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An exceptionally strong westward propagating quasi‐6‐day wave (Q6DW) with zonal wavenumber 1 in connection with the rare 2019 Southern Hemispheric Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) is observed by two meteor radars at 30°S and is found to modulate and interact with the diurnal tide and gravity waves (GWs). The diurnal tide is amplified every 6 days and a prominent 21 hr child wave attributed to Q6DW‐diurnal tide nonlinear interaction occurs. Q6DW modulation on GWs is confirmed as the 4–5 day periodicity in GW variances. Simultaneously, the Q6DW appears to shift its period toward the periodicity of the modulated GW variances. Enhancement is also observed in the first results of meteor radar observed Q6DW Eliassen‐Palm flux, which may facilitate the global perturbation and persistence of this Q6DW. We conclude that the observed SSW triggered Q6DW‐tide and Q6DW‐GW interactions play an important role in coupling the lower atmospheric forcings to ionospheric variabilities. Plain Language Summary: Our work provides observational evidence for the 6‐day planetary wave‐tide and 6‐day planetary wave‐gravity wave interactions at the Earth's mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The results strongly support the theory that wave‐wave interactions are the primary mechanism coupling planetary waves to ionospheric variability and provide an additional mechanism as the 6‐day wave modulation on the gravity waves. We utilize measurements from two meteor radars to diagnose planetary wave characteristics and identify wave‐wave interactions, and compute the first‐time meteor radar observed Eliassen‐Palm flux. Enhancement is observed in the Eliassen‐Palm flux of 6‐day wave following the SSW maximum phase, which demonstrates that energy of the 6‐day wave is enhanced and therefore, facilitates the global perturbation and persistence of the 6‐day wave for an extended time period. While meteor radar observations are widely used to investigate planetary waves and tides, high meteor detection rate is required for further studying temperature perturbations and small scale waves (e.g., gravity waves). Thus, this work also highlights the capability of a modern multi‐static meteor radar system, Chilean Observation Network De meteOr Radars, in resolving oscillations of small spatial scales over a broad range of periods, and for calculating Eliassen‐Palm flux of planetary waves. Key Points: A dominating W1 Q6DW is observed at 30°S and its Eliassen‐Palm flux is enhanced during the 2019 SH SSWQ6DW amplifies the diurnal tide every 6 days and a strong 21 hr child wave is observedQ6DW modulates the gravity wave variances and its frequency appears to shift accordingly [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A narrow-band sodium lidar provides high temporal and vertical resolution observations of sodium density, atmospheric temperature, and wind that facilitate the investigation of atmospheric waves in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (80–105 km). In order to retrieve full vector winds, such a lidar is usually configured in a multi-direction observing mode, with laser beams pointing to the zenith and several off-zenith directions. Gravity wave events were observed by such a lidar system from 06:30 to 11:00 UT on 14 January 2002 at Maui, Hawaii (20.7° N, 156.3° W). A novel method based on cross-spectrum was proposed to derive the horizontal wave information from the phase shifts among measurements in different directions. At least two wave packets were identified using this method: one with a period of ∼ 1.6 h, a horizontal wavelength of ∼ 438 km, and propagating toward the southwest; and the other one with a ∼ 3.2 h period, a ∼ 934 km horizontal wavelength, and propagating toward the northwest. The background atmosphere states were also fully measured and all intrinsic wave properties of the wave packets were derived. Dispersion and polarization relations were used to diagnose wave propagation and dissipation. It was revealed that both wave packets propagate through multiple thin evanescent layers and are possibly partially reflected but still get a good portion of energy to penetrate higher altitudes. A sensitivity study demonstrates the capability of this method in detecting medium-scale and medium-frequency gravity waves. With continuous and high-quality measurements from similar lidar systems worldwide, this method can be utilized to detect and study the characteristics of gravity waves of specific spatiotemporal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A narrow-band sodium lidar provides high temporal and vertical resolution observations of sodium density, atmospheric temperature, and wind that facilitate the investigation of atmospheric waves in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (80-105 km). In order to retrieve full vector winds, such a lidar is usually configured in a multi-direction observing mode, with laser beams pointing to the zenith and several off-zenith directions. Gravity wave events were observed by such a lidar system from 06:30 to 11:00 UTC on 14 January 2002 at Maui, Hawaii (20.7° N, 156.3° W). A novel method based on cross-spectrum was proposed to derive the horizontal wave information from the phase shifts among measurements in different directions. At least two wave packets were identified using this method, one with a period of ~1.6 hr and a horizontal wavelength of ~438 km and propagating toward the southwest, the other one with a ~3.2 hr period and ~975 km wavelength and propagating toward the northwest. The background atmosphere states were also fully measured, and all intrinsic wave properties of the wave packets were derived. Dispersion and polarization relations were used to diagnose wave propagation and dissipation. It was revealed that both wave packets propagate through multiple thin evanescent layers and are partially reflected but still get a good portion of energy to penetrate higher altitudes. A sensitivity study demonstrates the capability of this method in detecting medium-scale and medium-frequency gravity waves. With continuous and high-quality measurements from similar lidar systems worldwide, this method can be utilized to detect and study the characteristics of gravity waves of specific spatio-temporal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A narrow-band sodium lidar provides high temporal and vertical resolution observations of sodium density, atmospheric temperature, and wind that facilitate the investigation of atmospheric waves in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (80–105 km). In order to retrieve full vector winds, such a lidar is usually configured in a multi-direction observing mode, with laser beams pointing to the zenith and several off-zenith directions. Gravity wave events were observed by such a lidar system from 06:30 to 11:00 UTC on 14 January 2002 at Maui, Hawaii (20.7° N, 156.3° W). A novel method based on cross-spectrum was proposed to derive the horizontal wave information from the phase shifts among measurements in different directions. At least two wave packets were identified using this method, one with a period of ~1.6 hr and a horizontal wavelength of ~438 km and propagating toward the southwest, the other one with a ~3.2 hr period and ~975 km wavelength and propagating toward the northwest. The background atmosphere states were also fully measured, and all intrinsic wave properties of the wave packets were derived. Dispersion and polarization relations were used to diagnose wave propagation and dissipation. It was revealed that both wave packets propagate through multiple thin evanescent layers and are partially reflected but still get a good portion of energy to penetrate higher altitudes. A sensitivity study demonstrates the capability of this method in detecting medium-scale and medium-frequency gravity waves. With continuous and high-quality measurements from similar lidar systems worldwide, this method can be utilized to detect and study the characteristics of gravity waves of specific spatio-temporal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using meteor radar, radiosonde observations and MERRA-2 reanalysis data from 12 August to 31 October 2006, we report a dynamical coupling from the tropical lower atmosphere to the mesosphere and lower thermosphere through a quasi-27-day intraseasonal oscillation (ISO). It is interesting that the quasi-27-day ISO is observed in the troposphere, stratopause and mesopause regions, exhibiting a three-layer structure. In the MLT, the amplitude in the zonal wind increases from about 4 ms−1 at 90 km to 15 ms−1 at 100 km, which is different from previous observations that ISOs occurs generally in winter with an amplitude peak at about 80–90 km, and then are rapidly weakened with increasing height. Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and specific humidity demonstrate that there is a quasi-27-day periodicity in convective activity in the tropics, which causes the ISO of the zonal wind and gravity wave (GW) activity in the troposphere. The upward propagating GWs are further modulated by the oscillation in the troposphere and upper stratosphere. As the GWs propagate to the MLT, the quasi-27-day oscillation in the wind field is induced with a clear phase opposite to that in the lower atmosphere through instability and dissipation of these modulated GWs. Wavelet analysis shows that the quasi-27-day variability in the MLT appears as a case event rather than a persistent phenomenon, and has not a clear corresponding relation with the solar rotation effect within 1 year of observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extension of the neutral sodium (Na) layer into the thermosphere (up to 170 km) has recently been observed at low and high latitudes using a Na lidar. However, the geophysical mechanisms and implications of its formation are currently unknown. In this study, we conduct an advanced two‐dimensional numerical simulation of the Na and Na+ variations in the E and F regions at low latitudes. The numerical simulations are used to investigate the contributions of the electromagnetic force, neutral wind, diffusion, and gravity. The simulations lead to three major findings. First, Na+ in the subtropical region of the geomagnetic equator acts as the major reservoir of the neutral sodium, and its distribution during nighttime is mostly below 200 km due to the combined effect of the vertical component of the E→×B→ drift and Coulomb‐induced drift. Second, we find that the fountain effect has little influence on the behavior of Na in the nighttime. Third, the probable explanation for the frequent generation of the thermospheric sodium layer during spring equinox at Cerro Pachón, Chile is attributed to the large vertical neutral transport generated by large vertical wind perturbations of unknown origin, with a magnitude exceeding 10 m/s that is closely associated with the semidiurnal tide. Key Points: Fountain effect does not have much influences on the structure of Na over subtropics region of geomagnetic equator during nightThe thermospheric Na layer observed over Cerro Pachón, Chile is probably formed due to the large vertical wind perturbationThe large vertical wind perturbation that may generate thermospheric Na layer is closely associated with semidiurnal tide [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the characteristics of long‐lasting "C‐type" structure in the Sodium (Na) lidargram, six cases from different observational locations have been analyzed. The Na lidargram, collected from low‐, middle‐, and high‐latitude sites, show long lifetime of the C‐type structures which is believed to be the manifestation of Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) billows in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region. In order to explore the characteristics of the long‐lasting C‐type structures, the altitude profile of square of Brunt‐Väisälä frequency in the MLT region has been derived using the temperature profile collected from the Na lidar instruments and the SABER instrument onboard TIMED satellite. It is found to be positive in the C‐type structure region for all the six cases which indicates that the regions are convectively stable. Simultaneous wind measurements, which allowed us to calculate the Richardson numbers and Reynolds numbers for three cases, suggest that the regions where the C‐type structure appeared were dynamically stable and nonturbulent. This paper brings out a hypothesis wherein the low temperature can increase the magnitude of the Prandtl number and convectively stable atmospheric region can cause the magnitude of Reynolds number to decrease. As a consequence, the remnant of previously generated KH billows in nearly "frozen‐in" condition can be advected through this conducive region to a different location by the background wind where they can sustain for a long time without much deformation. These long‐lived KH billows in the MLT region will eventually manifest the long‐lasting C‐type structures in the Na lidargram. Key Points: The stability of KH billows in the MLT region on Reynold number and Prandtl number on long‐lasting "C‐type" structure in the Na lidargramLow temperature can increase magnitude of Prandtl number and convectively stable atmosphere can decrease the magnitude of Reynolds numberThis conducive atmosphere is responsible for the long lifetime of the remnant of previously generated KH billows in the MLT region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]