Planetary waves observed by TIMED/SABER in coupling the stratosphere-mesosphere-lower thermosphere during the winter of 2003/2004: Part 2-Altitude and latitude planetary wave structure

Part 2 of the present paper is focused on the planetary wave coupling from the stratosphere to the lower thermosphere (30-120 km) during the Arctic winter of 2003/2004. The planetary waves seen in the TIMED/SABER temperature data in the latitudinal range 50°N–50°S are studied in detail. The altitude and latitude structures of the planetary wave (stationary and travelling) clearly indicate that the stratosphere and mesosphere (30-90 km) are coupled by direct vertical propagation of the planetary waves, while the lower thermosphere (above 90-95km altitude) is only partly connected with the lower levels probably indirectly through in-situ generation of disturbances by the dissipation and breaking of gravity waves filtered by lower atmospheric planetary waves. A peculiar feature of the thermal regime in the lower thermosphere is that it is dominated by zonally symmetric planetary waves.