Rayleigh lidar observations of temperature variations in the middle atmopshere over Qujing

A Rayleigh lidar has been operated in Qujing for observing the middle atmospheric temperature in altitude from 30 to 70 km. Good agreement is found between lidar and satellite, and between lidar and model. Based on the data set consisting of 10 nights of measurements, the nocturnal temperature evolution in the height range of 30 - 60 km is studied. The results clearly show a trend of high temperature before and low temperature after midnight in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere, in particular a structure of tidal associated temperature disturbances with downward phase propagation between 35 and 45 km. The amplitude of temperature oscillation is approximately 3 K. These results are consistent with other lidar measurements made at similar latitudes.