Solar tides in the middle atmosphere. I: Description of satellite observations and comparison with theoretical calculations at equinox

In recent years several refinements have been made in the numerical computation of solar atmospheric tides between 30 and 60 km. Although comparisons have been made with winds observed by rockets it has not been possible until now to test these predictions against a globally extensive set of observations. In this paper we describe techniques for obtaining such observations from measurements made by the stratospheric sounding units (SSU) on the TIROS-N series of satellites. These unique data are compared with calculations of the radiance variations expected from the SSU based on classical tidal theory at equinox.

[1]  G. Vaughan.  Mesospheric ozone ― theory and observation , 1984 .

[2]  J. Forbes,et al.  Theoretical studies of atmospheric tides , 1979 .

[3]  R. Walterscheid,et al.  Influence of Mean Zonal Motion and Meridional Temperature Gradients on the Solar Semidiurnal Atmospheric Tide: A Spectral Study. Part I: Theory , 1979 .

[4]  R. J. Reed.  Further Analysis of Semidiurnal Tidal Motions Between 30 and 60 Kilometers1 , 1972 .

[5]  R. Lindzen,et al.  Effects of Mean Winds and Horizontal Temperature Gradients on Solar and Lunar Semidiurnal Tides in the Atmosphere. , 1974 .

[6]  R. Lindzen.  Turbulence and stress owing to gravity wave and tidal breakdown , 1981 .

[7]  John J. Barnett,et al.  Temperature comparisons between the NIMBUS 7 SAMS, rocket/radiosondes and the NOAA 6 SSU , 1984 .

[8]  J. L. Brownscombe,et al.  Validation of the stratospheric sounding unit , 1983 .

[9]  D. R. Pick,et al.  Operational temperature sounding of the stratosphere , 1980, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

[10]  G. Groves.  Hough components of ozone heating , 1982 .

[11]  A. Tuck,et al.  The diurnal variation of ozone in the upper stratosphere as a test of photochemical theory , 1983 .

[12]  R. Lindzen.  Effect of Daily Variations of Cumulonimbus Activity on the Atmospheric Semidiurnal Tide , 1978 .

[13]  D. R. Pick,et al.  Early results based on the stratospheric channels of TOVS on the TIROS-N series of operational satellites , 1981 .

[14]  C. Rogers,et al.  Stratospheric tracer transport: A modified diabatic circulation model , 1984 .

[15]  R. M. Henry,et al.  Diurnal and annual temperature variations in the 30-60 km region as indicated by statistical analysis of rocketsonde temperature data. , 1973 .

[16]  G. Groves.  Review lecture - Rocket studies of atmospheric tides , 1976, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

[17]  G. Groves.  Hough components of water vapour heating , 1982 .

[18]  J. Devore,et al.  Influence of mean zonal motion and meridional temperature gradients on the solar semidiurnal atmospheric tide - A revised spectral study with improved heating rates , 1980 .

[19]  K. Hamilton.  Latent Heat Release as a Possible Forcing Mechanism for Atmospheric Tides , 1981 .

[20]  J. Devore,et al.  The Semidiurnal Atmospheric Tide at the Equinoxes: A Spectral Study with Mean-Wind-Related Influences and Improved Heating Rates , 1981 .

[21]  Jeffrey M. Forbes,et al.  Atmospheric tides: 1. Model description and results for the solar diurnal component , 1982 .

[22]  D. M. Schlapp,et al.  The lunar semi-diurnal tide observed by stratospheric sounding units on the TIROS-N series of satellites , 1983 .

[23]  K. Hamilton.  A note on the observed diurnal and semidiurnal rainfall variations , 1981 .

[24]  P. Conti.  IUE observations of hot stars , 1983 .

[25]  R. J. Reed,et al.  A COMPARISON OF OBSERVED AND THEORETICAL DIURNAL TIDAL MOTIONS BETWEEN 30 AND 60 KILOMETERS1 , 1969 .