On the short-term variability of turbulence and temperature in the winter mesosphere

Lehmacher, Gerald A.; Larsen, Miguel F.; Collins, Richard L.; Barjatya, Aroh; Strelnikov, Boris

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1099-2018

Articles | Volume 36, issue 4

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1099-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1099-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 36, issue 4

Regular paper

|

15 Aug 2018

Regular paper |

| 15 Aug 2018

On the short-term variability of turbulence and temperature in the winter mesosphere

Gerald A. Lehmacher, Miguel F. Larsen, Richard L. Collins, Aroh Barjatya, and Boris Strelnikov

Data sets

SABER Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry SABER http://saber.gats-usa.net/index.php

NRLMSISE-00 Atmosphere Model CCMC https://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/modelweb/models/nrlmsise00.php

Short summary

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.