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First confirmation that water ice is the primary component of polar mesospheric clouds
Author(s) -
Hervig Mark,
Thompson Robert E.,
McHugh Martin,
Gordley Larry L.,
Russell James M.,
Summers Michael E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl012104
Subject(s) - occultation , polar , extinction (optical mineralogy) , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , mesosphere , infrared , particle (ecology) , geology , climatology , physics , astronomy , oceanography , stratosphere , paleontology
Polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) have been measured in the infrared for the first time by the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE). PMC extinctions retrieved from measurements at eight wavelengths show remarkable agreement with model spectra based on ice particle extinction. The infrared spectrum of ice has a unique signature, and the HALOE‐model agreement thus provides the first physical confirmation that water ice is the primary component of PMCs. PMC particle effective radii were estimated from the HALOE extinctions based on a first order fit of model extinctions.