Articles | Volume 16, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-15033-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-15033-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 Dec 2016
Research article |
| 06 Dec 2016
Long-term dynamics of OH * temperatures over central Europe: trends and solar correlations
Christoph Kalicinsky
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute for Atmospheric and Enviromental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Peter Knieling
Institute for Atmospheric and Enviromental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Ralf Koppmann
Institute for Atmospheric and Enviromental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Dirk Offermann
Institute for Atmospheric and Enviromental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Wolfgang Steinbrecht
DWD, Hohenpeissenberg Observatory, Germany
Johannes Wintel
Institute for Atmospheric and Enviromental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Related authors
Christoph Kalicinsky, Robert Reisch, and Peter Knieling
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3102, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3102, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary waves are important for driving large scale circulations. We observed planetary waves in a ground-based data set spanning more than 30 years. The waves can be assigned to expected waves due to their periods. The wave activity is strongest in winter for waves with periods greater than 20 days and shows maxima around equinoxes for periods below 20 days. The long-term behaviour shows a quasi-20 year oscillation of the wave activity with respect to the magnitude of the wave amplitudes.
Dirk Offermann, Christoph Kalicinsky, Ralf Koppmann, and Johannes Wintel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3267–3278, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3267-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3267-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric oscillations with periods between 5 and more than 200 years are believed to be self-excited (internal) in the atmosphere, i.e. non-anthropogenic. They are found at all altitudes up to 110 km and at four very different geographical locations (75° N, 70° E; 75° N, 280° E; 50° N, 7° E; 50° S, 7° E). Therefore, they hint at a global-oscillation mode. Their amplitudes are on the order of present-day climate trends, and it is therefore difficult to disentangle them.
Christoph Kalicinsky, Sabine Griessbach, and Reinhold Spang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1893–1915, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1893-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1893-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
For an airborne viewing geometry, radiative transfer simulations of infrared limb emission spectra in the presence of polar stratospheric clouds – nitric acid trihydrate (NAT), supercooled ternary solution, ice, and mixtures – were used to develop a size-sensitive NAT detection algorithm. Characteristic size-dependent spectral features in the 810–820 cm−1 region were exploited to subgroup the NAT into three size regimes: small NAT (≤ 1.0 μm), medium NAT (1.5–4.0 μm), and large NAT (≥ 3.5 μm).
Dirk Offermann, Christoph Kalicinsky, Ralf Koppmann, and Johannes Wintel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1593–1611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1593-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1593-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric oscillations with periods of up to several 100 years exist at altitudes up to 110 km. They are also seen in computer models (GCMs) of the atmospheric. They are often attributed to external influences from the sun, from the oceans, or from atmospheric constituents. This is difficult to verify as the atmosphere cannot be manipulated in an experiment. However, a GCM can be changed arbitrarily. Doing so, we find that long-period oscillations may be excited internally in the atmosphere.
Christoph Kalicinsky, Robert Reisch, Peter Knieling, and Ralf Koppmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 467–477, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-467-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-467-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents an approach to analyse unequally spaced time series of OH* temperatures with respect to time-varying periodic fluctuations. The approach is based on the classical Lomb–Scargle periodogram and, additionally, the idea of a moving window is used. Furthermore, a fast and easy way to analyse the significance of the results is presented. The general performance of the approach is tested with artificially generated time series and results for real observations are presented.
C. Kalicinsky, J.-U. Grooß, G. Günther, J. Ungermann, J. Blank, S. Höfer, L. Hoffmann, P. Knieling, F. Olschewski, R. Spang, F. Stroh, and M. Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10859–10871, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10859-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10859-2013, 2013
J. Ungermann, L. L. Pan, C. Kalicinsky, F. Olschewski, P. Knieling, J. Blank, K. Weigel, T. Guggenmoser, F. Stroh, L. Hoffmann, and M. Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10517–10534, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10517-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10517-2013, 2013
M. von Hobe, S. Bekki, S. Borrmann, F. Cairo, F. D'Amato, G. Di Donfrancesco, A. Dörnbrack, A. Ebersoldt, M. Ebert, C. Emde, I. Engel, M. Ern, W. Frey, S. Genco, S. Griessbach, J.-U. Grooß, T. Gulde, G. Günther, E. Hösen, L. Hoffmann, V. Homonnai, C. R. Hoyle, I. S. A. Isaksen, D. R. Jackson, I. M. Jánosi, R. L. Jones, K. Kandler, C. Kalicinsky, A. Keil, S. M. Khaykin, F. Khosrawi, R. Kivi, J. Kuttippurath, J. C. Laube, F. Lefèvre, R. Lehmann, S. Ludmann, B. P. Luo, M. Marchand, J. Meyer, V. Mitev, S. Molleker, R. Müller, H. Oelhaf, F. Olschewski, Y. Orsolini, T. Peter, K. Pfeilsticker, C. Piesch, M. C. Pitts, L. R. Poole, F. D. Pope, F. Ravegnani, M. Rex, M. Riese, T. Röckmann, B. Rognerud, A. Roiger, C. Rolf, M. L. Santee, M. Scheibe, C. Schiller, H. Schlager, M. Siciliani de Cumis, N. Sitnikov, O. A. Søvde, R. Spang, N. Spelten, F. Stordal, O. Sumińska-Ebersoldt, A. Ulanovski, J. Ungermann, S. Viciani, C. M. Volk, M. vom Scheidt, P. von der Gathen, K. Walker, T. Wegner, R. Weigel, S. Weinbruch, G. Wetzel, F. G. Wienhold, I. Wohltmann, W. Woiwode, I. A. K. Young, V. Yushkov, B. Zobrist, and F. Stroh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9233–9268, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9233-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9233-2013, 2013
Roeland Van Malderen, Anne M. Thompson, Debra E. Kollonige, Ryan M. Stauffer, Herman G. J. Smit, Eliane Maillard Barras, Corinne Vigouroux, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Thierry Leblanc, Valérie Thouret, Pawel Wolff, Peter Effertz, David W. Tarasick, Deniz Poyraz, Gérard Ancellet, Marie-Renée De Backer, Stéphanie Evan, Victoria Flood, Matthias M. Frey, James W. Hannigan, José L. Hernandez, Marco Iarlori, Bryan J. Johnson, Nicholas Jones, Rigel Kivi, Emmanuel Mahieu, Glen McConville, Katrin Müller, Tomoo Nagahama, Justus Notholt, Ankie Piters, Natalia Prats, Richard Querel, Dan Smale, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Kimberly Strong, and Ralf Sussmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7187–7225, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7187-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7187-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Tropospheric ozone is an important greenhouse gas and is an air pollutant. The time variability of tropospheric ozone is mainly driven by anthropogenic emissions. In this paper, we study the distribution and time variability of ozone from harmonized ground-based observations from five different measurement techniques. Our findings provide clear standard references for atmospheric models and evolving tropospheric ozone satellite data for the 2000–2022 period.
Christoph Kalicinsky, Robert Reisch, and Peter Knieling
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3102, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3102, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary waves are important for driving large scale circulations. We observed planetary waves in a ground-based data set spanning more than 30 years. The waves can be assigned to expected waves due to their periods. The wave activity is strongest in winter for waves with periods greater than 20 days and shows maxima around equinoxes for periods below 20 days. The long-term behaviour shows a quasi-20 year oscillation of the wave activity with respect to the magnitude of the wave amplitudes.
Anne Boynard, Catherine Wespes, Juliette Hadji-Lazaro, Selviga Sinnathamby, Daniel Hurtmans, Pierre-François Coheur, Marie Doutriaux-Boucher, Jacobus Onderwaater, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Elyse A. Pennington, Kevin Bowman, and Cathy Clerbaux
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1054, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1054, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyzes 16 years of global ozone data to assess its impact on air quality and climate. Using satellite measurements, we observed a global decrease in tropospheric ozone, particularly in tropical and European regions. The study highlights the importance of long-term data for tracking trends, especially during events like the pandemic. We emphasize the need for improved data processing and integrating multiple datasets to better understand ozone trends.
Roeland Van Malderen, Zhou Zang, Kai-Lan Chang, Robin Björklund, Owen R. Cooper, Jane Liu, Eliane Maillard Barras, Corinne Vigouroux, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Thierry Leblanc, Valérie Thouret, Pawel Wolff, Peter Effertz, Audrey Gaudel, David W. Tarasick, Herman G. J. Smit, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan M. Stauffer, Debra E. Kollonige, Deniz Poyraz, Gérard Ancellet, Marie-Renée De Backer, Matthias M. Frey, James W. Hannigan, José L. Hernandez, Bryan J. Johnson, Nicholas Jones, Rigel Kivi, Emmanuel Mahieu, Isamu Morino, Glen McConville, Katrin Müller, Isao Murata, Justus Notholt, Ankie Piters, Maxime Prignon, Richard Querel, Vincenzo Rizi, Dan Smale, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Kimberly Strong, and Ralf Sussmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3745, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3745, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Tropospheric ozone is an important greenhouse gas and an air pollutant, whose distribution and time variability is mainly governed by anthropogenic emissions and dynamics. In this paper, we assess regional trends of tropospheric ozone column amounts, based on two different approaches of merging or synthesizing ground-based observations and their trends within specific regions. Our findings clearly demonstrate regional trend differences, but also consistently higher pre- than post-COVID trends.
Arno Keppens, Serena Di Pede, Daan Hubert, Jean-Christopher Lambert, Pepijn Veefkind, Maarten Sneep, Johan De Haan, Mark ter Linden, Thierry Leblanc, Steven Compernolle, Tijl Verhoelst, José Granville, Oindrila Nath, Ann Mari Fjæraa, Ian Boyd, Sander Niemeijer, Roeland Van Malderen, Herman G. J. Smit, Valentin Duflot, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Bryan J. Johnson, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, David W. Tarasick, Debra E. Kollonige, Ryan M. Stauffer, Anne M. Thompson, Angelika Dehn, and Claus Zehner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3969–3993, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3969-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3969-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Sentinel-5P satellite operated by the European Space Agency has carried the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) around the Earth since October 2017. This mission also produces atmospheric ozone profile data which are described in detail for May 2018 to April 2023. Independent validation using ground-based reference measurements demonstrates that the operational ozone profile product mostly fully and at least partially complies with all mission requirements.
Karl Voglmeier, Voltaire A. Velazco, Luca Egli, Julian Gröbner, Alberto Redondas, and Wolfgang Steinbrecht
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2277–2294, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2277-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Comparison between total ozone column (TOC) measurements from ground-based Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers generally reveals seasonally varying differences of a few percent. This study recommends a new TOC retrieval approach, which effectively eliminates these seasonally varying differences by applying new ozone absorption cross sections, appropriate slit functions for the Dobson instrument, and climatological values for the effective ozone temperature.
Thomas Trickl, Hannes Vogelmann, Michael D. Fromm, Horst Jäger, Matthias Perfahl, and Wolfgang Steinbrecht
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1997–2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1997-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1997-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In 2023, the lidar team at Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) celebrated its 50th year of aerosol profiling. The highlight of these activities has been the lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosol carried out since 1976. The observations since 2017 are characterized by severe smoke from several big fires in North America and Siberia and three volcanic eruptions. The sudden increase in the frequency of such strong fire events is difficult to understand.
Thomas Trickl, Martin Adelwart, Dina Khordakova, Ludwig Ries, Christian Rolf, Michael Sprenger, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, and Hannes Vogelmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5145–5165, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5145-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5145-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Tropospheric ozone have been measured for more than a century. Highly quantitative ozone measurements have been made at monitoring stations. However, deficits have been reported for vertical sounding systems. Here, we report a thorough intercomparison effort between a differential-absorption lidar system and two types of balloon-borne ozone sondes, also using ozone sensors at nearby mountain sites as references. The sondes agree very well with the lidar after offset corrections.
Dirk Offermann, Christoph Kalicinsky, Ralf Koppmann, and Johannes Wintel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3267–3278, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3267-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3267-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric oscillations with periods between 5 and more than 200 years are believed to be self-excited (internal) in the atmosphere, i.e. non-anthropogenic. They are found at all altitudes up to 110 km and at four very different geographical locations (75° N, 70° E; 75° N, 280° E; 50° N, 7° E; 50° S, 7° E). Therefore, they hint at a global-oscillation mode. Their amplitudes are on the order of present-day climate trends, and it is therefore difficult to disentangle them.
Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Niramson Azouz, Viktoria F. Sofieva, Daan Hubert, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Peter Effertz, Gérard Ancellet, Doug A. Degenstein, Daniel Zawada, Lucien Froidevaux, Stacey Frith, Jeannette Wild, Sean Davis, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Thierry Leblanc, Richard Querel, Kleareti Tourpali, Robert Damadeo, Eliane Maillard Barras, René Stübi, Corinne Vigouroux, Carlo Arosio, Gerald Nedoluha, Ian Boyd, Roeland Van Malderen, Emmanuel Mahieu, Dan Smale, and Ralf Sussmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11657–11673, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11657-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11657-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
An updated evaluation up to 2020 of stratospheric ozone profile long-term trends at extrapolar latitudes based on satellite and ground-based records is presented. Ozone increase in the upper stratosphere is confirmed, with significant trends at most latitudes. In this altitude region, a very good agreement is found with trends derived from chemistry–climate model simulations. Observed and modelled trends diverge in the lower stratosphere, but the differences are non-significant.
M. Dolores Andrés Hernández, Andreas Hilboll, Helmut Ziereis, Eric Förster, Ovid O. Krüger, Katharina Kaiser, Johannes Schneider, Francesca Barnaba, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Jörg Schmidt, Heidi Huntrieser, Anne-Marlene Blechschmidt, Midhun George, Vladyslav Nenakhov, Theresa Harlass, Bruna A. Holanda, Jennifer Wolf, Lisa Eirenschmalz, Marc Krebsbach, Mira L. Pöhlker, Anna B. Kalisz Hedegaard, Linlu Mei, Klaus Pfeilsticker, Yangzhuoran Liu, Ralf Koppmann, Hans Schlager, Birger Bohn, Ulrich Schumann, Andreas Richter, Benjamin Schreiner, Daniel Sauer, Robert Baumann, Mariano Mertens, Patrick Jöckel, Markus Kilian, Greta Stratmann, Christopher Pöhlker, Monica Campanelli, Marco Pandolfi, Michael Sicard, José L. Gómez-Amo, Manuel Pujadas, Katja Bigge, Flora Kluge, Anja Schwarz, Nikos Daskalakis, David Walter, Andreas Zahn, Ulrich Pöschl, Harald Bönisch, Stephan Borrmann, Ulrich Platt, and John P. Burrows
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5877–5924, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5877-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5877-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
EMeRGe provides a unique set of in situ and remote sensing airborne measurements of trace gases and aerosol particles along selected flight routes in the lower troposphere over Europe. The interpretation uses also complementary collocated ground-based and satellite measurements. The collected data help to improve the current understanding of the complex spatial distribution of trace gases and aerosol particles resulting from mixing, transport, and transformation of pollution plumes over Europe.
Ralf Zuber, Ulf Köhler, Luca Egli, Mario Ribnitzky, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, and Julian Gröbner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4915–4928, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4915-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4915-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We validated two BTS-based systems in a longer-term TOC analysis in the 2019/2020 campaign at Hohenpeißenberg and Davos. The results showed a deviation of the BTS-Solar to Brewers of < 0.1 % with a k = 2 of < 1.5 %. Koherent showed a deviation of 1.7 % with a k = 2 of 2.7 %. Resultingly, the BTS-Solar performance is comparable to Brewers in Hohenpeißenberg. Koherent shows a seasonal variation in Davos due to the sensitivity of its TOC retrieval algorithm to stratospheric temperature.
Robin Wing, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Thomas J. McGee, John T. Sullivan, Sergey Khaykin, Grant Sumnicht, and Laurence Twigg
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3773–3794, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3773-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3773-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This paper is a validation study of the newly installed ozone and temperature lidar at Hohenpeißenberg, Germany. As part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC), lidar stations are routinely compared against a travelling reference lidar operated by NASA. We have also attempted to assess potential biases in the reference lidar by comparing the results of this validation campaign with a previous campaign at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France.
Graeme Marlton, Andrew Charlton-Perez, Giles Harrison, Inna Polichtchouk, Alain Hauchecorne, Philippe Keckhut, Robin Wing, Thierry Leblanc, and Wolfgang Steinbrecht
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6079–6092, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6079-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6079-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A network of Rayleigh lidars have been used to infer the upper-stratosphere temperature bias in ECMWF ERA-5 and ERA-Interim reanalyses during 1990–2017. Results show that ERA-Interim exhibits a cold bias of −3 to −4 K between 10 and 1 hPa. Comparisons with ERA-5 found a smaller bias of 1 K which varies between cold and warm between 10 and 3 hPa, indicating a good thermal representation of the atmosphere to 3 hPa. These biases must be accounted for in stratospheric studies using these reanalyses.
Christoph Kalicinsky, Sabine Griessbach, and Reinhold Spang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1893–1915, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1893-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1893-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
For an airborne viewing geometry, radiative transfer simulations of infrared limb emission spectra in the presence of polar stratospheric clouds – nitric acid trihydrate (NAT), supercooled ternary solution, ice, and mixtures – were used to develop a size-sensitive NAT detection algorithm. Characteristic size-dependent spectral features in the 810–820 cm−1 region were exploited to subgroup the NAT into three size regimes: small NAT (≤ 1.0 μm), medium NAT (1.5–4.0 μm), and large NAT (≥ 3.5 μm).
Dirk Offermann, Christoph Kalicinsky, Ralf Koppmann, and Johannes Wintel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1593–1611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1593-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1593-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric oscillations with periods of up to several 100 years exist at altitudes up to 110 km. They are also seen in computer models (GCMs) of the atmospheric. They are often attributed to external influences from the sun, from the oceans, or from atmospheric constituents. This is difficult to verify as the atmosphere cannot be manipulated in an experiment. However, a GCM can be changed arbitrarily. Doing so, we find that long-period oscillations may be excited internally in the atmosphere.
Robin Wing, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Thomas J. McGee, John T. Sullivan, Grant Sumnicht, Gérard Ancellet, Alain Hauchecorne, Sergey Khaykin, and Philippe Keckhut
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5621–5642, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5621-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5621-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A lidar intercomparison campaign was conducted over a period of 28 nights at Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP) in 2017 and 2018. The objective is to validate the ozone and temperature profiles at OHP to ensure the quality of data submitted to the NDACC database remains high. A mobile reference lidar operated by NASA was transported to OHP and operated concurrently with the French lidars. Agreement for ozone was better than 5 % between 20 and 40 km, and temperatures were equal within 3 K.
M. Patrick McCormick, Liqiao Lei, Michael T. Hill, John Anderson, Richard Querel, and Wolfgang Steinbrecht
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 1287–1297, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-1287-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-1287-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present a validation of O3 data from the SAGE III-ISS instrument using ground-based lidars and ozonesondes from Hohenpeißenberg and Lauder as well as O3 data from the ACE-FTS instrument. Average differences in the O3 concentration between SAGE III-ISS and the lidar and sonde observations are < 10 % over much of the lower and middle stratosphere. The ACE comparisons are < 5 % from 20 to 45 km. These results provide confidence in the SAGE III measurements of global stratospheric O3 profiles.
Christoph Kalicinsky, Robert Reisch, Peter Knieling, and Ralf Koppmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 467–477, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-467-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-467-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents an approach to analyse unequally spaced time series of OH* temperatures with respect to time-varying periodic fluctuations. The approach is based on the classical Lomb–Scargle periodogram and, additionally, the idea of a moving window is used. Furthermore, a fast and easy way to analyse the significance of the results is presented. The general performance of the approach is tested with artificially generated time series and results for real observations are presented.
Qiuyu Chen, Martin Kaufmann, Yajun Zhu, Jilin Liu, Ralf Koppmann, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 13891–13910, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-13891-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-13891-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Atomic oxygen is one of the most important trace species in the mesopause region. A common technique to derive it from satellite measurements is to measure airglow emissions involved in the photochemistry of oxygen. In this work, hydroxyl nightglow measured by the GOMOS instrument on Envisat is used to derive a 10-year dataset of atomic oxygen in the middle and upper atmosphere. Annual and semiannual oscillations are observed in the data. The new data are consistent with various other datasets.
Leonie Bernet, Thomas von Clarmann, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Gérard Ancellet, Eliane Maillard Barras, René Stübi, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Niklaus Kämpfer, and Klemens Hocke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4289–4309, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4289-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4289-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
After severe ozone depletion, upper stratospheric ozone has started to recover in recent years. However, stratospheric ozone trends from various data sets still show differences. To partly explain such differences, we investigate how the trends are affected by different factors, for example, anomalies in the data. We show how trend estimates can be improved by considering such anomalies and present updated stratospheric ozone trends from ground data measured in central Europe.
Friedhelm Olschewski, Christian Monte, Albert Adibekyan, Max Reiniger, Berndt Gutschwager, Joerg Hollandt, and Ralf Koppmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 4757–4762, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-4757-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-4757-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Research at the University of Wuppertal designed and manufactured a prototype of the large-area blackbody for in-flight calibration of an infrared interferometer deployed onboard a long-duration balloon for stratospheric research.
Martin Kaufmann, Friedhelm Olschewski, Klaus Mantel, Brian Solheim, Gordon Shepherd, Michael Deiml, Jilin Liu, Rui Song, Qiuyu Chen, Oliver Wroblowski, Daikang Wei, Yajun Zhu, Friedrich Wagner, Florian Loosen, Denis Froehlich, Tom Neubert, Heinz Rongen, Peter Knieling, Panos Toumpas, Jinjun Shan, Geshi Tang, Ralf Koppmann, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 3861–3870, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-3861-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-3861-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The concept and optical layout of a limb sounder using a spatial heterodyne spectrometer is presented. The instrument fits onto a nano-satellite platform, such as a CubeSat. It is designed for the derivation of temperatures in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The design parameters of the optics and a radiometric assessment of the instrument as well as the main characterization and calibration steps are discussed.
Christos Zerefos, John Kapsomenakis, Kostas Eleftheratos, Kleareti Tourpali, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Daan Hubert, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Stacey Frith, Viktoria Sofieva, and Birgit Hassler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6427–6440, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6427-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6427-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We point out the representativeness of single lidar stations for zonally averaged ozone profile variations in the middle/upper stratosphere. We examine the contribution of chemistry and natural proxies to ozone profile trends. Above 10 hPa an “inflection point” between 1997–99 marks the end of significant negative ozone trends, followed by a recent period of positive ozone change in 1998–2015. Below 15 hPa the pre-1998 negative ozone trends tend to become insignificant as we move to 2015.
Martine De Mazière, Anne M. Thompson, Michael J. Kurylo, Jeannette D. Wild, Germar Bernhard, Thomas Blumenstock, Geir O. Braathen, James W. Hannigan, Jean-Christopher Lambert, Thierry Leblanc, Thomas J. McGee, Gerald Nedoluha, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Gunther Seckmeyer, Paul C. Simon, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, and Susan E. Strahan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 4935–4964, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4935-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4935-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper serves as an introduction to the special issue "Twenty-five years of operations of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC)". It describes the origins of the network, its actual status, and some perspectives for its future evolution in the context of atmospheric sciences.
Francisco Navas-Guzmán, Niklaus Kämpfer, Franziska Schranz, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, and Alexander Haefele
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 14085–14104, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-14085-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-14085-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The paper presents assessment of the stratospheric measurements of a relatively new temperature radiometer (TEMPERA) at 60 GHz. The temperature profiles from TEMPERA have been compared with measurements from different techniques such as radiosondes, MLS satellite and Rayleigh lidar and with the temperature outputs from the SD-WACCM model. The results showed absolute biases and standard deviations lower than 2 K for most of the altitudes and comparisons, proving the good performance of TEMPERA.
Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Lucien Froidevaux, Ryan Fuller, Ray Wang, John Anderson, Chris Roth, Adam Bourassa, Doug Degenstein, Robert Damadeo, Joe Zawodny, Stacey Frith, Richard McPeters, Pawan Bhartia, Jeannette Wild, Craig Long, Sean Davis, Karen Rosenlof, Viktoria Sofieva, Kaley Walker, Nabiz Rahpoe, Alexei Rozanov, Mark Weber, Alexandra Laeng, Thomas von Clarmann, Gabriele Stiller, Natalya Kramarova, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Thierry Leblanc, Richard Querel, Daan Swart, Ian Boyd, Klemens Hocke, Niklaus Kämpfer, Eliane Maillard Barras, Lorena Moreira, Gerald Nedoluha, Corinne Vigouroux, Thomas Blumenstock, Matthias Schneider, Omaira García, Nicholas Jones, Emmanuel Mahieu, Dan Smale, Michael Kotkamp, John Robinson, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Neil Harris, Birgit Hassler, Daan Hubert, and Fiona Tummon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 10675–10690, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10675-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-10675-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Thanks to the 1987 Montreal Protocol and its amendments, ozone-depleting chlorine (and bromine) in the stratosphere has declined slowly since the late 1990s. Improved and extended long-term ozone profile observations from satellites and ground-based stations confirm that ozone is responding as expected and has increased by about 2 % per decade since 2000 in the upper stratosphere, around 40 km altitude. At lower altitudes, however, ozone has not changed significantly since 2000.
Daan Hubert, Jean-Christopher Lambert, Tijl Verhoelst, José Granville, Arno Keppens, Jean-Luc Baray, Adam E. Bourassa, Ugo Cortesi, Doug A. Degenstein, Lucien Froidevaux, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Karl W. Hoppel, Bryan J. Johnson, Erkki Kyrölä, Thierry Leblanc, Günter Lichtenberg, Marion Marchand, C. Thomas McElroy, Donal Murtagh, Hideaki Nakane, Thierry Portafaix, Richard Querel, James M. Russell III, Jacobo Salvador, Herman G. J. Smit, Kerstin Stebel, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Kevin B. Strawbridge, René Stübi, Daan P. J. Swart, Ghassan Taha, David W. Tarasick, Anne M. Thompson, Joachim Urban, Joanna A. E. van Gijsel, Roeland Van Malderen, Peter von der Gathen, Kaley A. Walker, Elian Wolfram, and Joseph M. Zawodny
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2497–2534, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2497-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2497-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
A more detailed understanding of satellite O3 profile data records is vital for further progress in O3 research. To this end, we made a comprehensive assessment of 14 limb/occultation profilers using ground-based reference data. The mutual consistency of satellite O3 in terms of bias, short-term variability and decadal stability is generally good over most of the stratosphere. However, we identified some exceptions that impact the quality of recently merged data sets and ozone trend assessments.
Hannah Sonderfeld, Iain R. White, Iain C. A. Goodall, James R. Hopkins, Alastair C. Lewis, Ralf Koppmann, and Paul S. Monks
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 6303–6318, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-6303-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-6303-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Unknown sinks of OH and oxidation processes in the atmosphere have been attributed to what has been termed "missing" OH reactivity. Often overlooked are the differences in timescales over which the diverse measurement techniques operate. The effect of the sampling time and thus the contribution of unmeasured VOC variability on OH reactivity is investigated.
S. Hassinen, D. Balis, H. Bauer, M. Begoin, A. Delcloo, K. Eleftheratos, S. Gimeno Garcia, J. Granville, M. Grossi, N. Hao, P. Hedelt, F. Hendrick, M. Hess, K.-P. Heue, J. Hovila, H. Jønch-Sørensen, N. Kalakoski, A. Kauppi, S. Kiemle, L. Kins, M. E. Koukouli, J. Kujanpää, J.-C. Lambert, R. Lang, C. Lerot, D. Loyola, M. Pedergnana, G. Pinardi, F. Romahn, M. van Roozendael, R. Lutz, I. De Smedt, P. Stammes, W. Steinbrecht, J. Tamminen, N. Theys, L. G. Tilstra, O. N. E. Tuinder, P. Valks, C. Zerefos, W. Zimmer, and I. Zyrichidou
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 383–407, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-383-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-383-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The three GOME-2 instruments will provide unique and long data sets for atmospheric research and applications. The complete time period will be 2007–2022, including the period of ozone depletion as well as the beginning of ozone layer recovery. The GOME-2 products (ozone, trace gases, aerosols and UV radiation) are important for ozone chemistry, air quality studies, climate modeling, policy monitoring and hazard warnings. The processing and dissemination is done by EUMETSAT O3M SAF project.
T. Meisehen, F. Bühler, R. Koppmann, and M. Krebsbach
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 4475–4486, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-4475-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-4475-2015, 2015
N. R. P. Harris, B. Hassler, F. Tummon, G. E. Bodeker, D. Hubert, I. Petropavlovskikh, W. Steinbrecht, J. Anderson, P. K. Bhartia, C. D. Boone, A. Bourassa, S. M. Davis, D. Degenstein, A. Delcloo, S. M. Frith, L. Froidevaux, S. Godin-Beekmann, N. Jones, M. J. Kurylo, E. Kyrölä, M. Laine, S. T. Leblanc, J.-C. Lambert, B. Liley, E. Mahieu, A. Maycock, M. de Mazière, A. Parrish, R. Querel, K. H. Rosenlof, C. Roth, C. Sioris, J. Staehelin, R. S. Stolarski, R. Stübi, J. Tamminen, C. Vigouroux, K. A. Walker, H. J. Wang, J. Wild, and J. M. Zawodny
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9965–9982, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9965-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9965-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Trends in the vertical distribution of ozone are reported for new and recently revised data sets. The amount of ozone-depleting compounds in the stratosphere peaked in the second half of the 1990s. We examine the trends before and after that peak to see if any change in trend is discernible. The previously reported decreases are confirmed. Furthermore, the downward trend in upper stratospheric ozone has not continued. The possible significance of any increase is discussed in detail.
J. A. E. van Gijsel, R. Zurita-Milla, P. Stammes, S. Godin-Beekmann, T. Leblanc, M. Marchand, I. S. McDermid, K. Stebel, W. Steinbrecht, and D. P. J. Swart
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1951–1963, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1951-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1951-2015, 2015
F. Tummon, B. Hassler, N. R. P. Harris, J. Staehelin, W. Steinbrecht, J. Anderson, G. E. Bodeker, A. Bourassa, S. M. Davis, D. Degenstein, S. M. Frith, L. Froidevaux, E. Kyrölä, M. Laine, C. Long, A. A. Penckwitt, C. E. Sioris, K. H. Rosenlof, C. Roth, H.-J. Wang, and J. Wild
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 3021–3043, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-3021-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-3021-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding ozone trends in the vertical is vital in terms of assessing the success of the Montreal Protocol. This paper compares and analyses the long-term trends in stratospheric ozone from seven new merged satellite data sets. The data sets largely agree well with each other, particularly for the negative trends seen in the early period 1984-1997. For the 1998-2011 period there is less agreement, but a clear shift from negative to mostly positive trends.
B. Bonn, E. Bourtsoukidis, T. S. Sun, H. Bingemer, L. Rondo, U. Javed, J. Li, R. Axinte, X. Li, T. Brauers, H. Sonderfeld, R. Koppmann, A. Sogachev, S. Jacobi, and D. V. Spracklen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 10823–10843, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10823-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10823-2014, 2014
E. Eckert, T. von Clarmann, M. Kiefer, G. P. Stiller, S. Lossow, N. Glatthor, D. A. Degenstein, L. Froidevaux, S. Godin-Beekmann, T. Leblanc, S. McDermid, M. Pastel, W. Steinbrecht, D. P. J. Swart, K. A. Walker, and P. F. Bernath
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2571–2589, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2571-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2571-2014, 2014
J. Wintel, E. Hösen, R. Koppmann, M. Krebsbach, A. Hofzumahaus, and F. Rohrer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 11059–11071, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11059-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11059-2013, 2013
F. Olschewski, A. Ebersoldt, F. Friedl-Vallon, B. Gutschwager, J. Hollandt, A. Kleinert, C. Monte, C. Piesch, P. Preusse, C. Rolf, P. Steffens, and R. Koppmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 3067–3082, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-3067-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-3067-2013, 2013
C. Kalicinsky, J.-U. Grooß, G. Günther, J. Ungermann, J. Blank, S. Höfer, L. Hoffmann, P. Knieling, F. Olschewski, R. Spang, F. Stroh, and M. Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10859–10871, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10859-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10859-2013, 2013
J. Ungermann, L. L. Pan, C. Kalicinsky, F. Olschewski, P. Knieling, J. Blank, K. Weigel, T. Guggenmoser, F. Stroh, L. Hoffmann, and M. Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10517–10534, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10517-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10517-2013, 2013
M. von Hobe, S. Bekki, S. Borrmann, F. Cairo, F. D'Amato, G. Di Donfrancesco, A. Dörnbrack, A. Ebersoldt, M. Ebert, C. Emde, I. Engel, M. Ern, W. Frey, S. Genco, S. Griessbach, J.-U. Grooß, T. Gulde, G. Günther, E. Hösen, L. Hoffmann, V. Homonnai, C. R. Hoyle, I. S. A. Isaksen, D. R. Jackson, I. M. Jánosi, R. L. Jones, K. Kandler, C. Kalicinsky, A. Keil, S. M. Khaykin, F. Khosrawi, R. Kivi, J. Kuttippurath, J. C. Laube, F. Lefèvre, R. Lehmann, S. Ludmann, B. P. Luo, M. Marchand, J. Meyer, V. Mitev, S. Molleker, R. Müller, H. Oelhaf, F. Olschewski, Y. Orsolini, T. Peter, K. Pfeilsticker, C. Piesch, M. C. Pitts, L. R. Poole, F. D. Pope, F. Ravegnani, M. Rex, M. Riese, T. Röckmann, B. Rognerud, A. Roiger, C. Rolf, M. L. Santee, M. Scheibe, C. Schiller, H. Schlager, M. Siciliani de Cumis, N. Sitnikov, O. A. Søvde, R. Spang, N. Spelten, F. Stordal, O. Sumińska-Ebersoldt, A. Ulanovski, J. Ungermann, S. Viciani, C. M. Volk, M. vom Scheidt, P. von der Gathen, K. Walker, T. Wegner, R. Weigel, S. Weinbruch, G. Wetzel, F. G. Wienhold, I. Wohltmann, W. Woiwode, I. A. K. Young, V. Yushkov, B. Zobrist, and F. Stroh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9233–9268, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9233-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-9233-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Dynamics | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Mesosphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Extreme Concentric Gravity Waves Observed in the Mesosphere and Thermosphere Regions over Southern Brazil Associated with Fast-Moving Severe Thunderstorms
Momentum flux characteristics of vertically propagating gravity waves
Did the 2022 Hunga eruption impact the noctilucent cloud season in 2023/24 and 2024?
Lidar measurements of noctilucent clouds at Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Upper-atmosphere responses to the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha′apai volcanic eruption via acoustic gravity waves and air–sea interaction
Influences of sudden stratospheric warmings on the ionosphere above Okinawa
Gravity waves generated by the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha′apai volcanic eruption and their global propagation in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere observed by meteor radars and modeled with the High-Altitude general Mechanistic Circulation Model
Long-term studies of the summer wind in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at middle and high latitudes over Europe
Progress in investigating long-term trends in the mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere
Aura/MLS observes and SD-WACCM-X simulates the seasonality, quasi-biennial oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation of the migrating diurnal tide driving upper mesospheric CO primarily through vertical advection
Hydroxyl airglow observations for investigating atmospheric dynamics: results and challenges
Signatures of gravity wave-induced instabilities in balloon lidar soundings of polar mesospheric clouds
Sources of concentric gravity waves generated by a moving mesoscale convective system in southern Brazil
How do gravity waves triggered by a typhoon propagate from the troposphere to the upper atmosphere?
Interhemispheric differences of mesosphere–lower thermosphere winds and tides investigated from three whole-atmosphere models and meteor radar observations
The semiannual oscillation (SAO) in the tropical middle atmosphere and its gravity wave driving in reanalyses and satellite observations
Mesospheric gravity wave activity estimated via airglow imagery, multistatic meteor radar, and SABER data taken during the SIMONe–2018 campaign
Interhemispheric transport of metallic ions within ionospheric sporadic E layers by the lower thermospheric meridional circulation
Formation of an additional density peak in the bottom side of the sodium layer associated with the passage of multiple mesospheric frontal systems
Gravity-wave-perturbed wind shears derived from SABER temperature observations
Comparative study between ground-based observations and NAVGEM-HA analysis data in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region
Analysis of 24 years of mesopause region OH rotational temperature observations at Davis, Antarctica – Part 2: Evidence of a quasi-quadrennial oscillation (QQO) in the polar mesosphere
The MATS satellite mission – gravity wave studies by Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography and Spectroscopy
Winter 2018 major sudden stratospheric warming impact on midlatitude mesosphere from microwave radiometer measurements
Climatology of the mesopause relative density using a global distribution of meteor radars
Observations of OH airglow from ground, aircraft, and satellite: investigation of wave-like structures before a minor stratospheric warming
Mesospheric semidiurnal tides and near-12 h waves through jointly analyzing observations of five specular meteor radars from three longitudinal sectors at boreal midlatitudes
Statistical climatology of mid-latitude mesospheric summer echoes characterised by OSWIN (Ostsee-Wind) radar observations
Can VHF radars at polar latitudes measure mean vertical winds in the presence of PMSE?
The global climatology of the intensity of the ionospheric sporadic E layer
Long-term lidar observations of the gravity wave activity near the mesopause at Arecibo
Characterization of flow recirculation zones at the Perdigão site using multi-lidar measurements
Solar 27-day signatures in standard phase height measurements above central Europe
Mesospheric bores at southern midlatitudes observed by ISS-IMAP/VISI: a first report of an undulating wave front
Simultaneous observations of NLCs and MSEs at midlatitudes: implications for formation and advection of ice particles
Long-term observation of midlatitude quasi 2-day waves by a water vapor radiometer
Climatology of mesopause region nocturnal temperature, zonal wind and sodium density observed by sodium lidar over Hefei, China (32° N, 117° E)
Multi-static spatial and angular studies of polar mesospheric summer echoes combining MAARSY and KAIRA
Observation of Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities and gravity waves in the summer mesopause above Andenes in Northern Norway
Temporal variability of tidal and gravity waves during a record long 10-day continuous lidar sounding
Quasi 18 h wave activity in ground-based observed mesospheric H2O over Bern, Switzerland
Winds and temperatures of the Arctic middle atmosphere during January measured by Doppler lidar
Short-period mesospheric gravity waves and their sources at the South Pole
MIPAS observations of longitudinal oscillations in the mesosphere and the lower thermosphere: climatology of odd-parity daily frequency modes
Neutral atmosphere temperature trends and variability at 90 km, 70 °N, 19 °E, 2003–2014
Response of OH airglow emissions to mesospheric gravity waves and comparisons with full-wave model simulation at a low-latitude Indian station
First continuous ground-based observations of long period oscillations in the vertically resolved wind field of the stratosphere and mesosphere
Semi-annual oscillation (SAO) of the nighttime ionospheric D region as detected through ground-based VLF receivers
Meteor radar quasi 2-day wave observations over 10 years at Collm (51.3° N, 13.0° E)
Observations of planetary waves in the mesosphere-lower thermosphere during stratospheric warming events
Qinzeng Li, Jiyao Xu, Yajun Zhu, Cristiano M. Wrasse, José V. Bageston, Wei Yuan, Xiao Liu, Weijun Liu, Ying Wen, Hui Li, and Zhengkuan Liu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1417, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1417, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study explores intense CGWs based on ground – based and multi – satellite observations over Southern Brazil, revealing significant airglow perturbations and strong momentum release. Triggered by deep convections and enabled by weaker wind field, these CGWs reached the mesopause and thermosphere. Consistent detections via OI and OH airglow emissions confirm their vertical propagation, while asymmetric thermosphere propagation is linked to Doppler-induced wavelength changes.
Prosper K. Nyassor, Cristiano M. Wrasse, Igo Paulino, Erdal Yiğit, Vera Y. Tsali-Brown, Ricardo A. Buriti, Cosme A. O. B. Figueiredo, Gabriel A. Giongo, Fábio Egito, Oluwasegun M. Adebayo, Hisao Takahashi, and Delano Gobbi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4053–4082, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4053-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4053-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This work explores the dynamics of the momentum and energy of propagating mesospheric gravity waves (GWs). A photometer was used to observe the vertical component of the GWs, whereas the horizontal component was observed by an all-sky imager. Using the parameters from these two instruments and background wind from meteor radar, the momentum flux and potential energy of the GWs were determined and studied. It is noted that the dynamics of the downward-propagating GWs were controlled by observed ducts.
Sandra Wallis, Matthew DeLand, and Christian von Savigny
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3635–3645, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3635-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3635-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The 2022 Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha'apai eruption emitted about 150 Tg H2O that partly reached the upper polar Southern Hemisphere mesosphere in the beginning of 2024. Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) did not show a clear perturbation in their occurrence frequency, but the slight increase from mid-January to February could potentially have been caused by the additional H2O. It needed 2 years to reach the summer polar mesopause region, analogous to the 1883 Krakatoa eruption that is argued to have caused the first sightings of NLCs.
Natalie Kaifler, Bernd Kaifler, Markus Rapp, Guiping Liu, Diego Janches, Gerd Baumgarten, and Jose-Luis Hormaechea
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 14029–14044, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14029-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14029-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are silvery clouds that can be viewed during twilight and indicate atmospheric conditions like temperature and water vapor in the upper mesosphere. High-resolution measurements from a remote sensing laser instrument provide NLC height, brightness, and occurrence rate since 2017. Most observations occur in the morning hours, likely caused by strong tidal winds, and NLC ice particles are thus transported from elsewhere to the observing location in the Southern Hemisphere.
Qinzeng Li, Jiyao Xu, Aditya Riadi Gusman, Hanli Liu, Wei Yuan, Weijun Liu, Yajun Zhu, and Xiao Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8343–8361, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8343-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8343-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcanic eruption not only triggered broad-spectrum atmospheric waves but also generated unusual tsunamis which can generate atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs). Multiple strong atmospheric waves were observed in the far-field area of the 2022 HTHH volcano eruption in the upper atmosphere by a ground-based airglow imager network. AGWs caused by tsunamis can propagate to the mesopause region; there is a good match between atmospheric waves and tsunamis.
Klemens Hocke, Wenyue Wang, and Guanyi Ma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5837–5846, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5837-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5837-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We find a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) effect in the F2 critical frequency (foF2) series for Okinawa. Across 29 SSW events, the amplitude of the semidiurnal cycle of foF2 peaks at the SSW onset in the SSW years. In these years, we find, for the first time, a lunar terdiurnal component with a relative amplitude of about 5 %, and lunar diurnal and semidiurnal components have relative amplitudes of about 10 %. The periods of lunar ionospheric tidal variations align with those of ocean tides.
Gunter Stober, Sharon L. Vadas, Erich Becker, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Diego Janches, Zishun Qiao, Witali Krochin, Guochun Shi, Wen Yi, Jie Zeng, Peter Brown, Denis Vida, Neil Hindley, Christoph Jacobi, Damian Murphy, Ricardo Buriti, Vania Andrioli, Paulo Batista, John Marino, Scott Palo, Denise Thorsen, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Kathrin Baumgarten, Johan Kero, Evgenia Belova, Nicholas Mitchell, Tracy Moffat-Griffin, and Na Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4851–4873, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4851-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4851-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
On 15 January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano exploded in a vigorous eruption, causing many atmospheric phenomena reaching from the surface up to space. In this study, we investigate how the mesospheric winds were affected by the volcanogenic gravity waves and estimated their propagation direction and speed. The interplay between model and observations permits us to gain new insights into the vertical coupling through atmospheric gravity waves.
Juliana Jaen, Toralf Renkwitz, Huixin Liu, Christoph Jacobi, Robin Wing, Aleš Kuchař, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, and Jorge L. Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14871–14887, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14871-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14871-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Investigation of winds is important to understand atmospheric dynamics. In the summer mesosphere and lower thermosphere, there are three main wind flows: the mesospheric westward, the mesopause southward (equatorward), and the lower-thermospheric eastward wind. Combining almost 2 decades of measurements from different radars, we study the trend, their interannual oscillations, and the effects of the geomagnetic activity over these wind maxima.
Jan Laštovička
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5783–5800, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5783-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5783-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Increasing concentration of greenhouse gases, particularly of CO2, in the atmosphere causes well-known heating of the troposphere and surface. However, the increasing concentration of CO2 also affects higher levels of the atmosphere, the stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere, where it results in remarkable long-term trends. This article reviews significant progress in investigations of long-term trends in the mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere during the period 2018–2022.
Cornelius Csar Jude H. Salinas, Dong L. Wu, Jae N. Lee, Loren C. Chang, Liying Qian, and Hanli Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1705–1730, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1705-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1705-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Upper mesospheric carbon monoxide's (CO) photochemical lifetime is longer than dynamical timescales. This work uses satellite observations and model simulations to establish that the migrating diurnal tide and its seasonal and interannual variabilities drive CO primarily through vertical advection. Vertical advection is a transport process that is currently difficult to observe. This work thus shows that we can use CO as a tracer for vertical advection across seasonal and interannual timescales.
Sabine Wüst, Michael Bittner, Patrick J. Espy, W. John R. French, and Frank J. Mulligan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1599–1618, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1599-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1599-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ground-based OH* airglow measurements have been carried out for almost 100 years. Advanced detector technology has greatly simplified the automatic operation of OH* airglow observing instruments and significantly improved the temporal and/or spatial resolution. Studies based on long-term measurements or including a network of instruments are reviewed, especially in the context of deriving gravity wave properties. Scientific and technical challenges for the next few years are described.
Natalie Kaifler, Bernd Kaifler, Markus Rapp, and David C. Fritts
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 949–961, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-949-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-949-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We used a lidar to measure polar mesospheric clouds from a balloon floating in the upper stratosphere. The thin-layered ice clouds at 83 km altitude are perturbed by waves. The high-resolution lidar soundings reveal small-scale structures induced by the breaking of those waves. We study these patterns and find that they occur very often. We show their morphology and discuss associated dynamical physical processes, which help to interpret case studies and to guide modelling.
Prosper K. Nyassor, Cristiano M. Wrasse, Igo Paulino, Eliah F. M. T. São Sabbas, José V. Bageston, Kleber P. Naccarato, Delano Gobbi, Cosme A. O. B. Figueiredo, Toyese T. Ayorinde, Hisao Takahashi, and Diego Barros
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15153–15177, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15153-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15153-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work investigates the sources of concentric gravity waves (CGWs) excited by a moving system of clouds with several overshooting regions on 1–2 October 2019 at São Martinho da Serra. The parameters of these waves were estimated using 2D spectral analysis and their source locations identified using backward ray tracing. Furthermore, the sources of these waves were properly identified by tracking the individual overshooting regions in space and time since the system of clouds was moving.
Qinzeng Li, Jiyao Xu, Hanli Liu, Xiao Liu, and Wei Yuan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12077–12091, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12077-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12077-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We use ground-based airglow network observations, reanalysis data, and satellite observations to explore the propagation process of concentric gravity waves (CGWs) excited by a typhoon between the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. We find that CGWs in the mesosphere are generated directly by the typhoon but the CGW observed in the thermosphere may be excited by CGW dissipation in the mesosphere, rather than directly excited by a typhoon and propagated to the thermosphere.
Gunter Stober, Ales Kuchar, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Huixin Liu, Han-Li Liu, Hauke Schmidt, Christoph Jacobi, Kathrin Baumgarten, Peter Brown, Diego Janches, Damian Murphy, Alexander Kozlovsky, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13855–13902, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13855-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13855-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Little is known about the climate change of wind systems in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at the edge of space at altitudes from 70–110 km. Meteor radars represent a well-accepted remote sensing technique to measure winds at these altitudes. Here we present a state-of-the-art climatological interhemispheric comparison using continuous and long-lasting observations from worldwide distributed meteor radars from the Arctic to the Antarctic and sophisticated general circulation models.
Manfred Ern, Mohamadou Diallo, Peter Preusse, Martin G. Mlynczak, Michael J. Schwartz, Qian Wu, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13763–13795, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13763-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13763-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Details of the driving of the semiannual oscillation (SAO) of the tropical winds in the middle atmosphere are still not known. We investigate the SAO and its driving by small-scale gravity waves (GWs) using satellite data and different reanalyses. In a large altitude range, GWs mainly drive the SAO westerlies, but in the upper mesosphere GWs seem to drive both SAO easterlies and westerlies. Reanalyses reproduce some features of the SAO but are limited by model-inherent damping at upper levels.
Fabio Vargas, Jorge L. Chau, Harikrishnan Charuvil Asokan, and Michael Gerding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13631–13654, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13631-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13631-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We study large- and small-scale gravity wave cases observed in both airglow imagery and meteor radar data obtained during the SIMONe campaign carried out in early November 2018. We calculate the intrinsic features of several waves and estimate their impact in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region via transferring energy and momentum to the atmosphere. We also associate cases of large-scale waves with secondary wave generation in the stratosphere.
Bingkun Yu, Xianghui Xue, Christopher J. Scott, Jianfei Wu, Xinan Yue, Wuhu Feng, Yutian Chi, Daniel R. Marsh, Hanli Liu, Xiankang Dou, and John M. C. Plane
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 4219–4230, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4219-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4219-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A long-standing mystery of metal ions within Es layers in the Earth's upper atmosphere is the marked seasonal dependence, with a summer maximum and a winter minimum. We report a large-scale winter-to-summer transport of metal ions from 6-year multi-satellite observations and worldwide ground-based stations. A global atmospheric circulation is responsible for the phenomenon. Our results emphasise the effect of this atmospheric circulation on the transport of composition in the upper atmosphere.
Viswanathan Lakshmi Narayanan, Satonori Nozawa, Shin-Ichiro Oyama, Ingrid Mann, Kazuo Shiokawa, Yuichi Otsuka, Norihito Saito, Satoshi Wada, Takuya D. Kawahara, and Toru Takahashi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2343–2361, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2343-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2343-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In the past, additional sodium peaks occurring above the main sodium layer of the upper mesosphere were discussed. Here, formation of an additional sodium peak below the main sodium layer peak is discussed in detail. The event coincided with passage of multiple mesospheric bores, which are step-like disturbances occurring in the upper mesosphere. Hence, this work highlights the importance of such mesospheric bores in causing significant changes to the minor species concentration in a short time.
Xiao Liu, Jiyao Xu, Jia Yue, and Hanli Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14437–14456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14437-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14437-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Large wind shears in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are recognized as a common phenomenon. Simulation and ground-based observations show that the main contributor of large wind shears is gravity waves. We present a method of deriving wind shears induced by gravity waves according to the linear theory and using the global temperature observations by SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry). Our results agree well with observations and model simulations.
Gunter Stober, Kathrin Baumgarten, John P. McCormack, Peter Brown, and Jerry Czarnecki
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 11979–12010, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11979-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11979-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a first cross-comparison of meteor ground-based observations and a meteorological analysis (NAVGEM-HA) to compare a seasonal climatology of winds and temperatures at the mesosphere/lower thermosphere. The validation is insofar unique as we not only compare the mean state but also provide a detailed comparison of the short time variability of atmospheric tidal waves. Our analysis questions previous results claiming the importance of lunar tides.
W. John R. French, Andrew R. Klekociuk, and Frank J. Mulligan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 8691–8708, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8691-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8691-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We explore a quasi-quadrennial oscillation (QQO; 3–4 K amplitude, ~ 4-year period) in mesopause region temperatures observed in 24 years of hydroxyl airglow measurements over Davis, Antarctica (68° S, 78° E). Correlation and composite analysis using meteorological reanalysis and satellite data reveals complex patterns on the QQO timescale in both hemispheres. Modulation of the meridional circulation, linked to the propagation of gravity waves, plays a significant role in producing the QQO response.
Jörg Gumbel, Linda Megner, Ole Martin Christensen, Nickolay Ivchenko, Donal P. Murtagh, Seunghyuk Chang, Joachim Dillner, Terese Ekebrand, Gabriel Giono, Arvid Hammar, Jonas Hedin, Bodil Karlsson, Mikael Krus, Anqi Li, Steven McCallion, Georgi Olentšenko, Soojong Pak, Woojin Park, Jordan Rouse, Jacek Stegman, and Georg Witt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 431–455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-431-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-431-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Gravity waves can link together atmospheric conditions over large distances. MATS is a new Swedish satellite that will study gravity waves at altitudes around 80–110 km. MATS will take images of emissions from excited molecules, so-called airglow, and of the highest clouds in our atmosphere, so-called noctilucent clouds. These measurements will be analysed to provide three-dimensional wave structures and a comprehensive picture of wave interactions in the atmosphere.
Yuke Wang, Valerii Shulga, Gennadi Milinevsky, Aleksey Patoka, Oleksandr Evtushevsky, Andrew Klekociuk, Wei Han, Asen Grytsai, Dmitry Shulga, Valery Myshenko, and Oleksandr Antyufeyev
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 10303–10317, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10303-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10303-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) dramatically changed atmospheric conditions. This event is accompanied by a sharp increase in the polar stratosphere temperature, zonal wind reverse, and strong changes in the polar mesosphere. These changes affect even the midlatitude mesosphere, which is not widely covered by observations. Our newly installed microwave radiometer allowed for studying mesospheric zonal wind and CO variations to understand the SSW 2018 effects at midlatitudes.
Wen Yi, Xianghui Xue, Iain M. Reid, Damian J. Murphy, Chris M. Hall, Masaki Tsutsumi, Baiqi Ning, Guozhu Li, Robert A. Vincent, Jinsong Chen, Jianfei Wu, Tingdi Chen, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 7567–7581, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7567-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7567-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The seasonal variations in the mesopause densities, especially with regard to its global structure, are still unclear. In this study, we report the climatology of the mesopause density estimated using multiyear observations from nine meteor radars from Arctic to Antarctic latitudes. The results reveal a significant AO and SAO in mesopause density, an asymmetry between the two polar regions and evidence of intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs), perhaps associated with the ISOs of the troposphere.
Sabine Wüst, Carsten Schmidt, Patrick Hannawald, Michael Bittner, Martin G. Mlynczak, and James M. Russell III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 6401–6418, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-6401-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-6401-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
In winter 2016, the camera system FAIM derived information about the OH* airglow at ca. 86 km height during six flights on board the research aircraft FALCON in northern Scandinavia. Coincident ground- and satellite-based measurements (GRIPS and TIMED-SABER) complete the data set. The data are analysed with respect to the temporal and spatial evolution of small-scale atmospheric dynamics just before a minor stratospheric warming. Special emphasis is placed on possible instability features.
Maosheng He and Jorge Luis Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5993–6006, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5993-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5993-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We propose an approach to resolve waves with multiple spatial scales at a given frequency using ground-based detectors from few longitudinal sectors. The approach is used to investigate near-12 h waves. Results suggest that broadly reported enhancements of two solar nonmigrating tides during sudden stratospheric warming events are just low-frequency-resolved signatures of two neighboring waves. The tides do not enhance.
Dimitry Pokhotelov, Gunter Stober, and Jorge Luis Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5251–5258, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5251-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5251-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Twelve years of radar observations from a mid-latitude location in Kühlungsborn, Germany have been analysed to study characteristics of mesospheric summer echoes (MSEs). The statistical analysis shows that MSEs have a strong daytime preference and early summer seasonal preference. It is demonstrated that the meridional wind transport from polar regions is the important controlling factor for MSEs, while no clear connection to geomagnetic and solar activity is found.
Nikoloz Gudadze, Gunter Stober, and Jorge L. Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4485–4497, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4485-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4485-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We show a possibility of measuring mean vertical winds during the summer months using polar mesosphere summer echo (PMSE) observations. Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System observations of PMSE five-beam radial velocities are analysed to obtain the results. We found that sampling issues are the reason for bias in vertical wind measurements at the edges of PMSE altitudes. However, the PMSE is a good tracer for the mean vertical wind estimation at the central altitudes with its peak occurrence.
Bingkun Yu, Xianghui Xue, Xin'an Yue, Chengyun Yang, Chao Yu, Xiankang Dou, Baiqi Ning, and Lianhuan Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4139–4151, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4139-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4139-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
It reports the long-term climatology of the intensity of Es layers from COSMIC satellites. The global Es maps present high-resolution spatial distributions and seasonal dependence. It mainly occurs at mid-latitudes and polar regions. Based on wind shear theory, simulation results indicate the convergence of vertical ion velocity could partially explain the Es seasonal dependence and some disagreements between observations and simulations suggest other processes play roles in the Es variations.
Xianchang Yue, Jonathan S. Friedman, Qihou Zhou, Xiongbin Wu, and Jens Lautenbach
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 3207–3221, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3207-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3207-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Using 11 years of lidar temperature data, the seasonal variations (SVs) of gravity waves (GWs) are addressed in the tropical mesopause region, shown to be clearly associated with the SVs of zonal winds reported in the literature. The SVs of GWs are determined by the filtering effect of the local background wind. The altitudes of GW potential energy have a close relation to the upper mesospheric temperature inversion layers (TILs), which provides support for the formation mechanism of TILs.
Robert Menke, Nikola Vasiljević, Jakob Mann, and Julie K. Lundquist
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2713–2723, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2713-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2713-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This research utilizes several months of lidar measurements from the Perdigão 2017 campaign to investigate flow recirculation zones that occur at the two parallel ridges at the measurement site in Portugal. We found that recirculation occurs in over 50 % of the time when the wind direction is perpendicular to the direction of the ridges. Moreover, we show three-dimensional changes of the zones along the ridges and the implications of recirculation on wind turbines that are operating downstream.
Christian von Savigny, Dieter H. W. Peters, and Günter Entzian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2079–2093, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2079-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2079-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates solar effects in radio reflection height observations in the ionospheric D region at an altitude of about 80 km at northern midlatitudes. The analyzed time series covers almost six solar cycles. Statistically significant solar 27-day and 11-year signatures are identified. However, the driving mechanisms are not fully understood. We also provide evidence for dynamical effects on the radio reflection heights with periods close to the solar rotational cycle.
Yuta Hozumi, Akinori Saito, Takeshi Sakanoi, Atsushi Yamazaki, and Keisuke Hosokawa
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 16399–16407, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-16399-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-16399-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Spatial structures of wave disturbances in the upper atmosphere were investigated with space-borne imaging from the International Space Station. The wave disturbance occurred around an altitude of 100 km, and is called a mesospheric bore. The large-scale structure of mesospheric bores has not been fully captured by previous ground-based imagers, but the space-borne imaging captured a bore with a wide field of view, and showed that bores can have a large undulating wave front as long as 2000 km.
Michael Gerding, Jochen Zöllner, Marius Zecha, Kathrin Baumgarten, Josef Höffner, Gunter Stober, and Franz-Josef Lübken
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 15569–15580, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15569-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15569-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We describe the first comparative study of noctilucent clouds (NLCs) and mesospheric summer echoes at midlatitudes. Therefore, this study compares fresh clouds (small particles) with fully evolved clouds in the mesosphere, hinting at their evolution. It is shown that, in contrast to higher latitudes, here only a thin layer of fresh particles exist above the NLCs. This gives evidence that NLCs are not formed locally but are typically advected. This needs to be acknowledged in trend studies.
Martin Lainer, Klemens Hocke, and Niklaus Kämpfer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 12061–12074, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12061-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12061-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
A long continuous record (in total 7 years) of middle atmospheric water vapor at the midlatitude NDACC station in Bern is investigated to study quasi 2-day wave oscillations (Q2DWs). We present monthly climatologies of the wave amplitudes and show the periods that the Q2DWs developed. What we observe is very-high-frequency variability. An autobicoherence analysis revealed nonlinear phase couplings between Q2DWs and other atmospheric waves. Our results are useful for model validation purposes.
Tao Li, Chao Ban, Xin Fang, Jing Li, Zhaopeng Wu, Wuhu Feng, John M. C. Plane, Jiangang Xiong, Daniel R. Marsh, Michael J. Mills, and Xiankang Dou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 11683–11695, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11683-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11683-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
A total of 154 nights of observations by the USTC Na temperature and wind lidar (32° N, 117° E) suggest significant seasonal variability in the mesopause. Chemistry plays an important role in Na atom formation. More than half of the observed gravity wave (GW) momentum flux (MF), whose divergence determines the GW forcing, is induced by short-period (10 min–2 h) waves. The anticorrelation between MF and zonal wind (U) suggests strong filtering of short-period GWs by semiannual oscillation U.
Jorge L. Chau, Derek McKay, Juha P. Vierinen, Cesar La Hoz, Thomas Ulich, Markku Lehtinen, and Ralph Latteck
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 9547–9560, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9547-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9547-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Combining a phased-array power radar and a phased-array radio telescope, we have been able to identify and characterized horizontal structures and movement of noctilucent clouds, but at 3 m scales instead of optical scales. As a byproduct of our observations, we have studied their angular dependence. We show a new alternative to study these clouds on routine basis and therefore study the atmospheric dynamics that modulate them.
Gunter Stober, Svenja Sommer, Carsten Schult, Ralph Latteck, and Jorge L. Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6721–6732, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6721-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6721-2018, 2018
Kathrin Baumgarten, Michael Gerding, Gerd Baumgarten, and Franz-Josef Lübken
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 371–384, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-371-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-371-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Gravity waves (GWs) as well as solar tides are a key driving mechanism for the circulation in the Earth's atmosphere. The temporal variation of these waves is studied using a record long 10-day continuous Rayleigh–Mie–Raman lidar sounding at midlatitudes. This data set shows a large variability of these waves on timescales of a few days and therefore provides new insights into wave intermittency phenomena, which can help to improve model simulations.
Martin Lainer, Klemens Hocke, Rolf Rüfenacht, and Niklaus Kämpfer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 14905–14917, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-14905-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-14905-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We report on middle-atmospheric water vapor measurements above Bern from the ground-based microwave radiometer MIAWARA (NDACC affiliated) during two winter periods of 6 months. Quasi 18 h oscillations of mesospheric water vapor above 0.1 hPa are observed. Further, the 18 h wave is seen in a zonal wind data set from the Doppler wind radiometer WIRA. Inertia-gravity-wave-induced fluctuations or a nonlinear coupling between tides and quasi 2-day waves are considered as possible drivers.
Jens Hildebrand, Gerd Baumgarten, Jens Fiedler, and Franz-Josef Lübken
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 13345–13359, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-13345-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-13345-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We present altitude profiles of winds and temperatures in the Arctic strato- and mesosphere obtained during three Januaries. The data show large year-to-year variations. We compare the observations to model data. For monthly mean profiles we find good agreement below 55 km altitude but also differences of up to 20 K and 20 m s-1 above. The fluctuations during single nights indicate gravity waves. The kinetic energy of such waves is typically 5 to 10 times larger than their potential energy.
Dhvanit Mehta, Andrew J. Gerrard, Yusuke Ebihara, Allan T. Weatherwax, and Louis J. Lanzerotti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 911–919, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-911-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-911-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents an investigation into the sources of atmospheric gravity waves observed at 90 km above Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica. By combining gravity wave characteristics obtained from imager data and a numerical model for 3-D wave propagation through the atmosphere, we find that the development of baroclinic instabilities via displacement of the polar vortex is a significant and unique source of vertically propagating, short-period (< 1 h) gravity waves in the region.
Maya García-Comas, Francisco González-Galindo, Bernd Funke, Angela Gardini, Aythami Jurado-Navarro, Manuel López-Puertas, and William E. Ward
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 11019–11041, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-11019-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-11019-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, for the first time, temperature longitudinal oscillations are derived from 20 to 150 km from a single instrument. A climatology of amplitudes and phases of zonal waves with odd daily frequencies is presented on a global scale. The interannual variability in amplitudes of the migrating modes shows a QBO in the MLT, which is probably originated in the stratosphere. The results are useful for testing general circulation models considering tidal effects in the MLT region.
Silje Eriksen Holmen, Chris M. Hall, and Masaki Tsutsumi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 7853–7866, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7853-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7853-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric temperatures at 90 km height above Tromsø, Norway, from 2003 to 2014 have been determined using meteor radar. Periodic oscillations ranging from ~ 9 days to a year were found in the dataset, which were related to the large-scale circulation in the middle atmosphere and with wave activity. A trend analysis was performed, revealing an overall weak cooling trend from 2003 to 2014, which is in line with other recent studies on mesopause region (~ 90 km) temperature trends.
Rupesh N. Ghodpage, Michael P. Hickey, Alok K. Taori, Devendraa Siingh, and Parashram T. Patil
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 5611–5621, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5611-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-5611-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Gravity-wave-induced oscillations have been characterized over Kolhapur (16.8°N and 74.2°E), India, using the adiabatic variations in OH airglow intensity and temperature data. The results show that there exist large deviations from one investigation to the other. We also use a full-wave model to simulate the response of OH emission to the wave motion and compare the results with observed values. This report discusses the observed wave characteristics and cause of the noted difference.
Rolf Rüfenacht, Klemens Hocke, and Niklaus Kämpfer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 4915–4925, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4915-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4915-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We quantitatively analyze oscillations with periods from 5 to 50 days in horizontal wind profiles between mid-stratosphere and mesopause based on more than 44 months of data from high, mid- and low latitudes measured by a novel instrument. For the first time, long time series of continuous wind measurements allow direct observations of dynamics throughout this altitude range. The observations agree remarkably well with the ECMWF model in the stratosphere but discrepancies exist in the mesosphere.
Israel Silber, Colin Price, and Craig J. Rodger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 3279–3288, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3279-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-3279-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We report for the first time that the semi-annual oscillation (SAO) is one of the dominant oscillations in the nighttime lower ionosphere, using ground-based measurements of VLF signals reflected off the lower part of the ionosphere. We conclude that the origins of this oscillation are oscillatory changes of the D region's electrical characteristics, driven by NOx transport from the lower thermosphere. This oscillation should be considered in lower ionospheric and VLF wave propagation models.
F. Lilienthal and Ch. Jacobi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9917–9927, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9917-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9917-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The quasi 2-day wave (QTDW), one of the most striking features in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere, is analyzed using meteor radar measurements at Collm (51°N, 13°E) during 2004-2014. The QTDW has periods lasting between 43 and 52h during strong summer bursts, and weaker enhancements are found during winter. A correlation between QTDW amplitudes and wind shear suggests baroclinic instability to be a likely forcing mechanism.
N. H. Stray, Y. J. Orsolini, P. J. Espy, V. Limpasuvan, and R. E. Hibbins
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 4997–5005, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-4997-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-4997-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Planetary wave activity measured in the mesosphere to lower thermosphere is shown to increase drastically after strong stratospheric polar cap wind reversals associated with sudden stratospheric warmings. In addition, a moderate but significant correlation was found between planetary wave enhancement in the mesosphere to lower thermosphere and all stratospheric polar cap wind reversals, irrespective of the strength of the reversal.
Cited articles
Baker, D. J., and Stair Jr., A. T.: Rocket measurements of the altitude distributions of the hydroxyl airglow, Phys. Scr., 37, 611, https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-8949/37/4/021, 1998.
Beig, G.: Long term trends in the temperature of the mesosphere/lower thermosphere region: 2. Solar response, J. Geophys. Res., 116, A00H12, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JA016766, 2011a.
Beig, G.: Long term trends in the temperature of the mesosphere/lower thermosphere region: 1. Anthropogenic influences, J. Geophys. Res., 116, A00H11, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JA016646, 2011b.
Bittner, M., Offermann, D., and Graef, H. H.: Mesopause temperature variability above a midlatitude station in Europe, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 2045–2058, https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JD900307, 2000.
Bittner, M., Offermann, D., Graef, H. H., Donner, M., and Hamilton, K.: An 18-year time series of OH* rotational temperatures and middle atmosphere decadal variations, J. Atmos. Sol. Terr. Phy., 64, 1147–1166, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6826(02)00065-2, 2002.
Coughlin, K. and Tung, K. K.: Eleven-year solar cycle signal throughout the lower atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D21105, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004873, 2004a.
Coughlin, K. T. and Tung, K. K.: 11-Year solar cycle in the stratosphere extracted by the empirical mode decomposition method, Adv. Space Res., 34, 323–329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2003.02.045, 2004b.
Cumming, A., Marcy, G. W., and Butler, R. P.: The lick planet search: detectability and mass thresholds, Astrophys. J., 526, 890–915, https://doi.org/10.1086/308020, 1999.
Hall, C. M., Dyrland, M. E., Tsutsumi, M., and Mulligan, F. J.: Temperature trends at 90 km over Svalbard, Norway (78° N 16° E), seen in one dacade of meteor radar observations, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D08104, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD017028, 2012.
Horne, J. H. and Baliunas, S. L.: A prescription for period analysis of unevenly sampled time series, Astrophys. J., 302, 757–763, 1986.
Höppner, K. and Bittner, M.: Evidence for solar signals in the mesopause temperature variability?, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 69, 431–448, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2006.10.007, 2007.
Jarvis, M. J.: Planetary wave trends in the lower thermosphere – Evidence for 22-year solar modulation of the quasi 5-day wave, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 68, 1902–1912, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2006.02.014, 2006.
King, J. W.: Sun-weather relationships, Aeronautics and Astronautics, 13, 10–19, 1975.
King, J. W., Hurst, E., Slater, A. J., Smith, P. A., and Tamkin, B.: Agriculture and sunspots, Nature, 252, 2–3, 1974.
Lastovicka, J., Solomon, S. C., and Qian, L.: Trends in the Neutral and Ionized Upper Atmosphere, Space Sci. Rev., 168, 113–145, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-011-9799-3, 2012.
Lomb, N. R.: Least-squares frequency analysis of unequally spaced data, Astrophys. Space Sci., 39, 447–462, 1976.
Miyahara, H., Yokoyama, Y., and Masuda, K.: Possible link between multi-decadal climate cycles and periodic reversals of solar magnetic field, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 272, 290–295, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.04.050, 2008.
Mokhov, I. I. and Semenov, A. I.: Nonlinear temperature changes in the atmospheric mesopause region of the atmosphere against the background of global climate changes, 1960–2012, Dokl. Earth Sc., 456, 741–744, https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X14060270, 2014.
Mursula, K. and Zieger, B.: Long term north-south asymmetry in solar wind speed inferred from geomagnetic activity: A new type of century-scale solar oscillation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 95–98, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GL011880, 2001.
Oberheide, J., Offermann, D., Russell III, J. M., and Mlynczak, M. G.: Intercomparison of kinetic temperature from 15 µm CO2 limb emissions and OH*(3,1) rotational temperature in nearly coincident air masses: SABER, GRIPS, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L14811, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026439, 2006.
Offermann, D., Donner, M., Knieling, P., and Naujokat, B.: Middle atmosphere temperature changes and the duration of summer, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 66, 437–450, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2004.01.028, 2004.
Offermann, D., Jarisch, M., Donner, M., Steinbrecht, W., and Semenov, A. I.: OH temperature re-analysis forced by recent variance increases, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 68, 1924–1933, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2006.03.007, 2006.
Offermann, D., Gusev, O., Donner, M., Forbes, J. M., Hagan, M., Mlynczak, M. G., Oberheide, J., Preusse, P., Schmidt, H., and Russel III, J. M.: Relative intensities of middle atmosphere waves, J. Geophys. Res., 114, D06110, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD010662, 2009.
Offermann, D., Hoffmann, P., Knieling, P., Koppmann, R., Oberheide, J., and Steinbrecht, W.: Long-term trend and solar cycle variations of mesospheric temperature and dynamics, J. Geophys. Res., 115, D18127, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD013363, 2010.
Offermann, D., Wintel, J., Kalicinsky, C., Knieling, P., Koppmann, R., and Steinbrecht, W.: Long-term development of short-period gravity waves in middle Europe, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D00P07, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JD015544, 2011.
Offermann, D., Goussev, O., Kalicinsky, C., Koppmann, R., Matthes, K., Schmidt, H., Steinbrecht, W., and Wintel, J.: A case study of multi-annual temperature oscillations in the atmosphere: Middle Europe, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 135, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2015.10.003, 2015.
Perminov, V. I., Semenov, A. I., Medvedeva, I. V., and Zheleznov, Yu. A.: Variability of mesopause temperature from hydroxyl airglow observations over mid-latitudinal sites, Zvenigorod and Tory, Russia, Adv. Space Res., 54, 2511–2517, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2014.01.027, 2014.
Qu, W., Zhao, J., Huang, F., and Deng, S.: Correlation between the 22-year solar magnetic cycle and the 22-year quasicycle in the Earth's atmospheric temperature, Astron. J., 144, 6, https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/144/1/6, 2012.
Ryan, S. E. and Porth, L. S.: A tutorial on the piecewise regression approach applied to bedload transport data, Gen. Tech. Rep., RMRS-GTR-189, Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2007.
Scafetta, N. and West, B. J.: Estimated solar contribution to the global surface warming using the ACRIM TSI satellite composite, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L18713, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL023849, 2005.
Scargle, J. D.: Studies in astronomical time series analysis. II. Statistical aspects of spectral analysis of unevenly spaced data, Astrophys. J., 263, 835–853, 1982.
Scherrer, P. H., Wilcox, J. M., Svalgaard, L., Duvall Jr., T. L., Dittmeier, P. H., and Gustafson, E. K.: The mean magnetic field of the sun – Observations at Stanford, Sol. Phys., 54, 353–361, 1977.
Schmidt, C., Höppner, K., and Bittner, M.: A ground-based spectrometer equipped with an InGaAs array for routine observations of OH(3-1) rotational temperatures in the mesopause region, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phy., 102, 125–139, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2013.05.001, 2013.
Schwarzenberg-Czerny, A.: The distribution of empirical periodograms: Lomb-Scargle and PDM spectra, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 301, 831–840, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-8711.1998.02086.x, 1998.
She, C.-Y., Krueger, D. A., and Yuan, T.: Long-term midlatitude mesopause region temperature trend deduced from quarter century (1990–2014) Na lidar observations, Ann. Geophys., 33, 363–369, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-363-2015, 2015.
Svalgaard, L., Cliver, E. W., and Kamide, Y.: Sunspot cycle 24: Smallest cycle in 100 years?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L01104, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL021664, 2005.
Thomas, S. R., Owens, M. J., and Lockwood, M.: The 22-year Hale cycle in cosmic ray flux – Evidence for direct heliospheric modulation, Solar Phys., https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-013-0341-5, 2013.
Townsend, R. H. D.: Fast calculation of the Lomb-Scargle periodogram using graphics processing units, Astrophys. J. Suppl. S., 191, 247–253, https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/191/2/247, 2010.
Wei, M., Qiao, F., and Deng, J.: A Quantitative Definition of Global Warming Hiatus and 50-Year Prediction of Global-Mean Surface Temperature, J. Atmos. Sci., 72, 3281–3289, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0296.1, 2015.
White, W. B., Lean, J., Cayan, D. R., and Dettinger, M. D.: Response of global upper ocean temperature to changing solar irradiance, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 3255–3266, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JC03549, 1997.
Willet, H. C.: Recent statistical evidence in support of predictive significance of solar-climatic cycles, Mon. Weather Rev., 102, 679–686, 1974.
Zechmeister, M. and Kürster, M.: The generalised Lomb-Scargle periodogram – A new formalism for the floating-mean and Keplerian periodograms, Astron. Astrophys., 496, 577–584, https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200811296, 2009.
Zieger, B. and Mursula, K.: Annual variation in near-Earth solar wind speed: Evidence for persistent north-south asymmetry related to solar magnetic polarity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 841–844, https://doi.org/10.1029/98GL50414, 1998.
Short summary
The analysis of temperatures in the mesopause region between 1988 to 2015 shows, besides the known correlation with the 11-year solar activity cycle, a trend reversal in 2008 that can be described by a long-term oscillation. Understanding such long periodic oscillations in the atmosphere is of prime importance for climate modelling and predictions of future trends.
The analysis of temperatures in the mesopause region between 1988 to 2015 shows, besides the...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint