric composition, density, and temperatures are in general agreement with measurements and empirical models, including the equatorial mass density anomaly and the midnight density maximum. The amplitudes and seasonal variations of atmospheric tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are in good agreement with observations. Although global mean thermospheric densities are comparable with observations of the annual variation, they lack a clear semiannual variation. In the ionosphere, the low‐latitude E × B drifts agree well with observations in their magnitudes, local time dependence, seasonal, and solar activity variations. The prereversal enhancement in the equatorial region, which is associated with ionospheric irregularities, displays patterns of longitudinal and seasonal variation that are similar to observations. Ionospheric density from the model simulations reproduces the equatorial ionosphere anomaly structures and is in general agreement with observations. The model simulations also capture important ionospheric features during storms.

[1] Electron densities retrieved from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) radio occultation (RO) measurements are compared with those measured by incoherent scatter radars (ISR) and ionosondes in this paper. These results show that electron density profiles retrieved from COSMIC RO data are in agreement with the ISR and ionosonde measurements. The ionospheric characteristics (N m F 2 and h m F 2 ) derived from the COSMIC satellites are also compared with those calculated by the latest International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-2001) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-IonosphereElectrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR-TIEGCM). The comparison of the magnitude of the COSMIC N m F 2 data with those calculated by the IRI model and the TIEGCM is good. However, features such as the north-south asymmetry and longitudinal variation of the equatorial anomaly that are seen in the COSMIC data and the TIEGCM simulations are not fully present in the IRI model. On the other hand, the TIEGCM produces a stronger winter anomaly than that seen in either the COSMIC data or the IRI model.

[1] The NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model, version 3 (WACCM3), is used to study the atmospheric response from the surface to the lower thermosphere to changes in solar and geomagnetic forcing over the 11-year solar cycle. WACCM3 is a general circulation model that incorporates interactive chemistry that solves for both neutral and ion species. Energy inputs include solar radiation and energetic particles, which vary significantly over the solar cycle. This paper presents a comparison of simulations for solar cycle maximum and solar cycle minimum conditions. Changes in composition and dynamical variables are clearly seen in the middle and upper atmosphere, and these in turn affect terms in the energy budget. Generally good agreement is found between the model response and that derived from satellite observations, although significant differences remain. A small but statistically significant response is predicted in tropospheric winds and temperatures which is consistent with signals observed in reanalysis data sets.

[1] Recent measurements of the solar extreme-ultraviolet spectrum provide highresolution spectral irradiance that can be used for calculating ionization and dissociation rates in the upper atmosphere and for providing improved proxy-based models of the solar spectrum. These are crucial inputs for global time-dependent general circulation models of the thermosphere and ionosphere, but computational economies require that a lowerresolution spectrum be used in the calculations without excessive loss of accuracy. The problem is compounded by the photoelectrons generated by ionization, which cause further ionization and dissociation of atmospheric gases. We describe a method for using solar spectral measurements or models to calculate ionization and dissociation rates throughout the upper atmosphere, including photoelectron effects, that is more accurate and more efficient than its predecessors. Examples of use with measurements from the Solar EUV Experiment on the TIMED satellite and with the EUVAC model are given, and an example calculation using the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere-ionosphere-electrodynamics general circulation model is shown.

Some of the most intense solar flares measured in 0.1 to 0.8 nm x‐rays in recent history occurred near the end of 2003. The Nov 4 event is the largest in the NOAA records (X28) and the Oct 28 flare was the fourth most intense (X17). The Oct 29 flare was class X7. These flares are compared and contrasted to the July 14, 2000 Bastille Day (X10) event using the SOHO SEM 26.0 to 34.0 nm EUV and TIMED SEE 0.1–194 nm data. High time resolution, ∼30s ground‐base GPS data and the GUVI FUV dayglow data are used to examine the flare‐ionosphere relationship. In the 26.0 to 34.0 nm wavelength range, the Oct 28 flare is found to have a peak intensity greater than twice that of the Nov 4 flare, indicating strong spectral variability from flare‐to‐flare. Solar absorption of the EUV portion of the Nov 4 limb event is a possible cause. The dayside ionosphere responds dramatically (∼2.5 min 1/e rise time) to the x‐ray and EUV input by an abrupt increase in total electron content (TEC). The Oct 28 TEC ionospheric peak enhancement at the subsolar point is ∼25 TECU (25 × 1012 electrons/cm2) or 30% above background. In comparison, the Nov 4, Oct 29 and the Bastille Day events have ∼5–7 TECU peak enhancements above background. The Oct 28 TEC enhancement lasts ∼3 hrs, far longer than the flare duration. This latter ionospheric feature is consistent with increased electron production in the middle altitude ionosphere, where recombination rates are low. It is the EUV portion of the flare spectrum that is responsible for photoionization of this region. Further modeling will be necessary to fully understand the detailed physics and chemistry of flare‐ionosphere coupling.

Measurements of the auroral atomic oxygen (³P‐¹D) emission line at 6300 Å made by the Atmosphere Explorer visible airglow experiment are analyzed using a tomographic inversion. Emission altitude profiles are compared to the results from an electron transport and chemical reaction model. The model incorporates measurements of the energetic electron flux, neutral composition, ion composition, and electron density. Reasonable correspondence is obtained using primarily the “classical” sources of O(¹D) excitation: electron impact on atomic oxygen and dissociative recombination of O2+. The reaction of N(²D) with O2 is considered to be a minor source. Small contributions are also calculated for cascade from O(¹S), electron impact dissociation of O2, reaction of N+ with O2, and energy transfer from O+(²D) and thermal electrons to O(³P). A possible minor source from the quenching of N(²D) or N(²P) by O(³P) is also discussed.