Ingrid Cnossen

Independent Research Fellow

Ingrid Cnossen

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Ingrid Cnossen

Biography

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I am an Independent Research Fellow within the Space Weather and Atmosphere team at BAS. My research focuses on the climate of the upper atmosphere and interactions between the lower and upper atmosphere using numerical models. Alongside my own research, I offer modelling support to projects led by others as well as expertise on upper atmosphere climate. I also provide stakeholders in the space industry with information on long-term changes in the upper atmosphere and impacts on space debris.

Key areas of expertise

  • Atmospheric modelling, in particular with the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model – eXtended (WACCM-X)
  • Climate change in the middle and upper atmosphere
  • North-South asymmetries in the polar atmosphere

Biography

In 2005 I received a Master of Science degree from Utrecht University (The Netherlands) in the field of Earth Sciences, with a specialization in geophysics. As part of this, I did an internship at the European Space Agency, studying the Sun and its effects on the Earth’s atmosphere as it would have been around the orgin of life, 3.5 billion years ago. This ignited my interest in solar-terrestrial physics as well as a love for research in general, especially in an international setting. It set me on the path of a PhD at the University of Leicester (Leicester, UK; 2006-2008), where I studied climate change in the upper atmosphere (~90-500 km altitude) and in particular the the effects of changes in the Earth’s magnetic field on the ionosphere, the charged portion of the upper atmosphere. After a first post-doctoral position at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS; Cambridge, UK; 2009-2010) studying troposphere-stratosphere coupling, I continued to study the role of the Earth’s magnetic field in the climate of the upper atmosphere in further research posts at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR; Boulder, USA; 2011-2012), BAS (2013-2015) and the German Center for Geosciences (Potsdam, Germany; 2016). This has included its role in long-term (climatic) changes as well as systematic asymmetries between the Northern and Southern polar regions. I have been an Independent Research Fellow (IRF) at BAS since Dec 2018, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). My fellowship focuses on the effects of climate change in the lower and middle atmosphere (0-90 km altitude) on the upper atmosphere (90-500 km altitude), using the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model eXtension (WACCM-X).

Research interests

  • Effects of climate change in the lower and middle atmosphere (0-90 km altitude) on the upper atmosphere (90-500 km altitude)
  • Vertical atmospheric coupling processes
  • North-South asymmetries in the polar atmosphere
  • Effects of changes in the Earth’s main magnetic field on the atmosphere and magnetosphere
  • Long-term (multi-decadal) changes and trends in the upper atmosphere (ionosphere and thermosphere)
  • Impact of climate change in the upper atmosphere on space debris

Collaborations

  • I work with Hugh Lewis at the University of Southampton on the impacts of upper atmosphere climate change on the future evolution of the space debris population
  • I am co-leader of an International Space Science Institute (ISSI) team on “Impacts of climate change on the middle and upper atmosphere and atmospheric drag of space objects” . For further information see our team website: https://teams.issibern.ch/impactsofclimatechange/
  • I am a member of an ISSI team on “Understanding Interhemispheric Asymmetry in MIT Coupling”. For further information see our team website: https://teams.issibern.ch/asymmetryinmitcoupling/
  • I also work collaboratively with the wider scientific community studying long-term trends in the middle and upper atmosphere. A recent review I led is available here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117724010123

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2025

Añel, Juan A., Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Antuña‐Marrero, Juan Carlos, Beig, Gufran, Brown, Matthew K., Doornbos, Eelco, Osprey, Scott, Mutschler, Shaylah Maria, Pérez Souto, Celia, Šácha, Petr, Sofieva, Viktoria, de la Torre, Laura, Zhang, Shun‐Rong, Mlynczak, Martin G.. (2025) The Need for Better Monitoring of Climate Change in the Middle and Upper Atmosphere. AGU Advances, 6 (). 8 pp. 10.1029/2024AV001465

2024

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Emmert, John T., Garcia, Rolando R., Elias, Ana G., Mlynczak, Martin G., Zhang, Shun-Rong. (2024) A review of global long-term changes in the mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere: a starting point for inclusion in (semi-)empirical models. Advances in Space Research, 74 (). pp. 10.1016/j.asr.2024.10.005

Brown, M.K., Lewis, H.G., Kavanagh, A.J. ORCIDORCID record for A.J. Kavanagh, Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen, Elvidge, S.. (2024) Future Climate Change in the Thermosphere Under Varying Solar Activity Conditions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 129 (). 10 pp. 10.1029/2024JA032659

2023

Coyle, S.E., Hartinger, M.D., Clauer, C.R., Baker, J.B.H., Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen, Freeman, M.P. ORCIDORCID record for M.P. Freeman, Weygand, J.M.. (2023) The 2021 Antarctic Total Eclipse: Ground Magnetometer and GNSS Wave Observations from the 40 Degree Magnetic Meridian. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 128 (). 12 pp. 10.1029/2022JA031142

Zhang, Shun-Rong, Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Laštovička, Jan, Elias, Ana G., Yue, Xinan, Jacobi, Christoph, Yue, Jia, Wang, Wenbin, Qian, Liyang, Goncharenko, Larisa. (2023) Long-term geospace climate monitoring. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 10 (). 5 pp. 10.3389/fspas.2023.1139230

Brown, M.K., Elvidge, S., Themens, D.R., Lewis, H.G., Kavanagh, A.J. ORCIDORCID record for A.J. Kavanagh, Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen. (2023) Days to Decades: Forecasting Neutral Densities in Low Earth Orbit. In: Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS) Maui, Hawaii, Sept. 19-22, 2023. AMOS.

2022

Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen. (2022) A realistic projection of climate change in the upper atmosphere into the 21st century. Geophysical Research Letters, 49 (). 7 pp. 10.1029/2022GL100693

Shutler, Jamie D., Yan, Xiaoyu, Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Schulz, Leonard, Watson, Andrew J., Glaßmeier, Karl-Heinz, Hawkins, Naomi, Nasu, Hitoshi. (2022) Atmospheric impacts of the space industry require oversight [Comment]. Nature Geoscience, 15 (). 3 pp. 10.1038/s41561-022-01001-5

2021

Brown, M.K., Lewis, H.G., Kavanagh, A.J. ORCIDORCID record for A.J. Kavanagh, Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen. (2021) Climate change in space: Thermospheric density reductions in LEO and the impact on the debris environment. 8th European Conference on Space Debris, 8 (). 10 pp.

Brown, M.K., Lewis, H.G., Kavanagh, A.J. ORCIDORCID record for A.J. Kavanagh, Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen. (2021) Future decreases in thermospheric neutral density in low Earth orbit due to carbon dioxide emissions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126 (). 11 pp. 10.1029/2021JD034589

2020

Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen. (2020) Analysis and attribution of climate change in the upper atmosphere from 1950 to 2015 simulated by WACCM-X. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125 (). 14 pp. 10.1029/2020JA028623

Soares, Gabriel B., Yamazaki, Yosuke, Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Matzka, Jürgen, Pinheiro, Katia, Morschhauser, Achim, Alken, Patrick, Stolle, Claudia. (2020) Evolution of the geomagnetic daily variation at Tatuoca, Brazil, from 1957 to 2019: a transition from Sq to EEJ. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125 (). 20 pp. 10.1029/2020JA028109

Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen, Maute, A.. (2020) Simulated trends in ionosphere-thermosphere climate due to predicted main magnetic field changes from 2015 to 2065. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125 (). pp. 10.1029/2019JA027738

2019

Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen, Ridley, A.J., Goncharenko, L.P., Harding, B.J.. (2019) The response of the ionosphere-thermosphere system to the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124 (). pp. 10.1029/2018JA026402

Aryal, Saurav, Geddes, George, Finn, Susanna C., Mrak, Sebastijan, Galkin, Ivan, Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Cook, Timothy, Chakrabarti, Supriya. (2019) Multi-spectral and multi-instrument observation of TIDs following the Total Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124 (). pp. 10.1029/2018JA026333

2018

Perlongo, N.J., Ridley, A.J., Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen. (2018) A year long comparison of GPS TEC and global ionosphere-thermosphere models. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123 (). pp. 10.1002/2017JA024411

2017

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen. (2017) The impact of century-scale changes in the core magnetic field on external magnetic field contributions. Space Science Reviews, 206 (). pp. 10.1007/s11214-016-0276-x

Laundal, K.M., Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen, Milan, S.E., Haaland, S.E., Coxon, J., Pedatella, N.M., Forster, M., Reistad, J.P.. (2017) North-South asymmetries in Earth’s magnetic field. Space Science Reviews, 206 (). pp. 10.1007/s11214-016-0273-0

2016

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Liu, Hanli, Lu, Hua ORCIDORCID record for Hua Lu. (2016) The whole-atmosphere response to changes in the Earth’s magnetic field from 1900 to 2000: an example of “top-down” vertical coupling. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 121 (). pp. 10.1002/2016JD024890

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Forster, Matthias. (2016) North-South asymmetries in the polar thermosphere-ionosphere system: solar cycle and seasonal influences. Journal of Geophysical Research, 121 (). pp. 10.1002/2015JA021750

2015

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Laštovička, Jan, Emmert, John T.. (2015) Introduction to special issue on “Long-term changes and trends in the stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere”. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 120 (). pp. 10.1002/2015JD024133

Emmert, John. T., Marsh, Daniel R., Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen. (2015) Investigating Climate Change from the Stratosphere to Space. Eos, 96 (). pp. doi:10.1029/2015EO023767

2014

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Franzke, Christian. (2014) The role of the Sun in long-term change in the F2 peak ionosphere: new insights from EEMD and numerical modelling. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 119 (). pp. 10.1002/2014JA020048

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen. (2014) The importance of geomagnetic field changes versus rising CO2 levels for long-term change in the upper atmosphere. Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate, 4 (). 8 pp. doi:10.1051/swsc/2014016

2013

Forster, Matthias, Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen. (2013) Upper atmosphere differences between the high-latitude Northern and Southern Hemisphere: the role of magnetic field asymmetry. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 118 (). pp. 10.1002/jgra.50554

de Haro Barbas, Blas F., Elias, Ana G., Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Zossi de Artigas, Marta. (2013) Long-term changes in solar quiet (Sq) geomagnetic variations related to Earth’s magnetic field secular variation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 118 (). pp. 10.1002/jgra.50352

2012

Lu, Hua ORCIDORCID record for Hua Lu, Pancheva, Dora, Mukhtarov, Plamen, Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen. (2012) QBO modulation of traveling planetary waves during northern winter. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117 (). 15 pp. 10.1029/2011JD016901

2011

Cnossen, Ingrid ORCIDORCID record for Ingrid Cnossen, Lu, Hua ORCIDORCID record for Hua Lu. (2011) The vertical connection of the quasi-biennial oscillation- modulated 11 year solar cycle signature in geopotential height and planetary waves during Northern Hemisphere early winter. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 116 (). 15 pp. 10.1029/2010JD015427

Cnossen, I. ORCIDORCID record for I. Cnossen, Lu, H. ORCIDORCID record for H. Lu, Bell, C.J., Gray, L.J., Joshi, M.M.. (2011) Solar signal propagation: The role of gravity waves and stratospheric sudden warmings. Journal of Geophysical Research, 116 (). 14 pp. 10.1029/2010JD014535

NERC Independent Research Fellowship “”Impacts of Climate Change in the Troposphere, Stratosphere, and Mesosphere on the Thermosphere and Ionosphere”

  • My work influenced a new ISO standard (#27852) on “Space systems – Estimation of orbit lifetimes” (published in 2024). This now includes information on the long-term decline in upper atmosphere density due to CO2-induced cooling and contraction, and the impact this has on orbital lifetime estimates. The new guidelines also include a straightforward methodology to enable stakeholders in the satellite industry to account for this effect easily, developed by Matthew Brown, a former PhD student co-supervised by Andrew Kavanagh and myself at BAS. 
  • Recognition for the following paper, which was in the top 10% of papers downloaded (among work published in an issue between 1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022) during its first 12 months of publication in Geophysical Research Letters: Cnossen, I. (2022), A realistic projection of climate change in the upper atmosphere into the 21st century, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL100693, doi: 10.1029/2022GL100693.
  • Recognition for the following paper, which was  one of the most downloaded (among work published in an issue between 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021) during its first 12 months of publication in JGR Atmospheres: Brown, M.K., H.G. Lewis, A.J. Kavanagh, and I. Cnossen (2021), Future decreases in thermospheric neutral density in low Earth orbit due to carbon dioxide emissions, J. Geophys. Res. Atmospheres, 126, e2021JD034589, doi: 10.1029/2021JD034589.