the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
On the Quasi-2-Day Planetary Waves in the Middle Atmosphere During Different QBO Phases
- 1School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
- 2Electronic Information School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- 1School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
- 2Electronic Information School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
Abstract. We found that the interannual difference of the W3 and W4 Q2DW is significantly correlated with the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation westerly (QBOW) and easterly (QBOE) phase, identified from the analysis of the 2003 to 2020 MERRA-2 and SABER atmospheric data. The amplitude of the zonal wind in the QBOE phase is approximately ∼10 m/s stronger than that in the QBOW phase. Mean zonal easterly winds are stronger in the QBOE phase than in the QBOW phase, while westerly winds are stronger in the QBOW phase. The Q2DW is present in the summer, and the background wind is easterly in both hemispheres. The mean temperature amplitudes of W3 and W4 in the QBOW phase are stronger than those in the QBOE phase, and the difference is ~2 K and ~3 K (in the Southern Hemisphere); ~2 K and ~3 K (in the Northern Hemisphere), respectively. The mean wave period of W4 in the QBOW phase in the Northern Hemisphere is shorter than that in the QBOE phase. The W3 mode is modulated by atmospheric eigenmodes in both hemispheres and shows slight differences in the QBOW and QBOE phases, while the W4 mode is more likely to show significant differences in the different QBO phases. Our diagnostic analysis suggests that the amplification of the QBOW phases W3 and W4 may be due to stronger mean-flow instabilities and background winds in the mesosphere. In addition, planetary waves gain stronger source activity during the QBOW phase to provide sufficient energy for propagation and amplification.
Liang Tang et al.
Status: open (until 25 Feb 2023)
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CC1: 'Comment on acp-2022-778', Fabrizio Sassi, 15 Dec 2022
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The manuscript attempts to discuss the Q2DW amplitude as it is affected by the phase of the QBO. It uses MERRA2 model output and SABER observations.
I cannot recommend this manuscript for full review. The manuscript is badly written; several setences are incomplete; some figures are difficult to read (especially Figure 3: impossible to read on paper, I had to blow it up to 400% digitally). The introduction is more of a QBO review, rather than a Q2DW discussion; the Q2DW comes in as an after thought. The methodology doesn't explain clearly what is done: there is some jumping between westward and eastward propagating modes, complicated by the different phases of the QBO; Q2DW events are undefined (maximum amplitude? compared to what? Are those events even statistically significant?). There is an apparent fundamental confusion between critical layers and barotropic instability. Greek (or whatever else) fonts are not rendered in the PDF docuemnt. The description of what SABER does is muddled with the satellite TIMED: for example, SABER doesn't observe anything about the ionosphere, as stated Section 2.
I recommend the authors simplify the manuscript which might have merit eventually, but certainly not now. Do not try to do a QBO review; there are already plenty of those around in the literature. Decide which mode is the focus of your study and conduct a statistical analysis of the signifcance of the perturbation you detect. Be specific about the Q2DW; there is too much confusion in this manuscript.
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CC2: 'Reply on CC1', Paul PUKITE, 29 Dec 2022
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Valid take. For example, the acronym Q2DW should be spelled out on first usage.
The paper is essentially a qualitative analysis based on anecdotal observations. Until there is a beakthrough on the fundamental mechanism behind QBO reversals, this will be a typical paper.  Any discussion of a perturbation is moot without  an understanding of the mechanism being perturbed. Â
Yet, any paper may have benefit as it may provide some insight. Such as this passage:
<i>"changes between Q2DWs and migrating diurnal tides. In addition, the short-term variation of migrating diurnal tides may be caused by the nonlinear interaction between tidal waves and Q2DWs (Chang et al., 2011)"</i>
The QBO data is highly filtered and perhaps the key is analyzing the daily time-series.Â
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CC3: 'Reply on CC2', Paul PUKITE, 12 Jan 2023
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Apparently the images did not appear on the comment above, so I created a PDF document and attached it here.
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CC3: 'Reply on CC2', Paul PUKITE, 12 Jan 2023
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CC2: 'Reply on CC1', Paul PUKITE, 29 Dec 2022
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Liang Tang et al.
Liang Tang et al.
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