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On high time‐range resolution observations of PMSE: Statistical characteristics
Author(s) -
Sommer Svenja,
Chau Jorge L.,
Schult Carsten
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1002/2015jd024531
Subject(s) - range (aeronautics) , statistical physics , physics , computational physics , geodesy , resolution (logic) , altitude (triangle) , mathematics , geology , geometry , computer science , materials science , artificial intelligence , composite material
We present observations of polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) with an unprecedented temporal sampling of 2 ms and range resolution down to 75 m. On these time and spatial scales, PMSE exhibit features, like correlation in time and range, that have not been described before. To characterize our high resolution observations, we provide a 4‐D statistical model, based on random processes. In this way we can distinguish between geophysical and instrumental effects on our measurements. In our simulations, PMSE is statistically characterized in frequency, angular space, and inverse altitude. With this model, we are able to reproduce our observations on a statistical basis and estimate the intrinsic spectral width of PMSE. For chosen data sets, such values range between 0.5 Hz and 4 Hz (1.4 ms −1 to 11.2 ms −1 ). Furthermore, we show that apparent oscillations in time and an apparent high speed motion of the mean scattering center are just representations of the random nature of PMSE measurements on short time scales.