Solar energy deposition rates in the mesosphere derived from airglow measurements: Implications for the ozone model deficit problem

We derive rates of energy deposition in the mesosphere due to the absorptio n of solar ultraviolet radiation by ozone. The rates are derived directly f rom measurements of the 1.27-mu m oxygen dayglow emission, independent of k nowledge of the ozone abundance, the ozone absorption cross sections, and t he ultraviolet solar irradiance in the ozone Hartley band. Fifty-six months of airglow data taken between 1982 and 1986 by the near-infrared spectrome ter on the Solar-Mesosphere Explorer satellite are analyzed. The energy dep osition rates exhibit altitude-dependent annual and semi-annual variations. We also find a positive correlation between temperatures and energy deposi tion rates near 90 km at low latitudes. This correlation is largely due to the semiannual oscillation in temperature and ozone and is consistent with model calculations. There is also a suggestion of possible tidal enhancemen t of this correlation based on recent theoretical and observational analyse s. The airglow-derived rates of energy deposition are then compared with th ose computed by multidimensional numerical models. The observed and modeled deposition rates typically agree to within 20%. This agreement in energy d eposition rates implies the same agreement exists between measured and mode led ozone volume mixing ratios in the mesosphere. Only in the upper mesosph ere at midlatitudes during winter do we derive energy deposition rates (and hence ozone mixing ratios) consistently and significantly larger than the model calculations. This result is contrary to previous studies that have s hown a large model deficit in the ozone abundance throughout the mesosphere . The climatology of solar energy deposition and heating presented in this paper is available to the community at the Middle Atmosphere Energy Budget Project web site at http://heat-budget.gats-inc.com.