Research

In recent decades, dynamics of the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) have attracted great interests among near-space scientists and have been the subject of many experimental and theoretical investigations.

A research team at Lab of Near-Space Environment Research, National Space Science Center (NSSC), has paid constant attention to the near-space dynamics, especially the MLT tides, planetary wave, and gravity wave activities.

Led by Dr. Xiao Cunying and Dr. Hu Xiong et al, the team has recently presented new observation results concerning MLT mean wind and tides over NSSC’s Langfang Field Station, located midway between Beijing and Tianjin (39.4°N, 116.7°E), China.

Thanks to the newly installed MF radar at Langfang Field Station during the summer months of 2009, researchers are now able to feature the short-term variability and summer-averages of mean winds and tidal oscillations in the MLT. And by comparing with data from other ground-based stations, especially at ~40°N as well as other existing models, MF radar in Langfang ground-based station shows its unique edge of superiority, enabling scientists to arrive at valuable conclusions in the field of near-space MLT study.

The research will enrich the winds and tidal observations at ~40°N where the tidal structures are extremely complex. “Although the analysis focuses on 3 months’ data, our work will provide references to the optimization of future models”, said Dr. Xiao Cunying at Lab of Near-Space Environment Research, NSSC.  

The research entitledShort-term variability and summer-2009 averages of the mean wind and tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over Langfang, China (39.4°N, 116.7°E), was published on Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 92: 65–77, 2013. 

CONTACT:

Dr. XIAO Cunying,

Lab of Near-space Environment Research, National Space Science Center.

Email: xiaocy@nssc.ac.cn