A comparative study of winds and tidal variability in the mesosphere/lower-thermosphere region over Bulgaria and the UK

Meteor radars located in Bulgaria and the UK have been used to simultaneously measure winds in the mesosphere/lower-thermosphere region near 42.5°N, 26.6°E and 54.5°N, 3.9°W, respectively, over the period January 1991 to June 1992. The data have been used to investigate planetary waves and diurnal and semidiurnal tidal variability over the two sites. The tidal amplitudes at each site exhibit fluctuations as large as 300% on time scales from a few days to the intra-seasonal, with most of the variability being at intra-seasonal scales. Spectral and cross-wavelet analysis reveals closely related tidal variability over the two sites, indicating that the variability occurs on spatial scales large compared to the spacing between the two radars. In some, but not all, cases, periodic variability of tidal amplitudes is associated with simultaneously present planetary waves of similar period, suggesting the variability is a consequence of non-linear interaction. Calculation of the zonal wave number of a number of large amplitude planetary waves suggests that during summer 1991 the 2-day wave had a zonal wave number of 3, but that during January/February 1991 it had a zonal wave number of 4.     

Mountain wave motions determined by the Esrange MST radar

A European campaign of ground-based radar, lidar and optical measurements was carried out during the winter of 1996/1997 (28 December–2 February) to study lee waves in the northern part of Scandinavia. The participants operated ozone lidars, backscatter lidars and MST radars at ALOMAR/Andoya and Esrange/Kiruna, and an ALIS imaging system in Kiruna. The Andoya site was generally windward of the Scandinavian mountains, the Kiruna site on the leeward side. The goal of the experiment was to examine the influence of lee waves on the formation of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs). This paper studies the radar data from MST-radar ESRAD located at Esrange [68.°N, 21.°E], i.e. in the lee of the mountains. We present three cases where strong lee waves were observed: in one case they propagated upwards to the lower stratosphere and in the other two cases they were trapped or absorbed in the troposphere. We examine the local waves and the direction and strength of the local wind using the radar, the synoptic meteorological situation using weather maps (European Meteorological Bulletin) and the synoptic stratospheric temperatures using ECMWF data. We observed that waves propagate up to the stratosphere during frontal passages. When anticyclonic ridges are present, the propagation to the stratosphere is very weak. This is due to trapping of the waves at or below the tropopause. We also show that the radar data alone can be used to characterise the different weather conditions for the three cases studied (through the variation of the height of the tropopause). The synoptic stratospheric temperatures in the three cases were similar, and were above the expected threshold for PSC formation. Lidar and visual observation of PSCs and nacreous clouds, respectively, showed that these were present only in the case when the lee waves propagated up to the lower stratosphere.     

A statistical study of underestimates of wind speeds by VHF radar

Comparisons are made between horizontal wind measurements carried out using a VHF-radar system at Aberystwyth (52.4°N, 4.1°W) and radiosondes launched from Aberporth, some 50 km to the southwest. The radar wind results are derived from Doppler wind measurements at zenith angles of 6° in two orthogonal planes and in the vertical direction. Measurements on a total of 398 days over a 2-year period are considered, but the major part of the study involves a statistical analysis of data collected during 75 radiosonde flights selected to minimise the spatial separation of the two sets of measurements. Whereas good agreement is found between the two sets of wind direction, radar-derived wind speeds show underestimates of 4–6% compared with radiosonde values over the height range 4–14 km. Studies of the characteristics of this discrepancy in wind speeds have concentrated on its directional dependence, the effects of the spatial separation of the two sets of measurements, and the influence of any uncertainty in the radar measurements of vertical velocities. The aspect sensitivity of radar echoes has previously been suggested as a cause of underestimates of wind speeds by VHF radar. The present statistical treatment and case-studies show that an appropriate correction can be applied using estimates of the effective radar beam angle derived from a comparison of echo powers at zenith angles of 4.2° and 8.5°.     

Vertical velocities associated with gravity waves measured in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere with the EISCAT VHF radar

The EISCAT VHF radar (69.4°N, 19.1°E) has been used to record vertical winds at mesopause heights on a total of 31 days between June 1990 and January 1993. The data reveal a motion field dominated by quasi-monochromatic gravity waves with representative apparent periods of 30–40 min, amplitudes of up to 2.5 m s^–1 and large vertical wavelength. In some instances waves appear to be ducted. Vertical profiles of the vertical-velocity variance display a variety of forms, with little indication of systematic wave growth with height. Daily mean variance profiles evaluated for consecutive days of recording show that the general shape of the variance profiles persists over several days. The mean variance evaluated over a 10 km height range has values from 1.2 m²s^–2 to 6.5 m²s^–2 and suggests a semi-annual seasonal cycle with equinoctial minima and solsticial maxima. The mean vertical wavenumber spectrum evaluated at heights up to 86 km has a slope (spectral index) of -1.36 ± 0.2, consistent with observations at lower heights but disagreeing with the predictions of a number of saturation theories advanced to explain gravity-wave spectra. The spectral slopes evaluated for individual days have a range of values, and steeper slopes are observed in summer than in winter. The spectra also appear to be generally steeper on days with lower mean vertical-velocity variance.     

Mesospheric bore formation from large-scale gravity wave perturbations observed by collocated all-sky OH imager and sodium lidar

On 9 October 2007, long-horizontal-wavelength gravity waves were observed for the first time to steepen and form mesospheric bores at the altitude of ～87 km, by an all-sky OH imager located at Fort Collins (41°N, 105°W), Colorado. The collocated sodium lidar simultaneously observed the presence of a temperature inversion layer as the ducting region. One mesospheric bore uniquely later evolved into a large-amplitude soliton-like perturbation. When the gravity wave and the associated soliton-like perturbation passed through the lidar beams, the lidar detected strong vertical disturbance at 90 km, indicating convective instability. A large cold front system recorded several hours before in the troposphere was aligned to phase fronts of these large gravity waves. For all of the 7 mesospheric bores observed over a 5 year period, we found a similar alignment with a cold front 1000–1500 km away as the likely source of these large-scale gravity waves.     

Mid-latitude summer response of the middle atmosphere to short-term solar UV changes

Temperature and wind data obtained with Rayleigh lidar since 1979 and Russian rockets since 1964 are analyzed to deduce the summer response of the middle atmosphere to short-term solar UV changes. The equivalent width of the 1083 nm He I line is used as a proxy to monitor the short-term UV flux changes. Spectral analyses are performed on 108-day windows to extract the 27-day component from temperature, wind and solar data sets. Linear regressions between these spectral harmonics show some significant correlations around 45 km at mid-latitudes. For large 27-day solar cycles, amplitudes of 2 K and 6 m s⁻¹ are calculated for temperature data series over the south of France (44°N), and on wind data series over Volgograd (49°N), respectively. Cross-spectrum analyses have indicated correlations between these atmospheric parameters and the solar proxy with a phase lag of less than 2 days. These statistically correlative results, which provide good qualitative agreement with numerical simulations, are both obtained at mid-latitude. However, the observed amplitudes are larger than expected, with numerical models suggesting that dynamical processes such as equatorial or gravity waves may be responsible.     

Coordinated optical and radar image measurements of noctilucent clouds and polar mesospheric summer echoes

Novel coincident 3-D radar, lidar and optical image measurements of dynamical structures in polar mesosphere summer echoes (PMSE) and noctilucent clouds (NLC) are presented. Common volume mesospheric measurements were made over central Alaska using the new Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR), a co-located Rayleigh lidar and remote, two-station digital image observations, enabling the first detailed investigation of the horizontal and vertical structures of NLC and PMSE. Coincident measurements were made of an unusual NLC display recorded on 10–11 August 2007, characterized by a broad luminous band that contained several prominent wave forms. Concurrent lidar and image measurements established the presence of NLC within the radar volume from ～09:00 UT (01:00 LT), when the solar depression angle was 10.4°, until dawn. Strong but intermittent PMSE were detected by PFISR, with distinct patchy structures that exhibited a similar southward motion as the NLC. Detailed comparison of the 3-D PMSE structures and the NLC lidar and image data have revealed striking similarities when account was taken of the NLC layer altitude, suggesting a direct link between their small-scale spatial signatures (within the current resolution of the radar measurements). At the same time, the lidar detected a sustained increase in the backscatter signal, while the imagers revealed the development of copious short horizontal wavelength (4.9 km) billow waves. We conclude that strong wind shears associated with the Kelvin–Helmholtz billow instabilities played a key role in the development of a neutral turbulence layer in close proximity to the NLC layer resulting in the strong but intermittent PMSE detected at 450 MHz on this occasion.     

Gravity wave intensity and momentum fluxes in the mesosphere over Shigaraki, Japan (35°N, 136°E) during 1986–1997

Averaged seasonal variations of wind perturbation intensities and vertical flux of horizontal momentum produced by internal gravity waves (IGWs) with periods 0.2/1 h and 1/6 h are studied at the altitudes 65/80 km using the MU radar measurement data from the middle and upper atmosphere during 1986/1997 at Shigaraki, Japan (35°N, 136°E). IGW intensity has maxima in winter and summer, winter values having substantial interannual variations. Mean wave momentum flux is directed to the west in winter and to the east in summer, opposite to the mean wind in the middle atmosphere. Major IGW momentum fluxes come to the mesosphere over Shigaraki from the Pacific direction in winter and continental Asia in summer.     

Calculating the azimuth of mountain waves, using the effect of tilted fine-scale stable layers on VHF radar echoes

A simple method is described, based on standard VHF wind-profiler data, where imbalances of echo power between four off-vertical radar beams, caused by mountain waves, can be used to calculate the orientation of the wave pattern. It is shown that the mountain wave azimuth (direction of the horizontal component of the wavevector), is given by the vector are radar echo powers, measured in dB, in beams pointed away from vertical by the same angle towards north, south, east and west respectively, and W is the vertical wind velocity. The method is applied to Aberystwyth MST radar data, and the calculated wave vector usually, but not always, points into the low-level wind direction. The mean vertical wind at Aberystwyth, which may also be affected by tilted aspect-sensitive layers, is investigated briefly using the entire radar output 1990–1997. The mean vertical-wind profile is inconsistent with existing theories, but a new mountain-wave interpretation is proposed.     

Changes of Ozone Content at Middle Latitudes During Forbush Decreases in Cosmic Rays

The variations of total ozone at Alma-Ata (43°N, 76 °E) and ozone profiles obtained by balloon sounding at Tateno (36°N, 140°E), Wallops Island (38°N, 75°W) and Cagliari (39°N, 9°E) in the periods of Forbush decreases (FD) in galactic cosmic rays have been analysed. A decrease of total ozone was observed in the initial stage of the FD and an increase 10–11 days later. The average total deviations calculated using the superposed epoch method for 9 FD events are equal to 30 D. U. in the positive and to –18 D. U. in the negative phase. The changes of average ozone profiles, associated with 26 FD events, are more significant in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere. The decrease of the partial ozone pressure at a height of 12–15 km is about 30 mb. These vertical variations of ozone coincide with the average changes of the respective temperature profiles. A cooling, on the average, of 3°C was observed at 12–15 km, and a heating of 4°C below this level.     

Letter to the editor Complete maps of the aspect sensitivity of VHF atmospheric radar echoes

Using the MU radar at Shigaraki, Japan (34.85°N, 136.10°E), we measure the power distribution pattern of VHF radar echoes from the mid-troposphere. The large number of radar beam-pointing directions (320) allows the mapping of echo power from 0° to 40° from zenith, and also the dependence on azimuth, which has not been achieved before at VHF wavelengths. The results show how vertical shear of the horizontal wind is associated with a definite skewing of the VHF echo power distribution, for beam angles as far as 30° or more from zenith, so that aspect sensitivity cannot be assumed negligible at any beam-pointing angle that most existing VHF radars are able to use. Consequently, the use of VHF echo power to calculate intensity of atmospheric turbulence, which assumes only isotropic backscatter at large beam zenith angles, will sometimes not be valid.     

Observation of 6.5-day waves in the MLT region over Wuhan

In this paper, the 6.5-day planetary waves over Wuhan (30.5°N, 114.3°E) were investigated on the basis of the meteor radar measurements within 78–98 km height region during February 2002–December 2005. The observations show that 6.5-day waves have a prominent seasonal variability and have larger amplitudes at equinoxes than at solstices. We also found that intensive waves occur mostly between 84 and 98 km, and the zonal components of 6.5-day waves are a little larger than its meridional components on average. The main periods of 6.5-day waves are near 6–7 days in spring/winter season and 5–7 days (even extend to 8 days) in autumn months. However, these waves exhibit a downward progression when the amplitude is large. Robust wave events occur basically in eastward background winds. During the 4-year interval, the strongest waves were found in Apri–-May of 2003 and 2004.     

Seismic Anisotropy Observations in the Mexicali Valley,Baja California,México

A study of seismic anisotropy was performed using data from earthquakes of the Mexicali Valley. The investigated region encompasses the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field (CPGF), one of the most important fields in the world. The results showed that at most of our stations the average polarization directions of the fast S waves range from N14°W to N17°E. A N-S polarization direction was obtained for the whole area by averaging the polarization directions from all stations used. In terms of the EDA hypothesis, this average trend agrees with the postulated state of stress for southern California, and with fault plane solutions for events of the Mexicali Valley. Notorious deviations from the N-S global trend were found southeast of the CPGF, with polarization trends between N25°E and N67°E, and in the geothermal field, with polarization directions between N7°W and N14°W. The polarization results for these zones indicated stress conditions that are different from the more regional stress pattern. The delay times that were measured between the fast and slow shear waves reached values of up to 0.6 sec, with a mean value of 0.35 sec. Consistent with our polarization results, the larger delay times (0.2–0.6 sec) were found in the CPGF. Smaller or null values were observed at the periphery of the study area. No temporal trends in the delay times were apparent, as shown by data from the two stations that recorded the larger number of events. Overall, we conclude that the splitting effects of this study result from a shallow anisotropy volume. The splitting results are thus interpreted as caused by the preferred orientation of vertical fluid-filled microcracks aligned in a direction that is parallel to the regional stress field. The stronger splitting effects that were observed in the area of the CPGF were found consistent with the geothermal reservoir that is embedded in the sedimentary cover of the zone, at depths of 1 to 4–5 km from the surface. We thus believe that such marked splitting effects have a direct relation with the reservoir of the CPGF.We are grateful to Miguel Navarro, Tito Valdez, and Manuel Luna for their contribution in the operation of RANM and for processing and cataloguing the strong-motion data. Ignacio Méndez and Francisco Farfán helped us with data from the RESNOM system. The study benefited from funding provided by CICESE and from grants awarded by CONACYT to Luis Munguía (Grants F195T and PCCNCNA-031339).     

Radar observations of prevailing winds and waves in the Southern Hemisphere mesosphere and lower thermosphere

HF radar stations (utilizing the spaced-antenna partial-reflection technique) located at Adelaide (35°S, 138°E) and Mawson Station (67°S, 63°E) have observed horizontal mesospheric winds continuously since mid-1984. Observations in the period 1984–87 are compared with the Northern Hemisphere [latitude conjugate] stations of Kyoto (35°N, 136°E) and Poker Flat (65°N, 147°W), and with satellite-derived circulation models. Particular reference is made to the equinoctial changeovers in zonal flow and to the temporal and altitude variations in the planetary wave activity at Mawson and Adelaide.     

Observations of gravity waves in the upper and lower stratosphere by lidar and ozonesondes

Lidar observations of Rayleigh backscatter and temperature profiles measured by ozonesondes have been used to investigate gravity waves in the upper and lower stratosphere, respectively, over Aberystwyth (52.4°N, 4.1°W). Both data sets have been used to investigate the vertical wavenumber spectrum of the wave field at high wavenumbers. Similar analytic techniques applied to each data set enable direct comparison of the spectra. The possibility of laminar structures generated by differential advection contaminating gravity-wave fields deduced from temperature and/or density measurement is discussed and the behaviour of the wave-field mean potential energy reveals a seasonal cycle throughout the stratosphere with a late winter maximum and a summer minimum.     

The characteristics of mountain waves observed by radar near the west coast of Wales

Radar observations at 46.5 MHz of vertical-velocity perturbations at Aberystwyth (52.4^○N, 4.1^○W) have been used to examine the incidence of mountain waves and their dependence on local topography and the wind vector at low heights. A contrast is drawn between the effects of easterly winds passing over major topographical features to the east of the radar site and those of westerly winds crossing low coastal topographical features to the west. Estimates are made of the vertical flux of horizontal momentum associated with mountain waves, and the general influence of mountain-wave activity on vertical-velocity measurements at the site is assessed.     

The 16-day planetary wave in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

A meteor radar located at Sheffield in the UK has been used to measure wind oscillations with periods in the range 10–28 days in the mesosphere/lower-thermosphere region at 53.5°N, 3.9°W from January 1990 to August 1994. The data reveal a motion field in which wave activity occurs over a range of frequencies and in episodes generally lasting for less than two months. A seasonal cycle is apparent in which the largest observed amplitudes are as high as 14 ms⁻¹ and are observed from January to mid-April. A minimum in activity occurs in late June to early July. A second, smaller, maximum follows in late summer/autumn where amplitudes reach up to 7–10 ms⁻¹. Considerable interannual variability is apparent but wave activity is observed in the summers of all the years examined, albeit at very small amplitudes near mid summer. This behaviour suggests that the equatorial winds in the mesopause region do not completely prevent inter-hemispheric ducting of the wave from the winter hemisphere, or that it is generated in situ.     

Comparisons between Canadian prairie MF radars, FPI (green and OH lines) and UARS HRDI systems

Detailed comparisons have been completed between the MF radars (MFR) in the Canadian prairies and three other systems: two ground-based Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI) and the UARS high resolution Doppler imager (HRDI) system. The radars were at Sylvan Lake (52°N, 114°W), Robsart (49°N, 109°W) and the main continuing facility is at Saskatoon (52°N, 107°W). Statistical comparisons of hourly mean winds (1988–1992) for the Saskatoon MFR and FPI (557.7 nm green line) using scatter plots, wind speed-ratios, and direction-difference histograms show excellent agreement for Saskatoon. No serious biases in speeds or directions occur at the height of best agreement, 98 km. If anything, the MFR speeds appear bigger. The same applies to the Sylvan Lake MFR and Calgary FPI, where the best height is 88 km. In both cases these are close to the preferred heights for the emission layers. Differences between measurements seen on individual days are likely related to the influence of gravity waves (GW) upon the optical and radar systems, each of which have inherent spatial averaging (350, 50 km respectively), as well as the spatial difference between the nominal measurement locations. For HRDI, similar statistical comparisons are made, using single-overpass satellite winds and hourly means (to improve data quality) from MFR. Heights of best agreement, based upon direction-difference histograms, are shown; there is a tendency, beginning near 87 km, for these MFR heights to be 2 or 3 km greater than the HRDI heights. Speeds at these heights are typically larger for the satellite (MFR/HRDI = 0.7-0.8). Reasons for the differences are investigated. It is shown that the estimated errors and short-term (90 min) differences are larger for HRDI than for the MFR, indicating more noise or GW contamination. This leads to modest but significant differences in median speed-ratio (MFR/HRDI < 1). Also, comparison of the two systems is made under conditions when they agree best and when they show large disagreement. For the latter cases both systems show higher relative errors, and the HRDI vectors are frequently small. It is suggested that spatial or temporal GW wind fluctuations are the likely cause of the larger HRDI-MFR disagreement when wind speeds are small. No satisfactory explanation exists for the overall discrepancy is speeds between the MFR and HRDI.     

Inertia-gravity waves in the troposphere and lower stratosphere associated with a jet stream exit region

Radar measurements at Aberystwyth (52.4°N, 4.1°W) of winds at tropospheric and lower stratospheric heights are shown for 12–13 March 1994 in a region of highly curved flow, downstream of the jet maximum. The perturbations of horizontal velocity have comparable amplitudes in the troposphere and lower stratosphere with downward and upward phase propagation, respectively, in these two height regions. The sense of rotation with increasing height in hodographs of horizontal perturbation velocity derived for hourly intervals show downwards propagation of energy in the troposphere and upward propagation in the lower stratosphere with vertical wavelengths of 1.7 to 2.3 km. The results indicate inertia-gravity waves propagating in a direction similar to that of the jet stream but at smaller velocities. Some of the features observed contrast with those of previous observations of inertia-gravity waves propagating transverse to the jet stream. The interpretation of the hodographs to derive wave parameters has taken account of the vertical shear of the background wind transverse to the direction of wave propagation.     

Ozone distribution over Mediterranean,central and southeast Europe during the International Quiet Sun Year (1964–1965)

Summary Ozone observations made during 1964 and 1965 at nine Mediterranean, central and southeast European stations (latitudes 38–52°N, longitudes 9–23°E) reveal patterns of seasonal and shorter time-variations in total ozone as well as in vertical ozone distribution. During the winter-spring season, a significant increase (20%) of ozone occurs essentially simultaneously with the spring stratospheric warming, and is noticed at all stations.—Autocorrelation coefficients show that the total ozone on any day is strongly related to the total ozone of the preceding four days in summer or one or two days in winter-spring or autumn. Changes of total ozone in southeast Europe correlate closely with those in Mediterranean Europe, and less closely with those from north central Europe.—Power spectrum analysis detects the dependence of ozone changes on processes with periods longer than 6–8 days, and indicates a significant oscillation with a period of 14–15 days, perhaps a result of the direct influence of lower stratospheric circumhemispheric circulation. — Reliable vertical ozone soundings were not available from all stations. The mean vertical profiles at Arosa, Switzerland (47°N) and Belsk, Poland (51°) are very similar. More than 60% of the variability of the total ozone is contributed by changes in ozone concentration between 10 and 24 km; less than 10% is due to variations above 33 km. Changes in ozone partial pressure at different altitudes, and relationships of those changes to total ozone, indicates that a mean vertical ozone distribution may be described adequately by considering the ozone changes in four layers: a) the troposphere, b) the lower stratosphere up to 24 km, c) a transition layer from 24 km to a variable upper border at 33–37 km, and d) the layer above 33–37 km.Part of this paper was presented at the Ozone Seminar in Potsdam, Germany, 27 September 1966.