We used sounding rockets to obtain four high-resolution temperature profiles in the mesosphere over a limited area. We found consistent deep isothermal and adiabatic layers, but variable and finely structured turbulence preferentially in the lower stable mesosphere. Accompanying tracer releases showed horizontal winds in the lower thermosphere with extreme shears and 200 m  s⁻¹ winds under moderately disturbed geomagnetic conditions, and convection-like structures just below the mesopause.

The descent of a sporadic E layer near 95km was observed with two rockets during a geomagnetically very quiet period. Four wind profiles showed that the location was surprisingly consistent with the neutral wind shear and a small electric field. Both electron probes found deep depletions just below the layers, which could be due to charged mesospheric smoke particles. Those have recently been detected in the mesosphere, but not yet in immediate connection with sporadic E.