Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Thermospheric dynamics investigations with very high resolution spectrometers

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

Since 1972 high resolution Fabry-Perot spectrometers have been used at Fritz Peak Observatory (39.9°N, 105.5°W), Colorado to measure the nighttime variation of thermospheric temperatures and winds from the line profiles and Doppler shifts of the OI 15,867 K (630.0-nm) line emission in the nightglow. With the aid of these measurements we have defined the nighttime variation of winds and temperatures at F-layer heights for the various seasons of the year during georfiagnetic quiet periods. During geomagnetic storm periods deviation in the nighttime variation of the winds and temperatures from those determined during geomagnetic quiet conditions have been shown to occur. In addition, measurements made during geomagnetic disturbed conditions have shown the existence of large-scale thermospheric waves generated at high latitudes by impulsive auroral heating events that are observed to propagate equatorward. The nighttime winds and temperatures measured from Fritz Peak Observatory have been used in various theoretical models of global thermospheric dynamics to infer the global circulation patterns, temperature structure, and thermospheric response to geomagnetic activity. By requiring agreement between the calculated and measured winds and temperatures over Fritz Peak Observatory, the over-all magnitude of the thermospheric high latitude heat source due to auroral processes has been inferred for both geomagnetic quiet and disturbed conditions. This energy source has been shown to be related to dissipation of the ring current energy in the high latitude ionosphere. The results of various geophysical studies using Fritz Peak Observatory data and theoretical model calculation are summarized.

© 1979 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Observations of thermospheric wind velocities and temperatures by the use of a Fabry–Perot Doppler imaging system at Syowa Station, Antarctica

Hideaki Nakajima, Shoichi Okano, Hiroshi Fukunishi, and Takayuki Ono
Appl. Opt. 34(36) 8382-8395 (1995)

All-sky Doppler interferometer for thermospheric dynamics studies

Manfred A. Biondi, Dwight P. Sipler, Mark E. Zipf, and Jeffrey L. Baumgardner
Appl. Opt. 34(10) 1646-1654 (1995)

Nocturnal ground irradiance at high latitudes

Hans K. Myrabø
Appl. Opt. 24(22) 3908-3913 (1985)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (10)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Tables (1)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article tables are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved