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Concerning the origin of enhanced sodium layers
Author(s) -
Clemesha B. R.,
Batista P. P.,
Simonich D. M.
Publication year - 1988
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/gl015i011p01267
Subject(s) - sodium , geology , deposition (geology) , shear (geology) , mechanism (biology) , layer (electronics) , mineralogy , atmospheric sciences , materials science , petrology , physics , composite material , geomorphology , metallurgy , quantum mechanics , sediment
A mechanism is proposed for the formation of the thin layers of enhanced sodium concentration observed in the atmospheric sodium layer. The proposed mechanism involves the wind‐shear distortion of initially thick sodium clouds of limited horizontal extent, originally produced by the deposition of material of extraterrestrial origin. This mechanism explains almost all the observed characteristics of the enhanced layers, including their height of occurrence, small vertical extent, vertical motion, rapid growth and decay and highly variable duration.