Diffusion coefficients in the upper atmosphere from chemiluminous trails

Golomb, D.; MacLeod, Malcolm A.

doi:10.1029/jz071i009p02299

Cited by 18 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…[26] Above 116 km and well above the turbopause, molecular diffusion dominates as expected. The values noted in Figure 11 are comparable to those observed by others [e.g., Rees et al, 1972;Golomb and MacLeod, 1966]. The effective radius continues to increase over the entire time interval until the trail reaches a maximum diameter where it remains nearly constant while the trail slowly fades.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Methods III and IV include the subtraction of the radius due to molecular diffusion in the equations for methods I and II, respectively. The molecular diffusion rates used to calculate r m are found by extrapolating those presented by Rees et al [1972] and Golomb and MacLeod [1966].…”

Section: Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An alternative rocketborne technique uses chemical tracer releases from rockets to measure the diffusion rate directly and to calculate turbulence parameters from the trail expansion as a function of time. The method was developed by Blamont [1963], Golomb and MacLeod [1966], and Golomb et al [1972]. Rees et al [1972] provided a detailed discussion of the technique and a very careful analysis of a data set from a tracer experiment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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TOMEX: Mesospheric and lower thermospheric diffusivities and instability layers

et al. 2004

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[1] The Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (TOMEX), which was carried out at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on 26 October 2000, included a rocketborne trimethyl aluminum (TMA) chemical tracer experiment. The subsequent TMA trails provided detailed information about the horizontal neutral wind, turbulence, and diffusivity properties of the atmosphere between approximately 85 and 140 km altitude. Measurements with the University of Illinois Na wind/temperature lidar located at the Starfire Optical Range, NM, provided a detailed time history of the stability properties between 85 and 105-km altitude, including high-resolution wind and temperature measurements prior to and during the chemical tracer measurements. The diffusivities estimated from the trail expansion rates have values consistent with the values expected for molecular diffusion above 110-km altitude and values that are larger than those for molecular diffusion at most altitudes below. Below 103 km, both regions of dynamic and convective instability were found, and the diffusivities are strongly controlled by the instabilities. The unstable regions are well mixed, but the intermediate regions, in some cases, have very small eddy energy dissipation rates. The nearly instantaneous measurements also suggest that eddy diffusion is still important in the height range between 103 km, the nominal turbopause height, and 110 km. INDEX TERMS: 3332

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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TOMEX: Mesospheric and lower thermospheric diffusivities and instability layers

et al. 2004

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“…The theory and method of obtaining diffusion coefficients from chemiluminous trails has been described previously [Golomb and MacLeod, 1966]. The trail photographs were densitometered.…”

Section: Diffusion Coefficientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper atmosphere densities and temperatures at 105-165 kilometers from diffusion and spectral intensity of AlO trails

Golomb¹,

Harang²,

Delgreco³

1967

J. Geophys. Res.

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Aluminum oxide trails were formed by depositing trimethyl aluminum vapor in the sunlit upper atmosphere at twilight between 105–165 km. From photographic observations of the radial growth of the trails, diffusion coefficients were obtained. From the vibrational‐rotational intensity distribution of the fluorescent AlO spectrum, the temperature of the radiating molecules was deduced. The AlO molecules are assumed to be in thermal equilibrium with the ambient. Knowledge of the diffusion coefficient and temperature yields atmospheric density. The temperatures are in excellent agreement with the U. S. Standard Atmosphere Supplement 1966. The deduced densities of October 1, 1963, 0500, are slightly higher than the model densities, while those of June 17, 1965, 2000, are lower by up to a factor of 2.

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