Observations of stratospheric warmings and mesospheric coolings by the TIMED SABER instrument

Siskind, David E.; Coy, L.; Espy, P. J.

doi:10.1029/2005gl022399

Cited by 106 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…1 was found by Siskind et al (2005), who used Sounding of the Atmosphere with Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) satellite temperature observations validated with OH airglow temperatures to conclude that mesospheric temperatures between 0.7 and 0.01 hPa showed a significant anticorrelation with stratospheric temperatures. Above 0.01 hPa this correlation was seen to break down, which is in accordance with the lack of cooling observed between ∼ 86 and ∼ 90 km over Trondheim.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupling in the middle atmosphere related to the 2013 major sudden stratospheric warming

et al. 2015

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Abstract. The previously reported observation of anomalous eastward gravity wave forcing at mesopause heights around the onset of the January 2013 major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) over Trondheim, Norway (63 • N, 10 • E), is placed in a global perspective using Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) temperature observations from the Aura satellite. It is shown that this anomalous forcing results in a clear cooling over Trondheim about 10 km below mesopause heights. Conversely, near the mesopause itself, where the gravity wave forcing was measured, observations with meteor radar, OH airglow and MLS show no distinct cooling. Polar cap zonal mean temperatures show a similar vertical profile. Longitudinal variability in the high northern-latitude mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is characterized by a quasi-stationary wave-1 structure, which reverses phase at altitudes below ∼ 0.1 hPa. This wave-1 develops prior to the SSW onset, and starts to propagate westward at the SSW onset. The latitudinal pole-to-pole temperature structure associated with the major SSW shows a warming (cooling) in the winter stratosphere (mesosphere) which extends to about 40 • N. In the stratosphere, a cooling extending over the equator and far into the summer hemisphere is observed, whereas in the mesosphere an equatorial warming is noted. In the Southern Hemisphere mesosphere, a warm anomaly overlaying a cold anomaly is present, which is shown to propagate downward in time. This observed structure is in accordance with the temperature perturbations predicted by the proposed interhemispheric coupling mechanism for cases of increased winter stratospheric planetary wave activity, of which major SSWs are an extreme case. These results provide observational evidence for the interhemispheric coupling mechanism, and for the wave-mean flow interaction believed to be responsible for the establishment of the anomalies in the summer hemisphere.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupling in the middle atmosphere related to the 2013 major sudden stratospheric warming

et al. 2015

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“…The observations also indicate that the perturbations in the stratospheric zonal wind affect gravity wave propagation into the MLT. Siskind et al (2005) found from SABER temperature observations that the mesospheric cooling associated with the stratospheric warming events was confined to the levels below about 85-95 km.…”

Section: Mlt Variations Due To Active Winter Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Dynamics of the MLT

2012

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The transition between the middle atmosphere and the thermosphere is known as the MLT region (for mesosphere and lower thermosphere). This area has some characteristics that set it apart from other regions of the atmosphere. Most notably, it is the altitude region with the lowest overall temperature and has the unique characteristic that the temperature is much lower in summer than in winter. The summer-to-winter-temperature gradient is the result of adiabatic cooling and warming associated with a vigorous circulation driven primarily by gravity waves. Tides and planetary waves also contribute to the circulation and to the large dynamical variability in the MLT. The past decade has seen much progress in describing and understanding the dynamics of the MLT and the interactions of dynamics with chemistry and radiation. This review describes recent observations and numerical modeling as they relate to understanding the dynamical processes that control the MLT and its variability. Results from the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM), which is a comprehensive high-top general circulation model with interactive chemistry, are used to illustrate the dynamical processes. Selected observations from the Sounding the Atmosphere with Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument are shown for comparison. WACCM simulations of MLT dynamics have some differences with observations. These differences and other questions and discrepancies described in recent papers point to a number of ongoing uncertainties about the MLT dynamical system.

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“…Also the mesosphere (e.g., Labitzke, 1972;Jacobi et al, 2003;Siskind et al, 2005Siskind et al, , 2010Hoffmann et al, 2007;Yamashita et al, 2013;Zülicke and Becker, 2013), and even the thermosphere/ionosphere are affected (e.g., Goncharenko and Zhang, 2008;Fuller-Rowell et al, 2010;Yigit et al, 2014). The selective filtering of gravity waves by the anomalous winds during (major) SSWs is an important mechanism in these vertical influences.…”

Section: Effects Of Gravity Waves During Sswsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SSWs are associated with mesospheric coolings (e.g., Labitzke, 1972;Siskind et al, 2005;Hoffmann et al, 2007) that are likely driven by dissipation of eastward propagating gravity waves (e.g., Holton, 1983;Miller et al, 2013). As a consequence, the zonal wind in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT), that is usually directed westward during winter, can change its sign to eastward (e.g., Holton, 1983).…”

Section: Effects Of Gravity Waves During Sswsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Satellite observations of middle atmosphere gravity wave absolute momentum flux and of its vertical gradient during recent stratospheric warmings

Ern¹,

Trinh²,

Kaufmann³

et al. 2016

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) are circulation anomalies in the polar region during winter. They mostly occur in the Northern Hemisphere and affect also surface weather and climate. Both planetary waves and gravity waves contribute to the onset and evolution of SSWs. While the role of planetary waves for SSW evolution has been recognized, the effect of gravity waves is still not fully understood, and has not been comprehensively analyzed based on global observations. In particular, information on the gravity wave driving of the background winds during SSWs is still missing.

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Observations of stratospheric warmings and mesospheric coolings by the TIMED SABER instrument

Cited by 106 publications

References 18 publications

Coupling in the middle atmosphere related to the 2013 major sudden stratospheric warming

Coupling in the middle atmosphere related to the 2013 major sudden stratospheric warming

Global Dynamics of the MLT

Satellite observations of middle atmosphere gravity wave absolute momentum flux and of its vertical gradient during recent stratospheric warmings

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