The subtropical mesospheric jet observed by the Nimbus 7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere

Nimbus 7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere observations of wave-mean flow interactions in the winter 1978-1979 middle atmosphere are surveyed, extending up to 0.05 mbar. These observations describe the evolution of the subtropical mesospheric jet and its polar mixed layer. Quasi-steady mean wind patterns are disrupted by three transitions in this winter: one primarily affecting the mesosphere (December 15, 1978), a minor warming affecting both regions (January 26-February 8, 1979), and a major warming largely confined to the stratosphere (February 22, 1979). The zonally averaged flow is barotropically unstable in the wings of the subtropical mesospheric jet. All the major decelerations of the mean flow are correlated with D(F), the body force per unit mass directly attributable to planetary Rossby waves, indicating that these waves make a significant contribution to the momentum budget in the lower half of the mesosphere.