Neutral air density variations during strong planetary wave activity in the mesopause region derived from meteor radar observations

Meteor radar observations of upper mesospheric/lower thermospheric winds and temperatures are suitable to investigate planetary waves in the mesosphere. Here we present a case study of the winter season 2009/2010 for two mid-latitude stations at the edge of the polar vortex and one station within the polar vortex on the island of Andøya. The selected interval begins with the build up of a long period oscillation at the end of November 2009 and ends in March 2010 after the January 2010 stratospheric warming. Planetary wave signature is visible in the temperature as well as the wind field derived from standard meteor radar and EOS MLS observations. Further, we infer neutral air density variations caused by this long period oscillation from meteor peak altitude variations of the sporadic meteor component. The results are compared with density variation computed from MLS temperature and pressure data. ► Determination of PW activity from meteor radar winds and temperature estimates at mid and polar latitudes during the winter 2009/2010. ► Comparison of PW activity with EOS Aura observations and lidar measurements. ► Estimation of neutral air density variation from meteor peak flux altitude measurements using a meteor ablation model.