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Nine‐years of mesospheric wind measurements, from two meteor radars at 52°N latitude, were analyzed to study planetary waves (PWs) and tides through estimating their zonal wavenumbers. The analysis reveals that multi‐day oscillations are predominantly driven by PW normal modes (NMs), which exhibit distinct seasonal variations and statistical association with Sudden Stratospheric Warming events. Specifically, a prominent 6‐day NM emerges in April, followed by dominant 4‐ and 2‐day NMs persisting until June, with subsequent peaks of 2‐, 4‐, and 6‐day NMs extending from July to October. Furthermore, this study presents the first observational verification of the frequencies and zonal wavenumbers of over 10 secondary waves, arising from nonlinear interactions among planetary‐scale waves. A notable finding is the prevalence of non‐migrating components in the winter 24‐hr and summer 8‐hr tides, phenomena attributed to the nonlinear interactions. Our findings highlight the complexity of atmospheric nonlinear dynamics in generating diverse planetary‐scale periodic oscillations. Plain Language Summary By analyzing 9 years of wind data from two distinct longitudes, we investigated the origins of planetary‐scale atmospheric waves. Our research revealed that waves shaped by the atmosphere's physical properties drive most multi‐day wind fluctuations. These waves exhibit variability: some occur regularly between April and October, while others are associated with a meteorological event known as the sudden stratospheric warming. Interactions between these waves, tides, and other planetary‐scale phenomena generate secondary waves that are difficult to detect from a single station or single spacecraft analysis. By utilizing data from two longitudes, we identified more than 10 of these waves for the first time. These waves may explain the prevalence of non‐sun‐synchronous components in the 24‐hr and 8‐hr tides during certain seasons, which is unusual given the typical dominance of sun‐synchronous tides. Our findings underscore the extensive nonlinear behaviors of planetary‐scale waves, leading to a complex array of oscillations. Key Points Planetary wave normal modes drive multi‐day oscillations, showing April‐October seasonality and statistical SSW associations First evidence of frequency and zonal wavenumber matching for over 10 secondary waves of nonlinear interactions among planetary‐scale waves Non‐migrating components dominate the winter 24‐hr tide and summer 8‐hr tide, attributed to the nonlinear interactions

Different meteor radars at low latitudes observed abnormally strong westward mesospheric winds around the March Equinox of 2023, that is, during the first phase of the Mesospheric Semiannual Oscillation. This event was the strongest of at least the last decade (2014–2023). The westward winds reached −80 m/s at 82 km of altitude in late March, and decreased with increasing altitude and latitude. A considerable increase in the diurnal tide amplitude was also observed. The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere‐ionosphere eXtension constrained to meteorological reanalysis up to ∼50 km does not capture the observed low‐latitude behavior. Additionally, these strong mesospheric winds developed during the westerly phase of the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation, in accordance with the filtering mechanism of gravity waves in the stratosphere proposed in previous works. Finally, analysis of SABER temperatures strongly suggests that the breaking of the migrating diurnal tide may be the main driver of these strong winds. Plain Language Summary Around the March Equinox of 2023, abnormally strong westward winds were observed in the low latitude region at altitudes between 80 and 100 km. This event was the strongest in at least the last decade. The westward winds reached a maximum amplitude of 80 m/s at 82 km of altitude during late March, and decreased with increasing altitude and latitude. A considerable increase in the amplitude of the diurnal tide was also observed. Simulations based on a whole atmosphere global circulation model constrained to meteorological reanalysis up to ∼50 km do not capture the observed behavior. Results based on specular meteor radar and satellite measurements suggest that the strong westward winds were driven by two main factors: the filtering mechanism of eastward‐propagating gravity waves in the stratosphere and the breaking of the diurnal tide at about 85 km of altitude. Key Points Strong mesospheric westward winds during March equinox 2023 are observed globally at low latitudes The westward winds reached a peak of −80 m/s at 82 km, the largest in the last ten years, accompanied by an enhancement of the diurnal tide The breaking of the DW1 plays a role in generating these strong winds, in addition to the filtering of gravity waves in the stratosphere

Mesopause‐region (∼ ${\\sim} $87 km) gravity waves (GWs) generated by tropical convection are investigated within the four longitude sectors encompassing Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and South America during the Dec 2023–Feb 2024 Southern Hemisphere monsoon season. Variances (Qv ${\\mathrm{Q}}_{v}$) in the OH Q‐line emission measured by the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) capture GW activity, and precipitation rates (PR) from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission identify regions of convective activity. The zonal component of GWs comprising the Qv ${\\mathrm{Q}}_{v}$ between 10° ^{\\circ}$S‐10° ^{\\circ}$N primarily propagate eastward. The Qv ${\\mathrm{Q}}_{v}$ distributions are latitudinally shifted and more confined in local solar time (LST) compared with those of PR. Mesospheric winds (including tides) appear to induce the latitude‐longitude‐LST variability seen in Qv ${\\mathrm{Q}}_{v}$ through critical‐level filtering and Doppler‐shifting of the GWs. These new insights into the variability of the GW spectrum entering the ionosphere‐thermosphere system further our understanding of the dynamical connections between tropospheric and space weather.

In the last decades, mesospheric tides have been intensively investigated with observations from both ground-based radars and satellites. Single-site radar observations provide continuous measurements at fixed locations without horizontal information, whereas single-spacecraft missions typically provide global coverage with limited temporal coverage at a given location. In this work, by combining 8 years (2009–2016) of mesospheric winds collected by five specular meteor radars from three different longitudinal sectors at boreal midlatitudes (49±8.5∘ N), we develop an approach to investigate the most intense global-scale oscillation, namely at the period T=12±0.5 h. Six waves are resolved: the semidiurnal westward-traveling tidal modes with zonal wave numbers 1, 2, and 3 (SW1, SW2, SW3), the lunar semidiurnal tide M2, and the upper and lower sidebands (USB and LSB) of the 16 d wave nonlinear modulation on SW2. The temporal variations of the waves are studied statistically with a special focus on their responses to sudden stratospheric warming events (SSWs) and on their climatological seasonal variations. In response to SSWs, USB, LSB, and M2 enhance, while SW2 decreases. However, SW1 and SW3 do not respond noticeably to SSWs, contrary to the broadly reported enhancements in the literature. The USB, LSB, and SW2 responses could be explained in terms of energy exchange through the nonlinear modulation, while LSB and USB might previously have been misinterpreted as SW1 and SW3, respectively. Besides, we find that LSB and M2 enhancements depend on the SSW classification with respect to the associated split or displacement of the polar vortex. In the case of seasonal variations, our results are qualitatively consistent with previous studies and show a moderate correlation with an empirical tidal model derived from satellite observations.

The sedimentary cycle, including the processes of erosion, transport, and lithification, is a key part of how planets evolve over time. Early images of Venus’s vast volcanic plains, numerous volcanoes, and rugged tectonic regions led to the interpretation that Venus is a volcanic planet with little sediment cover and perhaps few processes for generating sedimentary rocks. However, in the years since the Magellan mission in the 1990s we have developed a better understanding of sedimentary process on Venus. Impact craters are the largest present-day source of sediments, with estimates from the current crater population suggesting an average sediment layer 8–63 cm in thickness if distributed globally. There is clear evidence of fine-grained material in volcanic summit regions that is likely produced through volcanism, and dune fields and yardangs indicate transport of sediments and erosion of rocks through wind. Landslides and fine-grained materials in highland tessera regions demonstrate erosive processes that move sediment downhill. It is clear that sediments are an important part of Venus’s geology, and it is especially important to realize that they mantle features that may be of interest to future landed or low-altitude imaging missions. The sinks of sediments are less well known, as it has been difficult to identify sedimentary rocks with current data. Layering observed in Venera images and in Magellan images of some tessera regions, as well as calculated rock densities, suggest that sedimentary rocks are present on Venus. New data is needed to fully understand and quantify the present-day sedimentary cycle and establish with certainty whether sedimentary rock packages do, in fact, exist on Venus. These data sets will need to include higher-resolution optical and radar imaging, experimental and geochemical measurements to determine how chemical weathering and lithification can occur, and topography to better model mesospheric winds. Sediments and sedimentary rocks are critical to understanding how Venus works today, but are also extremely important for determining how Venus’s climate has changed through time and whether it was once a habitable planet.

The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) has been operating as an international co-operative organization for over 10 years. The network has now grown so that the fields of view of its 18 radars cover the majority of the northern and southern hemisphere polar ionospheres. SuperDARN has been successful in addressing a wide range of scientific questions concerning processes in the magnetosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, and mesosphere, as well as general plasma physics questions. We commence this paper with a historical introduction to SuperDARN. Following this, we review the science performed by SuperDARN over the last 10 years covering the areas of ionospheric convection, field-aligned currents, magnetic reconnection, substorms, MHD waves, the neutral atmosphere, and E-region ionospheric irregularities. In addition, we provide an up-to-date description of the current network, as well as the analysis techniques available for use with the data from the radars. We conclude the paper with a discussion of the future of SuperDARN, its expansion, and new science opportunities.

Based on long-term observations from Wuhan and Beijing MST (Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere) radars, we analyzed the climatological properties of mid-latitude mesospheric winds and evaluated them against the Horizontal Wind Model (HWM14). Measurements of zonal and meridional winds were collected from 2012 to 2021 using these two MST radars. The seasonal daily and monthly variations and periodic oscillations in mesospheric zonal and meridional winds are presented. Monthly mean and seasonal zonal winds recorded by two MST radars have similar height-time distributions to the HWM14. However, there are differences in zonal wind speeds, especially between summer and winter measurements and HWM14. The agreement between model results and actual radar measurements is poorer for meridional winds than for zonal winds. Through harmonic analysis, it is revealed that the zonal and meridional winds display significant Annual Oscillation (AO) between 65 and 85 km, while Semi-Annual Oscillation (SAO) is not readily apparent. It is found that there is no significant correlation between solar activity and the wind variations or data acquisition rate from MST radar. Overall, these studies help us better understand atmospheric changes in the mesosphere and provide ground observation references for models.

This study compares the hourly mesospheric horizontal winds observed by two collocated and independent low-latitude meteor radars operating at 37.5 MHz and 53.1 MHz in Kunming, China (25.6°N, 103.8°E). Upon analyzing simultaneously detected meteor echoes, we find a fixed angular deviation between the baselines of the two meteor radar antenna arrays within the east–north–up coordinate system. Then, we correct the deviation in the antenna azimuth direction using a novel method and recalculate the horizontal zonal and meridional winds. A comparison of the results before and after the correction shows strong consistency between the winds observed by both meteor radars within the entire detection altitude range. Furthermore, we summarize the performance of different techniques for measuring mesospheric winds. Ultimately, our statistical analysis approach allows the uncertainties associated with meteor radar wind observations to be more precisely estimated.

Specular meteor radars (SMRs) and partial reflection radars (PRRs) have been observing mesospheric winds for more than a solar cycle over Germany (∼ 54∘ N) and northern Norway (∼ 69∘ N). This work investigates the mesospheric mean zonal wind and the zonal mean geostrophic zonal wind from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) over these two regions between 2004 and 2020. Our study focuses on the summer when strong planetary waves are absent and the stratospheric and tropospheric conditions are relatively stable. We establish two definitions of the summer length according to the zonal wind reversals: (1) the mesosphere and lower-thermosphere summer length (MLT-SL) using SMR and PRR winds and (2) the mesosphere summer length (M-SL) using the PRR and MLS. Under both definitions, the summer begins around April and ends around middle September. The largest year-to-year variability is found in the summer beginning in both definitions, particularly at high latitudes, possibly due to the influence of the polar vortex. At high latitudes, the year 2004 has a longer summer length compared to the mean value for MLT-SL as well as 2012 for both definitions. The M-SL exhibits an increasing trend over the years, while MLT-SL does not have a well-defined trend. We explore a possible influence of solar activity as well as large-scale atmospheric influences (e.g., quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), major sudden stratospheric warming events). We complement our work with an extended time series of 31 years at middle latitudes using only PRR winds. In this case, the summer length shows a breakpoint, suggesting a non-uniform trend, and periods similar to those known for ENSO and QBO.

During September 2019 a minor sudden stratospheric warming took place over the Southern Hemisphere (SH), bringing disruption to the usually stable winter vortex. The mesospheric winds reversed and temperatures in the stratosphere rose by over 50 K. Whilst sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) in the SH are rare, with the only major SSW having occurred in 2002, the Northern Hemisphere experiences about six per decade. Amplification of atmospheric waves during winter is thought to be one of the possible triggers for SSWs, although other mechanisms are also possible. Our understanding, however, remains incomplete, especially with regards to SSW occurrence in the SH. Here, we investigate the effect of two equatorial atmospheric modes, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) at 10 hPa and the semiannual oscillation (SAO) at 1 hPa during the SH winters of 2019 and 2002. Using MERRA-2 reanalysis data we find that the easterly wind patterns resembling the two modes merge at low latitudes in the early winter, forming a zero-wind line that stretches from the lower stratosphere into the mesosphere. This influences the meridional wave guide, resulting in easterly momentum being deposited in the polar atmosphere throughout the polar winter, decelerating the westerly winds in the equatorward side of the polar vortex. As the winter progresses, the momentum deposition and wind anomalies descend further down into the stratosphere. We find similar behaviour in other years with early onset SH vortex weakening events. The magnitude of the SAO and the timing of the upper stratospheric (10 hPa) easterly QBO signal was found to be unique in these years when compared to the years with a similar QBO phase. We were able to identify the SSW and weak vortex years from the early winter location of the zero-wind line at 1 hPa together with Eliassen–Palm flux divergence in the upper stratosphere at 40–50∘ S. We propose that this early winter behaviour resulting in deceleration of the polar winds may precondition the southern atmosphere for a later enhanced wave forcing from the troposphere, resulting in an SSW or vortex weakening event. Thus, the early winter equatorial upper stratosphere–mesosphere, together with the polar upper atmosphere, may provide early clues to an imminent SH SSW.