Articles | Volume 18, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00585-001-1651-8
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00585-001-1651-8
31 Dec 2000
31 Dec 2000

On the fast movements of the thermosphere: an interpretation

J. Lilensten and P. O. Amblard

Abstract. We examine the oscillations of the meridional neutral wind in the F region as seen by the EISCAT radar. We propose an interpretation in term of eddies (tourbillons) of typical size of a few tens to a few hundreds of kilometers. The observed rotation velocity is a few hundreds of meters per second. We suggest that the tourbillons are a common feature of thermospheric movements. We propose an optical experiment to check the validity of this assumption.

Key words: Atmospheric composition and structure (thermosphere · composition and chemistry) · Ionosphere (ionosphere · atmosphere interactions)