Observations of the free atomic sodium layer near 90 km have been made as part of performance tests on a tunable dye‐laser radar. Altitude profiles of the layer obtained during parts of four nights in the fall of 1971 are consistent with those obtained by other groups but show two interesting additional features. The first is a sharp decrease in density that terminates the layer on the bottom side at a variable altitude near the mesopause. This decrease appears to become sharp only some time after twilight, suggesting that the sodium consumption mechanism undergoes a change as the nighttime chemistry is established. The second feature is a fourfold increase in sodium‐layer content during a 4‐hour period surrounding the transit of the radiant of the Geminids meteor shower on the night of December 13–14, 1971, when the shower was at its peak.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.