Cross comparison of TIDI winds with meteor winds and assessment of the accuracies depending on local time and geographical latitude

Abstract

Wind measurements with global coverage at the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) are still sparse. These winds are characterized by atmospheric waves and provide a substantial source of variability at the lower boundary of the upper atmosphere. They play a crucial role in the vertical coupling between the middle and upper atmosphere affecting the space weather. The TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI) onboard the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere-Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite observes neutral winds at the MLT using airglow emissions. TIDI vector winds are suitable to investigate migrating. This study compares TIDI winds to ground-based meteor radar observations covering northern and southern polar and mid-latitudes: focus is on the dependence to local time and geographical latitude.