Articles | Volume 14, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5015-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-14-5015-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Jul 2021
Research article |
| 21 Jul 2021
| 21 Jul 2021
Meteor radar observations of polar mesospheric summer echoes over Svalbard
ATRAD Pty Ltd, 20 Phillips St, Thebarton, SA 5031, Australia
School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Iain M. Reid
ATRAD Pty Ltd, 20 Phillips St, Thebarton, SA 5031, Australia
School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Chris L. Adami
ATRAD Pty Ltd, 20 Phillips St, Thebarton, SA 5031, Australia
Chris M. Hall
Tromsø Geophysical Observatory, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
Masaki Tsutsumi
National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3, Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
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Loretta Pearl Poku, Gunter Stober, Witali Krochin, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Diego Janches, Jie Zeng, Wen Yi, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Johan Kero, and Nicholas Mitchell
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6377, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6377, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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This study presents 3D spatially resolved wind fields in the MLT using advanced retrieval techniques. Specifically, a novel SVVP method in spherical coordinates to enhance the physical consistency of wind retrievals compared to the conventional VVP method in plane geometry and the 3DVAR+DIV method. The SVVP provides a robust framework for future MLT dynamics studies, and the 3DVAR+DIV retrieval is beneficial for high-resolution case studies due to its ability to capture small-scale variability.
Wen Yi, Jianyuan Wang, Xianghui Xue, Chengyun Yang, Iain M. Reid, Robert A. Vincent, Andrew Mackinnon, Damian J. Murphy, Njål Gulbrandsen, Masaki Tsutsumi, Baiqi Ning, Guozhu Li, Nicholas J. Mitchell, Tracy Moffat-Griffin, Toshitaka Tsuda, Alan Z. Liu, Zishun Qiao, Haiying Li, Paulo P. Batista, Jianfei Wu, Tingdi Chen, and Xiankang Dou
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1883, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1883, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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This study provides observational evidence that the solar zenith angle (SZA) influences the vertical structure of diurnal tides in the MLT region. Diurnal tides are strongest at low and mid-latitudes (10–50° N/S) and weaker near the Equator and at polar latitudes. The results further suggest that background zonal winds influence tidal propagation and structure through filtering and momentum drag.
J. Federico Conte, Jorge L. Chau, Toralf Renkwitz, Ralph Latteck, Masaki Tsutsumi, Christoph Jacobi, Njål Gulbrandsen, and Satonori Nozawa
Ann. Geophys., 43, 603–619, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-603-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-603-2025, 2025
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Analysis of 10 years of continuous measurements provided MMARIA/SIMONe Norway and MMARIA/SIMONe Germany reveals that the divergent and vortical motions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere exchange the dominant role depending on the height and the time of the year. At summer mesopause altitudes over middle latitudes, the horizontal divergence and the relative vorticity contribute approximately the same, indicating an energetic balance between mesoscale divergent and vortical motions.
Guochun Shi, Hanli Liu, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Alexander Kozlovsky, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Mark Lester, Christoph Jacobi, Kun Wu, and Gunter Stober
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 9403–9430, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9403-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9403-2025, 2025
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Concerns about climate change are growing due to its widespread impacts, including rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems. To address these challenges, urgent global action is needed to monitor the distribution of trace gases and understand their effects on the atmosphere.
Arthur Gauthier, Claudia Borries, Alexander Kozlovsky, Diego Janches, Peter Brown, Denis Vida, Christoph Jacobi, Damian Murphy, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Johan Kero, Nicholas Mitchell, Tracy Moffat-Griffin, and Gunter Stober
Ann. Geophys., 43, 427–440, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-427-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-427-2025, 2025
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This study focuses on a TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI)–meteor radar (MR) comparison of zonal and meridional winds and their dependence on local time and latitude. The correlation calculation between TIDI wind measurements and MR winds shows good agreement. A TIDI–MR seasonal comparison and analysis of the altitude–latitude dependence for winds are performed. TIDI reproduces the mean circulation well when compared with MRs and may be a useful lower boundary for general circulation models.
Florian Günzkofer, Gunter Stober, Johan Kero, David R. Themens, Anders Tjulin, Njål Gulbrandsen, Masaki Tsutsumi, and Claudia Borries
Ann. Geophys., 43, 331–348, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-331-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-331-2025, 2025
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The Earth’s magnetic field is not closed at high latitudes. Electrically charged particles can penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere, deposit their energy, and heat the local atmosphere–ionosphere. This presumably causes an upwelling of the neutral atmosphere, which affects the atmosphere–ionosphere coupling. We apply a new analysis technique to infer the atmospheric density from incoherent scatter radar measurements. We identify signs of particle precipitation impact on the neutral atmosphere.
Zishun Qiao, Alan Z. Liu, Gunter Stober, Javier Fuentes, Fabio Vargas, Christian L. Adami, and Iain M. Reid
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1091–1104, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1091-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1091-2025, 2025
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This paper describes the installation of the Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR) and its initial results. The routine winds are point-to-point comparable to the co-located lidar winds. The retrievals of spatially resolved horizontal wind fields and vertical winds are also facilitated, benefiting from the extensive meteor detections. The successful deployment and maintenance of CONDOR provide 24/7 and state-of-the-art wind measurements to the research community.
Jianyuan Wang, Na Li, Wen Yi, Xianghui Xue, Iain M. Reid, Jianfei Wu, Hailun Ye, Jian Li, Zonghua Ding, Jinsong Chen, Guozhu Li, Yaoyu Tian, Boyuan Chang, Jiajing Wu, and Lei Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13299–13315, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13299-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13299-2024, 2024
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We present the impact of quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) disruption events on diurnal tides over the low- and mid-latitude MLT region observed by a meteor radar chain. By using a global atmospheric model and reanalysis data, it is found that the stratospheric QBO winds can affect the mesospheric diurnal tides by modulating the subtropical ozone variability in the upper stratosphere and the interaction between tides and gravity waves in the mesosphere.
Thomas Edward Chambers, Iain Murray Reid, and Murray Hamilton
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3237–3253, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3237-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3237-2024, 2024
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Clouds have been identified as the largest source of uncertainty in climate modelling. We report an untethered balloon launch of a holographic imager through clouds. This is the first time a holographic imager has been deployed in this way, enabled by the light weight and low cost of the imager. This work creates the potential to significantly increase the availability of cloud microphysical measurements required for the calibration and validation of climate models and remote sensing methods.
Qingchen Xu, Iain Murray Reid, Bing Cai, Christian Adami, Zengmao Zhang, Mingliang Zhao, and Wen Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2957–2975, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2957-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2957-2024, 2024
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To have better understanding of the dynamics of the lower and middle atmosphere, we installed a newly designed dual-frequency radar system that uses 53.8 MHz for near-ground to 20 km wind measurements and 35.0 MHz for 70 to 100 km wind measurements. The initial results show its good performance, along with the analysis of typical winter gravity wave activities.
Gunter Stober, Sharon L. Vadas, Erich Becker, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Diego Janches, Zishun Qiao, Witali Krochin, Guochun Shi, Wen Yi, Jie Zeng, Peter Brown, Denis Vida, Neil Hindley, Christoph Jacobi, Damian Murphy, Ricardo Buriti, Vania Andrioli, Paulo Batista, John Marino, Scott Palo, Denise Thorsen, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Kathrin Baumgarten, Johan Kero, Evgenia Belova, Nicholas Mitchell, Tracy Moffat-Griffin, and Na Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4851–4873, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4851-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4851-2024, 2024
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On 15 January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano exploded in a vigorous eruption, causing many atmospheric phenomena reaching from the surface up to space. In this study, we investigate how the mesospheric winds were affected by the volcanogenic gravity waves and estimated their propagation direction and speed. The interplay between model and observations permits us to gain new insights into the vertical coupling through atmospheric gravity waves.
Juliana Jaen, Toralf Renkwitz, Huixin Liu, Christoph Jacobi, Robin Wing, Aleš Kuchař, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, and Jorge L. Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14871–14887, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14871-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14871-2023, 2023
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Investigation of winds is important to understand atmospheric dynamics. In the summer mesosphere and lower thermosphere, there are three main wind flows: the mesospheric westward, the mesopause southward (equatorward), and the lower-thermospheric eastward wind. Combining almost 2 decades of measurements from different radars, we study the trend, their interannual oscillations, and the effects of the geomagnetic activity over these wind maxima.
Florian Günzkofer, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Gunter Stober, Ingrid Mann, Sharon L. Vadas, Erich Becker, Anders Tjulin, Alexander Kozlovsky, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, Nicholas J. Mitchell, and Claudia Borries
Ann. Geophys., 41, 409–428, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-409-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-409-2023, 2023
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Gravity waves (GWs) are waves in Earth's atmosphere and can be observed as cloud ripples. Under certain conditions, these waves can propagate up into the ionosphere. Here, they can cause ripples in the ionosphere plasma, observable as oscillations of the plasma density. Therefore, GWs contribute to the ionospheric variability, making them relevant for space weather prediction. Additionally, the behavior of these waves allows us to draw conclusions about the atmosphere at these altitudes.
Gunter Stober, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Zishun Qiao, Witali Krochin, Guochun Shi, Johan Kero, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Kathrin Baumgarten, Evgenia Belova, and Nicholas Mitchell
Ann. Geophys., 41, 197–208, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-197-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-197-2023, 2023
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The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai volcanic eruption was one of the most vigorous volcanic explosions in the last centuries. The eruption launched many atmospheric waves traveling around the Earth. In this study, we identify these volcanic waves at the edge of space in the mesosphere/lower-thermosphere, leveraging wind observations conducted with multi-static meteor radars in northern Europe and with the Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR).
Wen Yi, Jie Zeng, Xianghui Xue, Iain Reid, Wei Zhong, Jianfei Wu, Tingdi Chen, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2022-254, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2022-254, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
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In recent years, the concept of multistatic meteor radar systems has attracted the attention of the atmospheric radar community, focusing on the MLT region. In this study, we apply a multistatic meteor radar system consisting of a monostatic meteor radar in Mengcheng (33.36° N, 116.49° E) and a remote receiver in Changfeng (31.98° N, 117.22° E) to estimate the two-dimensional horizontal wind field, and the horizontal divergence and relative vorticity of the wind field.
Gunter Stober, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Zishun Qiao, Ales Kuchar, Christoph Jacobi, Chris Meek, Diego Janches, Guiping Liu, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5769–5792, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5769-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5769-2022, 2022
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Precise and accurate measurements of vertical winds at the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are rare. Although meteor radars have been used for decades to observe horizontal winds, their ability to derive reliable vertical wind measurements was always questioned. In this article, we provide mathematical concepts to retrieve mathematically and physically consistent solutions, which are compared to the state-of-the-art non-hydrostatic model UA-ICON.
Juliana Jaen, Toralf Renkwitz, Jorge L. Chau, Maosheng He, Peter Hoffmann, Yosuke Yamazaki, Christoph Jacobi, Masaki Tsutsumi, Vivien Matthias, and Chris Hall
Ann. Geophys., 40, 23–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-23-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-23-2022, 2022
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To study long-term trends in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (70–100 km), we established two summer length definitions and analyzed the variability over the years (2004–2020). After the analysis, we found significant trends in the summer beginning of one definition. Furthermore, we were able to extend one of the time series up to 31 years and obtained evidence of non-uniform trends and periodicities similar to those known for the quasi-biennial oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
Gunter Stober, Alexander Kozlovsky, Alan Liu, Zishun Qiao, Masaki Tsutsumi, Chris Hall, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, Patrick J. Espy, Robert E. Hibbins, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6509–6532, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6509-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6509-2021, 2021
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Wind observations at the edge to space, 70–110 km altitude, are challenging. Meteor radars have become a widely used instrument to obtain mean wind profiles above an instrument for these heights. We describe an advanced mathematical concept and present a tomographic analysis using several meteor radars located in Finland, Sweden and Norway, as well as Chile, to derive the three-dimensional flow field. We show an example of a gravity wave decelerating the mean flow.
Wei Zhong, Xianghui Xue, Wen Yi, Iain M. Reid, Tingdi Chen, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3973–3988, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3973-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3973-2021, 2021
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Short summary
A radar in Svalbard usually used to study meteor trails was used to observe a thin icy layer in the upper atmosphere. New methods used the layer to measure wind speed over short periods of time and found that the layer is most reflective within 6.8 ± 3.3° of vertical. Analysis of meteor trail radar echo durations found that the layer may shorten meteor trail echoes, but more data are needed. This study shows new uses for data collected by meteor radars for other purposes.
A radar in Svalbard usually used to study meteor trails was used to observe a thin icy layer in...
