HR: 1330h
AN: SA43A-07    [Abstracts]
TI: The Physical Properties of PMSE Ice Particles as Determined During DROPPS by Measurements With the Particle Impact Detector
AU: * Webb, P A
EM: pwebb@lepvax.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: SP Systems, Inc./Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 612.3, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Goldberg, R A
EM: richard.a.goldberg@nasa.gov
AF: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 612.3, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Pesnell, W D
EM: pesnell@gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 612.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Voss, H D
EM: hnvoss@tayloru.edu
AF: Taylor University, Physics Department, Upland, IN 46989 United States
AB: The two Black Brant payloads flown during the DROPPS (Distribution and Role of Particles in the Polar Summer Mesosphere) rocket program were launched during early July, 1999 from Andoya Rocket Range (ARR), Norway. Both payloads included a Particle Impact Detector (PID) charge telescope onboard. Computer simulations have shown that the PID instrument had the potential to detect atmospheric ice particles within the mesosphere, having dimensions of a few nanometers. Ice particles of nanometer size are believed to be responsible for polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSEs), such as those observed at an altitude of ~82-87 km over Andoya during the first DROPPS launch sequence. This talk will discuss the analysis of the PID data obtained from the DROPPS campaign and comparison of these data to the results obtained from the nanometer scale ice particle computer simulations. Intercomparison of the PID observations with the computer simulations provides information concerning the properties of the PMSE particles, including their "rocky" core size, ice mantle thickness and distribution.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801)
DE: 0320 Cloud physics and chemistry
DE: 0340 Middle atmosphere--composition and chemistry
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly