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Seasonal variation of middle latitudes wind fields of the mesopause region – A comparison between observation and model calculation
Author(s) -
Kremp Christine,
Berger Uwe,
Hoffmann Peter,
Keuer Dieter,
Sonnemann Gerd R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl900218
Subject(s) - mesopause , daytime , atmospheric sciences , climatology , mesosphere , environmental science , altitude (triangle) , zonal and meridional , global wind patterns , latitude , atmosphere (unit) , middle latitudes , meridional flow , prevailing winds , stratosphere , geology , meteorology , physics , geodesy , geometry , mathematics
Mean MF‐radar prevailing mesospheric wind data over Juliusruh (54.6°N, 13.4°E) for 8 years (1990–1997) have been compared with daytime averaged winds obtained from calculations using the Cologne global three‐dimensional dynamic model of the middle atmosphere COMMA. The altitude‐seasonal cross section shows that the model reflects the seasonal zonal wind pattern fairly well. The mesospheric summer and especially the winter winds are somewhat weaker in the observations. The model results are better reflected by measurements over Saskatoon (52°N, 107°W). The height of the observed maximum of the summer jet occurs more than 5 km above that one inferred from the model calculations. The long‐term averages of the zonal winds will not be significantly changed if the periods with stratospheric warming events, which can lead to short term wind reversals at mesospheric heights during the winter months, are eliminated from the observational basis. The daytime averaged meridional wind component matches the observations over Juliusruh partly and agrees also with the published results obtained from measurements over Saskatoon.