Southern Hemisphere Mid-Latitude Ground-Based Investigationsof the Dynamics and Thermodynamics of the Mesosphere and Thermosphere

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Investigation of the dynamics and thermodynamics of the upper atmosphere including the mesosphere and thermosphere must be done on a global scale because of the central importance of horizontal transport and coupling. Most of the studies to date have focused on the Northern Hemisphere, those in the Southern Hemisphere have been limited to Antarctica. This award is for studies of wind circulation in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. An optical high-resolution spectrometer will be placed and operated at the University of Canterbury's Mount John Astronomical Observatory (in New Zealand). This international collaboration between the University of Canterbury, Washington, and Alaska will study upper atmospheric dynamics of the transition region between mid and high latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. Observations obtained will be interpreted with the aid of simulation from NCAR time dependent coupled thermosphere and ionosphere global circulation model (TIGCM). *** //