Impact of thermospheric wind data assimilation on ionospheric electrodynamics using a coupled whole atmosphere data assimilation system

Specification and forecasting of thermospheric winds thus plays an important role in ionospheric weather prediction. In this study, we assess the impact of assimilating thermospheric wind observations from the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) instrument on NASA's Ionospheric CONnection (ICON) explorer satellite on the ionospheric electrodynamics.

Empirical localization functions (ELFs) of ICON/MIGHTI zonal and meridional winds are also computed and applied to our data assimilation experiments, enabling improved assimilation of the ICON/MIGHTI wind observations. A set of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) are performed using the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere-ionosphere eXtension (WACCMX) with data assimilation provided by the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) ensemble adjustment Kalman filter.