Publication Date:
2014-05-07
Description:
Long-term observations from medium-frequency and meteor radars (1993-2012) and rocket soundings (1979-1990 and 2002-2007) are used to study mesosphere lower thermosphere (MLT) zonal wind variations in relation to the stratospheric winds over Northern low-latitudes. The combined dataset provides a complete height profile of amplitude of semiannual oscillation (SAO) up to 100 km, with an exception around 75-80 km. The SAO signal has maxima around 50 km and 82 km and a minimum around 65 km. The MLT zonal winds show remarkable inter-annual variability during Northern hemispheric spring equinox and much less during fall equinox. Zonal wind mesospheric spring equinox enhancements (MSEE) appear with a periodicity of 2-3 years suggesting a modulation by the quasi-biennial oscillation, which we identified with the strength of stratospheric westward winds. Out of 20 years of observations, the stratospheric westward winds are strong during 11 years (non-MSEE) and weak during 9 years. Six of these nine years show large MLT winds (MSEE) and 3 years (1999, 2004 and 2006) show small MLT winds (missing-MSEEs). These unexpected small winds occur in years with global circulation anomalies associated with strong sudden stratospheric warmings and an early spring transition of zonal winds. With the proposed three MSEE classes we take into account local and global forcing factors.
Print ISSN:
0148-0227
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
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