Seasonal variation of momentum flux in the mesosphere observed with the MU radar

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i006p00725· OSTI ID:6218516

Tsuda, Toshitaka; Murayama, Yasuhiro; Yamamoto, Mamoru; Kato, Susumu; Fukao, Shoichiro ^[1]

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1. Kyoto Univ. (Japan)

The authors have regularly monitored mesospheric winds at 60-85km for three years with the MU radar (35{degree}N, 136{degree}E), and have found that the variance of wind velocity fluctuations for periods from 5 min to 2 hr shows a semi-annual variation with a significant peak in summer centered in July and irregular enhancements in winter. The zonal momentum flux induced by gravity waves shows eastward and westward maxima in July-August and December-February, respectively. Typical eastward accelerations at the 70km altitude range from 7 to 13 m/s/day and from {minus}8 to {minus}11 m/s/day in summer and winter, respectively, which agree fairly well with theoretical predictions.

• OSTI ID: 6218516
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 17:6; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
AIR FLOW
ALTITUDE
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
FLOW RATE
FLUCTUATIONS
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
GRAVITY WAVES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MESOSPHERE
MONITORING
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
TIME DEPENDENCE
VARIATIONS
WIND