Vertical distribution of heat and sodium fluxes in the mesopause region measured by sodium lidar over Hainan, China (109°&thinsp;E, 19°&thinsp;N)

Wang, Xingjin; Fang, Xin; Gao, Wenhao; Chen, Xianhang; Liu, Tai; Yang, Chengyun; Chen, Tingdi; Li, Tao; Xue, Xianghui

doi:10.5194/amt-19-1629-2026

Articles | Volume 19, issue 5

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1629-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1629-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 19, issue 5

Research article

|

04 Mar 2026

Research article |

| 04 Mar 2026

Vertical distribution of heat and sodium fluxes in the mesopause region measured by sodium lidar over Hainan, China (109° E, 19° N)

Xingjin Wang, Xin Fang, Wenhao Gao, Xianhang Chen, Tai Liu, Chengyun Yang, Tingdi Chen, Tao Li, and Xianghui Xue

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Final revised paper (published on 04 Mar 2026)
Supplement to the final revised paper
Preprint (discussion started on 09 Oct 2025)
Supplement to the preprint

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

RC1:
'Comment on egusphere-2025-4803', Anonymous Referee #1, 27 Oct 2025

See uploaded pdf review file.

Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4803-RC1
- AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Xingjin Wang, 13 Nov 2025
  
  We are grateful for the reviewers' insightful comments. Our point-by-point responses have been uploaded as supplementary files.
  
  Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4803-AC1
RC2:
'Comment on egusphere-2025-4803', Anonymous Referee #2, 05 Jan 2026
The manuscript introduced a sodium lidar with an improved frequency offset monitor unit to better the vertical speed and flux measurements. The variation characteristics of the vertical heat flux, sodium flux, sodium density and temperature between 80 and 100 km over Hainan was presented. These measurements are essential for the understanding the dynamics in the mesopause region. The manuscript can be accepted and published on AMT.
There are some comments listed as bellowing.
In line 87, the photons should pass through a collimating lens, a narrow band optical filter and a converging lens, before being focused onto PMT.

An improvementof the lidar shown in the manuscript is the frequency offset monitor unit. Was the measured frequency offset corrected in the lidar measurements shown in the Figure 6?

In the Figure8, the histogram color of the measurement hours is different from the color in the legend.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4803-RC2
- AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Xingjin Wang, 07 Jan 2026
  
  Thank you for your thoughtful review of our manuscript. We have prepared a detailed point-by-point response to all comments, which is enclosed with this submission. In accordance with the journal’s procedure noted by the handling editor, the revised manuscript will be submitted separately under a new tracking number. This correspondence pertains solely to our response to the reviewers’ feedback.
  
  Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4803-AC2

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload

AR by Xingjin Wang on behalf of the Authors (14 Jan 2026) Author's response Author's tracked changes Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (15 Jan 2026) by Robin Wing

RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (25 Jan 2026)

ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (26 Jan 2026) by Robin Wing

AR by Xingjin Wang on behalf of the Authors (27 Jan 2026) Author's response Author's tracked changes Manuscript

ED: Publish as is (05 Feb 2026) by Robin Wing

AR by Xingjin Wang on behalf of the Authors (08 Feb 2026) Author's response Manuscript

Short summary

This paper reports the deployment of the first narrowband sodium lidar in the low-latitude region of China. The lidar observations are compared with satellite measurements and atmospheric models, confirming the scientific credibility of these results. Calculations of vertical gravity wave heat and sodium fluxes are used to investigate the influence of the space environment. This lidar system will provide a new ground-based detection device for studying atmospheric environment above the area.

Vertical distribution of heat and sodium fluxes in the mesopause region measured by sodium lidar over Hainan, China (109° E, 19° N)

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Interactive discussion

Peer review completion

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