Geomagnetic field variations due to Solar and Lunar tides in the Brazilian Sector

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Geomagnetic field variations in 2018 due to solar and lunar tides in the Brazilian sector were studied using data provided by magnetometers installed at São José dos Campos (23.21<sup>o</sup>S, 0345.97<sup>o</sup>W; Dip latitude 20.9<sup>o</sup>S), Eusébio, Ceará (3.89° S, 38.46° W) and São Luís, Maranhão (2.53° S, 44.30° W). Variations associated with these tides were identified using the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field, H(nT). Least square fit method was employed in determining the monthly amplitudes and phases of the diurnal, semidiurnal and ter-diurnal solar tides. The monthly amplitudes and phases of the lunar tide were then calculated using the residual measurements (obtained after subtracting the solar tidal components from each day), converting the solar local time to lunar time and subjecting the residuals to harmonic analysis. The maximum solar tide amplitude recorded was 23.96nT(diurnal) in March, at Eusébio whereas the minimum amplitude was 0.45nT(terdiurnal) recorded in December at São José dos Campos. The lunar tide recorded a maximum amplitude of 4.33nT(semidiurnal) in February, at São Luís and a minimum amplitude of 0.13nT(diurnal) in August, at Eusébio.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: Solar tides, Lunar tides, Geomagnetic field, Magnetometer.</p><p> </p>

Interaction of Small-Scale Gravity Waves with the Terdiurnal Solar Tide in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere

Implementing a nonlinear whole atmosphere gravity wave (GW) parameterization into the Middle and Upper Atmosphere Model extending to the lower thermosphere (160 km), we study the response of the atmosphere in terms of the circulation patterns, temperature distribution, and migrating terdiurnal solar tide activity to the upward propagating small-scale internal GWs originating in the lower atmosphere. We perform three test simulations for the Northern Hemisphere winter conditions in order to assess the effects of variations in the initial GW spectrum on the dynamics of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. We find that the overall strength of the source level momentum flux has a comparatively small impact on zonal mean dynamics. The tails of the GW source level spectrum, however, are crucial for the lower thermosphere dynamics. With respect to the terdiurnal tide, we find a strong dependence of tidal amplitude on the induced GW drag, generally being larger when GW drag is increased.

Manifestation of the lunar-solar tide in spectrums of coordinate GPS data

The results of the spectral analysis of coordinate data obtained as a result of the permanent registration in the Geophysical Observatory Mikhnevo IDG RAS using a stationary GPS receiver. A detailed analysis of digital data series for a long period of time (observations are carried out from June 2014 to the present time) showed that the spectrum of variations of coordinate data is characterized by the presence of a significant number of quasi-harmonic components, among which there are fluctuations with periods close to the periods of tidal waves.

Impact of gravity wave drag on the thermospheric circulation: implementation of a nonlinear gravity wave parameterization in a whole-atmosphere model

To investigate the effects of the gravity wave (GW) drag on the general circulation in the thermosphere, a nonlinear GW parameterization that estimates the GW drag in the whole-atmosphere system is implemented in a whole-atmosphere general circulation model (GCM). Comparing the simulation results obtained with the whole-atmosphere scheme with the ones obtained with a conventional linear scheme, we study the GW effects on the thermospheric dynamics for solstice conditions. The GW drag significantly decelerates the mean zonal wind in the thermosphere. The GWs attenuate the migrating semidiurnal solar-tide (SW2) amplitude in the lower thermosphere and modify the latitudinal structure of the SW2 above a 150 km height. The SW2 simulated by the GCM based on the nonlinear whole-atmosphere scheme agrees well with the observed SW2. The GW drag in the lower thermosphere has zonal wavenumber 2 and semidiurnal variation, while the GW drag above a 150 km height is enhanced in high latitude. The GW drag in the thermosphere is a significant dynamical factor and plays an important role in the momentum budget of the thermosphere. Therefore, a GW parameterization accounting for thermospheric processes is essential for coarse-grid whole-atmosphere GCMs in order to more realistically simulate the atmosphere–ionosphere system.

Nonlinear forcing mechanisms of the migrating terdiurnal solar tide and their impact on the zonal mean circulation

We investigate the forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal solar tide in the middle atmosphere using a mechanistic global circulation model. In order to quantify their individual contributions, we perform several model experiments and separate each forcing mechanism by switching off the remaining sources. We find that the primary excitation is owing to the terdiurnal component of solar radiation absorption in the troposphere and stratosphere. Secondary sources are nonlinear tide–tide interactions and gravity wave–tide interactions. Thus, although the solar heating clearly dominates the terdiurnal forcing in our simulations, we find that nonlinear tidal and gravity wave interactions contribute in certain seasons and at certain altitudes. By slightly enhancing the different excitation sources, we test the sensitivity of the background circulation to these changes of the dynamics. As a result, the increase of terdiurnal gravity wave drag can strongly affect the middle and upper atmosphere dynamics, including an irregular change of the terdiurnal amplitude, a weakening of neutral winds in the thermosphere, and a significant temperature change in the thermosphere, depending on the strength of the forcing. On the contrary, the influence of nonlinear tidal interactions on the middle atmosphere background dynamics is rather small.

Nonlinear forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal solar tide and their impact on the zonal mean circulation

We investigate the forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal solar tide in the middle atmosphere using a mechanistic global circulation model. In order to quantify their individual contributions, we perform several model experiments and separate each forcing mechanism by switching off the remaining sources. We find that the primary excitation is owing to the terdiurnal component of solar radiation absorption in the troposphere and stratosphere. Secondary sources are nonlinear tide-tide interactions and gravity wave-tide interactions. Thus, although the solar heating clearly dominates the terdiurnal forcing in our simulations, we find that nonlinear tidal and gravity wave interactions contribute in certain seasons and altitudes. By slightly enhancing the different excitation sources, we test the sensitivity of the background circulation on these changes of the dynamics. As a result, the increase of terdiurnal gravity wave drag can strongly affect the middle and upper atmosphere dynamics, including an irregular change of the terdiurnal amplitude, a weakening of neutral winds in the thermosphere, and a significant temperature change in the thermosphere, depending on the strength of the forcing. On the contrary, the influence of nonlinear tidal interactions on the middle atmosphere background dynamics is rather small.

Impact of Gravity wave drag on the thermospheric circulation: Implementation of a nonlinear gravity wave parameterization in a whole atmosphere model

To investigate the effects of the gravity wave (GW) drag on the general circulation in the thermosphere, a nonlinear GW parameterization that estimates the GW drag in the whole atmosphere system is implemented in a whole atmosphere general circulation model (GCM). Comparing the simulation results obtained with the whole atmosphere scheme with the ones obtained with a conventional linear scheme, we study the GW effects on the thermospheric dynamics for solstice conditions. The GW drag significantly decelerates the mean zonal wind in the thermosphere. The GWs attenuate the migrating semidiurnal solar tide (SW2) amplitude in the lower thermosphere, and modifies the latitudinal structure of the SW2 above 150 km height. The SW2 simulated by the GCM based on the nonlinear whole atmosphere scheme agrees well with the observed SW2. The GW drag in the lower thermosphere has zonal wavenumber 2 and semidiurnal variation, while the GW drag above 150 km height is enhanced in high latitude. The GW drag in the thermosphere is a significant dynamical and plays an important role in the momentum budget of the thermosphere. Therefore, a GW parameterization accounting for thermospheric processes is essential for coarse-grid whole atmosphere GCMs in order to more realistically simulate the atmosphere-ionosphere system.

Identification of the mechanisms responsible for anomalies in the tropical lower thermosphere/ionosphere caused by the January 2009 sudden stratospheric warming

We apply the Entire Atmosphere GLobal (EAGLE) model to investigate the upper atmosphere response to the January 2009 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event. The model successfully reproduces neutral temperature and total electron content (TEC) observations. Using both model and observational data, we identify a cooling in the tropical lower thermosphere caused by the SSW. This cooling affects the zonal electric field close to the equator, leading to an enhanced vertical plasma drift. We demonstrate that along with a SSW-related wind disturbance, which is the main source to form a dynamo electric field in the ionosphere, perturbations of the ionospheric conductivity also make a significant contribution to the formation of the electric field response to SSW. The post-sunset TEC enhancement and pre-sunrise electron content reduction are revealed as a response to the 2009 SSW. We show that at post-sunset hours the SSW affects low-latitude TEC via a disturbance of the meridional electric field. We also show that the phase change of the semidiurnal migrating solar tide (SW2) in the neutral wind caused by the 2009 SSW at the altitude of the dynamo electric field generation has a crucial importance for the SW2 phase change in the zonal electric field. Such changes lead to the appearance of anomalous diurnal variability of the equatorial electromagnetic plasma drift and subsequent low-latitudinal TEC disturbances in agreement with available observations. Plain Language Summary – Entire Atmosphere GLobal model (EAGLE) interactively calculates the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and plasmasphere–ionosphere system states and their response to various natural and anthropogenic forcing. In this paper, we study the upper atmosphere response to the major sudden stratospheric warming that occurred in January 2009. Our results agree well with the observed evolution of the neutral temperature in the upper atmosphere and with low-latitude ionospheric disturbances over America. For the first time, we identify an SSW-related cooling in the tropical lower thermosphere that, in turn, could provide additional information for understanding the mechanisms for the generation of electric field disturbances observed at low latitudes. We show that the SSW-related vertical electromagnetic drift due to electric field disturbances is a key mechanism for interpretation of an observed anomalous diurnal development of the equatorial ionization anomaly during the 2009 SSW event. We demonstrate that the link between thermospheric winds and the ionospheric dynamo electric field during the SSW is attained through the modulation of the semidiurnal migrating solar tide.