ANLC-93: Aircraft-Borne and Ground-Based Hydroxyl and NLC Measurements of Small and Large-Scale Dynamics in the Polar Summer Mesosphere

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As part of the Arctic Noctilucent Cloud Campaign-93, the PIs propose to make aircraft-borne and ground-based spectroscopic observations of the hydroxyl infrared nightglow as well as photographic observations of NLC. These will be done to investigate the residual gravity and planetary wave fields present during the Arctic summer and their possible relationship to the formation of mesospheric clouds. The intent is to measure the OH nightglow radiance and temperature from the NCAR aircraft. This will be done both to characterize the mesosphere in the NLC and PMC regions and to examine the relationship of the mesospheric clouds detected by the aircraft Lidar to the geographical characteristics of the OH gravity waves and planetary-scale disturbances. Next, the PIs propose to characterize the polar summer mesosphere throughout the campaign with observations of the OH nightglow radiance and temperature from ground stations located at about 60oN. These measurements will be used to examine the temporal behavior of gravity waves and planetary scale disturbances and will provide the context within which the aircraft data may be interpreted. Finally, the presence of NLC will be photographically documented over the ground stations in order to determine the occurrence frequency, extent, altitude and the structure and morphology of the NLC.