TY - JOUR
T1 - Turbulence generated small-scale structures as PMWE formation mechanism
T2 - Results from a rocket campaign
AU - Staszak, Tristan
AU - Strelnikov, Boris
AU - Latteck, Ralph
AU - Renkwitz, Toralf
AU - Friedrich, Martin
AU - Baumgarten, Gerd
AU - Lübken, Franz Josef
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the German Space Agency ( DLR ) under grant 50OE1402 (project PMWE).
Funding Information:
This work was supported by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on the basis of decision by the German Bundestag ( DLR grant 50OE1402 , project PMWE). The authors thank DLR-MORABA for their excellent contribution to the project by developing the sophisticated PMWE payloads and campaign support together with the Andøya Space Center (ASC) , as well as H.-J. Heckl, T. Köpnick, and company vH&S GmbH for building the rocket instrumentation. EISCAT is an international association supported by research organizations in China ( CRIRP ), Finland ( SA ), Japan ( NIPR and ISEE ), Norway ( NFR ), Sweden ( VR ), and the United Kingdom ( UKRI ). Furthermore, we acknowledge the constructive comments of the two anonymous referees.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Simultaneous measurements of rocket-borne and ground-based instruments in a common volume were performed from Andøya, Norway (69° N, 16° E) in frame of the recent PMWE-project, devoted to clarify the formation mechanism behind polar mesosphere winter echoes (PMWE). This article focuses on measurements of April, 13th 2018. Despite low solar activity, we observe several radar echoes, giving the launch criterion. Combining precise in-situ ionization gauge and wave propagation measurements with ground-based radar measurements on 53.5 and 3.17 MHz, as well as lidar, we were able to measure key parameters of PMWE formation. Carefully analyzing the atmospheric background (i.e., temperature, viscosity, Brunt-Väisälä frequency, and scale heights of electron and neutral density), deriving turbulence parameters by means of radar and rocket, as well as estimating particle sizes of meteor smoke particles (MSP), we got a deep insight into the physical processes behind the PMWE phenomenon. Measurements clearly show that the coherent structures in refractive index variations (forming PMWE) are accompanied by neutral air turbulence, which is reflected in small-scale structures (down to some meters) of neutral and electron density. We analyze and discuss the temporal development of the radar echos by means of spectral width and wind measurements. We show that the behavior of the structures under investigation together with the atmospheric background is consistent with the interpretation, that PMWE were created by turbulence. Furthermore, it becomes clear that charged Meteor Smoke Particles (MSP) and background electron density can only enhance SNR, while turbulence is a prerequisite for their formation.
AB - Simultaneous measurements of rocket-borne and ground-based instruments in a common volume were performed from Andøya, Norway (69° N, 16° E) in frame of the recent PMWE-project, devoted to clarify the formation mechanism behind polar mesosphere winter echoes (PMWE). This article focuses on measurements of April, 13th 2018. Despite low solar activity, we observe several radar echoes, giving the launch criterion. Combining precise in-situ ionization gauge and wave propagation measurements with ground-based radar measurements on 53.5 and 3.17 MHz, as well as lidar, we were able to measure key parameters of PMWE formation. Carefully analyzing the atmospheric background (i.e., temperature, viscosity, Brunt-Väisälä frequency, and scale heights of electron and neutral density), deriving turbulence parameters by means of radar and rocket, as well as estimating particle sizes of meteor smoke particles (MSP), we got a deep insight into the physical processes behind the PMWE phenomenon. Measurements clearly show that the coherent structures in refractive index variations (forming PMWE) are accompanied by neutral air turbulence, which is reflected in small-scale structures (down to some meters) of neutral and electron density. We analyze and discuss the temporal development of the radar echos by means of spectral width and wind measurements. We show that the behavior of the structures under investigation together with the atmospheric background is consistent with the interpretation, that PMWE were created by turbulence. Furthermore, it becomes clear that charged Meteor Smoke Particles (MSP) and background electron density can only enhance SNR, while turbulence is a prerequisite for their formation.
KW - Ionosphere D-region
KW - Mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT)
KW - Meteor smoke particles (MSP)
KW - Polar mesosphere winter echos (PMWE)
KW - Radar scattering
KW - Sounding rocket
KW - Turbulence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100725910&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jastp.2021.105559
DO - 10.1016/j.jastp.2021.105559
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85100725910
SN - 1879-1824
VL - 217
JO - Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
JF - Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
M1 - 105559
ER -