Comments on “Global Distribution and Variations of NO Infrared Radiative Flux and Its Responses to Solar Activity and Geomagnetic Activity in the Thermosphere” by Tang et al.

摘要

The Tang et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024758) analysis of NO 5.3 μm volume emission rate (VER) data measured by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) has several technical problems. First of all, the authors assigned a totally wrong name to the standard SABER NO VER data product calling it “NO infrared radiative flux.” Then they calculated the global distribution, solar cycle, and geomagnetic activity variation of SABER NO VER up to 220-km altitude, where during solar minimum and geomagnetic quiet times that applied to their analysis there is no valid SABER NO VER observation. Tang et al. also confused Ap index with Kp index when calculating the geomagnetic activity responses. These comments underscore the importance of establishing a clear understanding of the basic knowledge of the satellite, instrument, data products, and upper atmosphere physics when performing these analyses.