Chemical Heating as a Feedback Mechanism in the Mesopause Region
Abstract An analytical expression is derived which shows that the release of chemical heat from exothermic chemical reactions is a negative nonlinear feedback mechanism relative to temperature in the mesopause region. This role is confirmed through model simulations. This feedback mechanism stabilizes the thermal regime of the mesopause region. The simulations show that a 1–2 K/day change (8%–18% relative variation) in the chemical heating rate occurs as a response to a 10 K decrease in temperature.
Authors
- Claudia Stephan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5736-1948)
- M. Grygalashvyly (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6702-3587)
- P. Hartogh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9550-6551)
- W. E. Ward (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5745-2257)
Institutions
- University of New Brunswick (CA)
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (DE)
- Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Rostock University (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Published
- 2025-10-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2025gl118709
- Primary Topic
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00