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High Arctic observations of mesospheric inversion layers
Author(s) -
Duck Thomas J.,
Greene Michael D.
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1029/2003gl018481
Subject(s) - middle latitudes , inversion (geology) , arctic , atmospheric sciences , geology , lidar , the arctic , rayleigh scattering , climatology , oceanography , remote sensing , physics , geomorphology , optics , structural basin
Rayleigh lidar measurements of middle atmospheric temperatures obtained in the High Arctic at Eureka (80°N, 86°W) are examined for evidence of mesospheric inversion layers with overlying nearly‐adiabatic lapse rates. Inversion layers are identified in 5.4 ± 0.5% of the measurements, a rate considerably lower than is observed at midlatitudes. The altitude distribution for the Arctic inversions is similar to that found at midlatitudes. No phase progression or relationship with stratospheric gravity wave activity was found. The observations have important consequences for theories of the mesospheric inversion layer.