The impact of quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) disruptions on diurnal tides over the low- and mid-latitude mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region observed by a meteor radar chain

J. Wang; J. Wang; J. Wang; J. Wang; N. Li; N. Li; W. Yi; W. Yi; X. Xue; X. Xue; X. Xue; X. Xue; I. M. Reid; I. M. Reid; J. Wu; J. Wu; H. Ye; H. Ye; J. Li; J. Li; Z. Ding; Z. Ding; J. Chen; J. Chen; G. Li; Y. Tian; B. Chang; J. Wu; L. Zhao; L. Zhao

doi:10.5194/acp-24-13299-2024

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Dec 2024)

The impact of quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) disruptions on diurnal tides over the low- and mid-latitude mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region observed by a meteor radar chain

J. Wang,
J. Wang,
J. Wang,
J. Wang,
N. Li,
N. Li,
W. Yi,
W. Yi,
X. Xue,
X. Xue,
X. Xue,
X. Xue,
I. M. Reid,
I. M. Reid,
J. Wu,
J. Wu,
H. Ye,
H. Ye,
J. Li,
J. Li,
Z. Ding,
Z. Ding,
J. Chen,
J. Chen,
G. Li,
Y. Tian,
B. Chang,
J. Wu,
L. Zhao,
L. Zhao

Affiliations

J. Wang: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
J. Wang: Kunming Electro-magnetic Environment Observation and Research Station, Qujing 655500, China
J. Wang: CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
J. Wang: CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Anhui Mengcheng Geophysics National Observation and Research Station, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
N. Li: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
N. Li: Kunming Electro-magnetic Environment Observation and Research Station, Qujing 655500, China
W. Yi: CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
W. Yi: CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Anhui Mengcheng Geophysics National Observation and Research Station, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
X. Xue: CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
X. Xue: CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Anhui Mengcheng Geophysics National Observation and Research Station, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
X. Xue: Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
X. Xue: Collaborate Innovation Center of Astronautical Science and Technology, Harbin 150001, China
I. M. Reid: ATRAD Pty Ltd., Adelaide, SA 5032, Australia
I. M. Reid: School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
J. Wu: CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
J. Wu: CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Anhui Mengcheng Geophysics National Observation and Research Station, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
H. Ye: CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
H. Ye: CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Anhui Mengcheng Geophysics National Observation and Research Station, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
J. Li: CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
J. Li: CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Anhui Mengcheng Geophysics National Observation and Research Station, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Z. Ding: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
Z. Ding: Kunming Electro-magnetic Environment Observation and Research Station, Qujing 655500, China
J. Chen: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
J. Chen: Kunming Electro-magnetic Environment Observation and Research Station, Qujing 655500, China
G. Li: Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Y. Tian: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
B. Chang: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
J. Wu: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
L. Zhao: National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Environment, China Research Institute of Radiowave Propagation, Qingdao 266107, China
L. Zhao: Kunming Electro-magnetic Environment Observation and Research Station, Qujing 655500, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13299-2024
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 24
pp. 13299 – 13315

Abstract

Read online

A quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) disruption is a very rare phenomenon in which QBO westward wind is temporarily interrupted by the occurrence of a band of westward wind in the tropical stratosphere. This phenomenon is important as it could greatly affect the global atmospheric circulation, especially in the mesosphere. Past observational and modelling studies have shown the QBO varying mesospheric diurnal tide, but the mechanism is still not fully understood. In this study, we report on the strong response of mesospheric diurnal tides to the two QBO disruptions that occurred in 2015–2016 and 2019–2020 and their possible mechanisms. The diurnal tidal winds are observed by a meteor radar chain, consisting of meteor radars located at Kunming (25.6° N, 103.8° E), Wuhan (30.5° N, 114.2° E), Mengcheng (33.4° N, 116.5° E), Beijing (40.3° N, 116.2° E), and Mohe (53.5° N, 122.3° E) in China. These observations provide clear evidence that mesospheric diurnal tides are unusually weakened (by ∼ −6 m s−1) during these QBO disruptions, over Kunming, Wuhan, Mengcheng, and Beijing. Using the Specific Dynamics version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (SD-WACCM-X) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) dataset, the analysis indicates that the QBO wind affects mid-latitude mesospheric diurnal tides by modulating both the solar radiative absorption by subtropical stratospheric ozone (∼ 5 to 0.5 hPa) and the tidal–gravity wave interaction in the mesosphere (∼ 60 to 100 km). Thus, these unexpected QBO disruptions provide an opportunity to better understand the coupling between climate change and middle-atmospheric dynamics.

Published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

ISSN: 1680-7316 (Print); 1680-7324 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/

About the journal