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Noctilucent clouds and wave dynamics: Observations at Sondrestrom, Greenland
Author(s) -
Gerrard Andrew J.,
Kane Timothy J.,
Thayer Jeffrey P.
Publication year - 1998
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 - 10.1029/98gl02107
Subject(s) - stratosphere , atmospheric sciences , mesosphere , altitude (triangle) , groenlandia , environmental science , wavelength , geology , tropopause , lidar , climatology , physics , remote sensing , optics , geomorphology , geometry , mathematics , ice sheet
Rayleigh Lidar measurements of the arctic summer stratosphere and mesosphere have been conducted routinely since 1994 at the Sondrestrom atmospheric research facility near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (67.0N, 50.9W). Between 1994 and 1996, seventeen separate events of noctilucent clouds (NLCs), as well as corresponding stratospheric wave structure, have been observed. We present in this study two main results: 1) the occurrence of persistent quasi‐monochromatic wave structure in the stratosphere having observed vertical wavelengths of 8 to 12 km and observed temporal periods of approximately 2–3 hours, and 2) evidence that the strength of such lower altitude waves may be associated with the overall strength of the observed NLC volume backscatter coefficient.