Preliminary Results of Spherical Analysis of Planetary Waves seen in Ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC)

Abstract

The coupling of stratosphere and ionosphere through planetary waves (zonal wavenumber 0-5 and periods of several days) is investigated by spherical harmonic analyses of the ionospheric total electron content (TEC). These analyses detect mean variations, standing and in east and west direction travelling waves which are assumed to be planetary waves. Data basis for TEC are hourly regional TEC maps of three years covering the higher middle and polar latitudes. They are regularly produced by DLR Neustrelitz. The obtained results are compared with planetary wave analyses using stratospheric reanalyses data. Case studies show that planetary waves are simultaneously found in the middle atmosphere and ionosphere.