Vertical Wind Profiles in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere Driven by Meteor Radar and Ionospheric Connection Explorer Observations Over the Korean Peninsula

Meteor radar observations provide wind data ranging from 80 to 100 km altitude, while the Michaelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) onboard the Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite offers wind data above 90 km altitude. This study aims to generate wind profiles in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere by combining the winds derived from meteor radar and MIGHTI observations over the Korean Peninsula from January 2020 to December 2021. The wind profiles derived from the two instruments are continuous at night, but they show discrepancies during the day. The atomic oxygen 557.7 nm (green line) emission intensity measured by MIGHTI peaks at approximately 100 km during the day and 94 km at night. The vertical gradient of the airglow volume emission rate is more pronounced during the day. These differences can cause day-night differences in the MIGHTI wind retrieval accuracy, potentially leading to discrepancies during the day. This study aims to derive vertical wind profiles in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) by integrating wind measurements from different techniques. Neutral winds in the MLT provide a means to study the activity of various atmospheric waves originating from the lower thermosphere and their propagation to the upper thermosphere. The Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) instrument onboard the Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite provides wind measurements above 90 km altitude. A meteor radar in Korea provides wind data in the altitude range of 80-100 km. By combining the MIGHTI and meteor radar observations, we derive extended wind profiles in the MLT. While nighttime winds driven from two different techniques show good agreement, discrepancies exist in daytime winds. Vertical gradients in airglow intensity can affect the wind retrieval from MIGHTI's airglow measurement, and this factor can be one of the sources of daytime discrepancy. Vertical wind profiles above 80 km are derived from meteor radar and Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) observations over Korea These observations produce continuous wind profiles at night, but discontinuity exists between two measurements during daytime Significant vertical variation in airglow intensity on the dayside can impact wind retrieval from ICON airglow observations