Midlatitude Mesosphere/Lower Thermosphere Region Winds and Their Connection with European and Asian Tropospheric Parameters

Summary Investigation of long-term measurements of winter mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) region zonal winds has shown a connection of northern hemisphere tropospheric parameters and MLT conditions. These are on one hand due to a connection of the stratospheric polar vortex and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and on the other hand forced by a coupling of the troposphere/lower stratosphere and the MLT region through planetary wave propagation and wave-mean flow interaction. The connection between European and Asian winter climatological parameters and the NAO leads to the fact, that the signal of Eurasian winter conditions can be found in the interannual variability of MLT winds. Some of these winter tropospheric parameters influence the strength of the Indian monsoon in the following summer, and this leads to a correlation between winter MLT winds and summer Indian rainfall, so that the midlatitude MLT winter dynamics can be used as a precursory signal of the strength of the Indian monsoon. Received July 21, 1998 Revised November 1, 1999