Modeling formation of turbulent Sporadic-E clouds using realistic wind data

Schinder A.M.; Obenberger K.S.; Chau J.L.; Urco J.M.; Clahsen M.; Akers B.F.; Emmons D.J. · Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences (2026) · DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2026.1858870

Resumen

A high resolution two-dimensional multi-fluid model of sporadic-E layers was developed and driven with physically realistic mesosphere, lower thermosphere (MLT) winds measured over Albuquerque, New Mexico. The realistic E-region winds are produced by the HYdrodynamic Point-wise Environment Reconstructor (HYPER) model that ingests meteor derived wind observations from a Spread-spectrum Interferometric Multistatic meteor radar Observing Network (SIMONe) system combined with the Navier-Stokes equations to provide high resolution three-dimensional wind fields over time. Sporadic-E dynamics are simulated using both realistic winds from HYPER as well as idealized hyperbolic tangent windshears to compare and contrast. Overall, the model shows greater inhomogeneity and irregularity using realistic winds with no clear peaks in the spectra, unlike the periodic density structures from the idealized windshears. Furthermore, range-time-frequency (RTF) observations from a local ionosonde were used to compare sporadic-E observations with the simulations. In general, the simulations show Kelvin-Helmholtz billow formation during the periods with range-spread sporadic-E in ionosonde observations, but the ionosonde virtual heights are 5–10 km above the simulated peak densities, likely due to altitude limitations from meteor radar observations. Ultimately, the use of realistic winds to drive sporadic-E models provides more insight to study complex dynamics and decipher observations of turbulent layers. Copyright

Instituciones: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú