HR: 1330h
AN: SA43A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Global and Seasonal Visualization of Mesospheric OH Emissions from SABER
AU: Baker, D J
EM: spacegrant@cc.usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 4140 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4140
AU: * Reese, K B
EM: kbr@cc.usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 4140 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4140
AU: Fielding, R L
EM: rlfielding@cc.usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 4140 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4140
AU: Mlynczak, M G
EM: m.g.mlynczak@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Langley Research Center, NASA Langley Research Center, VA
AU: Russell, J M
EM: james.russell@hamptonu.edu
AF: Center for Atmospheric Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668
AB: On December 7, 2001, SABER, a cooled multichannel radiometer, was launched aboard the NASA TIMED satellite into a 625 km orbit and is functioning as planned. In January of 2002 the SABER instrument began returning airglow limb scan measurements from around the globe. Data now available include 65% of the year 2002, 75% of the year 2003, and nearly 100% of the year 2004. Experimental data were taken from SABER for two of SABER's ten radiometric channels centered at λ = 1.6 μm and λ = 2.06 μm as a measure of different levels of OH excitation. The objective of the research analysis reported in this paper is the optimal display of the three-dimensional dynamics of the global OH infrared airglow. Volume emission rate (VER) as a function of latitude, longitude, altitude, and time was computed. An investigation into seasonal effects on the global distribution of the OH airglow was performed for expanded 2004 data. Interpolation methods for optimizing geographic visualization were analyzed and compared. The Kriging method was found to have superior visualization and minimal mean squared error. The maximum VER often was found to be greater near the equator compared with values at high latitudes. Furthermore, the peak VER observed at the equator occurred at lower altitudes. In addition, seasonal differences between the two emission bands were explored and will be presented.
DE: 0310 Airglow and aurora
DE: 0355 Thermosphere--composition and chemistry
DE: 3332 Mesospheric dynamics
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly