INTERNAL GRAVITY WAVES OBSERVED IN MESOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS.
Abstract
Temperature height profiles determined from falling sphere and Arcasonde measurements, made at White Sands, New Mexico from 23 to 25 January 1967, exhibit unusually large variability in the vicinity of the mesopause. Spatial and temporal analysis of the data exhibit a wave-like structure with vertical half wavelengths of the order of 3 and 30 km and a characteristic period of approximately 12 hours for the longer wavelength. Comparison with meteorological data below 60 km and application of appropriate theory leads to the tentative suggestion that the observed temperature variations were due to internal gravity waves. The analysis also infers that the source of these waves was a large scale, low altitude (approximately 200 mb) synoptic disturbance. This work has been performed in support of re-entry studies for Air Force space vehicles and investigations for improving DOD missile impact prediction capability. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 07, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0711640
Entities
People
- Andrew C. Faire
- Samuel P. Zimmerman
Organizations
- Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories