Long-term changes of (polar) mesosphere summer echoes

Strong VHF radar echoes have been observed not only during summer months at polar latitudes (polar mesosphere summer echoes, PMSE) but also at middle latitudes (mesosphere summer echoes, MSE). These echoes are closely connected with small ice particles, thus containing information about mesospheric temperature and water vapour content. But the (P)MSE also depend on the ionisation due to solar wave radiation and precipitating high energetic particles. Observations with VHF radars at Andenes (69.3°N; 16.0°E) since 1994 and at Kühlungsborn (54.6°N; 11.8°E) since 1998 are used for investigations of the solar and geomagnetic control of the (P)MSE as well as of possible long-term changes. The (P)MSE are positively correlated with the solar Lyman α radiation and the geomagnetic activity and have slightly positive trends. Due to the limited measuring period, the significance levels of the detected (P)MSE trends are small. Positive trends in noctilucent clouds (NLC) and polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) are in general agreement with (P)MSE trends.     

Inter-hemispheric mesospheric coupling in a comprehensive middle atmosphere model

Observations of noctilucent clouds have revealed a surprising coupling between the winter stratosphere and the summer polar mesopause region. In spite of the great distance involved, this inter-hemispheric link has been suggested to be the principal reason for both the year-to-year variability and the hemispheric differences in the frequency of occurrence of these high-altitude clouds. In this study, we investigate the dynamical influence of the winter stratosphere on the summer mesosphere using simulations from the vertically extended version of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM). We find that for both Northern and Southern Hemispheres, variability in the summer polar mesopause region from one year to another can be traced back to the planetary-wave flux entering the winter stratosphere. The teleconnection pattern is the same for both positive and negative wave-flux anomalies. Using a composite analysis to isolate the events, it is argued that the mechanism for inter-hemispheric coupling is a feedback between summer mesosphere gravity-wave drag (GWD) and zonal wind, which is induced by an anomaly in mesospheric cross-equatorial flow, the latter arising from the anomaly in winter hemisphere GWD induced by the anomaly in stratospheric conditions.     

Variations in the area of the global field of noctilucent clouds of the northern hemisphere in 2007–2012 seasons

Using daily distributions of noctilucent cloud fields obtained for 2007–2012 by the AIM satellite, we analyzed temporal changes in the area of the global field of mesospheric noctilucent clouds. These clouds have been shown to be characterized by some common features that can be approximated mathematically by simple functions reflecting the seasonal course of the temperature and humidity regime of the high-latitude mesosphere, allowing a clear physical interpretation. We discuss the specific features of changes in the cloud field area for individual seasons.     

Homogeneous nucleation of amorphous solid water particles in the upper mesosphere

Condensed water particles are known to exist in the high latitude upper mesosphere during the summer months. However, the mechanism or mechanisms through which they nucleate remains uncertain. It is postulated here that particles of amorphous solid water (ASW, condensed water with a non-crystalline structure) may nucleate homogeneously in the summer mesosphere. Using classical nucleation theory and a one-dimensional model, it is shown that more than 10⁵ cm^?3 amorphous solid water particles can nucleate homogeneously under mesopause conditions. Furthermore, it is shown that homogeneous nucleation competes with heterogeneous nucleation on meteoric smoke particles when the cooling rate is >0.5 K/h. The homogeneous nucleation of amorphous solid water could provide an explanation for the high density of ice particles (many thousands per cm³) thought to be required for electron depletions in the upper mesosphere. A parameterisation for homogeneous nucleation is presented which can be used in other mesospheric cloud models.     

Charged meteoric particles as ice nuclei in the mesosphere: Part 2: A feasibility study

Recondensed meteoric material, so-called meteoric smoke, has long been considered the main candidate for condensation nuclei for mesospheric ice formation. Recently however, model studies have shown that meteoric smoke particles are transported away from the polar region, where ice phenomena such as noctilucent clouds occur, before they can grow large enough to serve as ice condensation nuclei. In the accompanying paper it is argued that charging of the meteoric smoke particles may solve this dilemma by significantly altering the efficiency of the particles as condensation nuclei. In the present paper, the feasibility of this idea is investigated more quantitatively, by analysing the time scales of processes such as charging, recombination, and particle growth. Despite large uncertainties, especially in the charging efficiency of the smallest smoke particles, we show that reasonable assumptions yield number densities of charged condensation nuclei that are consistent with what is expected for mesospheric ice phenomena.     

SOFIE PMC observations during the northern summer of 2007

This work examines the first season of polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) observations from the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE). SOFIE observations of temperature, water vapor, and PMC frequency, mass density, particle shape, and size distribution are used to characterize the seasonal evolution and altitude dependence of mesospheric ice and the surrounding environment. SOFIE indicates that ice is nearly always present during summer, and that the ice layer is continuous from about 81 km altitude to the mesopause and above. Ice particles are observed to be more aspherical above and below the extinction peak altitude, suggesting a relationship between particle shape and mass density. The smallest particles are observed near the top of the ice layer while the largest particles exist at low concentrations near cloud base. A strong correlation was found between water vapor and particle size with small particles existing when H₂O is low. This relationship holds when examining variability in altitude, and variability over time at one altitude.     

Observations of noctilucent clouds from Lithuania

We present an analysis of systematic visual and photographic observations of noctilucent clouds seen from Lithuania in the years 1973–2009. The main trends in the noctilucent cloud occurrence frequency and the mean brightness are derived from statistical and correlation analysis. A clear signature of the solar activity cycle is imprinted on the noctilucent cloud occurrence frequency and mean brightness, both showing distinct anti-correlation with the sunspot numbers; however, no statistically significant increase of either noctilucent cloud occurrence frequency or brightness has been detected at least over past 19 yr (1991–2009). The only statistically significant positive trend is established for the numbers of very bright noctilucent cloud displays in the years 1973–2009. The most recent noctilucent cloud observations are linked to variations of local mesospheric temperatures, measured by the Aura satellite.     

Modeling the temperature of the polar mesopause region: Part I—Inter-annual and long-term variations generated by the stratospheric QBO

We present results from the Numerical Spectral Model (NSM), which focus on the temperature environment of the mesopause region where polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) form. The PMC occur in summer and are observed varying on time scales from months to years, and the NSM describes the dynamical processes that can generate the temperature variations involved. The NSM simulates the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), which dominates the zonal circulation of the lower stratosphere at equatorial latitudes. The modeled QBO extends into the upper mesosphere, due to gravity wave (GW) filtering, consistent with UARS zonal wind and TIMED temperature measurements. While the QBO zonal winds are confined to equatorial latitudes, the associated temperature variations extend to high latitudes. The meridional circulation redistributes the QBO energy—and the resulting temperature oscillations away from the equator produce inter-annual variations that can exceed 5 K in the polar mesopause region, with considerable differences between the two hemispheres. The NSM shows that the 30-month QBO produces a 5-year or semi-decadal (SD) oscillation, and stratospheric NCEP data provide observational evidence for that. This SD oscillation extends in the temperature to the upper mesosphere, where it could contribute to the long-term variations of the region.     

Variations in the Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes during the Appearance of Irregularities of Noctilucent Clouds

Variations in the amplitude of the ordinary wave from a received signal on a partial reflection radar at a short-wave range on the Kola Peninsula during the appearance of noctilucent clouds on August 12, 2016, are examined. Noctilucent clouds are registered by the all-sky camera located 100 km southward of the partial reflection radar. They extended over the entire celestial hemisphere observed by the all-sky camera; all of them moved in the southern direction, and the clouds had a tenuous structure and showed gravity waves with spatial periods of 15–100 km. During the presence of noctilucent clouds over the partial reflection radar, polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSEs) were recorded at heights of 83–86 km. It was found that the presence of only noctilucent clouds in diagram of the antenna pattern of partial frequency radar is not sufficient for the appearance of PMSEs; noctilucent clouds must also have irregularities of several kilometers. The PMSE heights decreased with a velocity of 0.5 and 1.3 m/s. The issue of aerosols that cause the appearance of PMSEs and noctilucent clouds is discussed.     

The cloud imaging and particle size experiment on the aeronomy of ice in the mesosphere mission: Cloud morphology for the northern 2007 season

The Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) mission was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 4:26:03 EDT on April 25, 2007, becoming the first satellite mission dedicated to the study of noctilucent clouds (NLCs), also known as polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) when viewed from space. We present the first results from one of the three instruments on board the satellite, the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) instrument. CIPS has produced detailed morphology of the Northern 2007 PMC and Southern 2007/2008 seasons with 5 km horizontal spatial resolution. CIPS, with its very large angular field of view, images cloud structures at multiple scattering angles within a narrow spectral bandpass centered at 265 nm. Spatial coverage is 100% above about 70° latitude, where camera views overlap from orbit to orbit, and terminates at about 82°. Spatial coverage decreases to about 50% at the lowest latitudes where data are collected (35°). Cloud structures have for the first time been mapped out over nearly the entire summertime polar region. These structures include ‘ice rings’, spatially small but bright clouds, and large regions (‘ice-free regions’) in the heart of the cloud season essentially devoid of ice particles. The ice rings bear a close resemblance to tropospheric convective outflow events, suggesting a point source of mesospheric convection. These rings (often circular arcs) are most likely Type IV NLC (‘whirls’ in the standard World Meteorological Organization (WMO) nomenclature).     

Mesospheric cloud observations at unusually low latitudes

Noctilucent clouds (NLC) are a beautiful, high-latitude, summertime phenomenon that was first reported over 100 years ago. They are seen during the hours of twilight by the scattering of sunlight from sub-micron-sized ice particles that form in the vicinity of the cold mesopause region. NLC are quite distinctive, often appearing silvery-blue in color. In recent years there has been a marked increase in their frequency of occurrence, possibly due to an increase in mesospheric water vapor and/or to a cooling of the mesopause region, prompting speculation that they are “harbingers” of potentially serious changes in the mesospheric climate. In concert with this trend there are also a growing number of ground-based NLC sightings at significantly lower latitudes than expected. Here we report two unusual NLC displays photographed from Logan, UT, USA (∼42°N) during June 1999, well over 10° lower in latitude than expected and implying a major, yet temporary, departure from normal mid-latitude summertime conditions. These data provide new evidence for the occasional expansion of NLC to unusually low latitudes possibly due to exceptional dynamical forcing. Alternatively, they may be an early indicator of significant long-term changes taking place in the upper mesospheric summertime environment.     

A case study of the evolution of a Kelvin–Helmholtz wave and turbulence in noctilucent clouds

Bright and extensive noctilucent clouds (NLC) were observed in Århus (Denmark) on 3/4 July of 2008 with an automatic digital camera taking images every minute. This event was unique in the sense that bright NLC were seen at high elevation angles (more than 30°) that allowed observing the evolution of a Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) wave, resulted in well-developed turbulence. In particular, coherent vortex structures of a horseshoe-shaped form were observed for the first time in noctilucent clouds. The turbulent diffusion coefficient and turbulent energy dissipation rate around the mesopause are estimated in the range 162–667 m²/s and 300–1235 mW/kg, respectively, representing a case of strong neutral air turbulence in noctilucent clouds. Turbulent structures were observed to be in the vicinity of breaking small-scale gravity waves that seems to be responsible for a high level of turbulence.At the same time, it has been demonstrated that it is of importance to take into account non-turbulent process such as the gravity wave motion that is always present in NLC layers. Unless non-turbulent process is taken into account, this certainly leads to overestimating of the value of the turbulent diffusion coefficient. More accurate characteristics of turbulence in NLC can be obtained by analyzing a sequence of high-resolution images with a high frame-rate high-resolution digital camera.     

Modeling the temperature of the polar mesopause region: Part II—Intra-seasonal monthly oscillations

Measurements show that the polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) can vary, in the zonal mean, with periods around 1 month [Bailey et al., 2005. Observations of polar mesospheric clouds by the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer. J. Geophys. Res. 110, D13203, doi:10.1029/2004JD005422]. This observation has been the impetus for the present paper, where we describe corresponding temperature oscillations generated by the Numerical Spectral Model (NSM). Our numerical results are taken from the 3D and 2D versions of the NSM, which produce inter-annual and long-term variations in the polar mesopause region, as discussed in the accompanying paper (Part I). In the NSM, the intra-seasonal temperature variations with periods around 2 months are generated by the meridional winds that in turn are accelerated by the momentum deposition from small-scale gravity waves (GW) propagating north/south. The wave-driven dynamical process underlying the oscillations is intrinsically non-linear like that generating the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). Our analysis demonstrates that the seasonal annual and semi-annual variations excite the oscillation frequencies through non-linear cascading.     

News from the Lower Ionosphere: A Review of Recent Developments

Current knowledge concerning the lower ionosphere (D- and E-region) is reviewed with an emphasis on new aspects of empirical results. Starting with an overview of experimental techniques and corresponding data bases, both regarding charged as well as the most relevant neutral constituents of this altitude range, the ionospheric variability is discussed both concerning regular (e.g. diurnal and seasonal) as well as irregular variations (e.g. driven by the variability of nitric oxide). We then turn to ‘new players’ in the lower ionosphere, i.e. charged aerosol particles such as mesospheric ice particles in noctilucent clouds or polar mesospheric summer echoes and meteor smoke particles originating from ablated meteoric matter. These species have received considerable attention in recent years, in part because it is speculated that observations of their properties might be useful for the detection of climate change signals. The available experimental data base regarding these species is reviewed and we show that there is now compelling evidence for the ubiquitous presence of these very heavy charge carriers throughout the lower ionosphere. While many fundamental details regarding these charged species are not yet completely understood, this emphasizes that charged aerosol particles may not be neglected in a comprehensive treatment of the lower ionospheric charge balance and related phenomena. Finally, we close with suggestions for future research.     

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.     

Polar mesospheric clouds seen from geostationary orbit

The visible image data archived by EUMETSAT have been examined to discover if the whole-Earth images acquired from the geostationary meteorological satellite, METEOSAT, show polar mesospheric clouds above the limb. Images from the northern summer of 1995 show polar mesospheric clouds frequently in June and July at the highest visible latitude (81.3°N) and on occasion extending down as low as 65°N. A first-look at days through the summer shows that there is no marked forward-scatter of sunlight from the clouds and that it is possible to choose times of day throughout the year when there will be no interference to the detection of polar mesospheric clouds from ghost images of the Sun or from light scattered in the optical system of the radiometer. With over 20 years of data in the archive, available for both northern and southern hemispheres, taken under controlled conditions, studies of the climatology of polar mesospheric clouds can develop significantly.     

Charged meteoric smoke as ice nuclei in the mesosphere: Part 1—A review of basic concepts

The role of meteoric smoke as condensation nuclei for mesospheric ice has recently been challenged by model simulations on the global transport of meteoric material. At the same time a considerable fraction of smoke particles is charged in the mesosphere. This has significant effects on nucleation processes as it can remove the Kelvin barrier. We suggest that in particular nucleation on negatively charged smoke is likely to be a dominant mechanism for mesospheric ice formation. This is in contrast to nucleation on positive ion clusters as the latter is largely hampered by efficient ion/electron recombination. Surprisingly, the large potential of nucleation on charged smoke has so far not been considered in mesospheric ice models. A challenging question concerns the fraction of mesospheric smoke that is actually charged. An improved understanding of mesospheric charging and nucleation will require laboratory experiments on nuclei in the transition regime between molecular and particulate sizes.     

Global pattern of trends in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere: Recent progress

The global pattern of long-term trends and changes in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere has been presented by Laštovička et al. [2006a. Global change in the upper atmosphere. Science 314 (5803), 1253–1254]. Trends in the mesospheric temperature, electron concentration in the lower ionosphere, electron concentration and height of its maximum in the E-region, electron concentration in the F1-region maximum, thermospheric neutral density and F-region ion temperature qualitatively agree with consequences of the enhanced greenhouse effect and form a consistent pattern of global change in the upper atmosphere. Three groups of parameters were identified as not-fitting this global pattern, the F2-region ionosphere, mesospheric water vapour, and the mesosphere/upper thermosphere dynamics. The paper reports progress in development of the global pattern of trends with emphasis to these three open problems. There are several other factors contributing to long-term trends, namely the stratospheric ozone depletion, mesospheric water vapour concentration changes, long-term changes of geomagnetic activity and of the Earth's magnetic field.     

High-altitude data assimilation system experiments for the northern summer mesosphere season of 2007

A global numerical weather prediction system is extended to the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) and used to assimilate high-altitude satellite measurements of temperature, water vapor and ozone from MLS and SABER during May–July 2007. Assimilated temperature and humidity from 100 to 0.001 hPa show minimal biases compared to satellite data and existing analysis fields. Saturation ratios derived diagnostically from these assimilated temperature and water vapor fields at PMC altitudes and latitudes compare well with seasonal variations in PMC frequency measured from the aeronomy of ice in the mesosphere (AIM) satellite. Synoptic maps of these diagnostic saturation ratios correlate geographically with three independent transient mesospheric cloud events observed at midlatitudes by SHIMMER on STPSat-1 and by ground observers during June 2007. Assimilated temperatures and winds reveal broadly realistic amplitudes of the quasi 5-day wave and migrating tides as a function of latitude and height. For example, analyzed winds capture the dominant semidiurnal MLT wind patterns at 55°N in June 2007 measured independently by a meteor radar. The 5-day wave and migrating diurnal tide also modulate water vapor mixing ratios in the polar summer MLT. Possible origins of this variability are discussed.     

First HF radar measurements of summer mesopause echoes at SURA

HF sounding of the mesosphere was first carried out at SURA in summer 1994 at frequencies in the range 8–9 MHz using one of the sub-arrays of the SURA heating facility. The observations had a range resolution of 3 km. Almost all measurements indicated the presence of strong radar returns from altitudes between 83 and 90 km with features very similar to VHP measurements of mesopause summer echoes at mid-latitudes and polar mesopause summer echoes. In contrast to VHP observations, HF mesopause echoes are almost always present.