Articles | Volume 44, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-263-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-263-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Subauroral contamination in POES/Metop TED channels
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Neustrelitz, Germany
Olesya Yakovchuk
Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
Stefan Bender
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Granada, Spain
Christina Arras
GFZ Helmholtz-Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Berlin University of Technology, Berlin, Germany
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Miriam Sinnhuber, Christina Arras, Stefan Bender, Bernd Funke, Hanli Liu, Daniel R. Marsh, Thomas Reddmann, Eugene Rozanov, Timofei Sukhodolov, Monika E. Szelag, and Jan Maik Wissing
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 14719–14734, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14719-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14719-2025, 2025
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Nitric oxide in the upper atmosphere varies with solar activity. Observations show that this starts a chain of processes affecting the ozone layer and climate system. This is often underestimated in models. We compare five models which show large differences in simulated NO. Analysis of these discrepancies identify two processes which interact with each other: the balance between atomic and molecular oxygen in the thermosphere, and a poleward - downward transport in the winter thermosphere.
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We investigated a subauroral particle flux maximum (located at 60 N/S with focus at 0–100 E) seen in the NOAA POES detector, which we attributed to crosstalk contamination of radiation belt electrons. Affected are the processed TED proton channels (which should already be corrected by NOAA) and lower MEPED channels. The particle flux in the contaminated area can be more than factor 2 higher than typical auroral flux. The region of intense particle crosstalk may be removed by a latitudinal cut.
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Reduced ozone levels resulting from ozone depletion mean more exposure to UV radiation, which has various effects on human health. We analysed solar events to see what influence it has on the chemistry of Earth's atmosphere and how this atmospheric chemistry change can affect the ozone. To do this, we used an atmospheric model considering only chemistry and compared it with satellite data. The focus was mainly on the contribution of chlorine, and we found about 10 %–20 % ozone loss due to that.
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Recent analyses of isotopic records of ice cores and sediments have shown that very strong explosions may occur on the Sun, perhaps about one such explosion every 1000 years. Such explosions pose a real threat to humankind. It is therefore of great interest to study the impact of such explosions on Earth. We analyzed how the explosions would affect the chemistry of the middle atmosphere and show that the related ozone loss is not dramatic and that the atmosphere will recover within 1 year.
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Nitric oxide in the upper atmosphere varies with solar activity. Observations show that this starts a chain of processes affecting the ozone layer and climate system. This is often underestimated in models. We compare five models which show large differences in simulated NO. Analysis of these discrepancies identify two processes which interact with each other: the balance between atomic and molecular oxygen in the thermosphere, and a poleward - downward transport in the winter thermosphere.
Maryam Ramezani Ziarani, Miriam Sinnhuber, Thomas Reddmann, Bernd Funke, Stefan Bender, and Michael Prather
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Our study aims to present a new method for incorporating top-down solar forcing into stratospheric ozone relying on linearized ozone scheme. The addition of geomagnetic forcing led to significant ozone losses in the polar upper stratosphere of both hemispheres due to the catalytic cycles involving NOy. In addition to the particle precipitation effect, accounting for solar UV variability in the ICON-ART model leads to the changes in ozone in the tropical stratosphere.
Jan Maik Wissing and Olesya Yakovchuk
Ann. Geophys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2023-33, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2023-33, 2023
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
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We investigated a subauroral particle flux maximum (located at 60 N/S with focus at 0–100 E) seen in the NOAA POES detector, which we attributed to crosstalk contamination of radiation belt electrons. Affected are the processed TED proton channels (which should already be corrected by NOAA) and lower MEPED channels. The particle flux in the contaminated area can be more than factor 2 higher than typical auroral flux. The region of intense particle crosstalk may be removed by a latitudinal cut.
Monali Borthakur, Miriam Sinnhuber, Alexandra Laeng, Thomas Reddmann, Peter Braesicke, Gabriele Stiller, Thomas von Clarmann, Bernd Funke, Ilya Usoskin, Jan Maik Wissing, and Olesya Yakovchuk
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12985–13013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12985-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12985-2023, 2023
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Reduced ozone levels resulting from ozone depletion mean more exposure to UV radiation, which has various effects on human health. We analysed solar events to see what influence it has on the chemistry of Earth's atmosphere and how this atmospheric chemistry change can affect the ozone. To do this, we used an atmospheric model considering only chemistry and compared it with satellite data. The focus was mainly on the contribution of chlorine, and we found about 10 %–20 % ozone loss due to that.
Thomas Reddmann, Miriam Sinnhuber, Jan Maik Wissing, Olesya Yakovchuk, and Ilya Usoskin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6989–7000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6989-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6989-2023, 2023
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Recent analyses of isotopic records of ice cores and sediments have shown that very strong explosions may occur on the Sun, perhaps about one such explosion every 1000 years. Such explosions pose a real threat to humankind. It is therefore of great interest to study the impact of such explosions on Earth. We analyzed how the explosions would affect the chemistry of the middle atmosphere and show that the related ozone loss is not dramatic and that the atmosphere will recover within 1 year.
Stefan Bender, Patrick J. Espy, and Larry J. Paxton
Ann. Geophys., 39, 899–910, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-899-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-899-2021, 2021
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The coupling of the atmosphere to the space environment has become recognized as an important driver of atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. We have validated the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) products for average electron energy and electron energy flux by comparison to EISCAT electron density profiles. The good agreement shows that SSUSI far-UV observations can be used to provide ionization rate profiles throughout the auroral region.
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Short summary
We investigate the subauroral flux maximum (at 60° N/S geomagetic) observed in low-energy particle channels. Two independent atmospheric impact measurements refute the subauroral flux under low Kp, pointing to instrumental contamination, likely from energetic electrons. We propose correction methods to mitigate contamination, ensuring accurate ionization estimates. Without correction, subauroral flux overestimates thermospheric ionization, underscoring the need for data refinement.
We investigate the subauroral flux maximum (at 60° N/S geomagetic) observed in low-energy...