Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar

<p>Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) occur during summer from midlatitudes to high latitudes. They consist of nanometer-sized ice particles in an altitude range from 80 to 90&thinsp;km and are sensitive to ambient temperature and water vapor content, which makes them a suitable tracer for varia...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: J. Fiedler, G. Baumgarten
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2018-11-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/16051/2018/acp-18-16051-2018.pdf
_version_ 1819066676044365824
author J. Fiedler
G. Baumgarten
author_facet J. Fiedler
G. Baumgarten
author_sort J. Fiedler
collection DOAJ
description <p>Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) occur during summer from midlatitudes to high latitudes. They consist of nanometer-sized ice particles in an altitude range from 80 to 90&thinsp;km and are sensitive to ambient temperature and water vapor content, which makes them a suitable tracer for variability on all timescales. The data set acquired by the ALOMAR Rayleigh–Mie–Raman (RMR) lidar covers 21 years and is investigated regarding tidal signatures in NLCs. For the first time solar and lunar tidal parameters in NLCs were determined simultaneously from the same data. Several NLC parameters are subject to persistent mean variations throughout the solar day as well as the lunar day. Variations with lunar time are generally smaller compared to variations with solar time. NLC occurrence frequency shows the most robust imprint of the lunar semidiurnal tide. Its amplitude is about 50&thinsp;% of the solar semidiurnal tide, which is surprisingly large. Phase progressions of NLC occurrence frequency indicate upward propagating solar tides. Below 84&thinsp;km altitude the corresponding vertical wavelengths are between 20 and 30&thinsp;km. For the lunar semidiurnal tide phase progressions vary symmetrically with respect to the maximum of the NLC layer.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-21T16:06:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-62344d9247ac455f91a626979645c343
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1680-7316
1680-7324
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T16:06:08Z
publishDate 2018-11-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
spelling doaj.art-62344d9247ac455f91a626979645c3432022-12-21T18:57:53ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242018-11-0118160511606110.5194/acp-18-16051-2018Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidarJ. Fiedler0G. Baumgarten1Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Rostock University, Kühlungsborn, GermanyLeibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Rostock University, Kühlungsborn, Germany<p>Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) occur during summer from midlatitudes to high latitudes. They consist of nanometer-sized ice particles in an altitude range from 80 to 90&thinsp;km and are sensitive to ambient temperature and water vapor content, which makes them a suitable tracer for variability on all timescales. The data set acquired by the ALOMAR Rayleigh–Mie–Raman (RMR) lidar covers 21 years and is investigated regarding tidal signatures in NLCs. For the first time solar and lunar tidal parameters in NLCs were determined simultaneously from the same data. Several NLC parameters are subject to persistent mean variations throughout the solar day as well as the lunar day. Variations with lunar time are generally smaller compared to variations with solar time. NLC occurrence frequency shows the most robust imprint of the lunar semidiurnal tide. Its amplitude is about 50&thinsp;% of the solar semidiurnal tide, which is surprisingly large. Phase progressions of NLC occurrence frequency indicate upward propagating solar tides. Below 84&thinsp;km altitude the corresponding vertical wavelengths are between 20 and 30&thinsp;km. For the lunar semidiurnal tide phase progressions vary symmetrically with respect to the maximum of the NLC layer.</p>https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/16051/2018/acp-18-16051-2018.pdf
spellingShingle J. Fiedler
G. Baumgarten
Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar
title_full Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar
title_fullStr Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar
title_full_unstemmed Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar
title_short Solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground-based lidar
title_sort solar and lunar tides in noctilucent clouds as determined by ground based lidar
url https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/16051/2018/acp-18-16051-2018.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT jfiedler solarandlunartidesinnoctilucentcloudsasdeterminedbygroundbasedlidar
AT gbaumgarten solarandlunartidesinnoctilucentcloudsasdeterminedbygroundbasedlidar