MATS satellite mission: Global patterns

MATS (Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography and Spectroscopy) is a Swedish research satellite launched in 2022 targeting gravity wave activity in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). Infrared measurements of MLT O2 A-band airglow conducted by the MATS satellite during February, March, and April reveal large-scale, global structures that significantly impact this region's dynamics. An analysis of atmospheric A-band emissions between 70 and 110 km reveals that atmospheric tides greatly influence the radiance produced in the airglow layer. This is evidenced by an equatorial maximum at local sunset and minima at 30°N and 30°S, which correspond to the various phases of the tides. Meanwhile - in the vicinity of the poles, westward propagating planetary waves dominate the measurements, including strong signals from the 16-day wave in the northern hemisphere, and the 5.5-day wave in the southern hemisphere. In this talk, we take a closer look at the individual measurements made by the satellite, illustrating the smaller-scale atmospheric structures they contain, as well as the global picture that the images make up together.