HR: 14:30h
AN: SA23B-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Observations of Neutral and Electron Structure in the Equatorial Mesosphere by Rocket and Radar During EQUIS-2/LEMMA
AU: * Lehmacher, G A
EM: glehmac@clemson.edu
AF: Clemson University, 105 Kinard, Clemson, SC 29634 United States
AU: Croskey, C L
EM: clcece@engr.psu.edu
AF: Penn State University, 303 E E East, University Park, PA 16802 United States
AU: Mitchell, J D
EM: jdm4@psu.edu
AF: Penn State University, 303 E E East, University Park, PA 16802 United States
AU: Friedrich, M
EM: friedrich@inw.tu-graz.ac.at
AF: Technical University of Graz, INW, Inffeldgasse 12, Graz, Austria
AU: Luebken, F
EM: luebken@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Schlossstr. 6, Kuehlungsborn, Germany
AU: Rapp, M
EM: rapp@iap-kborn.de
AF: Leibniz-Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Schlossstr. 6, Kuehlungsborn, Germany
AU: Kudeki, E
EM: erhan@uiuc.edu
AF: University of Illinois, 1308 West Main, Urbana, IL 61801 United States
AU: Fritts, D C
EM: dave@colorado-research.com
AF: Colorado Research Associates/NWRA, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AB: The NASA EQUIS-2 rocket campaign was conducted in August-September 2004 from USAKA/RTS on Roi-Namur, Marshall Islands (9 N, 168 E). One part of the program was dedicated to neutral and plasma density fluctuations in the equatorial mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The objective was to detect layers of small scale structures that can be associated with mesospheric VHF radar echoes observed frequently at equatorial and low latitudes. One instrumented rocket and three passive falling spheres were launched successfully on September 20, 2004, supported by ALTAIR UHF radar observing incoherent backscatter from ~85-700 km. We give an overview of the investigation and present first results that include the comparison of in situ and radar electron density profiles, neutral temperature and wind structure, and characteristics of neutral and electron fluctuation layers.
DE: 2415 Equatorial ionosphere
DE: 2439 Ionospheric irregularities
DE: 3332 Mesospheric dynamics
DE: 3379 Turbulence
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly