The authors have addressed most of the comments made by the referees. However, before publication the author's should modify slightly their description of the reason for the change in the zonal wind. Mention of thermal wind balance for the zonal wind structure needs to be included. Once this is done, the paper (after further revision to the English) is suitable for publication in ACP.

As Reviewer 1 points out, the zonal winds are in thermal wind balance with the meridional variantion in the zonal temperature structure. The drag exerted by gravity waves in the mesopause region is associated with convective instability and is independent of the zonal wind at these heights. Although there may be a small influence of this wave breaking on the zonal winds, their main effect is to change the force balance at these heights and induce a meridional wind. The vertical wind results through continuity and the change in temperature structure is due to adiabatic cooling. The zonal winds are in balance with this resulting temperature structure.

The authors have made the last minor changes required for publication of their paper in ACP. It can now proceed to publication.