Dr F. J. Mulligan

    Experimental Physics

    Associate Professor

    Science Building
    2.12
    (01) 708 3746

    Biography

    Research Interests

    Research interests

    The upper atmosphere physics group at Maynooth is concerned with the physics of the atmosphere at altitudes between 80 and 250 km, with particular emphasis on the region known as the mesopause (80-100 km).  The main aim of the work is to develop an improved understanding of the dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere in this highly complex region.     Minor constituents in the atmosphere can exert a much greater influence than might be expected from their prevalence alone, a point illustrated only too well by the twin atmospheric problems of global warming (increased concentrations of CO2 and CH4) and ozone depletion.  One of the most interesting minor constituents in the atmosphere is the OH radical partly because it is such a reactive species.  The chemical reaction that produces OH (H + O3 --> OH* + O2) plays a crucial role in the mesosphere, where it represents a significant fraction of the energy input there. 

    Studies at Maynooth are conducted on this emission through the use of ground-based spectroscopic measurements and satellite data.  The main aim of the work is to develop an improved understanding of the diurnal and seasonal variations of the OH* emission as a function of latitude and local time.

    More recent work has focused on tropospheric studies involving members of the ICARUS group and other groups in the US and Norway.  The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model developed originally by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) at Boulder Colorado is the main tool employed in this work.

    Peer Reviewed Journals

      Year Publication
    1990 'A STATISTICAL STUDY OF LARGE FIELD-ALIGNED FLOWS OF THERMAL IONS AT HIGH-LATITUDES'
    KEATING, JG;MULLIGAN, FJ;DOYLE, DB;WINSER, KJ;LOCKWOOD, M (1990) 'A STATISTICAL STUDY OF LARGE FIELD-ALIGNED FLOWS OF THERMAL IONS AT HIGH-LATITUDES'. Planetary and Space Science, 38 :1187-1201 [Details]
    2019 'Investigating the performance of coupled WRF-ROMS simulations of Hurricane Irene (2011) in a regional climate modeling framework'
    Mooney, PA;Mulligan, FJ;Bruyere, CL;Parker, CL;Gill, DO (2019) 'Investigating the performance of coupled WRF-ROMS simulations of Hurricane Irene (2011) in a regional climate modeling framework'. Atmospheric Research, 215 :57-74 [DOI] [Details]

    Conference Contributions

      Year Publication
    2014 5th NDMC Workshop.
    Mulligan, F J, WJR French and R.P. Lowe (2014) 5th NDMC Workshop. [Oral Presentation], Climatology of short period gravity waves at Davis Station, Antarctica, 1999-2012, Grainau, Germany , 19-MAY-14 - 22-MAY-14 [Details]