Multi-year high latitude mesospheric neutral wind observations using a Fabry-Perot interferometer

From 1995 to 1999, a Fabry-Perot Interferometer was stationed at Resolute Bay, Canada (75°N, 95°W) to measure the mesospheric neutral winds in the polar cap from the OH nightglow emission during winter seasons. A 12-h wave is the most prominent feature in the neutral winds. The wave amplitude has large day-to-day variations and inter-annual variability, whereas the phase of the wave appears to be largely consistent for year to year. Small phase shift from early winter to later winter was noticed during most of the seasons when early winter data were available. The 12-h wave showed stronger variability during the 1995/1996 winter season, which may be related to nonlinear interactions with planetary waves. Large negative zonal winds were observed during stratospheric sudden warming events.