HR: 1340h
AN: SA53A-1151    [Abstracts]
TI: Lidar Measurements of Temperatures, Gravity, and Tidal Waves from 1 to 105 km Altitude at mid-latitudes (54 N)
AU: Rauthe, M
EM: rauthe@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Schloss-Strasse 6, Kuehlungsborn, 18225 Germany
AU: Hoeffner, J
EM: hoeffner@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Schloss-Strasse 6, Kuehlungsborn, 18225 Germany
AU: Berger, U
EM: berger@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Schloss-Strasse 6, Kuehlungsborn, 18225 Germany
AU: Hoffmann, P
EM: hoffmann@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Schloss-Strasse 6, Kuehlungsborn, 18225 Germany
AU: * Gerding, M
EM: gerding@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Schloss-Strasse 6, Kuehlungsborn, 18225 Germany
AB: Continuous temperature soundings from 1 to about 105 km altitude are performed at Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics at Kuehlungsborn, Germany (54°N, 12°E) by combination of two different lidars with three different methods. We combine the detection of rotational Raman backscatter (1-22 km), Rayleigh/vib-Raman backscatter (22-90 km) and potassium resonance backscatter (about 80-105 km) to retrieve continuous temperature profiles during the night. The profiles are typically calculated with 0.5 to 1 km vertical and 15 to 60 min temporal resolution. Wave disturbances are identified as deviations from the night mean profile. From more than 200 soundings since autumn 2002 temperature wave structures have been identified on every single night. The whole ensemble of observable periods (1 to 14 h in winter and 1-4 h in summer) was found in the data set. Vertical wavelengths range typically between 10 and 20 km, with both smaller and larger values being present depending on the individual case. The individual phases have been followed not only for hours but even for consecutive nights with nearly constant phase speed. We observed the expected increase in wave amplitude with values of up to ±1 K in the lower stratosphere and up to ±25 K in the lower thermosphere. Though the scale height of the amplitude is somewhat smaller than the density scale height. We will present the mean state of atmospheric gravity and tidal waves compiled from all summer and winter soundings, showing e.g. up to a factor of 2.5 larger wave amplitudes in winter. At some occasions we found constant wave amplitudes with altitude or even abrupt reductions (nodes) at distinct altitudes that we at least particular attribute to strong events of wave breaking and filtering. We will present a case study from five consecutive nights in February 2003 that was complemented by daytime soundings of the potassium lidar in the mesopause region. The time series will be interpreted using also additional data from meteorological analyses and radar wind profiles to explain both the persistent structures during the five nights as well as prominent examples of wave breaking and filtering during the last night.
DE: 0350 Pressure, density, and temperature
DE: 3332 Mesospheric dynamics
DE: 3334 Middle atmosphere dynamics (0341, 0342)
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
DE: 3389 Tides and planetary waves
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005