The influence of nonmigrating tides on the longitudinal variation of the equatorial electrojet

Abstract

The climatological model of the equatorial electrojet, EEJM‐1, derived from Ørsted, CHAMP and SAC‐C satellite measurements provides the opportunity to investigate the longitudinal variation of the current strength in detail. Special emphasis is put in this study on the effect of nonmigrating tides. We have found that the influence of the diurnal eastward‐propagating mode with wavenumber‐3, DE3, is particularly strong. In polar orbiting satellite observations the DE3 tidal signal appears as a four‐peaked longitudinal structure. We have put special emphasis in our analysis to isolate the DE3 contribution from other sources contributing to the wavenumber‐4 structure in satellite data. The amplitude of the DE3 signature in the EEJ not only peaks during equinox seasons, but is also strong around the June solstice. When looking at the modulation of the EEJ intensity the DE3 accounts for about 25% during the months of April through September. It is thus the dominant cause for longitudinal variations. During December solstice months the influence of DE3 is negligible. A secondary three‐peaked longitudinal pattern emerges during solstice seasons when the DE3 influence is removed. From the data available it is, however, not clear whether this pattern is related to any tidal drivers.