EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Carbary et al. 2001
Carbary, J.F., Morrison, D. and Romick, G.J. (2001). Hemispheric comparison of PMC altitudes. Geophysical Research Letters 28: doi: 10.1029/2000GL012388. issn: 0094-8276.

A middle ultraviolet imager observed the vertical structure of polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) in the northern and southern polar regions during the austral summer of 1997--1998 and the arctic summer of 1999. During 23 transpolar passes, the imager obtained over 15,000 images at latitudes poleward of 55¿. The accuracy and stability of the satellite platform and the large database permit the first statistical investigation of the small scale (~1 km) altitude structure of PMCs on a transpolar scale. During a satellite pass over either polar region, PMCs clustered at different altitudes between 80 and 85 km. Southern clouds had a mean altitude of 83.2¿1.4 km above the Earth ellipsoid, while northern clouds had a mean altitude of 82.6¿1.3 km, so southern and northern clouds had the same altitudes to within statistical variations. The mean PMC altitude was 82.7¿1.3 km for both hemispheres. In neither hemisphere did cloud altitudes exhibit systematic variation with latitude. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Mesospheric dynamics, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Polar meteorology
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit