Climatologies of mean winds and tides observed by medium frequency radars at Tromsø (70°N) and Saskatoon (52°N) during 1987–1989

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Physics
• Main Authors: Manson, A. H., Meek, C. E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1991
• Subjects: Tromsø
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/p91-152; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/p91-152

A real-time winds system from Saskatoon has operated with the Tromsø medium frequency (MF) (partial reflection) radar (70°N, 20°E) since mid-1987. Although the system has a poorer data yield than usual, owing to smaller receiving antennas, it has proven possible over 2 years to obtain 12 month climatologies of mean winds and tides (70–75 to 100 km) with a 10 d resolution. These are compared with similar products from the Saskatoon MF radar (52°N, 107°W). The mean winds and tides generally show similar seasonal morphologies. However the mean winds are weaker, consistent with smaller meridional temperature gradients. Also, there are significant changes in the tidal wavelengths and amplitudes suggesting that considerable adjustments of modal composition have occurred. The tides are compared with recent numerical-theoretical models.