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ZHANG Ning, YUE Xin’an, ZHOU Xu, CAI Yihui, WANG Junyi, WANG Yonghui, ZHU Yajun, DING Feng, NING Baiqi. Derivation and Evaluation of Nighttime Zonal Wind in the Thermosphere Based on SYISR Observations. Chinese Journal of Space Science, 2026, 46(5): 1-12 doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.05.2025-0199
Citation: ZHANG Ning, YUE Xin’an, ZHOU Xu, CAI Yihui, WANG Junyi, WANG Yonghui, ZHU Yajun, DING Feng, NING Baiqi. Derivation and Evaluation of Nighttime Zonal Wind in the Thermosphere Based on SYISR Observations. Chinese Journal of Space Science, 2026, 46(5): 1-12 doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.05.2025-0199
shu

Derivation and Evaluation of Nighttime Zonal Wind in the Thermosphere Based on SYISR Observations

doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.05.2025-0199 cstr: 32142.14.cjss.2025-0199
  • 1.

    Key Laboratory of Planetary Science and Frontier Technology/Beijing National Observatory of Space Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029

  • 2.

    State Key Laboratory of Space Weather and Solar Activity, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190

  • 3.

    College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049

Funds:  Supported by the B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB0780000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42504162, 42425403, 42574219), and the Project of Stable Support for Youth Team in Basic Research Field, Chinese Academy of Sciences (YSBR-018)
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  • Author Bio:

    female, was born in Tangshan, Hebei Province, in May 1992. She is currently a Senior Engineer at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her primary research interests include the detection techniques and data analysis of incoherent scatter radar (ISR) and the observation of ionospheric electric fields and neutral winds. E-mail: zhangn@mail.iggcas.ac.cn

  • Corresponding author: male, was born in Hubei Province in 1980. He is currently a Professor and Ph.D. Supervisor at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His primary research interests include incoherent scatter radar (ISR) detection techniques, ionospheric physics, ionospheric numerical modeling and data assimilation, as well as related fundamental and applied fundamental research. E-mail: yuexinan@mail.iggcas.ac.cn
  • Received Date: 2025-11-25
  • Rev Recd Date: 2026-02-11
    • Available Online: 2026-02-13
    Abstract
  • In our previous studies, using experimental data from Sanya (18.3°N, 109.6°E) Incoherent Scatter Radar (SYISR), we have obtained the line-of-sight ion velocity in multiple directions, subsequently calculated three-dimensional vector velocity through least square fitting, and finally derived electric fields from 200 km to 500 km based on the ion momentum equation. In this study, we further derived nighttime zonal wind from 200 km to 500 km based on the F region dynamo theory. To verify the reliability, we first analyzed the variations and errors of the nighttime zonal wind at different time scales. Then, we used an empirical model (HWM) and a theoretical model (NCAR-TIEGCM) for comparative analysis. Model results and observation results had a relatively good consistency. The maximum nighttime zonal wind velocity from the SYISR (HWM, TIEGCM) is 115.6 m·s–1 (144.3 m·s–1, 92.1 m·s–1) for the monthly average value. We further compared the nighttime zonal wind from the SYSISR with that from a co-located FPI. They showed a positive correlation with a coefficient of ～0.68 for the zonal wind values, demonstrating a strong consistency between the two independent observation techniques.

     

    • The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.
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