Seasonal and quasi‐biennial variations in the migrating diurnal tide observed by Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED)

Abstract

We present periodic variations of the migrating diurnal tide from Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) temperature and wind data from 2002 to 2007 and meteor radar data at Maui (20.75°N, 156.43°W). There are strong quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) signatures in the amplitude of the diurnal tidal temperature in the tropical region and in the wind near ±20°. The magnitude of the QBO in the diurnal tidal amplitude reaches about 3 K in temperature and about 7 m/s (Northern Hemisphere) and 9 m/s (Southern Hemisphere) in meridional wind. The period of the diurnal tide QBO is around 24–25 months in the mesosphere but is quite variable with altitude in the stratosphere. Throughout the mesosphere, the amplitude of the diurnal tide reaches maximum during March/April of years when the QBO in lower stratospheric wind is in the eastward phase. Because the tide shows amplification only during a limited time of the year, there are not enough data yet to determine whether the tidal variation is truly biennial (24‐month period) or is quasi‐biennial. The semiannual (SAO) and annual oscillations (AO) in the diurnal tide support previous findings: tidal amplitude is largest around equinoxes (SAO signal) and is larger during the vernal equinox (AO signal). TIMED Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (TIMED/SABER) temperature and atmospheric pressure data are used to calculate the balance wind and the tides in horizontal wind. The comparison between the calculations and the wind observed by TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI) and meteor radar indicates qualitative agreement, but there are some differences as well.