Middle atmosphere background climatology from a simple circulation model

Abstract

An updated mechanistic circulation model is used to calculate monthly tables of winds and temperatures in the middle atmosphere, including mean values, tides, and stationary planetary waves. The model includes realistic background ozone and water vapour climatologies and a long-term mean stationary planetary wave forcing from Met Office analyses. The results are compared with existing empirical climatologies. The model climatology may be used as reference values for measurements, or to complete empirical climatologies especially for the height regions not well covered with measurements. © 2006 COSPAR.