Abstract
In this paper, analysis of wind data detected by six ground-based radar systems located in equatorial and midlatitude belts shows that a strong mesospheric 6.5-day wave event occurred during April-May 2003. We compared the global distribution of the observed 6.5-day wave event with the theoretical wave structure (Rossby normal mode (s, n) = (1, -2)). Additionally, we investigated several important wave characteristics to understand the mesospheric 6.5-day wave event, i.e., wave period, vertical structure, relationship with background wind, propagating direction, and the zonal wave number. Our results are summarized into three points: (1) the latitudinal structure of the mesospheric 6.5-day wave during April-May 2003 is basically in agreement with the theoretical Rossby mode (s, n) = (1, -2), although the wave amplitude of zonal wind peaked at the subequatorial latitude of Northern Hemisphere but not at the theoretical place, equatorial region; (2) the main wave periods and the altitude distribution of large amplitude of this wave event varied with latitude; (3) the downward propagating wave phases indicated that this wave event originated in the lower atmosphere and propagated upward to the upper region.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | D16111 |
Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres |
Volume | 113 |
Issue number | 16 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 27 2008 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geophysics
- Forestry
- Oceanography
- Aquatic Science
- Ecology
- Water Science and Technology
- Soil Science
- Geochemistry and Petrology
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Atmospheric Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Space and Planetary Science
- Palaeontology