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Thermospheric dynamics at the South Pole
Author(s) -
Hernandez G.,
Smith R. W.,
Roble R. G.,
Gress J.,
Clark K. C.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i009p01255
Subject(s) - thermosphere , earth's magnetic field , northern hemisphere , ionosphere , atmospheric sciences , climatology , latitude , geology , southern hemisphere , quiet , f region , geomagnetic latitude , geodesy , physics , geophysics , magnetic field , quantum mechanics
A self‐aligning Fabry‐Perot spectrometer has been installed at Amundsen‐Scott Station, Antarctica (Geographic South Pole) and has been used to determine neutral upper thermosphere winds and temperatures, obtained from the measurement of the Doppler shift and Doppler width of the line profiles of the [OI] 15,867 K (630 nm) line emission, during the austral winter of 1989 (April 1989 to September 1989). These first ground‐based measurements of F‐region neutral dynamics at the South Pole, show a rich variety of dynamic phenomena and strong couplings with the ionospheric plasma. Data for two contrasting days in April 1989 are presented here. The data of April 23 UT illustrate the diurnal variations of winds and temperatures during geomagnetic quiet‐to‐moderate conditions, while the data of April 27 UT illustrate diurnal variations during geomagnetically disturbed periods. These data are compared with the average pattern obtained at a similar geomagnetic latitude and conditions, but in the Northern Hemisphere (Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen) and with predictions of the average dynamics in the South Pole region made by the NCAR thermosphere‐ionosphere general circulation model (TIGCM). The measured winds at the South Pole have a stronger prevailing westward component in its diurnal cycle than is either observed at Longyearbyen (in the Northern Hemisphere) or predicted at South Pole by the TIGCM.