Masashi Kohma

Frequency spectra and vertical profiles of wind fluctuations in the summer Antarctic mesosphere revealed by MST radar observations

Continuous observations of polar mesosphere summer echoes at heights from 81–93 km were performed using the first Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere/Incoherent Scatter radar in the Antarctic over the three summer periods of 2013/2014, 2014/2015, and 2015/2016. Power spectra of horizontal and vertical wind fluctuations, and momentum flux spectra in a wide-frequency range from (8 min)−1 to (20 days) −1 were first estimated for the Antarctic summer mesosphere. The horizontal (vertical) wind power spectra obey a power law with an exponent of approximately −2 (−1) at frequencies higher than the inertial frequency of (13 h)−1 and have isolated peaks at about 1 day and a half day. In addition, an isolated peak of a quasi-2 day period is observed in the horizontal wind spectra but is absent from the vertical wind spectra, which is consistent with the characteristics of a normal-mode Rossby-gravity wave. Zonal (meridional) momentum flux spectra are mainly positive (negative), and large fluxes are observed in a relatively low-frequency range from (1 day)−1 to (1 h)−1. A case study was performed to investigate vertical profiles of momentum fluxes associated with gravity waves and time mean winds on and around 3 January 2015 when a minor stratospheric warming occurred in the Northern Hemisphere. A significant momentum flux convergence corresponding to an eastward acceleration of ~200 m s−1 d−1 was observed before the warming and became stronger after the warming when mean zonal wind weakened. The strong wave forcing roughly accorded with the Coriolis force of mean meridional winds.

Variability of upper tropospheric clouds in the polar region during stratospheric sudden warmings

The variability of upper tropospheric clouds during stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs) in 2009, 2010, and 2012 in the Northern Hemisphere is examined using satellite observations and reanalysis data. It is shown that the zonal mean cloud frequency decreases in the altitude range of 8–12 km, and the mean cloud top height descends soon after an SSW. Following a sudden decrease in upper tropospheric cloud frequency, an increase in temperature and static stability around the tropopause and a downward shift of the tropopause height are simultaneously observed. These changes in the upper troposphere are observed when the downward residual mean flow associated with an SSW becomes stronger around the tropopause level. By means of analyses based on a recent theory of three-dimensional residual mean flow, it is shown that the horizontal structure of the vertical flow is consistent with the geographical distribution of clouds in the altitude range of 9–11 km. Another interesting feature is that the low cloud frequency in the upper troposphere that starts after an SSW continues for more than 1 month. Possible reasons are discussed in terms of a long radiative relaxation time and a change in the tropospheric wave activity. These findings indicate that SSWs can affect the tropospheric radiative budget through the modification of cloud frequency and cloud top heights.

Height and time characteristics of seasonal and diurnal variations in PMWE based on 1 year observations by the PANSY radar (69.0°S, 39.6°E)

We report height and time variations in polar mesosphere winter echoes (PMWE) based on the Program of the Antarctic Syowa mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere/incoherent scatter (PANSY) radar observations. PMWE were identified for 110 days from March to September 2013. PMWE occurrence frequency increased abruptly in May when two solar proton events occurred. PMWE were also observed even during periods without any solar proton events, suggesting that a possible cause of the PMWE is ionization by energetic electron precipitations. The monthly mean PMWE characteristics showed that occurrence of PMWE were mainly restricted to sunlit time. This fact indicates that electrons detached from negatively charged particles play an important role. While PMWE below 72 km in altitude completely disappeared before sunset, it was detected above that altitude for a few hours even after sunset. This height dependence in the altitude range of 60–80 km can be explained qualitatively by empirical effective recombination rates.

A three‐dimensional analysis on the role of atmospheric waves in the climatology and interannual variability of stratospheric final warming in the Southern Hemisphere

Stratospheric final warming (SFW) in the Southern Hemisphere is examined in terms of their interannual variability and climatology using reanalysis data from January 1979 to March 2014. First, it is shown from a two-dimensional transformed Eulerian mean (TEM) analysis that a time-integrated vertical component of Eliassen-Palm flux during the spring is significantly related with SFW date. To clarify the role of residual mean flow in the interannual variability of the SFW date, SFWs are categorized into early and late groups according to the SFW date and their differences are examined. Significant difference in potential temperature tendency is observed in the middle and lower stratosphere in early October. Their structure in the meridional cross section accords well with that of vertical potential temperature advection by the residual mean flow. Difference in heating rate by shortwave radiation is minor. These results suggest that the adiabatic heating associated with the residual mean flow largely affects polar stratospheric temperature during austral spring and SFW date. The analysis is extended to investigate the longitudinal structure by using a three-dimensional (3-D) TEM theory. The significant difference in potential temperature tendency is mainly observed around the Weddell Sea at 10 hPa. Next, climatological 3-D structure of a vertical component of the residual mean flow in association with SFW is examined in terms of the effect on the troposphere. The results suggest that a downward residual mean flow from the stratosphere penetrates into underlying troposphere over East Antarctica and partly influences tropospheric temperature there.