Long-term study of the summer wind variability in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over nearly two decades at middle and high latitudes

Abstract

Winds at the mesosphere and lower thermosphere have been measured by partial reflection radars and specular meteor radars for almost two decades (2004-2022) over Germany and Norway (i.e., middle and high latitudes, respectively). Continuous wind measurements during the mentioned period are important to understand their long-term behavior. The zonal mean wind climatology displays an eastward wind during the winter months and a westward summer jet below ~85km at middle latitudes (~90km at high latitudes). Above the mentioned height, an eastward wind jet is observed. In the meridional wind component, the southward summer wind displays amplitudes between 4 and 5 times less intense than the westward jet. We studied the intensity of the summer wind components, the long-term variability and the possible connection to external forcing (i.e. El Niño-Southern Oscillation, and quasi-biennial oscillation, solar activity and geomagnetic activity). Analyzing the summer winds for low and high geomagnetic activity classified with the Ap index, there is a significant difference between both cases suggesting disturbances in the wind due to high geomagnetic activity. The long-term study shows significant trends at middle latitudes in the monthly summer values of the westward summer jet. As a consequence of the increase in the westward wind, a decrease in the southward component is observed at the same latitudes. While at high latitudes the eastward jet shows a decreasing velocity during July.