Influence of planetary scale waves on the upper atmospheric optical dayglow emissions over equatorial-low-latitude

Systematic measurement of optical dayglow emissions at multiple wavelengths, namely, 557.7nm , 630.0nm, and 777.4nm have been carried out over a large field-of-view using a newly built Multiwavelength Imaging Spectograph using Echelle-grating (MISE) during January-February 2011 from a low latitude station, Hyderabad (Geographic: 17.5 deg. N, 78.5 deg. E; Mag.: 8.6 deg. N, 151.8 deg. E), India. Several large and small scale features are seen in all the wavelengths. In contrast to the earlier measurement of OI-630.0nm red-line emission during the high solar activity period (2001), current optical dayglow measurements during relatively low solar epoch (2011) show no similarity with that of the solar flux. However, it is noted that the variation in strength of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) seems to be similar to that of optical measurements in 2011. This is also in contrast with the measurements in 2001, where no similarity was seen between EEJ and OI-630.0nm dayglow intensity. Periodogram analysis of these two data sets (optical and EEJ) show a marked difference in the occurrence of the quasi-16-day planetary wave periods before noon and in the afternoon hours. In order to investigate the coupling of atmospheric regions, periodogram analysis of total electron content (TEC) and SABER measured mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) temperature data were carried out. Interestingly, the TEC data from Bangalore (Mag. Lat 4 deg. N) shows contrasting behaviour in terms of periodicities before noon and afternoon similar to those in optical dayglow intensities, SABER temperatures, and the strength of the EEJ while the TEC periodicities of another further away station (Ahmedabad, Mag. Lat 15 deg. N) does not show any such behaviour. It is suggested that planetary wave of periods of quasi-9-day and quasi-16-day, which are observed in MLT have their influence on the behaviour of the upper atmosphere as seen in optical, radio and magnetic measurements. These results point to the intricate coupling of the MLT region to the regions higher above, especially during the periods of low-solar activity.