TY - JOUR
T1 - Lidar observations of polar mesospheric clouds at South Pole
T2 - Diurnal variations
AU - Chu, Z.
AU - Gardner, C. S.
AU - Papen, G.
PY - 2001/5/15
Y1 - 2001/5/15
N2 - Polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) were observed by a ground-based Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar for 65 h on 17-19 and 24-26 January 2000 above the geographic South Pole. The mean PMC backscatter ratio, volume backscatter coefficient, total backscatter coefficient, layer centroid altitude, and layer rms width are 53.5, 2.9×10-9 m-1sr-1, 4.3×106 sr-1, 85.37 km, and 0.78 km, respectively. Strong semidiurnal and diurnal oscillations were observed in the PMC backscatter ratio, volume backscatter coefficient, total backscatter coefficient, and centroid altitude. The oscillations are all maximum around 0630 and 1900 UT. The variations appear to be linked to vertical advection of the PMC scattering layers by a persistent oscillation in the vertical wind velocity. Scattering is strongest when the PMCs are highest which suggests that the colder temperatures at higher altitudes near the mesopause facilitate the formation of larger PMC particles.
AB - Polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) were observed by a ground-based Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar for 65 h on 17-19 and 24-26 January 2000 above the geographic South Pole. The mean PMC backscatter ratio, volume backscatter coefficient, total backscatter coefficient, layer centroid altitude, and layer rms width are 53.5, 2.9×10-9 m-1sr-1, 4.3×106 sr-1, 85.37 km, and 0.78 km, respectively. Strong semidiurnal and diurnal oscillations were observed in the PMC backscatter ratio, volume backscatter coefficient, total backscatter coefficient, and centroid altitude. The oscillations are all maximum around 0630 and 1900 UT. The variations appear to be linked to vertical advection of the PMC scattering layers by a persistent oscillation in the vertical wind velocity. Scattering is strongest when the PMCs are highest which suggests that the colder temperatures at higher altitudes near the mesopause facilitate the formation of larger PMC particles.
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U2 - 10.1029/2000GL012525
DO - 10.1029/2000GL012525
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0035874424
SN - 0094-8276
VL - 28
SP - 1937
EP - 1940
JO - Geophysical Research Letters
JF - Geophysical Research Letters
IS - 10
ER -