Total electron content

Quantum mechanics

Depth sounding

Climatology

Sudden stratospheric warming

Mesopause

Geology

Oceanography

Polar vortex

Airglow

Ionosphere

Physics

Electron density

Stratosphere

International Reference Ionosphere

F region

Environmental science

Mesosphere

Geophysics

Thermosphere

Electron

Meteorology

Atmosphere (unit)

Atmospheric sciences

Ionosonde

Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics

We present the results of studying the behavior of parameters of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) and the ionosphere over the Eastern Siberia region during a minor winter sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in early February 2016. We used the data from spectrometric measurements of OH ((6-2), 834.0 nm, ∼87 km) and O2 At ((0–1), 864.5 nm, ∼94 km), emissions from the Geophysical Observatory at the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (51.8°N, 103.1°E, Tory). These emissions originate at the MLT heights. We also used the vertical sounding data on the peak electron density (NmF2), and on the peak height (hmF2). These data were obtained with the DPS-4 Irkutsk ionosonde (52.3°N, 104.3°E). For the analysis, we also involved the MLS Aura satellite data of measuring vertical temperature profiles and the MERRA reanalysis data. We found the MLT and ionospheric signatures for the 2016 February SSW. At the MLT heights, the OH and O2 emissions intensities increased by a factor of ∼2 and ∼3, respectively, and the temperature fell by ∼20 K. Analyzing the mesopause temperature variability and comparing the mean seasonal values showed an essential increase in the wave activity at the MLT. At the F2-region ionospheric heights, we revealed significant (up to ∼80%) NmF2 positive disturbances in the postmidnight hours and an essential increase (up to ∼ 2 times relative to root-mean-square values) in the amplitudes of the tidal component of the NmF2 disturbance. The results of the study show that a minor SSW may significantly impact the state of the MLT and the ionosphere at midlatitudes.

Effects of the 2016 February minor sudden stratospheric warming on the MLT and ionosphere over Eastern Siberia