Siddarth Shankar Das

Variability of mesopause temperature derived from two independent methods using meteor radar and its comparison with SABER and EOS MLS and a collocated multi-wavelength dayglow photometer over an equatorial station, Thumba (8.5° N, 76.5° E)

Two independent methods for deriving mesopause temperature using meteor radar installed at an equatorial station, Thumba (8.5° N, 76.5° E), are discussed in this article. This meteor radar-derived mesopause temperature is then compared with two different types of spaceborne measurement, namely (i) Sounding the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) and (ii) the Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder (EOS MLS), and a collocated multi-wavelength dayglow photometer (DGPM). The meteor radar-derived temperature is in fairly good agreement with all the three measurement techniques, with an uncertainty of ±10°. This study focuses on a detailed evaluation and inter-comparison of mesopause temperature derived from different measurement techniques. An attempt is also made to compare the suitability of these observations to study planetary waves and other oscillation activities in the mesospheric region.

On the Vertical Distribution of Mean Vertical Velocities in the Convective Regions during the Wet and Dry Spells of the Monsoon over Gadanki

AbstractThe Indian Mesosphere–Stratosphere–Troposphere (MST) radar observations of vertical distribution of mean vertical velocities w in convective regions during the wet and dry spells of the Indian summer monsoon over a tropical station at Gadanki, India (13.5°N, 79.2°E) are discussed. The composite w profile during the wet spell consistently shows a single peak at ~13 km whereas during the dry spell it shows two peaks, one at 5 km and another at 11–13 km. The characteristics of this altitudinal distribution in w are discussed in terms of background wind and thermal structure during both spells of the monsoon. Background w obtained from NCEP–NCAR reanalysis shows subsidence throughout the depth of the troposphere during the dry spell of the monsoon over Gadanki. Analysis of background wind and thermal structure clearly reveal that wind shear and temperature inversion in the midtroposphere are different in the dry spell compared to that of the wet spell, which may be the possible reason for the observed...

First observational study during a solar eclipse event on variations in the horizontal winds simultaneously in the troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-lower-thermosphere region over the equatorial station Thumba (8.5°N, 77°E)

The longest annular solar eclipse of the millennium occurred on 15 January, 2010, and was visible over the equatorial station Thumba (8.5°N, 77°E) around noon time. A host of experiments were carried out to study the variations due to the solar eclipse event on various geophysical parameters, from the Earth’s surface to ionospheric heights. The present study focuses on the variation in the horizontal winds in the height regions of 0–65 km and 80–100 km, using GPS-sondes, rocket-sondes and meteor wind radar. The observations were made during, and after, the maximum obscuration on the day of the eclipse, as well as at the same time on a control day. The observations showed a strengthening/weakening of winds along with directional changes both in zonal and meridional winds in the selected height domains. A drastic change from easterly to westerly is observed at 98 km during, and after, the maximum phase, but, for the meridional wind, the reversal is observed only after the maximum phase. Variations due to the eclipse were also observed around the tropopause and stratopause in both wind components. However, the observed changes in winds around the tropopause and stratopause could not be attributed unambiguously to the eclipse as day-to-day wind variability is not available in these height regions. The significance of the present study lies in reporting the variations in the horizontal wind components from the ground to the 100-km height region (with a gap around 65–80 km), and the characteristics of the atmospheric waves generated due to the mid-day annular solar eclipse.

Upper tropospheric ozone transport from the sub-tropics to tropics over the Indian region during Asian summer monsoon

In this study, we investigate the role of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) anticyclone in the distribution of ozone over the southern India and tropical Indian Ocean. We present the horizontal and vertical structure of ozone in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) region. The analysis shows that the region within the ASM anticyclone has low ozone, and high tropopause altitude, as compared to the region outside the anticyclone during boreal summer. The southern edge of the ASM anticyclone, i.e. the southern India and tropical Indian Ocean show a remarkably high ozone concentration in the UTLS region during summer. Analysis of daily fields shows that ozone concentration in the upper troposphere over the southern India and tropical Indian Ocean increases with the strength of the tropical easterly jet, which is an outcome of ASM circulation. Different mechanisms responsible for the ozone enhancement in the UTLS region over the tropical Indian region have been discussed in this paper. The in situ ozonesonde observations from six Indian stations also support the space-based Aura-MLS observations, concluding that ASM anticyclone effectively transports ozone from the mid-latitude stratosphere to deep tropics. Shear generated turbulence and mixing in the vicinity of easterly jet also likely to play a minor role in the local ozone distribution.

Characteristics of precipitation over Western Ghat as observed by Doppler weather Radar and disdrometer

The structure of clouds during the convective and stratiform precipitation over the high-altitude tropical station, Mahabaleshwar, has been studied in the present paper by using Doppler weather Radar and several other in-situ measurements. The station, receiving an average annual rainfall of 5000 mm represents one of the important points of heavy precipitation belt of Western Ghats orographic region of India. It has been found that the region experiences a shallow convection with the cloud top height merely exceeding 6 km. The drop size of diameter 1–2 mm contributes more in the span of rain rate range of 2–4 mm/hr compared to other rain rate classes. Correspondingly, drops of larger diameter dominate the convective rain with respect to the stratiform one.

VHF radar studies of the migrating and nonmigrating diurnal and semidiurnal tides over a tropical and an equatorial station

VHF radar measurements of winds are utilized to study the diurnal and semi-diurnal tides over Gadanki and Kotatabang. The tidal amplitudes exhibit maxima in UTLS region during June-September over Gadanki and during March and September over Kotatabang. The vertical wavelength is 3–5 km (Gadanki) and 25–30 km (Kotatabang), which reveal the existence of nonmigrating and migrating tides, respectively. Brightness temperature shows that over Gadanki(deep) and Kotatabang(shallow) convective clouds. Release of latent heat due to deep-clouds is found to be the main source mechanism for nonmigrating tides. The present study brings out the differences in tides over equatorial and low latitude.