Effects of nonmigrating diurnal tides on the Na layer in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

Abstract

The influence of nonmigrating diurnal tides on Na layer variability in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere regions is investigated for the first time using data from the Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging System (OSIRIS) on the Odin satellite and Specified Dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (SD-WACCM) with metal chemistry. The Na density from OSIRIS exhibits a clear longitudinal variation indicative of the presence of tidal components. Similar variability is seen in the SD-WACCM result. Analysis shows a significant relationship between the nonmigrating diurnal tides in Na density and the corresponding temperature tidal signal. Below 90 km, the three nonmigrating diurnal tidal components in Na density show a significant positive correlation with the temperature tides. Conversely, the phase mainly indicates a negative correlation above 95 km. Around the metal layer peak, the response of the Na density to a 1 K change in tidal temperature is estimated to be 120 cm−3