Mesospheric dynamical changes induced by the solar proton events in October-November 2003

The highly energetic solar protons produced odd hydrogen (HO x ) and odd nitrogen (NO y ). Significant short-lived ozone decreases (10-70%) followed these enhancements of HO x and NO y and led to a cooling of most of the lower mesosphere.

Temperature changes up to ±2.6 K were computed as well as wind (zonal, meridional, vertical) perturbations up to 20-25% of the background winds as a result of the solar protons. The solar proton-induced mesospheric temperature and wind perturbations diminished over a period of 4-6 weeks after the SPEs. The Joule heating in the mesosphere, induced by the solar protons, was computed to be relatively insignificant for these solar storms.