Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net
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2009
10.5194/acpd-9-10271-2009
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/10271/2009/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/10271/2009/acpd-9-10271-2009.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/9/10271/2009/acpd-9-10271-2009.pdf
10271
10301
2009-04-24
The two-day wave in the Antarctic and Arctic mesosphere and lower thermosphere
V. M. Tunbridge
vt211@bath.ac.uk
N. J. Mitchell
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK
There have been comparatively few studies reported of the 2-day planetary
wave in the middle atmosphere at polar latitudes. Here we report studies
made using high-latitude meteor radars at Rothera in the Antarctic (68° S, 68° W) and Esrange in Arctic Sweden (68° N, 21° E).
Observations from 2005–2008 are used for Rothera and from 1999–2008 for
Esrange. Data were recorded for heights of 80–100 km. The radar data
reveal distinct summertime and wintertime 2-day waves. The Antarctic
summertime wave occurs with significant amplitudes in January–February at
heights between about 88–100 km. Horizontal wind monthly variances
associated with the wave exceed 160 m<sup>2</sup> s<sup>−2</sup> and the zonal component
has larger amplitudes than the meridional. In contrast, the Arctic
summertime wave occurs for a longer duration, June–August and has
meridional amplitudes larger than zonal. The Arctic summertime wave is
weaker than that in the Antarctic and maximum monthly variances are
typically 60 m<sup>2</sup> s<sup>−2</sup>. In both hemispheres the summertime wave
reaches largest amplitudes in the strongly sheared eastward zonal flow above
the zero wind line and is largely absent in the westward flow below. The
observed differences in the summertime wave is probably due to the
differences in the background zonal winds in the two hemispheres. The
Antarctic and Arctic wintertime waves have very similar behavior. The
Antarctic wave has significant amplitudes in May–August and the Arctic
wave in November–February. Both are evident across the full height range
observed.
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