The N 2 Temperature of Vibration (NTV) instrument was developed to study energetics and structure of the lower thermosphere, applying the Electron Beam Fluorescence (EBF) technique to measurements of vibrational temperature, rotational temperature and number density of atmospheric N 2 . The sounding rocket experiments using this instrument have been conducted four times, including one failure of the electron gun. Aerodynamic effects on the measurement caused by the supersonic motion of the rocket were analyzed quantitatively using three-dimensional simulation of Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, and the absolute density profile was obtained through the correction of the spin modulation.
Nine experiments obtained stratospheric ozone measurements during the fall 1985 Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP) Global Budget of Stratospheric Trace Constituents (GLOBUS) NOx campaign. Measurements are grouped into four sets from four air masses and compared. Agreement between individual experiments and weighted mean profiles is generally within 10% and within absolute accuracies. Dobson Umkehr values in layer 5 differ by more than absolute accuracies from weighted mean profiles. Brewer sonde values for one data set are outside absolute accuracies near the ozone peak. Solar UV occultation measurements are 30–35% less than the weighted mean profile and outside absolute accuracies. Measurements from the Exospheric Satellite (EXOS‐C) backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) experiment, not previously compared with other techniques, agree within 10–15% of weighted mean profiles. Results of the campaign are generally consistent with those of four previous intercomparison campaigns.
The IAF (Imaging Attitude Finder) is an imager using a one-dimensional multi-anode photomultiplier, and determines the attitude of a spinning sounding rocket with a precision of +/− 0.6• by finding out stars. One of the applications of IAF, MII (Magnesium Ion Imager) is a UV version of the former optimized for measuring the Mg + twilight airglow occurring at around 100 km, and images its horizontal structures by looking it from above.
Atomic oxygen measurement utilizing the resonance lamp technique is described. It is probably the most reliable method in the lower thermosphere even at present. However, its performance has not been sophisticated enough yet. The uncertainty sources are (1) shock wave disturbance around the rocket and (2) correction for the Doppler shift. We must also be careful against the contamination due to the chemical effects of vacuum ultraviolet photons.
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