OI 630.0 nm Post‐Sunset Emission Enhancement as an Effect of Tidal Activity Over Low‐Latitudes

Abstract

AbstractThe OI 630.0 nm airglow emission variability provides salient information on the dynamical changes taking place in the upper atmosphere at around 250 km. The emission rates vary with the changes in the ambient electron densities and the neutral constituents that are associated with these emissions. On several occasions, enhancements in these emissions are observed during post‐sunset hours, around 21 local time (LT), as measured from Mt. Abu (24.6°N, 72.7°E, 19°N Mag), a low‐latitude location at Indian longitudes. These enhancements occur following the typical monotonic decrease in emission intensity after sunset. The presence of poleward meridional wind preceded by cessation and reversal of equatorward wind at the post‐sunset hours was shown to be the cause for such observed emission enhancements in an earlier study. In this study, the cause of such reversal in meridional winds during post‐sunset hours has been investigated using the variation in electron densities and meridional winds simulated by the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere‐ionosphere eXtension (WACCM‐X), which also shows enhancements in electron densities similar to those observed in the post‐sunset OI 630.0 nm nightglow emissions, and simultaneous reversal in meridional winds as well. The amplitudes and phases of different components of tides obtained from WACCM‐X meridional winds reveal a significant contribution of higher‐order tides, especially, quarter‐diurnal tides, to the observed reversal in the meridional winds during post‐sunset hours.