Global distribution and interannual variations of mesospheric and lower thermospheric neutral wind diurnal tide: 1. Migrating tide

[1] Using the TIMED Doppler interferometer (TIDI) mesospheric and lower thermospheric neutral-wind multiyear data set (2002–2007) and NCAR TIME General Circulation Models (GCM) 1.2 annual run results (2002–2005) at the TIDI sampling points, we study the migrating diurnal tide's global distribution, interannual, and seasonal variations in connection with the mean zonal wind interannual variations. A strong quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) effect on the diurnal tide was observed in the TIDI data and reproduced to a lesser degree in the TIME-GCM run. The migrating diurnal tide amplitude is larger during the eastward phase of the stratospheric QBO and weaker during the westward phase. Westward mesospheric equatorial mean zonal winds appeared during the eastward phase of the stratospheric QBO (in 2002, 2004, and 2006). The strongest QBO effect on both the migrating diurnal tide and mean zonal winds was observed during the March equinox. The stronger tides may be related to the weaker gravity wave filtering in the stratosphere during the eastward phase stratospheric QBO. The TIDI data also exhibit large interhemispheric asymmetry. The westward mean zonal winds in the mesosphere appeared to be associated with the enhanced diurnal tide. The TIME-GCM 1.2 diurnal tide amplitudes are in general smaller than those observed by the TIDI instrument. Limited vertical spatial resolution for the TIME-CGM 1.2 is suggested as the cause. Future improvements are expected with a higher spatial resolution in the model.