A reanalysis for the seasonal and longer-period cycles and the trends in middle-atmosphere temperature from the Halogen Occultation Experiment

Author(s):  
Ellis E. Remsberg
2021 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
X. R. Zhao ◽  
Z. Sheng ◽  
H. Q. Shi ◽  
L. B. Weng ◽  
Y. He

AbstractUsing temperature data measured by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument from February 2002 to March 2020, the temperature linear trend and temperature responses to the solar cycle (SC), Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO), and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) were investigated from 20 km to 110 km for the latitude range of 50°S-50°N. A four-component harmonic fit was used to remove the seasonal variation from the observed monthly temperature series. Multiple linear regression (MLR) was applied to analyze the linear trend, SC, QBO, and ENSO terms. In this study, the near-global mean temperature shows consistent cooling trends throughout the entire middle atmosphere, ranging from -0.28 to -0.97 K/decade. Additionally, it shows positive responses to the solar cycle, varying from -0.05 to 4.53 K/100sfu. A solar temperature response boundary between 50°S and 50°N is given, above which the atmospheric temperature is strongly affected by solar activity. The boundary penetrates deep below the stratopause to ~ 42 km over the tropical region and rises to higher altitudes with latitude. Temperature responses to the QBO and ENSO can be observed up to the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. In the equatorial region, 40%-70% of the total variance is explained by QBO signals in the stratosphere and 30%-50% is explained by the solar signal in the upper middle atmosphere. Our results, obtained from 18-year SABER observations, are expected to be an updated reliable estimation of the middle atmosphere temperature variability for the stratospheric ozone recovery period.


Satellites were first used to measure middle-atmosphere temperatures in the early 1960s. There has been steady progress towards the present position-where we have routine observations of the whole stratosphere with 10—15 km vertical resolution by operational satellites, and where experimental instruments provide data as high as the mesopause, with 3 km vertical resolution in some cases. Vertical-viewing geometry is used in the simplest instruments, but limb viewing gives some advantages and has been exploited during the last decade. Measurements of the temperature field as a function of pressure allow the determination of geopotential height, hence of motions. The most complete geographical and temporal coverage is obtained by instruments that sense thermal emission, either in the infrared or the microwave. However, measurements of atmospheric infrared absorption from solar occultation, and of pressure scale height from measurements of solar scattering by air molecules, are also used to determine temperature. The paper outlines the present state of the art and will attempt to show how well we can hope to do in the future.


1995 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 648-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. P. Gobbi ◽  
C. Souprayen ◽  
F. Congeduti ◽  
G. Di Donfrancesco ◽  
A. Adriani ◽  
...  

Abstract. We discuss 223 middle atmosphere lidar temperature observations. The record was collected at Frascati (42°N–13°E), during the 41-month period January 1989-May 1992, corresponding to the maximum of solar cycle 22. The choice of this interval was aimed at minimizing the temperature variability induced by the 11-year solar cycle. The average climatology over the 41-month period and comparison with a reference atmosphere (CIRA86) are presented. Monthly temperature variability over the full period, during opposite quasi-biennial oscillation phases and on a short-term scale (0.5–4 h), is analyzed. Results indicate the 50–55-km region as less affected by variability caused by the natural phenomena considered in the analysis. Due to this minimum in natural noise characterizing the atmospheric temperature just above the stratopause, observations of that region are well suited to the detection of possible temperature trends induced by industrial activities.


Sixteen years have elapsed since the first satellite measurements of atmospheric temperature. These were observations of the lower stratosphere. Techniques have developed rapidly, and observations now extend from the surface to the mesopause. The instruments and techniques are briefly described and a review is given of the wide range of middle atmosphere research that has been based upon these measurements. The Nimbus 6 pressure modulator radiometer has made over 3 years’ observations of upper stratospheric and mesospheric temperature, with weighting functions peaking at up to 80 km. The main results from this instrument and their relation to variations at lower levels are discussed. Temperature variations are generally smaller in the upper mesosphere than in the stratosphere. Planetary waves penetrate to this level in winter. There is a strong negative correlation between zonal mean temperature near the mesopause and in the upper stratosphere on both long and short timescales.


An integrated campaign of ground-based, balloon- and rocket-borne measurements was performed in Western Europe during winter 1975—76. The campaign was aimed at the study of the atmospheric—ionospheric coupling during pronounced disturbances of ionospheric E -region electron density (winter anomaly). Various atmospheric and ionospheric parameters were measured in the altitude regime 30—120 km. A large set of middle atmosphere temperature data as obtained from satellites is also available for the time period of the campaign. Some major aspects of the campaign are described and respective results presented as they are available at the present state of data evaluation.


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