27 Nov 2009
27 Nov 2009
Technical note: Scintillations of the double star α Cru observed by GOMOS/Envisat
V. F. Sofieva1, F. Dalaudier2, V. Kan3, and A. S. Gurvich3
V. F. Sofieva et al.
V. F. Sofieva1, F. Dalaudier2, V. Kan3, and A. S. Gurvich3
- 1Earth observation, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
- 2LATMOS, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin; CNRS/INSU, Verrières-le-Buisson, France
- 3Organization of Russian Academy of Sciences A. M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS, Moscow, Russia
- 1Earth observation, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
- 2LATMOS, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin; CNRS/INSU, Verrières-le-Buisson, France
- 3Organization of Russian Academy of Sciences A. M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS, Moscow, Russia
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Received: 14 Jul 2009 – Discussion started: 02 Sep 2009 – Revised: 12 Nov 2009 – Accepted: 14 Nov 2009 – Published: 27 Nov 2009
In this paper, we discuss scintillation time-spectra of the double star α Cru, which were measured by the GOMOS/Envisat photometer. The components of α Cru are not resolved by the angular field of view of the detector. The double structure of the light source reveals itself in the modulation of the observed scintillation spectra; this modulation is caused by anisotropic irregularities of the stratospheric air density. We present a qualitative and quantitative explanation of the properties of the double-star scintillation spectra. Possibilities of using double star scintillations for studying atmospheric air density irregularities are also discussed in the paper.