Articles | Volume 13, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6067-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6067-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Nov 2020
Research article |
| 16 Nov 2020
| 16 Nov 2020
Variability of the Brunt–Väisälä frequency at the OH∗-airglow layer height at low and midlatitudes
Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Michael Bittner
Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, Augsburg,
Germany
Jeng-Hwa Yee
Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA
Martin G. Mlynczak
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
James M. Russell III
Center for Atmospheric Sciences, Hampton, VA, USA
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A powerful lidar system has been installed at the high-altitude observatory Schneefernerhaus (2575 m) to allow for atmospheric temperature measurements up to more than 80 km within just one hour. The temperature profiles are calibrated by values obtained from chemiluminscence of the hydroxyl radical around 86 km. The temperature profiles are successfully compared with satellite and lidar data.
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We show that machine learning can help in classifying images of the OH* airglow, a thin layer in the middle atmosphere (ca. 86 km height) emitting infrared radiation, in an efficient way. By doing this,
dynamicepisodes of strong movement in the OH* airglow caused predominantly by waves can be extracted automatically from large data sets. Within these dynamic episodes, turbulent wave breaking can also be found. We use these observations of turbulence to derive the energy released by waves.
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Short summary
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Ground-based OH* airglow measurements have been carried out for almost 100 years. Advanced detector technology has greatly simplified the automatic operation of OH* airglow observing instruments and significantly improved the temporal and/or spatial resolution. Studies based on long-term measurements or including a network of instruments are reviewed, especially in the context of deriving gravity wave properties. Scientific and technical challenges for the next few years are described.
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Patrick E. Sheese, Kaley A. Walker, Chris D. Boone, Adam E. Bourassa, Doug A. Degenstein, Lucien Froidevaux, C. Thomas McElroy, Donal Murtagh, James M. Russell III, and Jiansheng Zou
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Xiao Liu, Jiyao Xu, Jia Yue, You Yu, Paulo P. Batista, Vania F. Andrioli, Zhengkuan Liu, Tao Yuan, Chi Wang, Ziming Zou, Guozhu Li, and James M. Russell III
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Based on the gradient balance wind theory and the SABER observations, a dataset of monthly mean zonal wind has been developed at heights of 18–100 km and latitudes of 50° Sndash;50° N from 2002 to 2019. The dataset agrees with the zonal wind from models (MERRA2, UARP, HWM14) and observations by meteor radar and lidar at seven stations. The dataset can be used to study seasonal and interannual variations and can serve as a background for wave studies of tides and planetary waves.
René Sedlak, Patrick Hannawald, Carsten Schmidt, Sabine Wüst, Michael Bittner, and Samo Stanič
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6821–6833, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, 2021
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High-resolution images of the OH* airglow layer (ca. 87 km height) acquired at Otlica Observatory, Slovenia, have been analysed. A statistical analysis of small-scale wave structures with horizontal wavelengths up to 4.5 km suggests strong presence of instability features in the upper mesosphere or lower thermosphere. The dissipated energy of breaking gravity waves is derived from observations of turbulent vortices. It is concluded that dynamical heating plays a vital role in the atmosphere.
Manfred Ern, Mohamadou Diallo, Peter Preusse, Martin G. Mlynczak, Michael J. Schwartz, Qian Wu, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13763–13795, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13763-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13763-2021, 2021
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Details of the driving of the semiannual oscillation (SAO) of the tropical winds in the middle atmosphere are still not known. We investigate the SAO and its driving by small-scale gravity waves (GWs) using satellite data and different reanalyses. In a large altitude range, GWs mainly drive the SAO westerlies, but in the upper mesosphere GWs seem to drive both SAO easterlies and westerlies. Reanalyses reproduce some features of the SAO but are limited by model-inherent damping at upper levels.
René Sedlak, Alexandra Zuhr, Carsten Schmidt, Sabine Wüst, Michael Bittner, Goderdzi G. Didebulidze, and Colin Price
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5117–5128, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5117-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5117-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Gravity wave (GW) activity in the UMLT in the period range 6-480 min is calculated by applying a wavelet analysis to nocturnal temperature time series derived from OH* airglow spectrometers. We analyse measurements from eight different locations at different latitudes.
GW activity shows strong period dependence. We find hardly any seasonal variability for periods below 60 min and a semi-annual cycle for periods longer than 60 min that evolves into an annual cycle around a period of 200 min.
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Short summary
With airglow spectrometers, the temperature in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere can be derived each night. The data allow to estimate the amount of energy which is transported by small-scale atmospheric waves, known as gravity waves. In order to do this, information about the Brunt–Väisälä frequency and its evolution during the year is necessary. This is provided here for low and midlatitudes based on 18 years of satellite data.
With airglow spectrometers, the temperature in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere can be...
