The vertical fluxes of heat and constituent induced by the semidiurnal tide in the region of 80-105 km at Boulder (40.1°N, 105.2°W), Colorado

Abstract:

Vertical fluxes of heat and Na induced by dissipating semidiurnal tides in the mesopause region (80-105 km) are calculated using the direct measurements of vertical winds, temperatures and Na densities by the Na Doppler lidar at Boulder (40.1°N, 105.2°W), CO. The amplitudes and phases of the semidiurnal tides are derived first and a analytical method is developed to compute the vertical fluxes of heat and Na induced by dissipation semidiurnal tides. The derived heat/Na fluxes are highly sensitive to the phase differences of the semidiurnal tides in vertical winds with those in temperatures/Na densities. The uncertainties of the fluxes are estimated. The data collected from March 2013 to February 2014 are used for such study, thus the seasonal variations of the vertical fluxes are examined. The results are also compared with the previous flux measurements at Starfire Optical Range (SOR, 35.0°N, 106.5°W), New Mexico and Maui (20.7°N, 156.3°W), Hawaii.