Observations of ionospheric wind patterns through the night

Rosenberg, N. W.; Edwards, H. D.

doi:10.1029/jz069i013p02819

Cited by 56 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Except for the upper part of the first (1954 HST) and the last (0225 HST) observations, a pronounced rotation with height is observable in these hodographs. Similar rotation has been reported by many investigators, although rotation is not observed in all trails, and, where it is noted, it is not always clockwise [Rosenberg and Edwards, 1964;Kochanski, 1964;Murphy, 1969;Bedinger et al, 1968;Murphy and Bull, 1968]. A study of 18 Kauai experiments conducted in May and June showed 12 experiments with clockwise rotation over a height interval of at least 20 km between 90 and 120 km.…”

supporting

confidence: 84%

“…The purpose of this paper, as was previously stated, was to show that certain atmospheric characteristics revealed by vapor-trail experiments in Kauai correspond closely with those found in a sequence from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida [Rosenberg and Edwards, 1964]. The two observation sites are similar in latitude, being separated by only 8 ø, and the months of measurements were the same; but the two differ in longitude by 74 ø, and tests were made in 1963 from Eglin and in 1967 from Kauai.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

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Rotation of wind direction with altitude as obtained from vapor-trail observations

Smith¹

1972

J. Geophys. Res.

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A sequence of four vapor‐trail wind observations taken over a 6‐hour period above Kauai, Hawaii, is presented. The wind observations, covering part or all of the 90‐ to 180‐km region, are shown, because they so closely corroborate specific features documented by other vapor‐trail experiments at other locations. These features include the rotation of direction with height, vertical wavelengths of proper magnitude, and downward phase propagation with time. These features are consistent with results expected from the motion of upward propagating waves. The wave period appears to be semidiurnal, but a diurnal period is not excluded.

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supporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Rotation of wind direction with altitude as obtained from vapor-trail observations

Smith¹

1972

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…An improvement upon the sodium vapor technique involves the use of chemilumines cent trails which react with atomic oxygen to form luminous trails visible throughout the night. Frequently used chemicals are trimethyl aluminum (called TMA) and nitric oxide (Rosenberg and Edwards, 1964;Rosenberg, 1966 between 90 and 120 km in agreement with tidal theory (Hines, 1968), and a mean downward phase progression from dusk to dawn. Once again, the results showed a clockwise rotation of both prevailing and diurnal wind components.…”

Section: Mid Latitude Wind Observationsmentioning

confidence: 81%

The energy balance of the nighttime thermosphere

Glenar¹,

Bleuler²,

Nisbet³

1978

J. Geophys. Res.

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Energy balance considerations for the thermosphere are affected by the uncertainty of the solar EUV flux. The problem is simplified by investigating only the nighttime thermosphere. Vapor trail measurements provide wind data at the sunset and sunrise terminators and near the polar cap boundary. Temperature and density profiles were obtained from incoherent scatter and Ogo 6 measurements. Based on the available data the energy losses are estimated to be 8 × 1010 W due to downward conduction at 120 km and 3 × 1010 W due to infrared radiation. The energy carried by the measured winds from the polar cap is found to be 4.6 × 1010 W and that transported across the mid‐ and low‐latitude terminators, 7.6 to 11 × 1010 W. The greatest uncertainty in this analysis was in the estimates of the differences in the densities and temperatures in the lower thermosphere at the dawn and dusk terminators. Because of the large rotational velocity of the earth, small differences in these parameters correspond to large amounts of energy transported to the night hemisphere.

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“…The meteor wind radar method (Elford, 1966;Miiller, 1966;Spizzichino, 1969) and observations of chemical trails made by rockets have detected ionospheric motions oscillating with diurnal (Hines, 1966) and semi-diurnal periods (Rosenberg and Edwards, 1964). It seems very probable that these motions are of the tidal wave type with the corresponding periods although no attempt has so far been made to prove the existence of tidal waves by simultaneous measurement of their wavelength along a latitude circle.…”

Section: Tidal Winds In the Dynamo Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wave dynamics in the thermosphere: I: Tidal motion

Katō

1971

Space Sci Rev

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The atmospheric tides, their transmission and excitation in the thermosphere, are discussed in reviewing various investigations in this field. We are still fairly ignorant on the subjects and facing various unsolved problems although there is an established link between the theory and the observation in the dynamo region, the lower boundary of the thermosphere. As to the middle and upper thermosphere the observed data are scanty and only those obtained by satellite drag are available; the theoretical approach is very complicated because of viscosity, thermal conduction, hydromagnetic forces and non-linearity, all of which are effective above certain heights. Moreover, the thermosphere couples mainly with the lower atmosphere, this coupling having been considered only in a very simplified way. Another coupling is between thermal excitation and the resultant motion, the coupling of which has never been considered; thermal excitation has been discussed on a given input. International cooperation in the observations is of vital importance for future studies. New developments of observation techniques are desirable.

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Observations of ionospheric wind patterns through the night

Cited by 56 publications

References 1 publication

Rotation of wind direction with altitude as obtained from vapor-trail observations

Rotation of wind direction with altitude as obtained from vapor-trail observations

The energy balance of the nighttime thermosphere

Wave dynamics in the thermosphere: I: Tidal motion

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