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Retrieval of mesospheric and lower thermospheric kinetic temperature from measurements of CO 2 15 µm Earth Limb Emission under non‐LTE conditions
Author(s) -
Mertens Christopher J.,
Mlynczak Martin G.,
LópezPuertas Manuel,
Wintersteiner Peter P.,
Picard R. H.,
Winick Jeremy R.,
Gordley Larry L.,
Russell James M.
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 - 10.1029/2000gl012189
Subject(s) - radiance , thermosphere , mesosphere , kinetic energy , sensitivity (control systems) , environmental science , satellite , remote sensing , altitude (triangle) , mean kinetic temperature , physics , atmospheric sciences , geology , ionosphere , geophysics , stratosphere , atomic physics , mathematics , geometry , quantum mechanics , astronomy , electronic engineering , engineering
We present a new algorithm for the retrieval of kinetic temperature in the terrestrial mesosphere and lower thermosphere from measurements of CO 2 15 µm earth limb emission. Non‐local‐thermodynamic‐equilibrium (non‐LTE) processes are rigorously included in the new algorithm, necessitated by the prospect of satellite‐based limb radiance measurements to be made from the TIMED/SABER platform in the near future between 15 km and 120 km tangent altitude. The algorithm requires 20 seconds to retrieve temperature to better than 3 K accuracy on a desktop computer, easily enabling its use in operational processing of satellite data. We conclude this letter with a study of the sensitivity of the retrieved temperatures to parameters used in the non‐LTE models, including sensitivity to the rate constant for physical quenching of CO 2 bending mode vibrations by atomic oxygen.