WACCM climate chemistry sensitivity to sprite perturbations

Transient luminous events affect Earth’s atmosphere between thunderstorm tops and the lower ionosphere through ion-neutral chemistry reactions. Particular emphasis has been given to sprites, with models and observations suggesting a capability of perturbing atmospheric nitrogen oxides at a local level, as it is known to occur for tropospheric lightning and laboratory air discharges. However, it is as yet unknown whether sprites can be a relevant source of nitrogen oxides for the upper atmosphere. In this paper, we study the sensitivity of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) to sprite-like nitrogen oxide perturbations. We take a top-down approach to estimate what magnitude sprite perturbations should have to become significant as compared to other relevant atmospheric processes and study the sensitivity of the model response within the given uncertainties. We show that, based on current predictions by sprite streamer chemistry models, sprites can perturb Tropical NO_x at 70 km altitude between 0.015 ppbv (buried in the background variability) and 0.15 ppbv (about 20%), adopting a local NO_x production per sprite of 1.5 ⋅ 10²³ and 1.5 ⋅ 10²⁴ molecules respectively at this altitude. Below the lowest of the adopted values, sprites are irrelevant at global scales. Sprite NO_x may build up to significantly larger amounts locally above active thunderstorms, further aided by other transient luminous events and possibly terrestrial gamma ray flashes. We also use model results to interpret the available observational studies and give recommendations for future campaigns.