HR: 0830h
AN: SA51A-0492    [PDF]
TI: Large Temperature Gradients and Strong Wave Activity in the Arctic Summer Mesopause Region During the MIDAS/MaCWAVE Rocket Campaign
AU: * Williams, B P
EM: biffw@lamar.colostate.edu
AF: NorthWest Research Associates Colorado Research Associates Division, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301
AU: * Williams, B P
EM: biffw@lamar.colostate.edu
AF: Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Fort Collins, CO 80523
AU: Fritts, D C
EM: dave@cora.nwra.com
AF: NorthWest Research Associates Colorado Research Associates Division, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301
AU: She, C Y
EM: joeshe@lamar.colostate.edu
AF: Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Fort Collins, CO 80523
AU: Vance, J
EM: jvance@lamar.colostate.edu
AF: Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Fort Collins, CO 80523
AB: The Weber sodium resonance lidar at ALOMAR measured sodium density, temperature, and zonal wind at altitudes from 85 to 97 km in June/July, 2002, during the MIDAS/MaCWAVE rocket campaign at the Andoya Rocket Range (69N,16E). During the first rocket salvo on July 1, 2003, the sodium lidar measured very large vertical gradients of temperature, sodium density, and zonal wind lasting several hours. The temperature changed by 40K over 1 km in altitude with the sodium density changing by a factor of 10 at the same height. The zonal wind also showed a strong gradient, although not as striking as in the temperature. During both salvos on July 1 and July 4, 2003, the sodium density measurements showed great variability at periods ranging from tens of minutes to tens of hours presumably due to gavity waves and tides. The sodium layer exhibited large changes in abundance and layer height with several sporadic layers and sharp bottomside gradients. We will investigate the properties of the waves and their possible connection to the strong vertical gradients of temperature, wind, and sodium density.
DE: 0350 Pressure, density, and temperature
DE: 3332 Mesospheric dynamics
DE: 3384 Waves and tides
SC: SPA - Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting