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Observation of polar mesosphere summer echoes with calibrated VHF radars at 69° in the Northern and Southern hemispheres
Author(s) -
Latteck R.,
Singer W.,
Morris R. J.,
Holdsworth D. A.,
Murphy D. J.
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.1029/2007gl030032
Subject(s) - mesopause , solstice , mesosphere , atmospheric sciences , southern hemisphere , northern hemisphere , zonal and meridional , climatology , environmental science , boreal , morning , polar , geology , latitude , stratosphere , geodesy , physics , astronomy , paleontology
Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) observed in the northern and southern hemisphere were studied using continuous measurements obtained by calibrated VHF radars located at Andenes (69.3°N) and Davis (68.6°S) during the boreal summer 2004 and the austral summer 2004/2005. The PMSE observed at Davis have a lower peak volume reflectivity of approximately 4 · 10 −11 m −1 compared with their counterparts (7 · 10 −10 m −1 ) observed at Andenes. The duration of the PMSE season is correlated with the dynamical and thermal state of the mesopause region supported by recent studies using meridional winds and temperatures. PMSE occurred less frequently but with greater variability above Davis. The diurnal variation of PMSE occurrence has a maximum around 11–16 LT in both hemispheres, and a minimum occurs during late evening with a longer duration in the southern hemisphere. The mean PMSE season at both sites started around 34 days before solstice, but the duration of the Davis PMSE season is about 9 days shorter than at Andenes. The maximum occurrence height of PMSE at Davis is 86 km which is about 1 km higher than at Andenes.