Possible planetary wave coupling between the stratosphere and ionosphere by gravity wave modulation

A possible planetary wave (PW) coupling between the stratosphere and ionosphere by the modulation of gravity waves (GW) is studied using midlatitude atmospheric datasets from 2002 to 2008. Information of GW is retrieved from space-based SABER temperature profiles by extracting the potential energy for vertical wavelengths shorter than 6 km. For calculating stationary and travelling proxies of wave activity the data are arranged to a daily evenly spaced 3-dimensional basis. From temperature and potential energy fields direct and indirect (modulation) indices of PW activity are obtained between 30 and 130 km. From the comparison with stratospheric PW, analysed from MetOffice reanalyses, and ionospheric PW type oscillations (PWTO) from GPS-TEC data, a possible coupling process is derived.The results reveal a potential connection between the stratosphere and ionosphere by PW activity around solar maximum (2002–2005) caused by the modulation of GW at midlatitudes.

► A possible PW coupling mechanism between stratosphere and ionosphere.
► GW potential energy is extracted from SABER temperature profiles.
► Proxies of PW are calculated from potential energy (30–130 km).
► Comparison with ionospheric PWTO activity.
► Correspondences are found around solar maximum.