Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Open Access Articles

Satellite Measurements Of Mesospheric Gravity Wave Temperature Variance Over The Andes, Jonathan R. Pugmire, Michael J. Taylore, Yucheng Zhao May 2015

Satellite Measurements Of Mesospheric Gravity Wave Temperature Variance Over The Andes, Jonathan R. Pugmire, Michael J. Taylore, Yucheng Zhao

Jonathan Pugmire

Focusing on over 10 years of data from the SABER instrument aboard the TIMED satellite temperature variances are determined to quantify the signatures of short-period gravity waves propagating up into the mesosphere, and lower thermosphere (MLT) region. Temperature profile measurements were measured by SABER within a limited geographical area, centered on the Andes Lidar Observatory at Cerro Pachon, Chile (30.3° S, 70.7° S) where Utah State University has operated an OH Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (MTM) for the past 5 years. Using an established procedure the large-scale tidal waves, with wavenumbers 0-6, were removed from each profile revealing the gravity wave …

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Observations Of Mesospheric Gravity Waves Over The Andes, Jonathan Pugmire Apr 2015

Observations Of Mesospheric Gravity Waves Over The Andes, Jonathan Pugmire

Jonathan Pugmire

Focusing on data from an imager and the SABER instrument aboard the TIMED satellite temperature variances are determined to quantify small-scale gravity waves. IDL software was used to extract all the temperature profile measurements that were measured by SABER within a limited geographical area, centered on our ground-based optical imager at Cerro Pachon, Chile (30.3°S, 70.7°S). Large-scale tidal waves, with wavenumbers 0-6, were removed from each profile revealing the gravity wave perturbations. Temperature variances reveal possible increased wave activity due to mountain waves. Mountain waves in the mesosphere are a relatively unexplored field in aeronomy. They are generated predominantly in …

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Observations Of Mesospheric Gravity Wave Dynamics In The Southern Hemisphere, Jonathan Pugmire, Michael Taylor Oct 2014

Observations Of Mesospheric Gravity Wave Dynamics In The Southern Hemisphere, Jonathan Pugmire, Michael Taylor

Jonathan Pugmire

Observations of mesospheric OH rotational temperature by the Mesospheric Temperature Mapper located at Cerro Pachon, Chile (30.3°S, 70.7°S) show a large range of variation. Temperature variances reveal increased activity due to mountain waves. Comparative studies with the satellite carried SABER instrument show agreement on nightly, as well as seasonal, temperature measurements. Comparisons with similar temperature measurements from Maui, Hawaii (20.8°N) reveal mountain wave activity to be enhanced over the Andes in the winter months. Initial gravity wave measurements from McMurdo Base, Antarctica are highlighted.

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Mesospheric Temperature Variability And Seasonal Characteristics Over The Andes, Jonathan Pugmire, Yucheng Zhao, Michael Taylor, P Pautet Oct 2014

Mesospheric Temperature Variability And Seasonal Characteristics Over The Andes, Jonathan Pugmire, Yucheng Zhao, Michael Taylor, P Pautet

Jonathan Pugmire

The Utah State University CEDAR Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (MTM) is a high-quality CCD imager capable of remote sensing faint optical emissions from the night sky to determine mesospheric temperature and its variability at an altitude of ~87 km. The MTM was operated at the new Andes Lidar Observatory (ALO)located at Cerro Pachon, Chile (30.2° S, 70.7° W) since August 2009 to investigate the seasonal characteristic of the mesopause at mid-latitudes. Measurement were made alongside a powerful lidar capable of height sounding the mesosphere. In this study, the MTM data have been analyzed to determine night to night variability and seasonal …

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Usu Grad Student, Researchers Collect Project Data At South Pole, Kevin Opsahl Mar 2013