Polar middle atmosphere dynamics

• Main Author: Dowdy, Andrew J.
• Other Authors: Reid, Iain Murray, Vincent, Bob, School of Chemistry and Physics
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: meteorology and atmospheric dynamics; atmosphere observations; polar regions; Antartica Artic regions; Antarctic; Arctic; Rothera; The Antarctic; Andenes; Antarc*; antartic*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/38004

The dynamics of the polar mesosphere and lower thermosphere ( MLT ) is investigated using MF radars at Davis ( 69 ° S, 78 ° E ), Syowa ( 69 ° S, 40 ° E ) and Rothera ( 68 ° S, 68 ° W ) in the Antarctic, and Poker Flat ( 65 ° N, 147 ° W ) and Andenes ( 69 ° N, 16 ° E ) in the Arctic. Mean winds and gravity waves are investigated on a climatological scale and also during sudden stratospheric warmings. Mean wind climatologies in the MLT show differences that are often hemispheric in nature. For example, summer peaks in westward and equatorward winds occur earlier ( closer to the solstice ) in the Antarctic than in the Arctic. The greater symmetry around the solstice of phenomena such as these indicates that radiative effects may play a greater role in controlling the state of the Antarctic MLT than in the Arctic, where dynamical effects might be more important. Gravity wave observations are consistent with this theory, suggesting more wave drag may occur in the Arctic MLT. The equatorward jet persists for about 2 weeks later in summer in the Arctic than in the Antarctic, as do satellite observations of polar mesospheric clouds ( PMCs ) ( a temperature dependent phenomenon ). It is proposed that the meridional winds can be used as a proxy for gravity wave driving and consequent adiabatic cooling in the MLT. VHF radar observations of polar mesospheric summer echoes ( PMSEs ) at Davis, and the satellite PMC observations, both occur at a similar time to the equatorward jet. Seasonal variations in gravity wave activity are generally a combination of annual ( with winter maxima and summer minima ) and semi - annual ( with maxima near the solstices and minima near the equinoxes ) components. The winter maxima and spring / summer minima both occur about 3 weeks later in the Antarctic than in the Arctic, with the difference in magnitude between these extrema being about 90 % larger in the Antarctic. The available MF radar data include six major sudden stratospheric warmings in the northern hemisphere, and the unprecedented ...