Migrating diurnal tide anomalies during QBO disruptions in 2016 and 2020: morphology and mechanism

Liu, Shuai; Jiang, Guoying; Luo, Bingxian; Liu, Xiao; Xu, Jiyao; Zhu, Yajun; Yi, Wen

doi:10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025

Articles | Volume 25, issue 23

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 25, issue 23

Research article

|

05 Dec 2025

Research article |

| 05 Dec 2025

Migrating diurnal tide anomalies during QBO disruptions in 2016 and 2020: morphology and mechanism

Shuai Liu, Guoying Jiang, Bingxian Luo, Xiao Liu, Jiyao Xu, Yajun Zhu, and Wen Yi

Data sets

MERRA-2 tavg3_3d_asm_Nv: 3d,3-Hourly,Time-Averaged,Model-Level,Assimilation,Assimilated Meteorological Fields V5.12.4 Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) https://doi.org/10.5067/SUOQESM06LPK

MERRA-2 inst3_3d_aer_Nv: 3d,3-Hourly,Instantaneous,Model-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Mixing Ratio V5.12.4 Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) https://doi.org/10.5067/LTVB4GPCOTK2

MERRA-2 tavg1_2d_rad_Nx: 2d,1-Hourly,Time-Averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Radiation Diagnostics V5.12.4 Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) https://doi.org/10.5067/Q9QMY5PBNV1T

MERRA-2 tavg3_3d_tdt_Np: 3d,3-Hourly,Time-Averaged,Pressure-Level,Assimilation,Temperature Tendencies V5.12.4 Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) https://doi.org/10.5067/9NCR9DDDOPFI

Short summary

Disruptions of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation modulate the migrating diurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. During the events, wavelengths and phases of the tide remain unchanged, but its amplitude strengthens. The variation of heating sources, dissipation, zonal wind latitude shear and gravity wave drag may contribute to the amplification of the tide amplitude. These features provide insight into the dynamical coupling of troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and lower thermosphere.