Robert A. Vincent

A global climatology of diurnal tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is constructed using multiyear observations from fifteen meteor radars distributed worldwide. The results show that diurnal tidal amplitudes are strongest at low and mid-latitudes (10–50° N/S), with peak values of about 60 m s ⁻¹ near 20–30° N/S, and are comparatively weak near the Equator and at polar latitudes. The seasonal variations of the diurnal tide are characterized by maxima around the equinoxes and minima during the solstices. In addition to these global climatological features, we identify a clear modulation of the vertical structure of diurnal tidal amplitude and phase by seasonal variations in solar forcing, represented here by the solar zenith angle (SZA). This modulation is particularly evident at northern low and mid-latitudes, but is much weaker in the Southern Hemisphere. The hemispheric asymmetry suggests that the tidal response to solar forcing is not globally uniform. To further explore the possible cause of this asymmetry, we examine the meridional fluxes of zonal tidal momentum. The results suggest that background zonal winds can influence tidal propagation through filtering effects and momentum drag, thereby contributing to the observed hemispheric differences in tidal structure. These results provide new observational evidence for the coupling between solar forcing and diurnal tides in the MLT region and offer useful constraints for the evaluation of general circulation models. They also improve our understanding of tidal propagation and variability in the middle and upper atmosphere.

Long‐term observations at southern polar latitudes in the summertime mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT) reveal persistent nonmigrating semidiurnal tides, with the zonal wavenumber‐1 ( = 1) component being particularly dominant. Using nearly two decades of meteor radar wind measurements (80–100 km) from Davis Station (East Antarctica) and King Sejong Station (Antarctic Peninsula), we find strong agreement in mean zonal and meridional wind structures and their interannual variability. However, near the summer solstice, the semidiurnal tide exhibits pronounced longitudinal asymmetry: large amplitudes at Davis but weak at King Sejong. This disparity is attributed to interference between the westward‐propagating = 1 and = 2 components, analyzed via singular value decomposition. The decomposed = 1 tide shows interannual variability similar to that of the mean summertime zonal winds, with both variations highly correlated with the size and depth of the Antarctic ozone hole. Modal analysis indicates that, prior to solstice, the = 1 and = 2 tides correspond to the (2,1,4) and (2,2,6) Hough modes, respectively.

A global climatology of diurnal tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is constructed using multiyear observations from fifteen meteor radars distributed worldwide. The results show that diurnal tidal amplitudes are strongest at low and mid-latitudes (10°–50° N/S), with peak values of about 60 m s^-1 near 20°–30° N/S, and are comparatively weak near the Equator and at polar latitudes. The seasonal variations of the diurnal tide are characterized by maxima around the equinoxes and minima during the solstices. In addition to these global climatological features, we identify a clear modulation of the vertical structure of diurnal tidal amplitude and phase by seasonal variations in solar forcing, represented here by the solar zenith angle (SZA). This modulation is particularly evident at northern low and mid-latitudes, but is much weaker in the Southern Hemisphere. The hemispheric asymmetry suggests that the tidal response to solar forcing is not globally uniform. To further explore the possible cause of this asymmetry, we examine the meridional fluxes of zonal tidal momentum. The results suggest that background zonal winds can influence tidal propagation through filtering effects and momentum drag, thereby contributing to the observed hemispheric differences in tidal structure. These results provide new observational evidence for the coupling between solar forcing and diurnal tides in the MLT region and offer useful constraints for the evaluation of general circulation models. They also improve our understanding of tidal propagation and variability in the middle and upper atmosphere.

A global climatology of diurnal tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is constructed using multiyear observations from fifteen meteor radars distributed worldwide. The results show that diurnal tidal amplitudes are strongest at low and mid-latitudes (10°–50° N/S), with peak values of about 60 m s^-1 near 20°–30° N/S, and are comparatively weak near the Equator and at polar latitudes. The seasonal variations of the diurnal tide are characterized by maxima around the equinoxes and minima during the solstices. In addition to these global climatological features, we identify a clear modulation of the vertical structure of diurnal tidal amplitude and phase by seasonal variations in solar forcing, represented here by the solar zenith angle (SZA). This modulation is particularly evident at northern low and mid-latitudes, but is much weaker in the Southern Hemisphere. The hemispheric asymmetry suggests that the tidal response to solar forcing is not globally uniform. To further explore the possible cause of this asymmetry, we examine the meridional fluxes of zonal tidal momentum. The results suggest that background zonal winds can influence tidal propagation through filtering effects and momentum drag, thereby contributing to the observed hemispheric differences in tidal structure. These results provide new observational evidence for the coupling between solar forcing and diurnal tides in the MLT region and offer useful constraints for the evaluation of general circulation models. They also improve our understanding of tidal propagation and variability in the middle and upper atmosphere.

A global climatology of diurnal tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is constructed using multiyear observations from fifteen meteor radars distributed worldwide. The results show that diurnal tidal amplitudes are strongest at low and mid-latitudes (10°–50° N/S), with peak values of about 60 m s^-1 near 20°–30° N/S, and are comparatively weak near the Equator and at polar latitudes. The seasonal variations of the diurnal tide are characterized by maxima around the equinoxes and minima during the solstices. In addition to these global climatological features, we identify a clear modulation of the vertical structure of diurnal tidal amplitude and phase by seasonal variations in solar forcing, represented here by the solar zenith angle (SZA). This modulation is particularly evident at northern low and mid-latitudes, but is much weaker in the Southern Hemisphere. The hemispheric asymmetry suggests that the tidal response to solar forcing is not globally uniform. To further explore the possible cause of this asymmetry, we examine the meridional fluxes of zonal tidal momentum. The results suggest that background zonal winds can influence tidal propagation through filtering effects and momentum drag, thereby contributing to the observed hemispheric differences in tidal structure. These results provide new observational evidence for the coupling between solar forcing and diurnal tides in the MLT region and offer useful constraints for the evaluation of general circulation models. They also improve our understanding of tidal propagation and variability in the middle and upper atmosphere.

Long-term observations at southern polar latitudes in the summertime mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT) reveal persistent nonmigrating semidiurnal tides, with the zonal wavenumber-1 ($s$=1) component being particularly dominant. Using nearly two decades of meteor radar wind measurements (80–100 km) from Davis Station (East Antarctica) and King Sejong Station (Antarctic Peninsula), we find strong agreement in mean zonal and meridional wind structures and their interannual variability. However, near the summer solstice, the semidiurnal tide exhibits pronounced longitudinal asymmetry: large amplitudes at Davis but weak at King Sejong. This disparity is attributed to interference between the westward-propagating $s$=1 and $s$=2 components, analyzed via singular value decomposition. The decomposed $s$=1 tide shows interannual variability similar to that of the mean summertime zonal winds, with both variations highly correlated with the size and depth of the Antarctic ozone hole. Modal analysis indicates that, prior to solstice, the $s$=1 and $s$=2 tides correspond to the (2,1,4) and (2,2,6) Hough modes, respectively.

In this study, we report the response of migrating diurnal tides (DW1) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region to the Madden‒Julian oscillation (MJO). The DW1 amplitudes are decomposed from the neutral horizontal wind observed by four meteor radars in the equatorial region. The DW1 and zonal wind in the equatorial MLT region show consistent intraseasonal variations, implying that the upward propagating DW1 can affect the mesospheric zonal wind. By jointly analyzing the real‐time multivariate MJO (RMM) indices and mesospheric DW1, we found that DW1 responds strongly to the MJO during both boreal winter (difference relative to seasonal means: ∼20%–25%) and summer (∼25%). The MJO convection affects the mesospheric DW1 by modulating the solar radiative absorption by water vapor and latent heat release in the troposphere. The seasonal difference in DW1–MJO response can be attributed to a slight weakening of the DW1 tidal heating sources during MJO phases 1–4 and a significant enhancement during phases 6–7 during summer, driven by the moisture transport from the Indian Ocean and Pacific to the East Asian continent. This finding provides an opportunity to the understanding of the coupling between the troposphere and the mesosphere through migrating tides.

We present the migrating tidal winds decomposed jointly from multiple meteor radars in four longitudinal sectors situated in the equatorial mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The radars are located in Cariri, Brazil (7.4°S, 36.5°W), Kototabang, Indonesia (0.2°S, 100.3°E), Ascension Island, United Kingdom (7.9° S, 14.4°W), and Darwin, Australia (12.3°S, 130.8°E). Harmonic analysis was used to obtain amplitudes and phases for diurnal and semidiurnal solar migrating tides between 82 and 98 km altitude during the period 2005–2008. To verify the reliability of the tidal components calculated by the four meteor radar wind measurements, we also present a similar analysis for the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model winds, which suggests that the migrating tides are well observed by the four different radars. The tides include the important tidal components of diurnal westward-propagating zonal wavenumber 1 and semidiurnal westward-propagating zonal wavenumber 2. In addition, the results based on observations were compared with the Climatological Tidal Model of the Thermosphere (CTMT). In general, in terms of climatic features, our results for the major components of migrating tides are qualitatively consistent with the CTMT models derived from satellite data. In addition, the tidal amplitudes are unusually stronger in January–February 2006. This result is probably because tides were enhanced by the 2006 Northern Hemisphere stratospheric sudden warming event.

We present the migrating tidal winds decomposed jointly from multiple meteor radars in four longitudinal sectors situated in the equatorial mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The radars are located in Cariri, Brazil (7.4°S, 36.5°W), Kototabang, Indonesia (0.2°S, 100.3°E), Ascension Island, United Kingdom (7.9° S, 14.4° W), and Darwin, Australia (12.3°S, 130.8°E). Harmonic analysis was used to obtain amplitudes and phases for diurnal and semidiurnal solar migrating tides between 82 and 98 km altitude during the period 2005–2008. To verify the reliability of the tidal components calculated by the four meteor radar wind measurements, we also present a similar analysis for the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model winds, which suggests that the migrating tides are well observed by the four different radars. The tides include the important tidal components of diurnal westward‐propagating zonal wavenumber 1 and semidiurnal westward‐propagating zonal wavenumber 2. In addition, the results based on observations were compared with the Climatological Tidal Model of the Thermosphere (CTMT). In general, in terms of climatic features, our results for the major components of migrating tides are qualitatively consistent with the CTMT models derived from satellite data. In addition, the tidal amplitudes are unusually stronger in January–February 2006. This result is probably because tides were enhanced by the 2006 Northern Hemisphere stratospheric sudden warming event.

Twenty six years of medium frequency (MF) radar wind measurements made from 1994 to 2019 at Davis Station (68.6°S, 77.9°E) are used to study the mean response of the mesosphere‐lower thermosphere to stratospheric warmings in the Southern Hemisphere. Warming events were detected using Modern‐Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA2) data with a systematic search for reductions in the zonal‐mean circulation at 60°S and corresponding increases in polar temperatures. Some 37 events were identified, including the 2002 major warming and the large event of 2019, with an average of 1–2 warmings per year. At the 10 hPa level, the polar cap temperature increases ranged from 3 to 28 K, with a mean value of 12 K, while the zonal wind speed reductions varied between −6 and −43 ms⁻¹, with a mean value of −15 ms⁻¹. Peak values occurred near 40 km. Warmings occurred mainly between August and October, with a small peak in occurrence in April/May. The MF radar data showed an average reduction in the mesospheric eastward winds of about 5–7 ms⁻¹ at heights near 75 km that occurred 3–4 days prior to the changes in the stratosphere. Warming events were driven by episodic intensifications in planetary wave amplitudes, with quasi‐stationary planetary scale waves (PW) 1 being especially important. PW Eliassen‐Palm flux divergences show a systematic behavior with time and height that is consistent with a poleward residual circulation and downwelling over the pole prior to the warming events and an equatorward flow and upwelling after the peak of the events.