Mesospheric planetary waves over Antarctica during 2002

Espy, P.J.; Hibbins, R.E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6867-2255; Riggin, D.M.; Fritts, D.C.. 2005 Mesospheric planetary waves over Antarctica during 2002. Geophysical Research Letters, 32 (21), L21804. 4, pp. 10.1029/2005GL023886

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Abstract/Summary

Wind measurements from a series of atmospheric radars located around Antarctica have been used to characterize the mesospheric planetary-wave field during the winter of 2002. Combining winds from the medium-frequency (MF) radar at Rothera (68°S, 68°W) and the SuperDARN high-frequency meteor-wind radars at Halley (76°S, 27°W), Sanae (72°S, 3°W) and Syowa (69°S, 40°E) stations, we have been able to measure the period, wavenumber and propagation direction of the most prominent planetary waves. The results show that the planetary-wave field before the unusual stratospheric warming in 2002 was dominated by a very long-period (τ ≈ 43 days), westward and upward-propagating zonal planetary wavenumber 1. However, after the stratospheric warming events began in late winter, the character of the wave field changed and a shorter period (τ ≈ 14 days), westward, zonal wavenumber 1 became established. It would appear that the previously reported oscillations of the mesospheric hydroxyl airglow temperatures at Rothera and Halley, which were strongly anti-correlated to the meridional wind, were the result of these planetary waves.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1029/2005GL023886
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Science in the Global Context (2000-2005) > Geospace Atmosphere Transfer Functions
ISSN:	0094-8276
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	19 Dec 2007 12:21 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/1756

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