Abstract Using data collected from the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar during 5–10 February 2016, we present a study on the quarterdiurnal tide (QDT) from 250 to 360 km. A sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event occurred on 8 February coincided with our observation. The maximum amplitude of the QDT, at ~37 m/s, is comparable with the diurnal tide and much larger than the semidiurnal tide. The QDT is largely evanescent. Our results manifest that theFregion QDT could be as important as the diurnal and semidiurnal tides. The tidal waves show large variability before and after the commencement of the SSW. Our analysis indicates that the enhancement of the QDT is most likely due to the effect of the SSW. Nonlinear interaction of the diurnal tide with the terdiurnal tide is found to play a significant role in amplifying the QDT during the SSW event.
more »
« less
Evidence for SSW Triggered Q6DW‐Tide and Q6DW‐Gravity Wave Interactions Observed by Meteor Radars at 30°S
Abstract An exceptionally strong westward propagating quasi‐6‐day wave (Q6DW) with zonal wavenumber 1 in connection with the rare 2019 Southern Hemispheric Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) is observed by two meteor radars at 30°S and is found to modulate and interact with the diurnal tide and gravity waves (GWs). The diurnal tide is amplified every 6 days and a prominent 21 hr child wave attributed to Q6DW‐diurnal tide nonlinear interaction occurs. Q6DW modulation on GWs is confirmed as the 4–5 day periodicity in GW variances. Simultaneously, the Q6DW appears to shift its period toward the periodicity of the modulated GW variances. Enhancement is also observed in the first results of meteor radar observed Q6DW Eliassen‐Palm flux, which may facilitate the global perturbation and persistence of this Q6DW. We conclude that the observed SSW triggered Q6DW‐tide and Q6DW‐GW interactions play an important role in coupling the lower atmospheric forcings to ionospheric variabilities.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1828589
- PAR ID:
- 10498783
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Volume:
- 51
- Issue:
- 7
- ISSN:
- 0094-8276
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract The 17‐year SABER‐observed gravity wave (GW) temperature variances reveal significant responses of GWs to the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) over the middle atmosphere (30–100 km) in tropics and extratropics (45°S to 45°N) for boreal winter. The responses vary significantly with latitude but barely with altitude. From 20°S to 45°N, strong positive anomalies are found for MJO Phases 3–5, while negative anomalies for Phases 7–8. From 45–20°S, these patterns are reversed. The peak‐to‐peak differences (positive‐to‐negative anomalies) are ~6–16% relative to the seasonal mean. Comparison with MJO modulations on tropical convection and polar vortex suggests that GW responses in tropics may result from the modulation of GW source, while responses in northern extratropics may result from the modulation of polar vortex, which in turn modulates GW activities. These results highlight the importance of GWs to imprint the tropical MJO signals vertically to the middle atmosphere and horizontally to extratropical regions.more » « less
-
Abstract Using meteor wind data from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) in the Northern Hemisphere, we (1) demonstrate that the migrating (Sun‐synchronous) tides can be separated from the nonmigrating components in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region and (2) use this to determine the response of the different components of the semidiurnal tide (SDT) to sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) conditions. The radars span a limited range of latitudes around 60°N and are located over nearly 180° of longitude. The migrating tide is extracted from the nonmigrating components observed in the meridional wind recorded from meteor ablation drift velocities around 95‐km altitude, and a 20‐year climatology of the different components is presented. The well‐documented late summer and wintertime maxima in the semidiurnal winds are shown to be due primarily to the migrating SDT, whereas during late autumn and spring the nonmigrating components are at least as strong as the migrating SDT. The robust behavior of the SDT components during SSWs is then examined by compositing 13 SSW events associated with an elevated stratopause recorded between 1995 and 2013. The migrating SDT is seen to reduce in amplitude immediately after SSW onset and then return anomalously strongly around 10–17 days after the SSW onset. We conclude that changes in the underlying wind direction play a role in modulating the tidal amplitude during the evolution of SSWs and that the enhancement in the midlatitude migrating SDT (previously reported in modeling studies) is observed in the MLT at least up to 60°N.more » « less
-
This paper presents a study of the global medium‐scale (scales620 km) gravity wave (GW) activity (in terms of zonal wind variance) and its seasonal, local time, and longitudinal variations by employing the enhanced‐resolution (50 km) whole atmosphere model (WAMT254) and space‐based observations for geomagnetically quiet conditions. It is found that the GW hotspots produced by WAMT254 in the troposphere and stratosphere agree well with previously well‐studied orographic and nonorographic sources. In the ionosphere‐thermosphere (IT) region, GWs spread out forming latitudinal band‐like hotspots. During solstices, a primary maximum in GW activity is observed in WAMT254 and GOCE over winter mid‐high latitudes, likely associated with higher‐order waves with primary sources in polar night jet, fronts, and polar vortex. During all the seasons, the enhancement of GWs around the geomagnetic poles as observed by GOCE (at 250 km) is well captured by simulations. WAMT254 GWs in the IT region also show dependence on local time due to their interaction with migrating tides leading to diurnal and semidiurnal variations. The GWs are more likely to propagate up from the MLT region during westward/weakly eastward phase of thermospheric tides, signifying the dominance of eastward GW momentum flux in the MLT. Additionally, as a novel finding, a wavenumber‐4 signature in GW activity is predicted by WAMT254 between 6 and 12 local times in the tropics at 250 km, which propagates eastward with local time. This behavior is likely associated with the modulation of GWs by wave‐4 signal of nonmigrating tides in the lower thermospheric zonal winds.more » « less
-
Abstract Using 17 years of Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA‐2) data, significant responses of gravity wave (GW) variances, zonal winds and parameterized GW drag to the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) are identified globally during boreal winter, and their relations are examined. The relative anomalies of GW variances range from −4% (phase 7) to 8% (phase 4) in tropics, and −20% (phase 1) to 20% (phase 5) in the northern polar region (NPR). The anomalies of zonal winds are from −3–3 m/s and −4–8 m/s in tropics and NPR, respectively. The vertical and latitudinal structures of MJO signals in GW, wind and GW drag show coherent patterns. Further analysis implies that in the NPR, the eastward wind leads to westward momentum flux carried by the GWs. This flux leads to westward drag, which drives that of zonal winds and imprint the MJO signal in GWs to the wind.more » « less
An official website of the United States government
