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Articles 31 - 45 of 45

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

High Frequency Atmospheric Gravity Wave Damping In The Mesosphere, G. R. Swenson, Alan Z. Liu, F. Li, J. Tang Jan 2003

High Frequency Atmospheric Gravity Wave Damping In The Mesosphere, G. R. Swenson, Alan Z. Liu, F. Li, J. Tang

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

Correlative measurements of temperature and winds by Na lidar and brightness in OH and O2 Atmospheric band airglow have been made at Albuquerque, NM and Maui, HI for a study of high frequency (period less than 30 minutes) Atmospheric Gravity Waves. Wave studies from four nights have been made and the correlative information describes the intrinsic wave properties with altitude, their damping characteristics, and resulting accelerations to the large scale circulation in the 85-100 km altitude region. Generally, saturated to super-saturated conditions were observed below 95 km. Above this altitude, they were less saturated to freely propagating.


Measurements Of Atmospheric Stability In The Mesopause Region At Starfire Optical Range, Nm, Yucheng Zhao, Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner Jan 2003

Measurements Of Atmospheric Stability In The Mesopause Region At Starfire Optical Range, Nm, Yucheng Zhao, Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

The structure and seasonal variations of static (convective) and dynamic (shear) instabilities in the mesopause region (80–105 km) are examined using high-resolution wind and temperature data obtained with a Na lidar at the Starfire Optical Range, NM. The probabilities of static and dynamic instability are sensitive functions of N2/S2, where N is the buoyancy frequency and S is the total vertical shear in the horizontal winds. The mesopause region is most stable in summer when the mesopause is low, N is large and S is small. Monthly mean N2/S2 varies from …


Characteristics Of Quasi-Monochromatic Gravity Waves Observed With Na Lidar In The Mesopause Region At Starfire Optical Range, Nm, Xiong Hu, Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner, Gary R. Swenson Dec 2002

Characteristics Of Quasi-Monochromatic Gravity Waves Observed With Na Lidar In The Mesopause Region At Starfire Optical Range, Nm, Xiong Hu, Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner, Gary R. Swenson

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

The University of Illinois Na wind/temperature lidar data collected at the Starfire Optical Range, NM, between Jan. 1998 and May 2000 was used to extract the dominant monochromatic gravity waves. By using simultaneously measured horizontal wind and temperature profiles, the vertical wavelengths (λz), (TI), and propagation directions were determined using the hodograph method. A total of 700 monochromatic gravity waves were analyzed from ~300 h of observations. It was found that 84.4% of the waves were propagating upwards. The mean λz was 12.6 km and 9.9 km for upward and downward propagating waves, respectively, and …


High Frequency Gravity Waves Observed In Oh Airglow At Starfire Optical Range, Nm: Seasonal Variations In Momentum Flux, Jing Tang, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson Oct 2002

High Frequency Gravity Waves Observed In Oh Airglow At Starfire Optical Range, Nm: Seasonal Variations In Momentum Flux, Jing Tang, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

Airglow imager and Na wind/temperature lidar measurements at Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico (35ºN, 107ºW) are used to estimate the seasonal variation of the vertical fluxes of horizontal momentum carried by high frequency Atmospheric Gravity Waves (AGWs). The cross-correlation coefficients between the vertical and horizontal wind perturbations were calculated from the OH airglow imager data collected during 32 nights in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The RMS wind velocities were deduced from the lidar measurements. The combined information was used to estimate the upper limit of the momentum flux. The meridional component of the vertical flux of horizontal momentum was observed …


Production, Outflow, Velocity, And Radial Distribution Of H2o And Oh In The Coma Of Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) From Wide-Field Imaging Of Oh, Walter M. Harris, Frank Scherb, Edwin Mierkiewicz, Ronald Oliversen, Jeffrey Morgenthaler Oct 2002

Production, Outflow, Velocity, And Radial Distribution Of H2o And Oh In The Coma Of Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) From Wide-Field Imaging Of Oh, Walter M. Harris, Frank Scherb, Edwin Mierkiewicz, Ronald Oliversen, Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

Observations of OH are a useful proxy of the water production rate (Q H2O) and outflow velocity (VH2O) in comets. From wide-field images taken on 1997 March 28 and April 8 that capture the entire scale length of the OH coma of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp), we obtain Q OH from the model-independent method of aperture summation and Q H2O from the OH photochemical branching ratio, BROH. Using an adaptive ring summation algorithm, we extract the radial brightness distribution of OH 0-0 band emission out to cometocentric distances of up to 10 to the sixth power km, both as azimuthal …


Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails 3. The ‘‘Glowworm’’, Jack D. Drummond, Brent W. Grime, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu, Xinzhao Chu, Michael C. Kelley, Craig Kruschwitz, Timothy J. Kane Aug 2002

Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails 3. The ‘‘Glowworm’’, Jack D. Drummond, Brent W. Grime, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu, Xinzhao Chu, Michael C. Kelley, Craig Kruschwitz, Timothy J. Kane

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

A spectacular, well-observed Leonid meteor of visual magnitude -14.3 appeared on 17 November 1998 and left a lingering trail, dubbed the Glowworm, that was well studied. From a location on Kirtland Air Force Base, near Albuquerque, New Mexico, we obtained CCD images of the trail from 94 to 203 s after the meteor and recorded a video with an intensified camera for even longer. From information obtained with a sodium lidar half an hour after the meteor, we have determined that a gravity wave with a vertical wavelength of 2.4 km was responsible for the right-angled appearance of the trail. …


Comparison Of Na Lidar And Meteor Radar Wind Measurements At Starfire Optical Range, Nm, Usa, Alan Z. Liu, Wayne K. Hocking, Steven J. Franke, T. Thayaparan Jan 2002

Comparison Of Na Lidar And Meteor Radar Wind Measurements At Starfire Optical Range, Nm, Usa, Alan Z. Liu, Wayne K. Hocking, Steven J. Franke, T. Thayaparan

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

Simultaneous wind measurements in the mesopause region at Starfire Optical Range near Albuquerque, NM with Na wind/temperature lidar and meteor radar have been performed and compared. 20 nights of hourly data recorded with these two instruments at two layers around 86 and 93 km altitude are compared for both zonal and meridional wind components. The mean values are found to have no statistically significant differences. The correlation coefficients vary between 0.63 and 0.70, indicating that the two sets of measurements are broadly consistent. When comparing the averaged variations over the night, the two measurements are highly correlated, with correlation coefficients …


Atmospheric Stability And Gravity Wave Dissipation In The Mesopause Region, Chester S. Gardner, Yucheng Zhao, Alan Z. Liu Jan 2002

Atmospheric Stability And Gravity Wave Dissipation In The Mesopause Region, Chester S. Gardner, Yucheng Zhao, Alan Z. Liu

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

High-resolution temperature profile data collected at the Urbana Atmospheric Observatory (40ºN, 88ºW) and Starfire Optical Range, NM (35ºN, 106.5ºW) with a Na lidar are used to assess the stability of the mesopause region between 80 and 105 km. The mean diurnal and annual temperature profiles demonstrate that in the absence of gravity wave and tidal perturbations, the background atmosphere is statically stable throughout the day and year. Thin layers of instability can be generated only when the combined perturbations associated with tides and gravity waves induce large vertical shears in the horizontal wind and temperature profiles. There is a region …


Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails 2. Photometry And Numerical Modeling, C. A. Kruschwitz, M. C. Kelley, C. S. Gardner, G. Swenson, A. Z. Liu, X. Chu, J. D. Drummond, B. W. Grime, W. T. Armstrong, J. M. C. Plane, P. Jenniskens Oct 2001

Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails 2. Photometry And Numerical Modeling, C. A. Kruschwitz, M. C. Kelley, C. S. Gardner, G. Swenson, A. Z. Liu, X. Chu, J. D. Drummond, B. W. Grime, W. T. Armstrong, J. M. C. Plane, P. Jenniskens

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

During the 1998 Leonid meteor shower, multi-instrument observations of persistent meteor trains were made from the Starfire Optical Range on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and from a secondary site in nearby Placitas, New Mexico. The University of Illinois Na resonance lidar measured the Na density and temperature in the trains, while various cameras captured images and videos of the trains, some of which were observed to persist for more than 30 min. The Na density measurements allow the contribution of Na airglow to the observed train luminescence to be quantified for the first time. To do this, persistent …


Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails. 1. Advection Of The "Diamond Ring", Jack D. Drummond, Brent W. Grime, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu, Xinzhao Chu, Timothy J. Kane Oct 2001

Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails. 1. Advection Of The "Diamond Ring", Jack D. Drummond, Brent W. Grime, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu, Xinzhao Chu, Timothy J. Kane

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

From a single image of a persistent trail left by a -1.5 magnitude Leonid meteor on November 17, 1998, the relative winds between 92.5 and 98 km altitude are derived, where the altitudes are determined by a sodium lidar. These are converted to true winds 82 sec after the appearance of the meteor by fixing the winds at 98 km to match the results of following the trail with the lidar for twelve minutes. The image and winds reveal a fine example of the effects of a gravity wave having a vertical wavelenth of 5.50 ± 0.02 km, a horizontal …


Geocoronal H-A [Alpha] Intensity Measurements Using The Wisconsin H-A [Alpha] Mapper Fabry-Perot Facility, S. Nossal, F. L. Roesler, J. Bishop, R. J. Reynolds, M. Haffner, S. Tufte, J. Percival, E. J. Mierkiewicz Apr 2001

Geocoronal H-A [Alpha] Intensity Measurements Using The Wisconsin H-A [Alpha] Mapper Fabry-Perot Facility, S. Nossal, F. L. Roesler, J. Bishop, R. J. Reynolds, M. Haffner, S. Tufte, J. Percival, E. J. Mierkiewicz

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

"The Wisconsin H-a [alpha] Mapper (WHAM), a remotely operable, semi-automated Fabry-Perot located at Kitt Peak Observatory, has been making an all-sky survey of interstellar hydrogen Balmer a [alpha] (H-a [alpha]) emissions since 1997. Using the annular summing spectroscopy technique, WHAM has acquired ~[approx.] 37,000 spectra to date, spanning almost 100 nights of observations. Since all of the galactic emission spectral data contain the terrestrial H-a [alpha] (6562.7 Å) emission line, these measurements constitute a rich source of geocoronal data for investigating natural variability in the upper atmosphere. The WHAM observations also serve as a benchmark for comparison with future …


First Observations Of Long-Lived Meteor Trains With Resonance Lidar And Other Optical Instruments, M. C. Kelley, C. Gardner, J Drummond, T Armstrong, A Liu, Chu G. Papen, C Kruschwitz, P. Loughmiller, B Grime, J. Engelman Jul 2000

First Observations Of Long-Lived Meteor Trains With Resonance Lidar And Other Optical Instruments, M. C. Kelley, C. Gardner, J Drummond, T Armstrong, A Liu, Chu G. Papen, C Kruschwitz, P. Loughmiller, B Grime, J. Engelman

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

In November 1998 the earth passed through a maximum in the cometary material responsible for the yearly Leonids meteor shower. The meteor storm event produced numerous examples of long-lived chemiluminescent trails--visible to the naked eye over New Mexico, where a major observation campaign was centered. One trail was detected for over an hour with a CCD camera employing a narrow sodium filter, and many others were observed for over ten minutes each. For the first time, sodium densities in such trails were measured while also being imaged in sodium light. We have verified one source of long-lived light emissions--a sodium-catalyzed …


Meteor Trail Advection Observed During The 1998 Leonid Shower, Brent W. Grime, Timothy J. Kane, Alan Liu, George Papen, Chester S. Gardner, Michael C. Kelley, Craig Kruschwitz, Jack Drummond Jul 2000

Meteor Trail Advection Observed During The 1998 Leonid Shower, Brent W. Grime, Timothy J. Kane, Alan Liu, George Papen, Chester S. Gardner, Michael C. Kelley, Craig Kruschwitz, Jack Drummond

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

Sodium resonance lidar observations of meteor trails are reported from the 1998 Leonid shower experimental at the Starfire Optical Range Kirtland Air Force Base, NM (35.0º N, 106.5º W ). The lidar was operating in a spatially scanning mode that allowed tracking for up to one half-hour. Three trails are presented here whose motion allowed inference of radial as well as vector wind components and apparent diffusivities. The winds are derived independently using the narrow linewidth sodium (Na) resonance Doppler lidar technique and are compared with the tracking results.


Gravity Wave Characteristics In The Lower Atmosphere At South Pole, Matt Pfenniger, Alan Z. Liu, George C. Papen, Chester S. Gardner Mar 1999

Gravity Wave Characteristics In The Lower Atmosphere At South Pole, Matt Pfenniger, Alan Z. Liu, George C. Papen, Chester S. Gardner

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

A 4-year (1993-1996) temperature and wind data set obtained from over 2000 high-resolution balloon soundings at South Pole is used to study gravity wave characteristics in the atmosphere and lower stratosphere. Extensive analyses of energy density, spectra, and static stability are performed to present a comprehensive view of the gravity waves are ubiquitous and often fairly strong at the South Pole, even though the generation mechanisms are not clear. Gravity wave characteristics are, in general, similar to those obtained at other high-latitude southern hemisphere stations. Potential energies vary between about 0.5 J/kg and 5 J/kg with season and altitude. Variations …


Maintenance Of Circulation Anomalies During The 1988 Drought And 1993 Floods Over The United States, Alan Z. Liu, Mingfang Ting, Hailan Wang Sep 1998

Maintenance Of Circulation Anomalies During The 1988 Drought And 1993 Floods Over The United States, Alan Z. Liu, Mingfang Ting, Hailan Wang

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

The large-scale circulation anomalies associated with the 1988 drought and the 1993 floods are investigated with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis data and a linear stationary wave model. The transient vorticity and thermal forcings are explicitly calculated and the diabatic heating is derived as a residual in the thermodynamic energy equation. Using the April–June (AMJ) data for 1988, and June–August (JJA) data for 1993, the linear stationary wave model is able to reproduce the main features of the geopotential height anomaly for the two seasons when all forcings are included. This provides a basis for further investigation of …