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Mesospheric Atmospheric Gravity Wave Properties Derived From Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar Observations Above Logan, Utah, Durga Kafle
Mesospheric Atmospheric Gravity Wave Properties Derived From Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar Observations Above Logan, Utah, Durga Kafle
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Approximately 900 nights of observations with a Rayleigh-scatter lidar at Utah State University’s Atmospheric Lidar Observatory (41.7°N, 111.8°W, 1.47 km above sea level), spanning the 11-year period from late 1993 through 2004, have been reduced to derive nighttime temperature and relative density profiles between 45 and 90 km. Of these, 150 profiles that extend to 90 km or above were used in this work, which is based mainly on relative density data with 3-km altitude resolution and 1-hour temporal resolution. This is, we believe, the first comprehensive study of monochromatic gravity waves using Rayleigh-Scatter lidar observations extending through the entire …
Rayleigh-Lidar Observations Of Mesospheric Instabilities, Gabriel C. Taylor, Durga N. Kafle, Vincent B. Wickwar
Rayleigh-Lidar Observations Of Mesospheric Instabilities, Gabriel C. Taylor, Durga N. Kafle, Vincent B. Wickwar
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From 1993 to 2004 the Utah State University Rayleigh lidar, known as the USU green laser, collected 900 nights of data from the mesosphere (45-90 km). From these observations profiles of relative neutral densities and absolute temperatures were derived. Usually, the atmosphere is horizontally stratified with a balance between gravitational and pressure forces. When this balance is perturbed, it leads to the generation of buoyancy or “gravity” waves. An example of these is clear air turbulence, which can have dramatic effects on airplanes. As these waves propagate upward, the decrease in atmospheric density and conservation of energy combine to give …