Articles | Volume 19, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-6401-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-6401-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 May 2019
Research article |
| 16 May 2019
| 16 May 2019
Observations of OH airglow from ground, aircraft, and satellite: investigation of wave-like structures before a minor stratospheric warming
Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-
und Raumfahrt, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Carsten Schmidt
Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-
und Raumfahrt, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Patrick Hannawald
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
Michael Bittner
Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-
und Raumfahrt, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
Martin G. Mlynczak
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, USA
James M. Russell III
Center for Atmospheric Sciences, Hampton, USA
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A powerful lidar system has been installed at the high-altitude observatory Schneefernerhaus (2575 m) to allow for atmospheric temperature measurements up to more than 80 km within just one hour. The temperature profiles are calibrated by values obtained from chemiluminscence of the hydroxyl radical around 86 km. The temperature profiles are successfully compared with satellite and lidar data.
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Ground-based OH* airglow measurements have been carried out for almost 100 years. Advanced detector technology has greatly simplified the automatic operation of OH* airglow observing instruments and significantly improved the temporal and/or spatial resolution. Studies based on long-term measurements or including a network of instruments are reviewed, especially in the context of deriving gravity wave properties. Scientific and technical challenges for the next few years are described.
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A powerful lidar system has been installed at the high-altitude observatory Schneefernerhaus (2575 m) to allow for atmospheric temperature measurements up to more than 80 km within just one hour. The temperature profiles are calibrated by values obtained from chemiluminscence of the hydroxyl radical around 86 km. The temperature profiles are successfully compared with satellite and lidar data.
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Since June 2019, an infrared camera has been scanning the nearly entire sky (diameter: 500 km) above DLR Oberpfaffenhofen (48.09° N, 11.28° E), Germany, every night providing images of the OH* airglow layer (height: 85–87 km), with a high spatial and temporal resolution (150 m, 2 min). We analysed three years of data for spatially confined small-scale wave structures with a machine learning approach. We derived seasonal variations and deduced that wave breaking is mostly observed in summer.
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René Sedlak, Andreas Welscher, Patrick Hannawald, Sabine Wüst, Rainer Lienhart, and Michael Bittner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3141–3153, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3141-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3141-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We show that machine learning can help in classifying images of the OH* airglow, a thin layer in the middle atmosphere (ca. 86 km height) emitting infrared radiation, in an efficient way. By doing this,
dynamicepisodes of strong movement in the OH* airglow caused predominantly by waves can be extracted automatically from large data sets. Within these dynamic episodes, turbulent wave breaking can also be found. We use these observations of turbulence to derive the energy released by waves.
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1599–1618, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1599-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1599-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ground-based OH* airglow measurements have been carried out for almost 100 years. Advanced detector technology has greatly simplified the automatic operation of OH* airglow observing instruments and significantly improved the temporal and/or spatial resolution. Studies based on long-term measurements or including a network of instruments are reviewed, especially in the context of deriving gravity wave properties. Scientific and technical challenges for the next few years are described.
Sumanta Sarkhel, Gunter Stober, Jorge L. Chau, Steven M. Smith, Christoph Jacobi, Subarna Mondal, Martin G. Mlynczak, and James M. Russell III
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Patrick E. Sheese, Kaley A. Walker, Chris D. Boone, Adam E. Bourassa, Doug A. Degenstein, Lucien Froidevaux, C. Thomas McElroy, Donal Murtagh, James M. Russell III, and Jiansheng Zou
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This study analyzes the quality of two versions (v3.6 and v4.1) of ozone concentration measurements from the ACE-FTS (Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer), by comparing with data from five satellite instruments between 2004 and 2020. It was found that although the v3.6 data exhibit a better agreement than v4.1 with respect to the other instruments, v4.1 exhibits much better stability over time than v3.6. The stability of v4.1 makes it suitable for ozone trend studies.
Xiao Liu, Jiyao Xu, Jia Yue, You Yu, Paulo P. Batista, Vania F. Andrioli, Zhengkuan Liu, Tao Yuan, Chi Wang, Ziming Zou, Guozhu Li, and James M. Russell III
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 5643–5661, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-5643-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-5643-2021, 2021
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Based on the gradient balance wind theory and the SABER observations, a dataset of monthly mean zonal wind has been developed at heights of 18–100 km and latitudes of 50° Sndash;50° N from 2002 to 2019. The dataset agrees with the zonal wind from models (MERRA2, UARP, HWM14) and observations by meteor radar and lidar at seven stations. The dataset can be used to study seasonal and interannual variations and can serve as a background for wave studies of tides and planetary waves.
René Sedlak, Patrick Hannawald, Carsten Schmidt, Sabine Wüst, Michael Bittner, and Samo Stanič
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6821–6833, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
High-resolution images of the OH* airglow layer (ca. 87 km height) acquired at Otlica Observatory, Slovenia, have been analysed. A statistical analysis of small-scale wave structures with horizontal wavelengths up to 4.5 km suggests strong presence of instability features in the upper mesosphere or lower thermosphere. The dissipated energy of breaking gravity waves is derived from observations of turbulent vortices. It is concluded that dynamical heating plays a vital role in the atmosphere.
Manfred Ern, Mohamadou Diallo, Peter Preusse, Martin G. Mlynczak, Michael J. Schwartz, Qian Wu, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13763–13795, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13763-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13763-2021, 2021
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Details of the driving of the semiannual oscillation (SAO) of the tropical winds in the middle atmosphere are still not known. We investigate the SAO and its driving by small-scale gravity waves (GWs) using satellite data and different reanalyses. In a large altitude range, GWs mainly drive the SAO westerlies, but in the upper mesosphere GWs seem to drive both SAO easterlies and westerlies. Reanalyses reproduce some features of the SAO but are limited by model-inherent damping at upper levels.
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Short summary
In winter 2016, the camera system FAIM derived information about the OH* airglow at ca. 86 km height during six flights on board the research aircraft FALCON in northern Scandinavia. Coincident ground- and satellite-based measurements (GRIPS and TIMED-SABER) complete the data set. The data are analysed with respect to the temporal and spatial evolution of small-scale atmospheric dynamics just before a minor stratospheric warming. Special emphasis is placed on possible instability features.
In winter 2016, the camera system FAIM derived information about the OH* airglow at ca. 86 km...
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