Influence of gravity waves and tides on mesospheric temperature inversion layers: simultaneous Rayleigh lidar and MF radar observations

Abstract. Three nights of simultaneous Rayleigh lidar temperature measurements over Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E) and medium frequency (MF) radar wind measurements over Tirunelveli (8.7° N, 77.8° E) have been analyzed to illustrate the possible effects due to tidal-gravity wave interactions on upper mesospheric inversion layers. The occurrence of tidal gravity wave interaction is investigated using MF radar wind measurements in the altitude region 86–90 km. Of the three nights, it is found that tidal gravity wave interaction occurred in two nights. In the third night, diurnal tidal amplitude is found to be significantly larger. As suggested in Sica et al. (2007), mesospheric temperature inversion seems to be a signature of wave saturation in the mesosphere, since the temperature inversion occurs at heights, when the lapse rate is less than half the dry adiabatic lapse rate.