Stratosphere-mesosphere coupling during stratospheric sudden warming events

In this review article we summarize recent results in the coupling of the stratosphere–mesosphere during stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) events. We focus on the role of planetary and gravity waves in driving the middle atmosphere circulation and illustrate the stratosphere–mesosphere coupling during undisturbed wintertime circulation, during an SSW event, and after an SSW event during the formation of an elevated stratopause using simulations of past Arctic and Antarctic winters from the Specified Dynamics version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (SD-WACCM). We illustrate the transition of the polar stratopause from being a gravity wave driven phenomena to a planetary wave driven phenomena during SSW events and its subsequent reestablishment and control by gravity waves. We also examine the synoptic structure of the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower thermosphere using SD-WACCM data fields that show the structure of the vortex during specific dynamical events in both hemispheres. We illustrate the longitudinal asymmetry in the thermal structure in the stratosphere and mesosphere driven by differences in circulation over the polar cap regions during an SSW event. We complement this analysis of the middle atmosphere circulation with a classification of both the Arctic and Antarctic winters since 1979 into major, minor, elevated stratopause or quiet winters based on the level of disturbance using the Modern Era-Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis data. From the MERRA data we find that the combined occurrences of both major and minor warmings in the Arctic have remained constant over the past three decades while we find a minor increase in their occurrences in the Antarctic.     

Multi-year high latitude mesospheric neutral wind observations using a Fabry–Perot interferometer

From 1995 to 1999, a Fabry–Perot Interferometer was stationed at Resolute Bay, Canada (75°N, 95°W) to measure the mesospheric neutral winds in the polar cap from the OH nightglow emission during winter seasons. A 12-h wave is the most prominent feature in the neutral winds. The wave amplitude has large day-to-day variations and inter-annual variability, whereas the phase of the wave appears to be largely consistent for year to year. Small phase shift from early winter to later winter was noticed during most of the seasons when early winter data were available. The 12-h wave showed stronger variability during the 1995/1996 winter season, which may be related to nonlinear interactions with planetary waves. Large negative zonal winds were observed during stratospheric sudden warming events.     

Numerical modeling of inhomogeneous orographic wave influence on planetary waves in the middle atmosphere

Parameterization of dynamical and thermal effects of stationary orographic gravity waves (OGWs) generated by the Earth’s surface topography is incorporated into a numerical model of general circulation of the middle and upper atmosphere. Responses of atmospheric general circulation and characteristics of planetary waves at altitudes from the troposphere up to the thermosphere to the effects of OGWs propagating from the earth surface are studied. Changes in atmospheric circulation and amplitudes of planetary waves due to variations of OGW generation and propagation in different seasons are considered. It is shown that during solstices the main OGW dynamical and heat effects occur in the middle atmosphere of winter hemispheres, where changes in planetary wave amplitudes due to OGWs may reach up to 50%. During equinoxes OGW effects are distributed more homogeneously between northern and southern hemispheres.     

对流层雷暴源所产生的柱形重力波

已有充分的证据表明, 大气对流层的雷暴迹象是大气中间层重力波活动的显著代表源.在雷暴迹象的上方, 通过火箭已观测到大气中间层出现的热效应, 也已通过雷 达探测到大气平流层出现的上行重力波, 从地面和卫星平台上观察到夜间气辉有序而 成环状的重力波波形. 所有这些实验结果都与位于观测点下方的雷暴活动有紧密联系. 此类雷暴通常主要集中在中国东部沿海以及地球其他沿海海湾地域. 关于此类雷暴对大 气中间层的影响尚未被充分研究和了解. 为能有效地探究其成因, 利用所开发的一个二维计算机数值模型模拟和研究大气对流层的雷暴源所引发的上行重力波, 进而揭示 此类重力波产生的基本物理机理, 及其在大气中间层的能量耗散. 通过模拟研究发现, 雷暴源可以大面积高强度地聚集和释放积雨云的能量, 当这种周期性的对流变化引发大气对流层的不稳定性后, 就会有圆柱体重力波的产生和传播.      

利用HRDI/UARS资料分析东亚区域中层大气纬向风气候特征

利用美国高层大气研究卫星(UARS)搭载的高分辨率多普勒测风仪(HRDI)获得的中层大气风场观测资料,对东亚区域中层大气纬向风的垂直分布与变化特征进行了分析研究.多年平均结果显示东亚区域中层大气纬向风具有显著的区域特征,与当前普遍使用的参考大气CIRA-86相比存在显著的不同.在冬季,东亚区域中间层西风急流中心位于25°-35°N之间的75 km高度,与CIRA-86相比,该中心纬度偏南5°,高度偏高10 km;在秋季,东亚区域低热层高度存在一个显著的从赤道到高纬度的东风带,而CIRA-86不存在.分析结果还表明,除了夏季中纬度地区,在东亚区域上空中高层大气各高度上均存在相当显著的区域尺度扰动结构.在热带,低热层高度纬向风无论冬夏,沿纬圈方向都表现出相当显著的不均匀性,夏季这种不均匀性进一步向下扩展到55 km高度.与上述热带扰动特征相比,中纬度地区夏季的纬向风在各个高度沿纬圈相当均匀,但是在冬季,中间层和低热层高度都存在沿纬圈方向显著的纬向风扰动结构.      

AIRS观测资料研究全球平流层重力波特性

利用2012—2014年1月和7月AIRS（Atmospheric Infrared Sounder）第79通道的观测数据,分析了平流层重力波活动强弱的全球分布以及重力波发生频率的全球分布;分析了重力波活动随纬度和经度的变化特征,给出了重力波活动在全球范围内的热点区域及其活动强度;对比了白天与夜间的重力波活动强度及发生频率.研究表明重力波活动强度呈现出随纬度变化的特征,在低纬度地区（0°—30°）,冬季半球重力波活动强度低,夏季半球重力波活动高;在中高纬度地区,冬季半球重力波活动强度高而夏季半球重力波活动强度低.在1月,全球重力波活动有4个突出的热点区域,分别为50°N附近欧洲大陆与大西洋交接地带、北美洲与大西洋交接地,20°S附近南美洲与大西洋交接地区、非洲与印度洋交接地区.在7月,重力波活动突出的地方为巴塔哥尼亚至南极半岛地区,以及50°S和75°E附近的印度洋区域.重力波活动强度在夜间大于白天,但是夜间的强重力波活动区域小于白天.      

Gravity wave propagation studies using the Indian MST radar observations

The Indian MST radar facility at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E) has been utilised to study the propagation of gravity waves from the troposphere/lower stratosphere to the mesosphere and their interaction with the radar backscattered signal variations. The main objective is to correlate vertically propagating gravity waves derived from the tropospheric velocity fields with the dynamics of mesospheric scattering centres. The tropospheric wind velocities and signal strengths over the entire height range have been subjected to power spectral and wavelet analysis to determine the predominant wave periods/amplitudes and the coupling between the lower atmosphere and mesosphere. Results show that (a) the gravity waves are clearly detectable near tropopause heights, (b) while relatively higher period gravity waves (20–50 min) interact with mesospheric scattering centres, the lower period waves (<20 min) are absorbed in the troposphere itself, (c) the mesospheric scattering layers are affected by gravity waves of complementary periods.     

平流层冬季增温及大气中的行星波

本文利用NIMBUS-7SAMS资料分析了东经100度子午线上的两个站点(67.5°N和42.5°N)在10mb和0.0827mb高度上从1978年底至1982年间的大气温度,获得几年的平流层冬季增温结果.在1978/1979年和1981年初的冬季,高纬站点几天内出现的平流层增温最大幅度可达65K.对平流层增温的谱分析结果指出,在高纬冬季平流层有很强的16天、32夭、21天周期的行星波。中纬冬季平流层增温幅度较小,约为20K.中纬的中间层高度上整年存在有5天、8天和16天的行星波。分析研究、南、北半球不同纬度的温度随经度的分布,得出高纬冬季平流层、中间层大气温度随经度有明显的变化。波数1和波数2的波有大的幅度(主要是波数1),从高纬到低纬,波幅逐渐减小在冬季的平流层和中间层大气中,波数1和波数2的行星波在短期内可强烈增强,引起平流层冬季增温。      

Stratospheric polar vortex as a possible reason for temporal variations of solar activity and galactic cosmic ray effects on the lower atmosphere circulation

Possible reasons for the temporal instability of long-term effects of solar activity (SA) and galactic cosmic ray (GCR) variations on the lower atmosphere circulation were studied. It was shown that the detected earlier ∼60-year oscillations of the amplitude and sign of SA/GCR effects on the troposphere pressure at high and middle latitudes (Veretenenko and Ogurtsov, Adv.Space Res., 2012) are closely related to the state of a cyclonic vortex forming in the polar stratosphere. The intensity of the vortex was found to reveal a roughly 60-year periodicity affecting the evolution of the large-scale atmospheric circulation and the character of SA/GCR effects. An intensification of both Arctic anticyclones and mid-latitudinal cyclones associated with an increase of GCR fluxes at minima of the 11-year solar cycles is observed in the epochs of a strong polar vortex. In the epochs of a weak polar vortex SA/GCR effects on the development of baric systems at middle and high latitudes were found to change the sign. The results obtained provide evidence that the mechanism of solar activity and cosmic ray influences on the lower atmosphere circulation involves changes in the evolution of the stratospheric polar vortex.     

武汉上空惯性重力波活动

利用武汉中心气象台(30.5°N,114.4°E)无线电探空仪在2001年1月到2003年12月之间的观测数据,研究了武汉上空1-9km和14-25km高度范围内惯性重力波参数的变化特征.数据分析结果表明,重力波活动存在明显的季节变化,冬季较频繁,夏季活动较弱,与急流强度的季节变化一致,这意味着重力波的激发与背景风密切相关.矢端曲线分析显示1-9km范围内能量向上传播和向下传播的波的比例大致相同,而14-25km范围内绝大部分波能量向上传播,这与最大急流强度的高度相对应;进一步分析表明,夏天14-25km范围内波几乎全向上传播,而冬天则有相当一部分波向下传播,这可能是反射引起的.重力波的本征频率集中在1-3倍的惯性频率之间,水平波长约数百公里;1-9 km范围内垂直波长集中在3-3.5 km,14-25 km高度内则集中在4.5-5.5 km.      

Aura/MLS与TIMED/SABER观测全球重力波特性

大气重力波是临近空间环境主要大气波动之一,对全球环流具有重要影响。卫星上搭载的临边探测器能够探测临近空间大气温度,可用于临近空间大气重力波研究。利用2012－2014年Aura的微波临边探测器（MLS）和TIMED的红外临边探测器（SABER）的探测数据,对20~50 km高度的大气重力波扰动分布特征开展了分析研究,两种观测重力波活动基本一致,重力波随季节、纬度及高度的变化显著。冬季半球高纬度重力波扰动较强,赤道和夏季半球近赤道地区上空也存在明显重力波活动区域,夏季半球高纬度重力波扰动最弱。重力波扰动强度随高度增加。TIMED/SABER重力波扰动强度数值比 Aura/MLS略强。      

Seasonal variation of gravity wave sources from satellite observation

Recent high-resolution satellite observations of gravity waves in the middle atmosphere have shown correlations with the strength of the stratospheric jet stream, surface topography, and tropical convection. Seasonal variations of wave-induced stratospheric radiance variances are often the manifestations of modulations of these sources and refractive influences. In this paper, we focus on the seasonal climatology of gravity waves observed by the UARS MLS, while also showing some new results from GPS and AMSU instruments. Our analysis is aided by MWFM modeling of mountain waves at high latitudes and CMAP precipitation indices in the subtropics to provide a clearer picture of global gravity wave dynamics.     

Planetary wave transience effects on the zonal mean flow: simulations with the COMMA-LIM model

A 3D circulation model has been used to investigate the role of the quasi two-day wave propagation, its dissipation and variability in the formation of the middle atmosphere zonal mean circulation. According to linear theory, the accelerations due to dissipation of steady planetary waves are relatively weak. This study shows that the transient quasi two-day wave is able to shift the summer jet towards the equator thereby attenuating the seasonal weakening of the westward jet.     

1980年中层大气温度波空间特征的初步分析

利用1980年Nimbus-7卫星网络点资料(温度场)对中层大气行星波的空间结构进行诊断和分析后发现,行星波扰动主要集中于冬半球,夏半球及赤道地区上空的扰动则相对较弱,但也不可忽视.冬半球行星波扰动中的瞬变波部分可以跨过赤道向夏半球传播,且传播主要集中于20kin和70km两个高度层附近.波数1冬季以准定常行里波为主,夏季瞬变行星波与准定常行星波波幅相当.行星波扰动的波幅从冬到夏的衰减主要表现在波数1和波数2上,波数3变化不大.      

北京地区大气温度及重力波活动的季节变化

利用瑞利激光雷达观测数据,分析了北京地区35~70km高度范围内大气温度和重力波活动的季节变化.发现北京地区30~70km高度范围内的大气温度有明显的年周期变化:平流层顶最高温度出现在6,7月份,大约为270K;中间层70km高度最低温度也出现在6,7月份,大约为200K.以2014年10月14日晚数据为例,分析重力波势能密度,发现50km以下重力波势能存在耗散,而在50km以上重力波近乎无耗散地向上传播.通过对比35~50km高度范围内的平均势能密度,对北京地区重力波活动强弱的季节变化进行了研究.研究结果表明,北京上空重力波活动强度具有明显的年周期变化,冬季平均势能密度为18J·kg-1,夏季为8J·kg-1,且冬季重力波活动强度约为夏季的两倍.此外,还分析了春夏秋冬四个季节重力波势能密度随高度的变化.结果表明,不同季节和不同高度的重力波势能密度不同.      

中层大气行星波的跨赤道传播

使用一个全球原始方程半谱模式,模拟了行星波的跨赤道传播。结果指出:冬半球对流层顶附近准定常行星波的幅度起伏和相位变化,可以造成中层大气行星波的跨赤道传播,并且在夏半球形成瞬变行星波。所得结果为中层大气行星波的跨赤道传播、夏半球行星波的形成和南北半球之间的耦合提供了一种物理机制。      

损耗大气中随机重力波场的传输方程

从包含分子粘性的非线性相互作用方程出发, 采用随机相位近似, 推导了损耗大气中重力波场的非线性传输方程。由于分子损耗的引入, 谱演变的速率发生了改变, 在某些情况下, 还会得到与无耗条件下的传输规律相反的结论。损耗大气中重力波场的传输方程是研究中高层大气重力波能量收支平衡的出发点。      

A Review on the Ionospheric Research： Chinese Works During 2006-2008

This paper reviews various progresses on the ionospheric studies by the scientists in China during the last two years.The main contents concern the 4 aspects of the ionospheric research:(1)ionospheric weather and coupling with magnetosphere(polar and auroral ionosphere,ionospheric response to substorms,ionospheric storms);(2)mid-and low-latitude ionospheric climatology(ionospheric properties,yearly variations and solar activity dependence,long term variation);(3)ionospheric coupling with neutral atmosphere(gravity waves,tides,planetary waves,background upper atmosphere,and ionospheric response);and(4)ionospheric diagnostics(observation,modeling,and prediction).     

Statistical comparison of night-time NO2 observations in 2003–2006 from GOMOS and MIPAS instruments

GOMOS (Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars) and MIPAS (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding) are remote sensing instruments on board the European Space Agency’s Envisat satellite. GOMOS and MIPAS have been designed for observations of stratospheric and mesospheric constituents, including ozone and nitrogen dioxide. Both instruments have a good global coverage of observations and can provide data also from the polar regions. In this paper, we compare night-time NO₂ data from GOMOS with those from MIPAS. We present statistics of selected sets of data spanning from the year 2003 to 2006. The results for low-to-mid latitudes show that the two instruments are in a good agreement in the middle stratosphere, the differences being typically less than 5%. In the upper stratosphere, GOMOS observations generally show 15% higher values than those from MIPAS. The bias is in virtually all cases smaller than the combined systematic error of the measurements, giving great confidence in the GOMOS and MIPAS data quality. The result for high mesospheric NO₂ mixing ratios observed in the polar regions during winter times indicate a good agreement between GOMOS and MIPAS. In the mesosphere, the difference is less than 35% and smaller than the systematic error. Due to the high mesospheric signal, MIPAS sensitivity decreases in the stratosphere which results in larger differences between the two instruments.     

A Review on the Ionospheric Research:Chinese Works During 2006—2008

This paper reviews various progresses on the ionospheric studies by the scientists in China during the last two years.The main contents concern the 4 aspects of the ionospheric re-search:(1) ionospheric weather and coupling with magnetosphere(polar and auroral ionosphere,ionospheric response to substorms,ionospheric storms);(2) mid-and low-latitude ionospheric clima-tology(ionospheric properties,yearly variations and solar activity dependence,long term variation);(3) ionospheric coupling with neutral atmosphere(gravity waves,tides,planetary waves,background upper atmosphere,and ionospheric response);and(4) ionospheric diagnostics(observation,modeling,and prediction).