Semidiurnal Tidal Amplitudes Research Articles

The diurnal and semidiurnal tides over Ascension Island (° S, 14° W) and their interaction with the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation: studies with meteor radar, eCMAM and WACCM

Abstract. Horizontal winds in the mesosphere have been measured over Ascension Island (8° S, 14° W) in the tropical mid-Atlantic region throughout the years 2002–2011. The observations were made by a very high frequency (VHF) meteor radar. The observations reveal the presence of atmospheric tides of large amplitude. The observations are analysed to characterise the seasonal and interannual variability of the diurnal and semidiurnal tides. Monthly-mean diurnal tidal amplitudes are found to reach values as large as 48 m s−1 in the meridional component and 41 m s−1 in the zonal. A semiannual seasonal variation is found in diurnal tidal amplitudes with amplitude maxima at the equinoxes and amplitude minima at the solstices. Diurnal tidal meridional vertical wavelengths are generally in the range 24–30 km. The diurnal zonal vertical wavelengths are similar to the meridional, except for the winter months when the zonal vertical wavelengths are much longer, occasionally exceeding 100 km. Semidiurnal amplitudes are observed to be significantly smaller than diurnal amplitudes. Semidiurnal vertical wavelengths range from 20 to more than 100 km. Our observations of tidal amplitudes and phases are compared with the predictions of the extended Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (eCMAM) and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM). Both eCMAM and WACCM reproduce the trend for greater diurnal amplitudes in the meridional component than the zonal. However, eCMAM tends to overestimate meridional amplitudes, while WACCM underestimates both zonal and meridional amplitudes. Vertical wavelength predictions are generally good for both models; however, eCMAM predicts shorter diurnal zonal vertical wavelengths than are observed in winter, while WACCM predicts longer zonal vertical wavelengths than observed for the semidiurnal tide for most months. Semidiurnal amplitude predictions are generally good for both models. It is found that larger-than-average diurnal and semidiurnal tidal amplitudes occur when the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) at 10 hPa is eastwards, and smaller-than-average amplitudes occur when it is westwards. Correlations between the amplitude perturbations and the El Niño Southern Oscillation are also found. The precise mechanism for these correlations remains unclear.

Seasonal variation of wave activities near the mesopause region observed at King Sejong Station (62.22°S, 58.78°W), Antarctica

We analyzed the neutral wind data at altitudes of 80–100km obtained from a VHF meteor radar at King Sejong Station (KSS, 62.22°S, 58.78°W), a key location to study wave activities above the stratospheric vortex near the Antarctic Peninsula. The seasonal behavior of the semidiurnal tides is generally consistent with the prediction of Global Scale Wave Model (GSWM02) except in the altitude region above ~96km. Gravity wave (GW) activities inferred from the neutral wind variances show a seasonal variation very similar to the semidiurnal tide amplitudes, suggesting a strong interaction between gravity waves and the tide. Despite the consistent seasonal variations of the GW wind variances observed at the adjacent Rothera station, the magnitudes of the wind variance obtained at KSS are much larger than those at Rothera, especially during May–September. The enhanced GW activity at KSS is also observed by Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) from space in its temperature variance. The observed large wind variances at KSS imply that the Antarctic vortex in the stratosphere may act as an effective filter and source for the GWs in the upper atmosphere.

An unusual reduction in the mesospheric semi-diurnal tidal amplitude over Tirunelveli (8.7°N, 77.8°E) prior to the 2011 minor warming and its relationship with stratospheric ozone

There is an unusual decrease of semi-diurnal tidal amplitude in zonal wind at 88km over Tirunelveli (8.7°N, 77.8°E) prior to the onset of a minor warming event of 2011. During that time, there is a sudden decrease of TIMED-SABER observed ozone volume mixing ratio (VMR) at equator and 60°N. It is suggested that the enhanced planetary wave activity prior to the occurrence of SSW increases the strength of the Brewer–Dobson circulation, which transports stratospheric ozone, the solar insolation absorption of which mainly generates semi-diurnal tide, to high-latitude lower stratosphere and as expected, ozone VMR at 70°N increases in the lower stratosphere.

Composite analysis of the temporal development of waves in the polar MLT region during stratospheric warmings

During winter the wind field in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) at middle and polar latitudes is characterized by a strong variability due to enhanced planetary wave activity and related stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) events. Such events are considered as distinct vertical coupling processes influencing the atmosphere below and above the stratosphere. In the last 12 years, an enhanced number of SSW, compared to the period from 1989 to 1998, has been observed in the northern hemisphere. Every SSW is connected with different effects in the MLT (strength and temporal development of wind reversals, temperature changes, wave activity, longitudinal dependence). To characterize the average behavior of the mesospheric response to strong SSWs, we combine high-resolution wind measurements from MF- and meteor radar at Andenes (69°N, 16°E) with global temperature observations from MLS aboard the Aura satellite for SSW events with a return to the middle atmosphere normal winter condition afterwards. Our aim is to identify characteristic wave patterns which are common to the majority of these events and to define the average characteristics of the SSW-related wave activity in the MLT. These will be compared to the relatively quiet winter 2011 with only a short minor warming without a wind reversal and to the wave activity in 2009 and 2010. The results show clear signatures of enhanced mesospheric planetary wave activity before and during the SSW and an earlier onset of the short term wind reversal in the mesosphere compared to wind and temperature changes in the stratosphere. The strong eastward winds at altitudes below 80km after SSW are connected with an enhanced gravity wave activity caused by changed filter conditions. This provides evidence for a strong modulation of semidiurnal tidal amplitudes before and during SSW by planetary waves. However, no clear relation has been found in the temporal development of tides relative to the onset of the selected SSW events.

Long-term observations of the wind field in the Antarctic and Arctic mesosphere and lower-thermosphere at conjugate latitudes

[1] Mean winds, semidiurnal and diurnal tides, and trends and long-period oscillations spanning a solar cycle (from early 1999 through June 2010) measured by medium frequency (MF) radars at conjugate Antarctic and Arctic latitudes (Syowa, Antarctica, 69°S, 39.6°E, and Andenes, Norway, 69.3°N, 16°E) are described and compared. Zonal mean winds are stronger and more uniform from year to year over the Antarctic, with a stronger eastward winter jet spanning the range of altitudes presented (70 to 96 km). The summer westward jet is also stronger and maximizes at higher altitudes over the Antarctic than over the Arctic. The eastward winter jet over the Arctic, while generally weaker, exhibits a localized maximum in late winter at ∼2 to 3 year intervals. Meridional mean winds likewise achieve somewhat stronger maxima at higher altitudes over the Antarctic than over the Arctic. Semidiurnal tide amplitudes are typically somewhat larger over the Antarctic and similar in the two components, with maxima at ∼85 km or above and narrow responses that tend to cluster from ∼February to May and ∼September to November over the Antarctic and from ∼December to February and ∼June to September over the Arctic. Zonal diurnal tide amplitudes are quite similar between the sites, with maxima extending from ∼70 to 90 km and slightly stronger over the Antarctic. Meridional diurnal amplitudes display more significant growth with altitude, achieve stronger maxima at the highest altitudes presented, and typically exhibit a single and narrow maximum during December to February over the Antarctic and double maxima from ∼May to September over the Arctic. Also discussed are trends and long-period oscillations over a solar cycle observed in these mean and tidal wind fields.

TIMED/SABER observations of global cold point mesopause variability at diurnal and planetary wave scales

[1] Cold point mesopause is characterized by the coldest point in the temperature profile of the Earth's atmosphere. TIMED/SABER observations of cold point mesopause and its variability at diurnal and planetary wave scales are discussed in this study. For the first time, the diurnal and semidiurnal tidal modulations of mesopause are quantified on a global scale during all the four seasons, namely, winter, vernal equinox, summer, and autumnal equinox. The composite of diurnal variations of mesopause height and temperature are discussed during each season and using least squares fit, diurnal and semidiurnal tidal amplitudes and phases are obtained. Most of the features exhibited by the diurnal variation of mesopause height are consistent with the present understanding of the migrating tides. The diurnal tidal modulations of mesopause show its peak over equatorial latitude and change its phase around 20° latitude. The phase of the diurnal tidal modulation is consistent during all seasons expect for a phase shift of 4–6 h observed during boreal summer. The similarities/discrepancies between the latitudinal structure of migrating tides and the diurnal variation of mesopause height are discussed. The results reveal that the diurnal tidal modulations of mesopause height show hemispherical asymmetry, which is not reflected in mesopause temperature. The diurnal and semidiurnal amplitudes in mesopause height across the globe are comparable in magnitude and it is found that over equatorial and low latitudes, the variability of mesopause is maximum at these scales as compared to seasonal scales. Quantification of mesopause height at diurnal scales is very important as it also changes the chemistry of that region. In the present study, an attempt is also made to demonstrate the modulation of the mesopause by propagating planetary waves. The results emphatically show that propagating planetary waves do modulate the mesopause height.

6 year mean prevailing winds and tides measured by VHF meteor radar over Collm (51.3°N, 13.0°E)

The Collm (51.3°N, 13.0°E) meteor radar has been operated continuously since summer 2004. 6-year means of horizontal prevailing winds and tides at 80–100km height are shown. Qualitatively, the results confirm known circulation features, but some peculiarities are found. Mean winds are stronger than those that has been predicted by radar based empirical models, but, with respect to the order of magnitude, they agree well with the Horizontal Wind Model (Drob et al., 2008). Meridional mean winds are closely connected and linearly correlated with the mean zonal wind shear. Tidal amplitudes are stronger than those that have been frequently measured by earlier measurements. The semidiurnal tidal amplitudes exceed 60m/s at 97km altitude. The semidiurnal tide has maximum amplitudes during winter and another maximum in September, but in addition near the mesopause a tertiary maximum is found in spring. The terdiurnal amplitudes are stronger than those that are previously reported.

New discovery of coral rubbings in the north-western Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, Western India — GIS based evaluation

The Gulf of Kachchh in western India, with its arid climate, large semi-diurnal tidal amplitudes, negative water balance and near-pristine water quality, is being extensively developed as oil importing bases for economic reasons in connection with its proximity to the oil exporting countries of the Middle East. Besides, new coral rubbings were sighted in Jakhau, north-western Gulf of Kachchh. Dredging in Mandvi of the north Gulf covering 3.5 km^2 revealed a similar assortment of live corals with their associated flora and fauna. These pioneering observations demonstrate that there exist live corals of young polyps-colony of Favia sp. belonging to the family Faviidae in the north-western Gulf of Kachchh. The environmental parameters there were carefully recorded as: surface water temperature (℃) varying from 29 to 31.8, salinity (ppt), pH, dissolved oxygen (mgL^(-1)) and total suspended solids (mgL^(-1)) in the ranges of 37-43.5, 7.7-8.45, 5.4-6.8 and 11-31, respectively.

Long-term trends, their changes, and interannual variability of Northern Hemisphere midlatitude MLT winds

Piecewise trend analysis is applied to midlatitude mesosphere/lower thermosphere winds over Europe and Canada. In summer, there are similar trends in each time series of prevailing winds. The zonal prevailing winds in winter show partly opposite behavior at different longitudes, which may be explained by a stationary planetary wave (SPW) influence. Differences between Collm (52°N, 15°E) and Obninsk (55°N, 37°E), both in Europe, are correlated with SPW variability at the interannual time scale, and with tropospheric circulation at the decadal time scale. There are also hints that summer zonal prevailing winds are connected with Southern Hemisphere planetary waves at long time scales. The long-term variation of semidiurnal tidal (SDT) amplitudes corresponds with that of the zonal prevailing wind in a sense that several joint breakpoints of trends are visible. Obninsk and Collm SDT amplitudes show, however, an out-of-phase variability on the decadal time scale.

Variabilities of mesospheric tides during sudden stratospheric warming events of 2006 and 2009 and their relationship with ozone and water vapour

The present study demonstrates how the relationship between the high latitude northern hemispheric major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events of 2006 and 2009 and low-latitude mesospheric tidal variability in zonal winds observed by the MF radar at Tirunelveli (8.7°0N, 77.8°E) exists. It is found that the ozone mixing ratio increases at low latitudes during the SSW and it could probably be due to the SSW induced reversal of meridional circulation towards southward, which may aid the transport of ozone from high to low latitudes, but prevent the same from low to high latitudes. As semi-diurnal tide is produced due to solar insolation absorption of ozone and the increase in the ozone mixing ratio could be a reason for the increase in the semi-diurnal tidal amplitude. The variabilities of diurnal tide appear to be governed mostly by variation of specific humidity at 300hPa over equator and intraseasonal variability dominates the variabilities in both the parameters.

Diurnal variations of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric winds over Japan as revealed with middle and upper atmosphere radar (34.85°N, 136.10°E) and five reanalysis data sets

Diurnal variations in the troposphere are a source of the diurnal tides which are the prevalent dynamical phenomenon in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. They are also discussed as contributing to the excitation of Rossby waves. Here we study diurnal variations of upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric winds (up to 22 km) over Japan from 1986 to 2008 mainly using data from the middle and upper atmosphere (MU) radar (34.85°N, 136.10°E) and JRA25/JCDAS data, as well as other four global reanalysis data sets (ERA40, ERA‐Interim, NCEP1, and NCEP2) and output data from Global Scale Wave Model (GSWM). The diurnal and semidiurnal components are extracted and analyzed. For the diurnal wind component, the MU radar data are used to validate the reanalysis data, and the reanalysis data are chosen for the analysis. The diurnal amplitude monotonically increases with height above 15–20 km. The diurnal phase shows an upward progression up to 15 to 20 km, while above 15 to 20 km, it shows a downward progression in most months. It is found that the diurnal tide, defined as the diurnal component with absolute zonal wave numbers of ≤6, is dominant in the upper troposphere (explaining 60 to 80% of the variance) and in the stratosphere (explaining 80 to 90% of the variance). It is also observed that medium‐scale waves contributed to the diurnal wind component in the upper troposphere from winter to spring (∼20% of the variance). For the semidiurnal wind component, only MU radar data are used for the analysis, which confirmed that the semidiurnal migrating tide is dominant through the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. The semidiurnal tidal amplitude shows a marked seasonal variation in the troposphere; the amplitude is largest in winter (∼0.4 m s−1) and smallest in summer (∼0.2 m s−1).

External impact on wind in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere region

Regular measurements of the velocity and direction of the horizontal wind in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) region at a height of ∼95 km have been conducted since 1975 over Eastern Siberia (Badary observatory near Irkutsk), using the spaced-diversity reception method in the LF range. The accumulated database of measurement results (for more than 20 years, from 1974 to 1996) makes it possible to get information on the impact on wind in the MLT region from both below (stratospheric warmings) and above (geomagnetic storms as a consequence of magnetospheric disturbances) with sufficient statistical reliability. Effects of stratospheric warmings and strong geomagnetic storms in the prevailing wind and amplitude of the semidiurnal tide are evaluated by the superposed epoch method. It is shown that the effects of stratospheric warmings depend on the type (intensity) of stratospheric warming and on the phase of quasi-biennial oscillations of the wind in the equatorial stratosphere at the 30 hPa level. The response of MLT winds to external impacts is different for the 21st and 22nd cycles of solar activity. Effects of geomagnetic storms (A p > 100) are manifested in the decrease in the eastward prevailing wind and increase in the semidiurnal tide amplitude.

Seasonal variation of nocturnal temperature and sodium density in the mesopause region observed by a resonance scatter lidar over Uji, Japan

Temperature and sodium (Na) density profiles in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region were obtained by a Na temperature lidar observation at Uji, Japan (35°N, 136°E) for 136 nights (more than 1200 h) from October 2007 to January 2009. The seasonal and height variations of Na density and temperature in a Northern Hemisphere midlatitude Asian sector are reported for the first time and compared with results obtained in the United States over Colorado (CO) and New Mexico (NM). Monthly composite nocturnal variation indicated significant amplitude of semidiurnal tide in winter and a different tidal mode in summer. An annual variation was dominant in the Na density seasonal variation, with a maximum in November and a minimum in May. An additional second peak was seen at high altitudes (∼94 km) in June–July. This second peak was probably generated by the sporadic Na (Nas) layer frequently observed over Japan. Temperature above 98 km showed an annual variation with a summer maximum. Temperature at 83–98 km showed semiannual variation with peaks in September and April. This temperature variation was similar to that in NM, at the same latitude (35°N), but different from that in CO at 40°N, suggesting latitudinal difference. The summer temperature at 87 km agreed well among the three sites, but the winter temperature at Uji was significantly lower than at the other sites. This difference in winter could be due to an interannual variation and/or a longitudinal dependency possibly caused by nonmigrating tides.

Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar: System design and initial measurements of large‐scale winds and tides

The Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar (SAAMER) was installed at Rio Grande on Tierra del Fuego (53.8°S, 67.8°W) in May 2008 and has been operational for ∼24 months. This paper describes the motivations for the radar design and its placement at the southern tip of South America, its operating modes and capabilities, and observations of the mean winds, planetary waves, and tides during its first ∼20 months of operation. SAAMER was specifically designed to provide very high resolution of large‐scale motions and hopefully enable direct measurements of the vertical momentum flux by gravity waves, which have only been possible previously with dual‐ or multiple‐beam radars and lidars or in situ measurements. SAAMER was placed on Tierra del Fuego because it was a region devoid of similar measurements, the latitude was anticipated to provide high sensitivity to an expected large semidiurnal tide, and the region is now recognized to be a “hot spot” of small‐scale gravity wave activity extending from the troposphere into the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, perhaps the most dynamically active location on Earth. SAAMER was also intended to permit simultaneous enhanced meteor studies, including “head echo” and “nonspecular” measurements, which were previously possible only with high‐power large‐aperture radars. Initial measurements have defined the mean circulation and structure, exhibited planetary waves at various periods, and revealed large semidiurnal tide amplitudes and variability, with maximum amplitudes at higher altitudes often exceeding 60 m s−1 and amplitude modulations at periods from a few to ∼30 days.

Long‐term oscillations of the wind field in the tropical mesosphere and lower thermosphere from Hawaii MF radar measurements

Wind measurements in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere obtained with a medium frequency (MF) radar in Hawaii (22°N, 160°W) spanning ∼16 years are employed to examine the intra‐annual and interannual variability of the mean and tidal motions at altitudes between 84 and 94 km. Intra‐annual periodicities range from ∼3 to 12 months, with significant coherence in altitude and between the zonal and meridional components of each motion field. Interannual variations confirm the dominant periodicities identified previously at this site and elsewhere, in particular, the significant diurnal, and less significant semidiurnal, tidal responses at periods of ∼28 and ∼48 months. Amplitudes of these long‐period oscillations of the diurnal tide increase with altitude below 92 km and are larger than the amplitudes of the 12 month oscillations above ∼90 km. Phases of the ∼28 and ∼48 month oscillations show a downward progression with a slightly larger altitude variation in the meridional diurnal tide for the ∼28 month oscillation and a significantly larger altitude variation in the zonal diurnal tide for the ∼48 month oscillation. The long and nearly continuous Hawaii data set also enables characterization of the responses of the wind fields to the 11 year solar cycle. Both wind and tidal fields exhibit this periodicity, but these responses display interesting and different relations to the phase of the solar cycle. The 11 year oscillation of the meridional wind is nearly in phase with the solar cycle, while the 11 year oscillation of the zonal wind is in approximate quadrature with the solar cycle. The 11 year oscillations of the semidiurnal tidal amplitudes and the meridional diurnal amplitude are all in approximate quadrature with the solar cycle (with the tidal amplitudes leading by ∼29 to 37 months), while the 11 year oscillation of the zonal diurnal amplitude is somewhat nearer an antiphase than a quadrature relation to the solar cycle (leading by ∼54 months).

The first observation of the atmospheric tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over Hainan, China

Fuke (19.5°N, 109.1°E) meteor radar is the first radar of the low latitudes of China, which is used to detect the wind in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. In this paper, by using the wind data near three months (1 February–20 April, 2009), we first present the variation of the atmospheric diurnal tide, semidiurnal tide and mean wind in the height range 80–100 km over the low latitudes of China. The results from our analysis are summarized below. During spring months, there are quite strong tides in the mesopause region of Fuke. The diurnal tidal amplitude is significantly larger than the amplitude of semidiurnal tide, and the maximum amplitude (about 100 m/s) of diurnal tide appear in the meridional wind. The vertical phases of both diurnal tide and semidiurnal tide propagate downward. In addition, the observed tides are compared with the linear tide model (Global Scale Wave Model, GSWM02), and the results show that Fuke diurnal tide agrees well with the model, but there are many differences between Fuke semidiurnal tide and the results from model.

Relationship between variability of the semidiurnal tide in the Northern Hemisphere mesosphere and quasi-stationary planetary waves throughout the global middle atmosphere

Abstract. To investigate possible couplings between planetary waves and the semidiurnal tide (SDT), this work examines the statistical correlations between the SDT amplitudes observed in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) mesosphere and stationary planetary wave (SPW) with wavenumber S=1 (SPW1) amplitudes throughout the global stratosphere and mesosphere. The latter are derived from the Aura-MLS temperature measurements. During NH summer-fall (July–October), the mesospheric SDT amplitudes observed at Svalbard (78° N) and Eureka (80° N) usually do not show persistent correlations with the SPW1 amplitudes in the opposite hemisphere. Although the SDT amplitudes observed at lower latitudes (~50–70° N), especially at Saskatoon (52° N), are often shown to be highly and positively correlated with the SPW1 amplitudes in high southern latitudes, these correlations cannot be sufficiently explained as evidence for a direct physical link between the Southern Hemisphere (SH) winter-early spring SPW and NH summer-early fall mesospheric SDT. This is because the migrating tide's contribution is usually dominant in the mid-high latitude (~50–70° N) NH mesosphere during the local late summer-early fall (July–September). The numerical correlation is dominated by similar low-frequency variability or trends between the amplitudes of the NH SDT and SH SPW1 during the respective equinoctial transitions. In contradistinction, during NH winter (November–February), the mesospheric SDT amplitudes at northern mid-high latitudes (~50–80° N) are observed to be significantly and positively correlated with the SPW1 amplitudes in the same hemisphere in most cases. Because both the SPW and migrating SDT are large in the NH during the local winter, a non-linear interaction between SPW and migrating SDT probably occurs, thus providing a global non-migrating SDT. This is consistent with observations of SDT in Antarctica that are large in summer than in winter. It is suggested that climatological hemispheric asymmetry, e.g. the SH and NH winter characteristics are substantially different, lead to differences in the inter-hemispheric SPW-tide physical links.

Variabilities of mesospheric tides and equatorial electrojet strength during major stratospheric warming events

Abstract. The present study demonstrates the relationship between the high latitude northern hemispheric major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events and the reversal in the afternoon equatorial electrojet (EEJ), often called the counter-electrojet (CEJ), during the winter months of 1998–1999, 2001–2002, 2003–2004 and 2005–2006. As the EEJ current system is driven by tidal winds, an investigation of tidal variabilities in the MF radar observed zonal winds during the winters of 1998–1999 and 2005–2006 at 88 km over Tirunelveli, a site close to the magnetic equator, shows that there is an enhancement of semi-diurnal tidal amplitude during the days of a major SSW event and a suppression of the same immediately after the event. The significance of the present results lies in demonstrating the latitudinal coupling between the high latitude SSW phenomenon and the equatorial ionospheric current system with clear evidence for major SSW events influencing the day-to-day variability of the CEJ.

Seasonal variations of semidiurnal tidal perturbations in mesopause region temperature and zonal and meridional winds above Fort Collins, Colorado (40.6°N, 105.1°W)

On the basis of Colorado State University (CSU) Na lidar observations over full diurnal cycles from May 2002 to April 2006, a harmonic analysis was performed to extract semidiurnal perturbations in mesopause region temperature and zonal and meridional winds over Fort Collins, Colorado (40.6°N, 105.1°W). The observed monthly results are in good agreement with MF radar tidal climatology for Urbana, Illinois, and with predictions of the Hamburg Model of the Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere (HAMMONIA), sampled at the CSU Na lidar coordinates. The observed semidiurnal tidal period perturbation within the mesopause region is found to be dominated by propagating modes in winter and equinoctial months with a combined vertical wavelength varying from 50 km to almost 90 km and by a mode with evanescent behavior and longer vertical wavelength (100–150 km) in summer months, most likely due to dominance of (2, 2) and (2, 3) tidal (Hough) modes. The observed semidiurnal tidal amplitude shows strong seasonal variation, with a large amplitude during the winter months, with a higher growth rate above ∼85–90 km, and minimal amplitudes during the summer months. Maximum tidal amplitudes over 50 m/s for wind and 12 K for temperature occur during fall equinox. A detailed comparison with HAMMONIA predictions shows excellent agreement in semidiurnal phases. HAMMONIA‐predicted semidiurnal amplitudes generally agree well with observations; however, HOMMONIA underestimates temperature amplitudes in some of the nonsummer months as well as zonal wind and meridional wind amplitudes in April and September but overestimates them in February. To reveal the effects of the atmospheric background on vertical propagation of tidal modes and their relative importance in the composite semidiurnal tide during different seasons, we use the lidar‐observed monthly mean temperature and zonal wind from the same data set as well as HAMMONIA output to calculate the vertical wave number seasonal variations of the major tidal modes of the migrating semidiurnal tide. This leads to a qualitative understanding of the lidar‐observed and HAMMONIA‐predicted seasonal variation of the semidiurnal tidal perturbation.

Tidal variability in the ionospheric dynamo region

The seasonal and interannual variability of migrating (Sun‐synchronous) and nonmigrating solar atmospheric tides at altitudes between 100 and 116 km are investigated using temperature measurements made with the SABER instrument on the TIMED spacecraft during 2002–2006. Quasi‐biennial variations of order ±10–15% in migrating diurnal and semidiurnal tidal amplitudes are found, presumably due to modulation by the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) as the tides propagate from their troposphere and stratospheric sources to the lower thermosphere. A number of nonmigrating tidal components are found that have the potential to produce significant longitudinal variability of the total tidal fields. The most prominent of these, i.e., those that appear at amplitudes of order 5–10 K in a 5‐year mean climatology, include the zonally symmetric (s = 0) diurnal tide (D0); the eastward propagating diurnal and semidiurnal tides with zonal wave numbers s = −2 (DE2 and SE2) and s = −3 (DE3 and SE3); and the following westward propagating waves: diurnal s = 2 (DW2); semidiurnal s = 1 (SW1), s = 3 (SW3), and s = 4 (SW4); and terdiurnal s = 5 (TW5). These waves can be plausibly accounted for by nonlinear interaction between migrating tidal components and stationary planetary waves with s = 1 or s = 2 or by longitudinal variations of tropospheric thermal forcing. Additional waves that occur during some years or undergo phase cancellation within construction of a 5‐year climatology include DW5, SE1, SE4, SW6, TE1, TW1, and TW7. It is anticipated that the winds that accompany all of these waves in the 100–170 km region will impose longitudinal variability in the electric fields produced through the ionospheric dynamo mechanism, thereby modulating vertical motion of the equatorial ionosphere and the concomitant plasma densities. In addition to the wave‐4 modulation of the equatorial ionosphere that has recently been discovered and replicated in modeling studies, the waves revealed here will generate wave‐1 (SW1, SW3, D0, DW2), wave‐2 (SW4, TW1), wave‐3 (DE2, SE1), wave‐4 (DE3, SE2, DW5, SW6, TE1, TW7), wave‐5 (SE3), and wave‐6 (SE4) components of this ionospheric variability, depending on year and time of year. However, the absolute and relative efficiencies with which these waves produce electric fields remains to be determined.