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Large-amplitude semidiurnal temperature variations in the polar mesopause: evidence of a pseudotide

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Abstract

Current atmospheric tidal models1,2 predict an amplitude of ≲2 K for the solar semidiurnal temperature variations in the polar mesopause (∼85 km altitude) during the winter solstice period. In contrast, here we report an amplitude of about 13 K for the 12-h variations in the mesopause temperature at Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen (78.2° N) on UT day 359 in 1984. The kinetic temperature of the mesopause was deduced from the thermalized rotational distribution of the mesopause airglow OH(8,3) vibrational–rotational band emission in the near-infrared spectral region. A semidiurnal ‘pseudotide’ is proposed as the source of the observed large-amplitude 12-h temperature variation. This pseudotide is generated by gravity-wave momentum fluxes modulated by the true semidiurnal tide3. The semidiurnal pseudotide is very efficiently excited at very high latitudes. Based on conservative values of gravity-wave amplitudes, we estimate a temperature amplitude of ∼10 K.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Sciences Laboratory, The Aerospace Corporation, POB 92957, Los Angeles, California, 90009, USA

    R. L. Walterscheid, G. G. Sivjee & G. Schubert

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755, USA

    R. M. Hamwey

Authors
  1. R. L. Walterscheid
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  2. G. G. Sivjee
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  3. G. Schubert
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  4. R. M. Hamwey
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Walterscheid, R., Sivjee, G., Schubert, G. et al. Large-amplitude semidiurnal temperature variations in the polar mesopause: evidence of a pseudotide. Nature 324, 347–349 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/324347a0

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