Lunar tidal analysis of 6 yr of mesospheric wind data at Adelaide

Abstract Six years of mesospheric wind measurements at Adelaide (35°S, 138°E) have been analysed for lunar tides. The amplitude of the tide is found to vary with height, reaching a maximum around 85–90 km in both northward and eastward components. The variation of phase with height suggests a vertical wavelength of about 100 km. There is some significant interannual variability which, however, is not related in any obvious way to the interannual variability of solar tides in the same data. A variation with solar hour was looked for, but not found. The seasonal variation is found to show sharp peaks in amplitude in March and October, in both northward and eastward components. The peaks are different in size, that is, there is a significant equinoctial asymmetry.