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A Statistical Analysis of the Energy Dissipation Rate Estimated From the PMWE Spectral Width in the Antarctic
Author(s) -
Kohma M.,
Sato K.,
Nishimura K.,
Tsutsumi M.,
Sato T.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1029/2020jd032745
Subject(s) - mesosphere , atmospheric sciences , dissipation , zenith , turbulence , turbulence kinetic energy , gravity wave , stratosphere , energy budget , kinetic energy , irradiance , radar , range (aeronautics) , environmental science , physics , meteorology , gravitational wave , optics , materials science , astrophysics , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , computer science , composite material , thermodynamics
The radar volume reflectivity and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate in the Antarctic mesosphere were estimated from the polar mesosphere winter echoes (PMWE) recorded using a vertical beam of the PANSY radar, a Mesosphere‐Stratosphere‐Troposphere radar at Syowa Station (69°S, 40°E), over a period of 4 years. The observed radar volume reflectivity exhibits a lognormal distribution in the range of 2 × 10 −18 to 5 × 10 −15 m −1 for a height region of 55–82 km. The turbulent energy dissipation rate estimated from the spectral widths of the PMWE ranges from 10 −4 to 10 0 m 2 s −3 . From monthly histograms of the turbulent energy dissipation rate for a fixed solar zenith angle (SZA) and height, it was found that the summer‐to‐winter transition of the turbulent energy dissipation rate occurs in March, while the winter‐to‐summer transition occurs in September. This seasonal variation agrees well with that of gravity wave activity, suggesting that the turbulence in the mesosphere is likely caused by gravity wave breaking.