An update on the hydroxyl airglow temperature record from the Auroral Station in Adventdalen, Svalbard (1980–2005)

Abstract

This paper reports on the daily mesospheric winter temperature series derived from ground-based spectral measurements of the hydroxyl airglow layer from the Auroral Station in Adventdalen near Longyearbyen, Svalbard (78°N, 15°E). Temperature estimates from the four latest seasons (2001–2002 to 2004–2005) have been added to the series reported by Sigernes et al. J. Geophys. Res. 108(A9), 1342 (2003). Lomb–Scargle periodogram analyses were performed on both hourly and daily average temperatures to look for significant periods. From the daily means, ∼24 and ∼26 d oscillations that are consistent with a solar rotation modulation of the atmosphere were identified. Analyses of the hourly averaged data did not reveal any considerable diurnal and semidiurnal periods in the temperatures. The 2003–2004 mesopause winter was one of the warmest reported over Svalbard during the last 25 years. It is common to observe within a few days temperature fluctuations in the range 20–40 K. Some years show far less variation than others. The overall daily average winter temperature is 209 K. The annual mean winter temperatures show a slightly positive temperature trend (+0.2 ± 0.1 K/year), on the verge of being a statistically significant change in the winter mesospheric temperatures over Svalbard.PACS Nos.: 92.60.hc, 07.20.Dt, 93.30.Sq, 92.60.hw