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First lidar observations of middle atmosphere temperatures, Fe densities, and polar mesospheric clouds over the north and south poles
Author(s) -
Gardner Chester S.,
Papen George C.,
Chu Xinzhao,
Pan Weilin
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 - 10.1029/2000gl012622
Subject(s) - mesopause , solstice , north pole , lidar , thermosphere , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , altitude (triangle) , mesosphere , polar , geology , stratosphere , physics , ionosphere , geophysics , meteorology , geodesy , astronomy , latitude , geometry , remote sensing , mathematics , physical geography , geography
An Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar was used to obtain the first measurements of middle atmosphere temperatures, Fe densities, and polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) over the North and South Poles during the 1999–2000 summer seasons. The measured temperature structure of the mesopause and lower thermosphere regions in mid‐summer at both Poles is consistent with the MSIS90 model. The density profiles of the normal Fe layer between 80–100 km at summer solstice are similar at both the North and South Poles with maximum densities of about 2000 cm −3 . Sporadic Fe (Fe s ) layers were observed at both Poles with peak densities at 106 km altitude. The maximum densities of the Fe s layers were 232 × 10³ cm −3 at North Pole and 6.52 × 10³ cm −3 at South Pole. PMCs were detected above both Poles. The altitudes of PMCs over the South Pole were consistently 2–3 km higher than those observed over the North Pole.