Articles | Volume 26, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4669-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4669-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Apr 2026
Research article |
| 09 Apr 2026
| 09 Apr 2026
A new data set of nighttime chemical heating rates in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere derived from SCIAMACHY OH (9–6) emissions and SABER profiles
Xiaolin Wu
State Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
State Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Hainan National Field Science Observation and Research Observatory for Space Weather, Hainan, China
Anne K. Smith
NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Martin Kaufmann
Institute of Climate and Energy Systems - Stratosphere (ICE-4), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Guoying Jiang
State Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Hainan National Field Science Observation and Research Observatory for Space Weather, Hainan, China
School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Shuai Liu
State Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Jiyao Xu
State Key Laboratory of Solar Activity and Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Hainan National Field Science Observation and Research Observatory for Space Weather, Hainan, China
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5242, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5242, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Annales Geophysicae (ANGEO).
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Six years of observations over Hainan show that background plasma and short-timescale ionospheric structure follow different seasonal and daily cycles. Winter disturbances strengthen during the afternoon and evolve over or pass through the region. Summer disturbances intensify near midnight but are concentrated in particular directions or areas, revealing a more uneven horizontal distribution.
Tiancai Wang, Yajun Zhu, Guangyi Zhu, Wei Yuan, Zhongqi Tan, Weijun Liu, Qiucheng Gong, Hong Gao, and Jiyao Xu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2475, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2475, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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The Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is a vital optical instrument for measuring atmospheric wind and temperature. However, traditional FPIs are often bulky and sensitive to pressure changes of the interference cavity. We have developed a novel FPI that uses an all-solid-state interference cavity to provide an aviable alternative. Laboratory and field tests demonstrated its excellent accuracy and close agreement with established instruments.
Liang Zhang, Zhongfang Liu, and Yajun Zhu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4809, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4809, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Using 24 years of SABER and MLS satellite data, we show that the T80 index dominates interannual and daily variability of MLT density. Stronger upwelling (lower T80) generates a vertical density dipole over southern high latitudes (R = 0.98 at 95 km) via column adjustment and local thermal effects, while an anti-phased pattern appears at low latitudes. The robust T80-density linkage enables one-month-ahead statistical forecasts of MLT density (R up to 0.90).
Qinzeng Li, Jiyao Xu, Wei Yuan, Angel An, Shengyang Gu, Oscar A. van der Velde, Yajun Zhu, and Xiaolong Wei
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4160, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4160, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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On 19 May 2022, a powerful thunderstorm outbreak south of the Himalayas produced both unusual high-altitude lightning and large atmospheric waves. Using satellite and ground-based observations, we tracked the waves over distances exceeding 3000 kilometers. Some waves observed at the highest altitudes were likely generated by the breakdown of earlier waves. The results show how severe storms can affect atmospheric regions far above the weather systems that create them.
Aleena M. Jaison, Lesley J. Gray, Scott M. Osprey, James A. Anstey, Martin B. Andrews, Neal Butchart, Zhaoyang Chai, Dong-Chan Hong, Kai Huang, Yoshio Kawatani, Jeff R. Knight, Pu Lin, Francois Lott, Yixiong Lu, Hiroaki Naoe, Jadwiga H. Richter, Nan Rosenbloom, Federico Serva, Anne K. Smith, Seok-Woo Son, Qi Tang, Shingo Watanabe, Jinbo Xie, and Kohei Yoshida
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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Weather and Climate Dynamics (WCD).
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The tropical upper stratosphere has winds that switch between westerly and easterly every six months known as the semi-annual oscillation (SAO). Climate models commonly show an easterly bias in the SAO. We analysed data from many models to test if correcting the biases in winds lower in the stratosphere could improve SAO. We find correcting the lower-level wind biases reduces the SAO easterly bias, though further improvements, such as better representation of atmospheric waves, are still needed.
Liang Zhang, Zhongfang Liu, and Yajun Zhu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3749, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3749, 2026
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The T80 index, a proxy for summer polar upwelling, provides a near-perfect description (R = 0.98) and a one- to two-month forecast (R = 0.90) of the Southern Hemisphere summer mesopause height. The mechanism involves a vertical dipole temperature response through coupled dynamics, microphysics, and chemistry: stronger upwelling cools below ~90 km via adiabatic ascent and warms above ~90 km via chemical and radiative heating, shifting the temperature minimum downward.
Gang Chen, Yimeng Xu, Guotao Yang, Wuhu Feng, Jiyao Xu, Shaodong Zhang, Guozhu Li, Hanxian Fang, Lifang Du, Haoran Zheng, Xuewu Cheng, Faquan Li, Yuchang Xun, Kaiming Huang, and Chunxiao Yan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2356, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2356, 2026
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A new lidar for calcium ion (Ca+) observations has been operated in Yanqing, Beijing, China. Cloud-like Ca+ are observed to occur at altitudes of 120–300 km, and these clouds are composed of striped structures. These Ca+ are found to descend into Es layer and the main metal layer, and increase their ion density. According to the stripe-like structures and their influence on the metal ion layers, we believe that these metal ions observed by the lidar in Beijing come from meteoroids trails
Shuai Liu, Guoying Jiang, Bingxian Luo, Xiao Liu, Jiyao Xu, Yajun Zhu, and Wen Yi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 17725–17746, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17725-2025, 2025
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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.
Xiaolong Wei, Guoying Jiang, Yajun Zhu, Jiyao Xu, Weijun Liu, Tiancai Wang, Guangyi Zhu, and Wei Yuan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 6959–6977, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6959-2025, 2025
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Scattered airglow can bias thermospheric wind observations by ground-based interferometers, especially when brightness is spatially uneven due to auroras. We simulated lower atmospheric scattering during two mid-latitude auroral events and confirmed that scattering can lead to line-of-sight speed biases, thereby increasing the horizontal differences between opposite cardinal directions. This scattering impact needs to be carefully considered in thermospheric dynamics analysis.
Guangyi Zhu, Yajun Zhu, Martin Kaufmann, Tiancai Wang, Weijun Liu, Wei Yuan, Siyin Liu, Guotao Yang, and Jiyao Xu
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5985–5997, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5985-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5985-2025, 2025
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Winds in the mesopause region (85–100 km altitude) drive upper-atmospheric dynamics and energy transfer. We present the Asymmetric Spatial Heterodyne Spectrometer, a ground-based instrument, to measure winds by observing the green airglow of atomic oxygen. Lab tests demonstrated the instrument achieves better than 2 m/s accuracy. Field measurements at a high-latitude site in China showed strong agreement with independent LiDAR data, confirming that the system delivers reliable wind retrievals.
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
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 9719–9736, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9719-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9719-2025, 2025
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This study explores intense concentric gravity waves (CGWs) based on ground-based and multi-satellite observations over southern Brazil, revealing significant airglow perturbations and strong momentum release. Triggered by deep convection and enabled by weaker wind fields, these CGWs reached the mesopause and thermosphere. Consistent detection via OI and OH airglow emissions confirms their vertical propagation, while asymmetric thermosphere propagation is linked to Doppler-induced wavelength changes.
Kimberlee Dubé, Susann Tegtmeier, Adam Bourassa, Daniel Zawada, Douglas Degenstein, William Randel, Sean Davis, Michael Schwartz, Nathaniel Livesey, and Anne Smith
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12925–12941, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12925-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12925-2024, 2024
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Greenhouse gas emissions that warm the troposphere also result in stratospheric cooling. The cooling rate is difficult to quantify above 35 km due to a deficit of long-term observational data with high vertical resolution in this region. We use satellite observations from several instruments, including a new temperature product from OSIRIS, to show that the upper stratosphere, from 35–60 km, cooled by 0.5 to 1 K per decade over 2005–2021 and by 0.6 K per decade over 1979–2021.
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
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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.
Konstantin Ntokas, Jörn Ungermann, Martin Kaufmann, Tom Neubert, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5681–5696, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5681-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5681-2023, 2023
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A nanosatellite was developed to obtain 1-D vertical temperature profiles in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, which can be used to derive wave parameters needed for atmospheric models. A new processing method is shown, which allows one to extract two 1-D temperature profiles. The location of the two profiles is analyzed, as it is needed for deriving wave parameters. We show that this method is feasible, which however will increase the requirements of an accurate calibration and processing.
Qiuyu Chen, Konstantin Ntokas, Björn Linder, Lukas Krasauskas, Manfred Ern, Peter Preusse, Jörn Ungermann, Erich Becker, Martin Kaufmann, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 7071–7103, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7071-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7071-2022, 2022
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Observations of phase speed and direction spectra as well as zonal mean net gravity wave momentum flux are required to understand how gravity waves reach the mesosphere–lower thermosphere and how they there interact with background flow. To this end we propose flying two CubeSats, each deploying a spatial heterodyne spectrometer for limb observation of the airglow. End-to-end simulations demonstrate that individual gravity waves are retrieved faithfully for the expected instrument performance.
Neil P. Hindley, Nicholas J. Mitchell, Neil Cobbett, Anne K. Smith, Dave C. Fritts, Diego Janches, Corwin J. Wright, and Tracy Moffat-Griffin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9435–9459, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9435-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9435-2022, 2022
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We present observations of winds in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) from a recently installed meteor radar on the remote island of South Georgia (54° S, 36° W). We characterise mean winds, tides, planetary waves, and gravity waves in the MLT at this location and compare our measured winds with a leading climate model. We find that the observed wintertime winds are unexpectedly reversed from model predictions, probably because of missing impacts of secondary gravity waves in the model.
Daochun Yu, Haitao Li, Baoquan Li, Mingyu Ge, Youli Tuo, Xiaobo Li, Wangchen Xue, Yaning Liu, Aoying Wang, Yajun Zhu, and Bingxian Luo
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3141–3159, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3141-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3141-2022, 2022
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In this work, the measurement of vertical atmospheric density profiles using X-ray Earth occultation is investigated. The Earth’s density profile for the lower thermosphere is obtained with Insight-HXMT. It is shown that the Insight-HXMT X-ray satellite of China can be used as an X-ray atmospheric diagnostics instrument for the upper atmosphere. The Insight-HXMT satellite can, with other X-ray astronomical satellites in orbit, form a network for X-ray Earth occultation sounding in the future.
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Short summary
Chemical reactions are key to the energy budget of the upper mesosphere–lower thermosphere, but this process remains poorly quantified. We derived a new dataset of nighttime chemical heating by combining observations from two different satellite instruments. The main exothermic reactions, hydrogen reacting with ozone and oxygen recombination, dominate at different altitudes and vary seasonally. The new results revise previous estimates and provide constraints on the mesopause energy budget.
Chemical reactions are key to the energy budget of the upper mesosphere–lower thermosphere, but...
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