Nonmigrating diurnal tides in the equatorial middle atmosphere

Abstract

Data from the Nimbus-7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) are used to extend the analysis of diurnal tides in the middle atmosphere to include the zonally symmetric and eastward propagating components. These modes show vertical and meridional structures that are generally consistent with the predictions of linear tidal theory. The zonally symmetric and eastward migrating tidal components show a higher degree of temporal variability than the sun-synchronous component. The observed vertical phase variations suggest that their forcing may originate below the stratosphere. -from Author