Zonal Mean Climatology

The term “middle atmosphere” refers to the height region of approximately 10–90 km and is used to characterize the atmospheric region between the troposphere and the thermosphere. The stratosphere and mesosphere form the largest part of the middle atmosphere. This article describes slowly varying climatological features of temperature, zonal wind, and some other derived quantities. The Northern and Southern extra-tropical middle atmosphere will be contrasted in its seasonal behavior, highlighting similarities and differences in all seasons and in particular during winter. In addition, the tropical middle atmosphere and the intra-seasonal and interannual variability determining its structure, for example, the quasi-biennial oscillation, will be discussed.