Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics Research Articles

On the distortions in calculated GW parameters during slanted atmospheric soundings

Abstract. The significant distortions introduced in the measured atmospheric gravity wavelengths by soundings other than those in vertical and horizontal directions, are discussed as a function of the elevation angle of the sounding path and the gravity wave aspect ratio. Under- or overestimation of real vertical wavelengths during the measurement process depends on the value of these two parameters. The consequences of these distortions on the calculation of the energy and the vertical flux of horizontal momentum are analyzed and discussed in the context of two experimental limb satellite setups: GPS-LEO radio occultations and TIMED/SABER ((Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry/Thermosphere–Ionosphere–Mesosphere–Energetics and Dynamics)) measurements. Possible discrepancies previously found between the momentum flux calculated from satellite temperature profiles, on site and from model simulations, may to a certain degree be attributed to these distortions. A recalculation of previous momentum flux climatologies based on these considerations seems to be a difficult goal.

Oblique propagation of monsoon gravity waves during the northern hemisphere 2007 summer

AbstractWe present a combination of satellite observation and high‐resolution model output to understand monsoon convection as a source of high‐latitude mesospheric gravity waves (GWs). The GWs generated over the Northern Hemisphere (NH) monsoon region during the 2007 summer and the role of the winds in focusing these GWs toward the high‐latitude middle atmosphere are analyzed using the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry/Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (SABER/TIMED) satellite temperature data and the high‐resolution Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System‐Advanced Level Physics High Altitude (NOGAPS/ALPHA) model results. In the NH, above the stratosphere, the monsoon GW Momentum Flux (GWMF) exhibits a poleward tilt that follows the slanted structure of the easterly jet. The correlation coefficients (>0.5) between the time series of NH tropical stratospheric GWMF and the global winds also have a slanted structure that coincide with the easterly jet, confirming the modeling theory that stratospheric monsoon GWs are refracted into the summer easterly jet and can reach the high‐latitude mesosphere. Since Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs) are sensitive indicators of changes in the polar summer mesosphere, we compared the time series of tropical stratospheric GWMF to the PMC occurrence frequency (OF) obtained from the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size/Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere satellite data to assess the influence of this wave focusing in the mesosphere. There is a significant positive correlation between the high‐latitude PMC OF and the tropical stratospheric GWMF suggesting a definite influence of monsoon GWs on the high‐latitude mesosphere. The disagreement in correlation at the end of the PMC season is attributed to the enhancement of the quasi 5 day planetary wave dominating over the influence of monsoon GWs on PMCs.

Multi‐instrument investigation of a mesospheric gravity wave event absorbed into background

AbstractWe investigate a gravity wave event exhibiting dissipation noted in the mesospheric O(1S) airglow emission image measurements, over Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E), on 16 March 2012 (during 16:20–16:45 UT). These gravity waves were found to propagate from south‐west to north‐east directions at ~65° azimuth in OH as well as in O(1S) images. These waves had horizontal wavelength ~21.5 km with apparent horizontal phase speed ~49 m s−1 and period ~7.3 min. These waves were noted to fizzle out in turbulent patches within 15 min. To identify the causative mechanism of this event, we analyze the background wind and temperature data using the medium‐frequency radar wind from Tirunelveli (8.7°N, 77.8°E), ground‐based Rayleigh lidar temperature data with improved capability over Gadanki, and spaceborne Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry/Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics temperature data (20:30 UT) for a latitude‐longitude grid of 3–23°N, 60–100°E. Our analysis reveals that convective instability was responsible for the observed event.

Variations of the neutral temperature and sodium density between 80 and 107 km above Tromsø during the winter of 2010–2011 by a new solid‐state sodium lidar

A new solid‐state sodium lidar installed at Ramfjordmoen, Tromsø (69.6°N, 19.2°E), started observations of neutral temperature together with sodium density in the mesosphere‐lower thermosphere (MLT) region on 1 October 2010. The new lidar provided temperature data with a time resolution of 10 min and with good quality between ∼80 and ∼105 km from October 2010 to March 2011. This paper aims at introducing the new lidar with its observational results obtained over the first 6 months of observations. We succeeded in obtaining neutral temperature and sodium density data of ∼255.5 h in total. In order to evaluate our observations, we compared (1) the sodium density with that published in the literature, (2) average temperature and column sodium density data with those obtained with Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research Weber sodium lidar, and (3) the neutral temperature data with those obtained by Sounding of the Atmosphere with Broadband Emission Radiometry/Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite. For the night of 5 October 2010, we succeeded in conducting simultaneous observations of the new lidar and the European Incoherent Scatter UHF radar with the tristatic Common Program 1 (CP‐1) mode. Comparisons of neutral and ion temperatures showed a good agreement at 104 km between 0050 and 0230 UT on 6 October 2010 when the electric field strength was smaller, while significant deviations (up to ∼25 K) are found at 107 km. We evaluated contributions of Joule heating and electron‐ion heat exchange, but derived values seem to be underestimated.

Decreases in atomic hydrogen over the summer pole: Evidence for dehydration from polar mesospheric clouds?

Observations from the Sounding of the Atmosphere with Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument on the NASA/Thermospheric Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite show a surprising decrease in the inferred atomic hydrogen (H) over the polar regions in the lowermost thermosphere during the summer. This contrasts with predictions by global models that H should peak in this region at this time. We suggest the decrease is a consequence of the sequestering of the water vapor by the formation of polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) that redistributes the H2O thus reducing the chemical source of H. This decrease is more pronounced in the Northern rather than the Southern summer which is roughly consistent with the known morphology of PMCs. A model calculation which includes a PMC parameterization gives good qualitative agreement with the data suggesting that this process should be considered in global models of the coupling between the middle and upper atmosphere.

On recent interannual variability of the Arctic winter mesosphere: Implications for tracer descent

Observations from the Sounding of the Atmosphere with Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) experiment on the NASA/Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite show an unusual vertical displacement of the winter Arctic stratopause in 2006 with zonal mean temperatures at 0.01 hPa (∼78 km) exceeding 250 K. By contrast, at the conventional stratopause location near 0.7 hPa (∼50 km), temperatures were unusually cold. Simulations with the NOGAPS‐ALPHA model suggest that these are coupled to an unusually warm and disturbed lower stratosphere that filtered out many of the gravity waves that normally break at and above 50 km. The model also shows that downward transport in the 2006 Arctic vortex was enhanced relative to 2005. These results might explain observations of enhanced upper atmospheric NO descending to the upper stratosphere in 2006 and highlights the importance of gravity waves in modulating the coupling of the upper atmosphere with the stratosphere.