Skip to main content
Earth, Planets and Space
Download PDF

Volume 51 Supplement 7-8

Special Issue: Dynamics and Structure of the Mesopause Region (DYSMER)

  • Article
  • Published:

Middle atmosphere effects of the quasi-two-day wave determined from a General Circulation Model

Earth, Planets and Space volume 51, pages 629–647 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

A set of numerical experiments have been conducted using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR TIME-GCM) to understand the effects of the quasi-two-day wave (QTDW) on the middle atmosphere horizontal wind and temperature fields. A zonal wavenumber three perturbation with a period of 48 hours and a latitudinal structure identical to the (3, 0) Rossby-gravity mode has been included at the lower-boundary of the model. A response in the middle atmosphere horizontal wind fields is observed with a structure qualitatively similar to observations and other model results. There is also some evidence to suggest an increase in the lower-thermosphere QTDW response due to the interaction with gravity waves. Changes are observed in the zonal mean wind and temperature fields that are clearly related to the QTDW, however it is unclear if these changes are the direct result of wave driving due to the QTDW or are from another source. Evidence for nonlinear interactions between the QTDW and the migrating tides is presented. This includes significant (40–50%) decreases in the amplitude of the migrating tides when the QTDW is present and the generation of wave components which can be tracked back to an interaction between the QTDW and the migrating tides. Clear evidence for the existence of a westward propagating zonal wavenumber six nonmigrating diurnal tidal component which results from the nonlinear interaction between the QTDW and the migrating tides is also presented.

References

  • Andrews, D. G., J. R. Holton, and C. B. Leovy, Middle Atmosphere Dynamics, 489 pp., Orlando, FL, Academic Press, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avery, S. K., R. A. Vincent, A. Phillips, A. H. Manson, and G. J. Fraser, High-latitude tidal behavior in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 51(7/8), 595–608, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boville, B. A., Middle atmosphere version of ccm2 (maccm2): Annual cycle and interannual variability, J. Geopys. Res., 100(D5), 9017–9039, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burks, D. and C. Leovy, Planetary waves near the mesospheric easterly jet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 13(3), 193–196, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charney, J. G. and P. G. Drazin, Propagation of planetary-scale disturbances from the lower into the upper atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 66(1), 83–109, 1961.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. R., Meteor wind measurements at Durham, New Hampshire (43°N, 71°W), J. Atmos. Sci., 32, 1689–1693, 1975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. R., The quasi 2-day wave at Durham (43°N): Solar magnetic effects, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 51, 617–622, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. R. and J. S. Bergin, Bispectral analysis of mesosphere winds, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 59(6), 629–639, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. R. and J. E. Salah, Propagation of the solar semidiurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower-thermosphere at midlatitudes, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 1129–1133, 1991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. R., A. C. Current, A. H. Manson, C. E. Meek, S. K. Avery, S. E. Palo, and T. Aso, Hemispheric properties of the two-day wave from mesosphere-lower-thermosphere radar observations, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 56(10), 1279–1288, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coy, L., A possible 2-day oscillation near the tropical stratopause, J. Atmos. Sci., 36, 1615–1618, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, R. L. and W. G. Elford, Observations of the quasi 2-day wave near 90 km altitude at Adelaide (35°S), J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 43, 1051–1056, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, R. L., R. A. Vincent, G. J. Fraser, and M. J. Smith, The quasi 2-day wave in the southern hemisphere mesosphere, Nature, 287, 319–320, 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkerton, T. J., Theory of the mesopause semiannual oscillation, J. Atmos. Sci., 39(12), 2681–2690, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forbes, J. M., M. E. Hagan, S. Miyahara, F. Vial, A. H. Manson, C. E. Meek, and Y. I. Portnyagin, Quasi 16-day oscillation in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 100(D5), 9149–9163, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritts, D. C. and J. R. Isler, Mean motions and tidal and two-day structure and variability in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over Hawaii, J. Atmos. Sci., 51(14), 2145–2164, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritts, D. C., J. R. Isler, R. S. Lieberman, M. D. Burrage, D. R. Marsh, T. Nakamura, T. Tsuda, R. A. Vincent, and I. M. Reid, Two-day wave structure and mean flow interactions observed by radar and High Resolution Doppler Imager, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 3953–3969, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geller, M., V. A. Yudin, B. V. Khattatov, and M. E. Hagan, Modeling the diurnal tide with dissipation derived from UARS/HRDI measurements, Ann. Geophys., 15(9), 1198–1204, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glass, M., J. L. Fellous, M. Massebeuf, A. Spizzichino, I. A. Lysenko, and Y. I. Portniagin, Comparison and interpretation of the results of simultaneous wind measurements in the lower thermosphere at Garchy (France) and Obninsk (U.S.S.R.) by meteor radar technique, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 37, 1077–1087, 1975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, M. E., Comparative effects of migrating solar sources on tidal signatures in the middle and upper atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 21,213–21,222, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, M. E., J. M. Forbes, and F. Vial, Numerical investigation of the propagation of the quasi-two-day wave into the lower thermosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 23,193–23,205, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, M. E., J. M. Forbes, and F. Vial, On modeling the migrating solar tides, Geophys. Res. Lett., 22(8), 893–896, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, M. E., J. M. Forbes, and C. McLandress, Diurnal tidal variability in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere, Ann. Geophys., 15(9), 1176–1186, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, M. E., M. D. Burrage, J. M. Forbes, J. Hackney, W. J. Randel, and X. Zhang, GSWM-98: Results for migrating solar tides, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 6813–6827, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, T. J., A long-term study of the quasi 2-day wave in the middle atmosphere, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 56(5), 569–579, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, T. J. and R. A. Vincent, The quasi-2-day wave observed in the equatorial middle atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 10,481–10,490, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hays, P. B., V. J. Abreu, M. E. Dobbs, D. A. Gell, H. J. Grassl, and W. R. Skinner, High-resolution Doppler imager on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 10,713–10,723, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedin, A. E., Extensions of the MSIS thermosphere model into the middle and lower atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 96(A2), 1159–1172, 1991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirota, I., Equatorial waves in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere in relation to the semiannual oscillation of the zonal wind, J. Atmos. Sci., 35(4), 714–722, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, B. G., The 2-day wave in the middle atmosphere as simulated in a general circulation model extending from the surface to 100 km, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 43(11), 1143–1154, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kal’chanko, B. V. and S. V. Bulgakov, Study of periodic components of wind velocity in the lower thermosphere above the equator, Geomagn. Aeron., 13, 955–956, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiehl, J. T., J. J. Hack, G. B. Bonan, B. A. Boville, D. L. Williamson, and P. J. Rasch, The national center for atmospheric research community climate model: CCM3, J. Climate, 11, 1131–1149, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, Y. C. and E. J. Powers, Digital bispectral analysis and its applications to nonlinear wave interactions, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., 7(2), 120–131, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, R. S., Eliassen-palm fluxes of the two-day wave, J. Atmos. Sci., 1999 (in press).

  • Manson, A. H., C. E. Meek, J. B. Gregory, and D. K. Chakrabarty, Fluctuations in tidal (24-12 h) characteristics and oscillations (5 h-5 d) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at Saskatoon (52°N, 107°W), 1979–1981, Planet. Space Sci., 30, 1283, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manson, A. H., C. E. Meek, H. Teitelbaum, F. Vial, R. Schminder, D. Kürschner, M. J. Smith, G. J. Fraser, and R. R. Clark, Climatologies of semi-diurnal and diurnal tides in the middle atmosphere (70–110 km) at middle latitudes (40–55°), J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 51, 579–593, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manson, A. H., C. E. Meek, R. A. Vincent, R. L. Craig, A. Phillips, G. J. Fraser, M. J. Smith, J. L. Fellous, M. Massebeuf, E. L. Flemming, and S. Chandra, Comparison between reference atmosphere winds and radar winds from selected locations, Adv. Space Res., 10(12), 233–244, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLandress, C., Seasonal variability of the diurnal tide: Results from the Canadian middle atmosphere general circulation model, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 29,747–29,764, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLandress, C., C. Y. Rochon, G. G. Shepherd, B. H. Solheim, G. Thullier, and F. Vial, The meridional wind component of the thermospheric tide observed by WINDII on UARS, Geophys. Res. Lett., 21, 2417–2420, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLandress, C., G. G. Shepherd, and B. H. Solheim, Combined mesosphere/thermosphere winds using WINDII and HRDI data from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 10,441–10,453, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meek, C. E., A. H. Manson, S. J. Franke, W. Singer, P. Hoffman, R. R. Clark, T. Tusda, T. Nakamura, M. Tsutsumi, M. Hagan, D. C. Fritts, J. Isler, and Y. I. Portnyagin, Global study of northern hemisphere quasi-2-day wave events in recent summers near 90 km altitude, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 58(13), 1401–1411, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, C. K., Gravity wave—tidal and gravity wave—planetary wave interactions in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Colo., Boulder, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller, H. G., Long-period meteor wind oscillations, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser A, 271, 585–598, 1972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norton, W. A. and J. Thuburn, The two-day wave in a middle atmosphere gcm, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 2113–2116, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norton, W. A. and J. Thuburn, The mesosphere in the extended UGAMP GCM, in Gravity Wave Processes and Their Parameterizations in Global Climate Models, edited by K. Hamilton, pp. 383–401, Springer Verlag, 1997.

  • Palo, S. E. and S. K. Avery, Mean winds and the semiannual oscillation in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at Christmas Island, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 20,385–20,400, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palo, S. E. and S. K. Avery, Observations of the meridional quasi two-day wave in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at Christmas Island, in The Upper Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere: A Review of Experiment and Theory, edited by R. M. Johnson and T. L. Killeen, pp. 101–110, American Geophysical Union, Geophysical Monograph 87, 1995.

  • Palo, S. E. and S. K. Avery, Observations of the quasi-two-day wave in the middle and lower atmosphere over Christmas Island, J. Geophys. Res., 101 (D8), 12,833–12,846, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palo, S. E., M. E. Hagan, C. E. Meek, R. A. Vincent, M. D. Burrage, C. McLandress, S. J. Franke, W. Ward, R. R. Clark, P. Hoffman, R. Johnson, D. Kuerschner, A. H. Manson, D. Murphy, T. Nakamura, Y. I. Portnyagin, J. E. Salah, R. Schminder, W. Singer, T. Tsuda, T. S. Virdi, and Q. Zhou, An intercomparison between the GSWM, UARS, and ground based radar observations: A case-study in January 1993, Ann. Geophys., 15, 1123–1141, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palo, S. E., R. G. Roble, and M. E. Hagan, Time-gcm results for the quasi-two-day wave, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 3783–3786, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfister, L., Baroclinic instability of easterly jets with applications to the summer mesosphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 42(4), 313–330, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plumb, R. A., Baroclinic instability of the summer mesosphere: A mechanism for the quasi-two-day wave?, J. Atmos. Sci., 40, 262–270, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plumb, R. A., R. A. Vincent, and R. L. Craig, The quasi-2-day wave event of January 1994 and its impact on the mean mesospheric circulation, J. Atmos. Sci., 44, 3030–3036, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randel, W. J., Observations of the 2-day wave in NMC stratospheric analysis, J. Atmos. Sci., 51(2), 306–313, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roble, R. G. and E. C. Ridley, A thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere-electrodynamics general circulation model (TIME-GCM): Equinox solar cycle minimum simulations (30–500 km), Geophys. Res. Lett., 21, 417–420, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roble, R. G., E. C. Ridley, A. D. Richmond, and R. E. Dickinson, A coupled thermosphere/ionosphere general circulation model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 15, 1325–1328, 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers, C. D. and A. J. Prata, Evidence for a traveling two-day wave in the middle atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 9661–9664, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rüster, R., VHF radar observations in the summer polar mesosphere indicating nonlinear interaction, Adv. Space Res., 12(10), 85–88, 1992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salby, M. L., Rossby normal modes in nonuniform background configurations I, Simple fields, J. Atmos. Sci., 38, 1803–1826, 1981a.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salby, M. L., Rossby normal modes in nonuniform background configurations II, Equinox and solstice conditions, J. Atmos. Sci., 38, 1827–1840, 1981b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salby, M. L., Sampling theory for asynoptic satellite observations. Part I: Space-time spectra, resolution and aliasing, J. Atmos. Sci., 39, 2577–2600, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salby, M. L. and R. G. Roper, Long-period oscillations in the meteor region, J. Atmos. Sci., 37, 237–244, 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teitelbaum, H. and F. Vial, On tidal variability induced by nonlinear interaction with planetary waves, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 14,169–14,178, 1991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thayaparan, T., W. K. Hocking, and J. MacDougal, Amplitude, phase and period variations of the quasi 2-day wave in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over London Ontario (43°N, 81°W), during 1993 and 1994, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 9461–9478, 1997a.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thayaparan, T., W. K. Hocking, J. MacDougal, A. H. Manson, and C. E. Meek, Simultaneous observations of the 2-day wave at London Ontario (43°N, 81°W) and Saskatoon (52°N, 107°W) near 91 km altitude during the two years 1993 and 1994, Ann. Geophys., 15, 1324–1339, 1997b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuda, T., S. Kato, and R. A. Vinent, Long period wind oscillations observed by the Kyoto meteor radar and comparisons of the quasi-2-day wave with Adelaide HF radar observations, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 50, 225–230, 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vincent, R. A., T. Tsuda, and S. Kato, Asymmetries in mesospheric tidal structure, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 51, 663–671, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walterscheid, R. and R. Vincent, Tidal generation of the phase-locked 2-day wave in the southern hemisphere summer by wave-wave interactions, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 26,567–26,576, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, W. E., D. Y. Wang, B. H. Solheim, and G. G. Shepherd, Observations ofthe two-day wave in WINDII data during January, 1993, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 2923–2926, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, D. L., P. B. Hays, W. R. Skinner, A. R. Marshall, M. D. Burrage, R. S. Lieberman, and D. A. Ortland, Observations ofthe quasi 2-day wave from the high resolution Doppler imager on UARS, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20(24), 2853–2856, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, D. L., P. B. Hays, and W. R. Skinner, A least squares method for spectral analysis of space-time series, J. Atmos. Sci., 52(20), 3501–3511, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, D. L., E. F. Fishbein, W. G. Reid, and J. W. Waters, Excitation and evolution ofthe quasi-2-day wave observed in UARS/MLS temperature measurements, J. Atmos. Sci., 53(5), 728–738, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yudin, V. A., B. V. Khattatov, M. A. Geller, D. A. Ortland, C. McLandress, and G. G. Shepherd, Thermal tides and studies to tune the mechanistic tidal model using UARS observations, Ann. Geophys., 15(9), 1205–1220, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, Q. H., M. P. Sulzer, and C. A. Tepley, Ananalysisoftidal andplanetary waves in the neutral winds and temperature observed at the E-region, J. Geophys. Res., 102 (A6), 11,491–11,505, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0429, USA

    Scott E. Palo

  2. National Center for Atmospheric Research, High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO, 80307, USA

    Raymond G. Roble & Maura E. Hagan

Authors
  1. Scott E. Palo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raymond G. Roble
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maura E. Hagan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Scott E. Palo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Palo, S.E., Roble, R.G. & Hagan, M.E. Middle atmosphere effects of the quasi-two-day wave determined from a General Circulation Model. Earth Planet Sp 51, 629–647 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353221

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353221

Keywords