Diurnal migrating tide as seen by the high-resolution Doppler imager/UARS 2. Monthly mean global zonal and vertical velocities, pressure, temperature, and inferred dissipation

Abstract

Meridional diurnal tidal winds derived as described by Khattatov et al. [this issue] from the high-resolution Doppler imager (HRDI) data are used in the linearized tidal equations to solve for the diurnal tidal oscillations in the zonal and vertical velocity, pressure, temperature, and dissipation in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The resulting monthly mean latitude-altitude cross sections of the amplitudes of the tidal zonal, meridional, and vertical velocity, pressure, temperature, and Rayleigh friction and vertical diffusivity are presented for 12 months of the combined 1992/1993 year. The results show profound seasonal changes and interhemispherical differences in the calculated tidal amplitudes and dissipation. The derived monthly mean vertical diffusion coefficients are compared with the results of Garcia and Solomon [1985]. The Rayleigh friction coefficients and vertical diffusivities derived from HRDI measurements can potentially have important impact on modeling of the chemistry and composition of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, in particular, on numerical modeling of atmospheric thermal tides.