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Ice particulates in the mesosphere
Author(s) -
Chesworth E. T.,
Hale L. C.
Publication year - 1974
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/gl001i008p00347
Subject(s) - mesosphere , atmospheric sciences , stratopause , ice crystals , environmental science , geology , physics , stratosphere , meteorology
The observations of noctilucent clouds, the measurements of hydrated and of large immobile ions, and the light‐scattering layer detected by the OGO‐6 satellite suggest the presence of particulates, probably ice, in the mesosphere. The correlation between temperature and positive ion conductivity where the vapor pressure over ice becomes greater than atmospheric pressure in the stratopause region indicates the presence of ice crystals throughout the mesosphere over a wide range of latitudes during all seasons. Between 10 9 and 10 10 ice crystals per m³ of order 10 nanometers in diameter can dominate ionization loss processes in the mesosphere, and can explain a variety of experimental observations, including observed solar angle dependence and seasonal variability of electron density.