CEDAR: The Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere Using the USU/CASS Atmospheric Lidar Observatory

研究人员使用大气激光雷达观测站将大气层的下部与上层中间层和下层热层相耦合。基于中平流层到低热层温度的激光雷达观测，强调了中上层和低热层之间的过渡区。使用一个更大的望远镜，他们能够精确地确定中上层的瑞利散射温度和时间分辨率，并将最大高度延伸到100公里以上。利用夜间平均激光雷达温度研究了过渡区的季节变化，特别是(1)87和102公里附近的中层顶高度和结构，(2)夏季高海拔逆温层(瑞利激光雷达)和近90公里逆温层(钠激光雷达)的关系，(3)中层逆温层在较高海拔的垂直波状现象。这些夜间时间变化(或它们的月平均值)考察了时间变化现象，例如潮汐和中层逆温层的向下/向上相进。

Researchers use the Atmospheric Lidar Observatory to couple lower portion of the atmosphere with the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. Based on lidar observations of mid-stratosphere to lower thermosphere temperatures, this emphasizes the transition region between the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. Using a much larger telescope, they're able to precisely determine Rayleigh-scatter temperatures and time resolution in the upper mesosphere, and extend maximum altitude above 100 kilometers. Nightly averaged lidar temperatures are used to study seasonal variations in the transition region, especially (1) the mesopause altitude and structure near 87 and 102 kilometers, (2) the relationship between high-altitude summer inversion layers (by Rayleigh lidar) and an inversion layer near 90 kilometers (by sodium lidar), (3) the behavior of vertical wave-like appearance of mesospheric inversion layers to higher altitudes. These nightly temporal variations (or their monthly averages) examine time-varying phenomena, such as tides and downward/upward phase progression of mesospheric inversion layers.