Investigations of mesospheric temperature inversions over sub-tropical location using lidar and satellites measurements

Abstract

Characteristics of Mesospheric Temperature Inversions (MTIs) are studied using ~290 nights of Rayleigh Lidar data collected over Mt. Abu (24.5°N, 72.7°E) during the period of 1997 to 2004 for the first time from an Indian sub-tropical location. Three MTI events have been investigated and statistical analysis has also been performed. A strong MTI event, with amplitude of about 30 K, at altitudes between 60 and 70 km was observed on 30 December 2003. It was accompanied by strongly perturbed mesospheric zonal winds as observed by TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI) onboard Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED). Two MTI episodes during March and December 2000 have been investigated, which showed that MTI can persist for few days and its amplitude varies gradually. Ozone observed by Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) onboard Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) also showed significantly higher variability during strong MTI events. A statistical analysis of MTI occurrence and their characteristics have been done using Lidar data (1997–2004), HALOE on board UARS (1997–2004) and SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry) on board TIMED (2002–2004). The frequency of occurrence of MTIs is maximum during winter and minimum during summer and average magnitude of MTIs is ~20 K with prominent seasonal variability. SABER and Lidar observed occurrence statistics is showing very similar pattern and SABER is able to capture stronger MTIs (~50 K). The average bottom height of MTIs from Lidar is having strong seasonality (lower height during winter) in contrast to satellites observed heights of MTIs.