Structure and variability of the thermospheric mean winds and circulation 
observed by ICON/MIGHTI during solstice

Yiğit, Erdal; Manbharat, Dhadlymanbharat; Medvedev, Alexander S.; Harding, Brian J.; Englert, Christoph R.; Wu, Qian; Immel, Thomas J.

doi:10.57757/IUGG23-3604

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Structure and variability of the thermospheric mean winds and circulation observed by ICON/MIGHTI during solstice

Authors

Yiğit, Erdal
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Manbharat, Dhadlymanbharat
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Medvedev, Alexander S.
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Harding, Brian J.
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Englert, Christoph R.
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Wu, Qian
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Immel, Thomas J.
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

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Citation

Yiğit, E., Manbharat, D., Medvedev, A. S., Harding, B. J., Englert, C. R., Wu, Q., Immel, T. J. (2023): Structure and variability of the thermospheric mean winds and circulation observed by ICON/MIGHTI during solstice, XXVIII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (Berlin 2023).
https://doi.org/10.57757/IUGG23-3604

Cite as: https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_5020606

Abstract

Using the neutral wind measurements from the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) instrument onboard NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) spacecraft, the mean zonal and meridional winds and the associated horizontal circulation at low-to middle latitudes for Northern Hemisphere summer and winter solstice conditions between 90 and 200 km altitudes are determined. The mean winds and circulation are studied as a function of altitude, longitude, latitude, solar zenith angle, and local time. The instantaneous horizontal winds exhibit a significant degree of spatiotemporal variability often exceeding ±150 m/s. The daily mean zonal mean winds demonstrate day-to-day variability, which include changes due to orbital evolution. Eastward zonal winds and northward (winter-to-summer) meridional winds are prevalent in the lower thermosphere, which provides indirect observational evidence of the eastward momentum deposition by small-scale gravity waves. The mean neutral winds and circulation exhibit smaller scale structures in the lower thermosphere (90–120 km), while they are more homogeneous in the upper thermosphere, indicating the increasingly dissipative nature of the thermosphere. The mean wind and circulation patterns inferred from ICON/MIGHTI measurements can be used to constrain and validate atmospheric general circulation models, as well as input for numerical wave models.