Articles | Volume 19, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1697-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-19-1697-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Mar 2026
Research article |
| 09 Mar 2026
| 09 Mar 2026
A comparative study of mesospheric zonal wind observations from Na lidar and multistatic meteor radars above Hefei, China
Chao Ban
State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Extreme Meteorology, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Laboratory of Middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Xin Fang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Anhui Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory and Research Station, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Anhui Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory and Research Station, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Gunter Stober
Institute of Applied Physics and Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, Microwave Physics, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Weilin Pan
State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Extreme Meteorology, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Laboratory of Middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Xianghui Xue
CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Anhui Mengcheng National Geophysical Observatory and Research Station, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2103–2123, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2103-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2103-2026, 2026
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1783–1799, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1783-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1783-2026, 2026
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1629–1641, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1629-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1629-2026, 2026
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Incoherent scatter radars (ISRs) are an important measurement tool for space weather research. However, ISR measurements require previous knowledge of the state of the ionosphere, especially the ratio of atomic oxygen ions (O+) to electrons. We present ISR measurements during the May 2024 "Mothers' Day Storm" and apply data assimilation-based O+ ratios, which should result in more accurate ISR measurements. The advantages and disadvantages of our method are compared to those of other approaches.
Ales Kuchar, Matthias Stocker, Alistair Bell, Bruno Lehner, Jessica Kult-Herdin, Gabriel Chiodo, Timofei Sukhodolov, Eugene Rozanov, Gunter Stober, and Harald E. Rieder
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We investigated why the Northern Hemisphere winter polar vortex became unusually strong in the winter of 2024/2025. Using satellite and reanalysis datasets, and model simulations, we found that extra water erupted high in the atmosphere by the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption led to cooling of polar latitudes of the upper atmosphere, helping the winds aloft intensify. This link suggests such volcanic eruptions can shape winters in the upper atmosphere for several years.
Louis Mirallie, Eliane Maillard Barras, Caroline Jonas, Corinne Vigouroux, Roeland Van Malderen, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Thierry Leblanc, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Antoine Vadès, Rolf Ruefenach, Alexander Haefele, Gunter Stober, Peter Effertz, Julian Gröbner, Gerard Ancellet, María Cazorla, Petra Duff, Matthias Frey, Michael Gill, James W. Hannigan, Nicholas Jones, Rigel Kivi, Raphael Koehler, Bogumil Kois, Debra Kollonige, Emmanuel Mahieu, Glen McConville, Johan Mellqvist, Gary Morris, Isao Murata, Tomoo Nagahama, Gerald E. Nedoluha, Shin-Ya Ogino, Richard Querel, Ryan Stauffer, Wolfgang Stremme, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Anne Thompson, and Yana Virolainen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-113, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-113, 2026
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We present regional Bayesian composite of ground-based ozone records. Defining coherent regions via CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) representativeness study and partial columns to be merged using the BASIC (BAyeSian Integrated and Consolidated, Ball et al., 2017) method, we reduce trends by 15.3 % compared to a weighted mean. Results confirm upper stratospheric recovery and reveal significant lower stratospheric decline in some regions.
Chengyun Yang, Xiang Guo, Tao Li, Xinyue Wang, Jun Zhang, Xin Fang, and Xianghui Xue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 1021–1039, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1021-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1021-2026, 2026
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The Indian Ocean strongly influences weather and climate far beyond its region. We found that unusual sea surface warming patterns in the midlatitude Indian Ocean can disrupt winds and temperatures in the middle atmosphere, including the stratosphere and mesosphere, of the Southern Hemisphere. These disturbances alter ozone and air movement and may affect polar climate. Our results highlight the need to include Indian Ocean variability in climate models for better predictions.
Shuai Liu, Guoying Jiang, Bingxian Luo, Xiao Liu, Jiyao Xu, Yajun Zhu, and Wen Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 17725–17746, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025, 2025
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Disruptions of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation modulate the migrating diurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. During the events, wavelengths and phases of the tide remain unchanged, but its amplitude strengthens. The variation of heating sources, dissipation, zonal wind latitude shear and gravity wave drag may contribute to the amplification of the tide amplitude. These features provide insight into the dynamical coupling of troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and lower thermosphere.
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.
Ales Kuchar, Gunter Stober, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Huixin Liu, Han-Li Liu, Manfred Ern, Damian Murphy, Diego Janches, Tracy Moffat-Griffin, Nicholas Mitchell, and Christoph Jacobi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2827, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2827, 2025
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We studied how the healing of the Antarctic ozone layer is affecting winds high above the South Pole. Using ground-based radar, satellite data, and computer models, we found that winds in the upper atmosphere have become stronger over the past two decades. These changes appear to be linked to shifts in the lower atmosphere caused by ozone recovery. Our results show that human efforts to repair the ozone layer are also influencing climate patterns far above Earth’s surface.
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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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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Alistair Bell, Eric Sauvageat, Gunter Stober, Klemens Hocke, and Axel Murk
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 555–567, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-555-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-555-2025, 2025
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Hardware and software developments have been made on a 22 GHz microwave radiometer for the measurement of middle-atmospheric water vapour near Bern, Switzerland. Previous measurements dating back to 2010 have been re-calibrated and an improved optimal estimation retrieval performed on these measurements, giving a 13-year dataset. Measurements made with new and improved instrumental hardware are used to correct previous measurements, which show better agreement than the non-corrected dataset.
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.
Jianfei Wu, Wuhu Feng, Xianghui Xue, Daniel Robert Marsh, and John Maurice Campbell Plane
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12133–12141, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12133-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12133-2024, 2024
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Metal layers occur in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region 80–120 km from the ablation of cosmic dust. Nonmigrating diurnal tides are persistent global oscillations. We investigate nonmigrating diurnal tidal variations in metal layers using satellite observations and global climate model simulations; these have not been studied previously due to the limitations of measurements. The nonmigrating diurnal tides in temperature are strongly linked to the corresponding change in metal layers.
Guochun Shi, Witali Krochin, Eric Sauvageat, and Gunter Stober
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10187–10207, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10187-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10187-2024, 2024
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Here we investigated ozone anomalies over polar regions during sudden stratospheric and final stratospheric warming with ground-based microwave radiometers at polar latitudes compared with reanalysis and satellite data. The underlying dynamical and chemical mechanisms are responsible for the observed ozone anomalies in both events. Our research sheds light on these processes, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of these processes for more accurate climate modeling and forecasting.
Witali Krochin, Axel Murk, and Gunter Stober
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 5015–5028, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5015-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5015-2024, 2024
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Atmospheric tides are global-scale oscillations with periods of a fraction of a day. Their observation in the middle atmosphere is challenging and rare, as it requires continuous measurements with a high temporal resolution. In this paper, temperature time series of a ground-based microwave radiometer were analyzed with a spectral filter to derive thermal tide amplitudes and phases in an altitude range of 25–50 km at the geographical locations of Payerne and Bern (Switzerland).
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.
Florian Günzkofer, Gunter Stober, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Yasunobu Miyoshi, and Claudia Borries
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5897–5907, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5897-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5897-2023, 2023
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Electric currents in the ionosphere can impact both satellite and ground-based infrastructure. These currents depend strongly on the collisions of ions and neutral particles. Measuring ion–neutral collisions is often only possible via certain assumptions. The direct measurement of ion–neutral collision frequencies is possible with multifrequency incoherent scatter radar measurements. This paper presents one analysis method of such measurements and discusses its advantages and disadvantages.
Penghao Tian, Bingkun Yu, Hailun Ye, Xianghui Xue, Jianfei Wu, and Tingdi Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13413–13431, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13413-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13413-2023, 2023
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Modeling and prediction of ionospheric irregularities is an important topic in upper-atmospheric and upper-ionospheric physics. We proposed an artificial intelligence model to reconstruct the E-region ionospheric irregularities and first developed an open-source application for the community. The model reveals complex relationships between ionospheric irregularities and external driving factors. The findings suggest that spatiotemporal information plays an important role in the reconstruction.
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.
Guochun Shi, Witali Krochin, Eric Sauvageat, and Gunter Stober
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9137–9159, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9137-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9137-2023, 2023
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We present the interannual and climatological behavior of ozone and water vapor from microwave radiometers in the Arctic.
By defining a virtual conjugate latitude station in the Southern Hemisphere, we investigate altitude-dependent interhemispheric differences and estimate the ascent and descent rates of water vapor in both hemispheres. Ozone and water vapor measurements will create a deeper understanding of the evolution of middle atmospheric ozone and water vapor.
Xin Fang, Feng Li, Lei-lei Sun, and Tao Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2263–2272, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2263-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2263-2023, 2023
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We successfully developed the first pseudorandom modulation continuous-wave narrowband sodium lidar (PMCW-NSL) system for simultaneous measurements of the mesopause region's temperature and wind. Based on the innovative decoded technique and algorithm for CW lidar, both the main and residual lights modulated by M-code are used and directed to the atmosphere in the vertical and eastward directions, tilted 20° from the zenith. The PMCW-NSL system can applied to airborne and space-borne purposes.
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.
Bingkun Yu, Xianghui Xue, Christopher J. Scott, Mingjiao Jia, Wuhu Feng, John M. C. Plane, Daniel R. Marsh, Jonas Hedin, Jörg Gumbel, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11485–11504, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11485-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11485-2022, 2022
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We present a study on the climatology of the metal sodium layer in the upper atmosphere from the ground-based measurements obtained from a lidar network, the Odin satellite measurements, and a global model of meteoric sodium in the atmosphere. Comprehensively, comparisons show good agreement and some discrepancies between ground-based observations, satellite measurements, and global model simulations.
Yetao Cen, Chengyun Yang, Tao Li, James M. Russell III, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7861–7874, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7861-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7861-2022, 2022
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The MLT DW1 amplitude is suppressed during El Niño winters in both satellite observation and SD-WACCM simulations. The suppressed Hough mode (1, 1) in the tropopause region propagates vertically to the MLT region, leading to decreased DW1 amplitude. The latitudinal zonal wind shear anomalies during El Niño winters would narrow the waveguide and prevent the vertical propagation of DW1. The gravity wave drag excited by ENSO-induced anomalous convection could also modulate the MLT DW1 amplitude.
Witali Krochin, Francisco Navas-Guzmán, David Kuhl, Axel Murk, and Gunter Stober
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2231–2249, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2231-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2231-2022, 2022
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This study leverages atmospheric temperature measurements performed with a ground-based radiometer making use of data that was collected during a 4-year observational campaign applying a new retrieval algorithm that improves the maximal altitude range from 45 to 55 km. The measurements are validated against two independent data sets, MERRA2 reanalysis data and the meteorological analysis of NAVGEM-HA.
Sumanta Sarkhel, Gunter Stober, Jorge L. Chau, Steven M. Smith, Christoph Jacobi, Subarna Mondal, Martin G. Mlynczak, and James M. Russell III
Ann. Geophys., 40, 179–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-179-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-179-2022, 2022
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A rare gravity wave event was observed on the night of 25 April 2017 over northern Germany. An all-sky airglow imager recorded an upward-propagating wave at different altitudes in mesosphere with a prominent wave front above 91 km and faintly observed below. Based on wind and satellite-borne temperature profiles close to the event location, we have found the presence of a leaky thermal duct layer in 85–91 km. The appearance of this duct layer caused the wave amplitudes to diminish below 91 km.
Shican Qiu, Mengxi Shi, Willie Soon, Mingjiao Jia, Xianghui Xue, Tao Li, Peng Ju, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-1085, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-1085, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
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The solitary wave theory is applied for the first time to study the sporadic sodium layers (NaS). We perform soliton fitting processes on the observed data from the Andes Lidar Observatory, and find out that 24/27 NaS events exhibit similar features to a soliton. Time series of the net anomaly reveal the same variation process to the solution of a five-order KdV equation. Our results suggest the NaS phenomenon would be an appropriate tracer for nonlinear wave studies in the atmosphere.
Christoph Jacobi, Friederike Lilienthal, Dmitry Korotyshkin, Evgeny Merzlyakov, and Gunter Stober
Adv. Radio Sci., 19, 185–193, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-19-185-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-19-185-2021, 2021
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We compare winds and tidal amplitudes in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere region for cases with disturbed and undisturbed geomagnetic conditions. The zonal winds in both the mesosphere and lower thermosphere tend to be weaker during disturbed conditions. The summer equatorward meridional wind jet is weaker for disturbed geomagnetic conditions. The effect of geomagnetic variability on tidal amplitudes, except for the semidiurnal tide, is relatively small.
Jianfei Wu, Wuhu Feng, Han-Li Liu, Xianghui Xue, Daniel Robert Marsh, and John Maurice Campbell Plane
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15619–15630, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15619-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15619-2021, 2021
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Metal layers occur in the MLT region (80–120 km) from the ablation of cosmic dust. The latest lidar observations show these metals can reach a height approaching 200 km, which is challenging to explain. We have developed the first global simulation incorporating the full life cycle of metal atoms and ions. The model results compare well with lidar and satellite observations of the seasonal and diurnal variation of the metals and demonstrate the importance of ion mass and ion-neutral coupling.
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.
Gunter Stober, Ales Kuchar, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Huixin Liu, Han-Li Liu, Hauke Schmidt, Christoph Jacobi, Kathrin Baumgarten, Peter Brown, Diego Janches, Damian Murphy, Alexander Kozlovsky, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13855–13902, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13855-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13855-2021, 2021
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Little is known about the climate change of wind systems in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at the edge of space at altitudes from 70–110 km. Meteor radars represent a well-accepted remote sensing technique to measure winds at these altitudes. Here we present a state-of-the-art climatological interhemispheric comparison using continuous and long-lasting observations from worldwide distributed meteor radars from the Arctic to the Antarctic and sophisticated general circulation models.
Shican Qiu, Ning Wang, Willie Soon, Gaopeng Lu, Mingjiao Jia, Xingjin Wang, Xianghui Xue, Tao Li, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11927–11940, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11927-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11927-2021, 2021
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Our results suggest that lightning strokes would probably influence the ionosphere and thus give rise to the occurrence of a sporadic sodium layer (NaS), with the overturning of the electric field playing an important role. Model simulation results show that the calculated first-order rate coefficient could explain the efficient recombination of Na+→Na in this NaS case study. A conjunction between the lower and upper atmospheres could be established by these inter-connected phenomena.
Geng Wang, Mingyu Wu, Guoqiang Wang, Sudong Xiao, Irina Zhelavskaya, Yuri Shprits, Yuanqiang Chen, Zhengyang Zou, Zhonglei Gao, Wen Yi, and Tielong Zhang
Ann. Geophys., 39, 613–625, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-613-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-613-2021, 2021
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We investigate the reflection of magnetosonic (MS) waves at the local two-ion cutoff frequency in the outer plasmasphere, which is rarely reported. The observed wave signals demonstrate the reflection at the local two-ion cutoff frequency. From simulations, the waves with small incident angles are more likely to penetrate the thin layer where the group velocity reduces significantly before reflection. These results may help to predict the global distribution of MS waves.
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
This paper presents an intercomparison of zonal winds observed by a sodium fluorescence lidar and three types of meteor radars – a multistatic meteor radar, a conventional monostatic radar, and a forward remote receiver – located near Hefei, China. The multistatic meteor radar shows the best agreement with the lidar measurements, confirming the reliability of its wind retrievals in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere and highlighting its potential for future atmospheric dynamics studies.
This paper presents an intercomparison of zonal winds observed by a sodium fluorescence lidar...
