Articles | Volume 9, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-829-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-829-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Mar 2016
Research article |
| 03 Mar 2016
Coded continuous wave meteor radar
Juha Vierinen
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
MIT Haystack Observatory, Route 40 Westford, 01469 MA, USA
Jorge L. Chau
IAP, Kühlungsborn, Germany
Nico Pfeffer
IAP, Kühlungsborn, Germany
Matthias Clahsen
IAP, Kühlungsborn, Germany
Gunter Stober
IAP, Kühlungsborn, Germany
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We present the interannual and climatological behavior of ozone and water vapor from microwave radiometers in the Arctic.
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Gunter Stober, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Zishun Qiao, Witali Krochin, Guochun Shi, Johan Kero, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Kathrin Baumgarten, Evgenia Belova, and Nicholas Mitchell
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The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai volcanic eruption was one of the most vigorous volcanic explosions in the last centuries. The eruption launched many atmospheric waves traveling around the Earth. In this study, we identify these volcanic waves at the edge of space in the mesosphere/lower-thermosphere, leveraging wind observations conducted with multi-static meteor radars in northern Europe and with the Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR).
Gunter Stober, Alan Liu, Alexander Kozlovsky, Zishun Qiao, Ales Kuchar, Christoph Jacobi, Chris Meek, Diego Janches, Guiping Liu, Masaki Tsutsumi, Njål Gulbrandsen, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5769–5792, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5769-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5769-2022, 2022
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Precise and accurate measurements of vertical winds at the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are rare. Although meteor radars have been used for decades to observe horizontal winds, their ability to derive reliable vertical wind measurements was always questioned. In this article, we provide mathematical concepts to retrieve mathematically and physically consistent solutions, which are compared to the state-of-the-art non-hydrostatic model UA-ICON.
Witali Krochin, Francisco Navas-Guzmán, David Kuhl, Axel Murk, and Gunter Stober
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2231–2249, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2231-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2231-2022, 2022
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This study leverages atmospheric temperature measurements performed with a ground-based radiometer making use of data that was collected during a 4-year observational campaign applying a new retrieval algorithm that improves the maximal altitude range from 45 to 55 km. The measurements are validated against two independent data sets, MERRA2 reanalysis data and the meteorological analysis of NAVGEM-HA.
Sumanta Sarkhel, Gunter Stober, Jorge L. Chau, Steven M. Smith, Christoph Jacobi, Subarna Mondal, Martin G. Mlynczak, and James M. Russell III
Ann. Geophys., 40, 179–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-179-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-179-2022, 2022
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A rare gravity wave event was observed on the night of 25 April 2017 over northern Germany. An all-sky airglow imager recorded an upward-propagating wave at different altitudes in mesosphere with a prominent wave front above 91 km and faintly observed below. Based on wind and satellite-borne temperature profiles close to the event location, we have found the presence of a leaky thermal duct layer in 85–91 km. The appearance of this duct layer caused the wave amplitudes to diminish below 91 km.
Juliana Jaen, Toralf Renkwitz, Jorge L. Chau, Maosheng He, Peter Hoffmann, Yosuke Yamazaki, Christoph Jacobi, Masaki Tsutsumi, Vivien Matthias, and Chris Hall
Ann. Geophys., 40, 23–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-23-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-23-2022, 2022
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To study long-term trends in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (70–100 km), we established two summer length definitions and analyzed the variability over the years (2004–2020). After the analysis, we found significant trends in the summer beginning of one definition. Furthermore, we were able to extend one of the time series up to 31 years and obtained evidence of non-uniform trends and periodicities similar to those known for the quasi-biennial oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
Christoph Jacobi, Friederike Lilienthal, Dmitry Korotyshkin, Evgeny Merzlyakov, and Gunter Stober
Adv. Radio Sci., 19, 185–193, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-19-185-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-19-185-2021, 2021
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We compare winds and tidal amplitudes in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere region for cases with disturbed and undisturbed geomagnetic conditions. The zonal winds in both the mesosphere and lower thermosphere tend to be weaker during disturbed conditions. The summer equatorward meridional wind jet is weaker for disturbed geomagnetic conditions. The effect of geomagnetic variability on tidal amplitudes, except for the semidiurnal tide, is relatively small.
Ryan Volz, Jorge L. Chau, Philip J. Erickson, Juha P. Vierinen, J. Miguel Urco, and Matthias Clahsen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7199–7219, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7199-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7199-2021, 2021
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We introduce a new way of estimating winds in the upper atmosphere (about 80 to 100 km in altitude) from the observed Doppler shift of meteor trails using a statistical method called Gaussian process regression. Wind estimates and, critically, the uncertainty of those estimates can be evaluated smoothly (i.e., not gridded) in space and time. The effective resolution is set by provided parameters, which are limited in practice by the number density of the observed meteors.
Gunter Stober, Alexander Kozlovsky, Alan Liu, Zishun Qiao, Masaki Tsutsumi, Chris Hall, Satonori Nozawa, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, Patrick J. Espy, Robert E. Hibbins, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6509–6532, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6509-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6509-2021, 2021
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Wind observations at the edge to space, 70–110 km altitude, are challenging. Meteor radars have become a widely used instrument to obtain mean wind profiles above an instrument for these heights. We describe an advanced mathematical concept and present a tomographic analysis using several meteor radars located in Finland, Sweden and Norway, as well as Chile, to derive the three-dimensional flow field. We show an example of a gravity wave decelerating the mean flow.
Gunter Stober, Ales Kuchar, Dimitry Pokhotelov, Huixin Liu, Han-Li Liu, Hauke Schmidt, Christoph Jacobi, Kathrin Baumgarten, Peter Brown, Diego Janches, Damian Murphy, Alexander Kozlovsky, Mark Lester, Evgenia Belova, Johan Kero, and Nicholas Mitchell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13855–13902, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13855-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13855-2021, 2021
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Little is known about the climate change of wind systems in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere at the edge of space at altitudes from 70–110 km. Meteor radars represent a well-accepted remote sensing technique to measure winds at these altitudes. Here we present a state-of-the-art climatological interhemispheric comparison using continuous and long-lasting observations from worldwide distributed meteor radars from the Arctic to the Antarctic and sophisticated general circulation models.
Fabio Vargas, Jorge L. Chau, Harikrishnan Charuvil Asokan, and Michael Gerding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13631–13654, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13631-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13631-2021, 2021
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We study large- and small-scale gravity wave cases observed in both airglow imagery and meteor radar data obtained during the SIMONe campaign carried out in early November 2018. We calculate the intrinsic features of several waves and estimate their impact in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region via transferring energy and momentum to the atmosphere. We also associate cases of large-scale waves with secondary wave generation in the stratosphere.
Johann Stamm, Juha Vierinen, Juan M. Urco, Björn Gustavsson, and Jorge L. Chau
Ann. Geophys., 39, 119–134, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-119-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-119-2021, 2021
Gunter Stober, Diego Janches, Vivien Matthias, Dave Fritts, John Marino, Tracy Moffat-Griffin, Kathrin Baumgarten, Wonseok Lee, Damian Murphy, Yong Ha Kim, Nicholas Mitchell, and Scott Palo
Ann. Geophys., 39, 1–29, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-1-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-1-2021, 2021
Harikrishnan Charuvil Asokan, Jorge L. Chau, Raffaele Marino, Juha Vierinen, Fabio Vargas, Juan Miguel Urco, Matthias Clahsen, and Christoph Jacobi
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2020-974, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2020-974, 2020
Preprint withdrawn
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This paper explores the dynamics of gravity waves and turbulence present in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region. We utilized two different techniques on meteor radar observations and simulations to obtain power spectra at different horizontal scales. The techniques are applied to a special campaign conducted in northern Germany in November 2018. The study revealed the dominance of large-scale structures with horizontal scales larger than 500 km during the campaign period.
Gunter Stober, Kathrin Baumgarten, John P. McCormack, Peter Brown, and Jerry Czarnecki
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 11979–12010, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11979-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11979-2020, 2020
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This paper presents a first cross-comparison of meteor ground-based observations and a meteorological analysis (NAVGEM-HA) to compare a seasonal climatology of winds and temperatures at the mesosphere/lower thermosphere. The validation is insofar unique as we not only compare the mean state but also provide a detailed comparison of the short time variability of atmospheric tidal waves. Our analysis questions previous results claiming the importance of lunar tides.
Leonie Bernet, Elmar Brockmann, Thomas von Clarmann, Niklaus Kämpfer, Emmanuel Mahieu, Christian Mätzler, Gunter Stober, and Klemens Hocke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 11223–11244, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11223-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11223-2020, 2020
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With global warming, water vapour increases in the atmosphere. Water vapour is an important gas because it is a natural greenhouse gas and affects the formation of clouds, rain and snow. How much water vapour increases can vary in different regions of the world. To verify if it increases as expected on a regional scale, we analysed water vapour measurements in Switzerland. We found that water vapour generally increases as expected from temperature changes, except in winter.
Franziska Schranz, Jonas Hagen, Gunter Stober, Klemens Hocke, Axel Murk, and Niklaus Kämpfer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 10791–10806, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-10791-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-10791-2020, 2020
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We measured middle-atmospheric ozone, water vapour and zonal and meridional wind with two ground-based microwave radiometers which are located at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, in the Arctic. In this article we present measurements of the small-scale horizontal ozone gradients during winter 2018/2019. We found a distinct seasonal variation of the ozone gradients which is linked to the planetary wave activity. We further present the signatures of the SSW in the ozone, water vapour and wind measurements.
Jonas Hagen, Klemens Hocke, Gunter Stober, Simon Pfreundschuh, Axel Murk, and Niklaus Kämpfer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 2367–2386, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2367-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2367-2020, 2020
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The middle atmosphere (30 to 70 km altitude) is stratified and, despite very strong horizontal winds, there is less mixing between the horizontal layers. An important driver for the energy exchange between the layers in this regime is atmospheric tides, which are waves that are driven by the diurnal cycle of solar heating. We measure these tides in the wind field for the first time using a ground-based passive instrument. Ultimately, such measurements could be used to improve atmospheric models.
Sven Wilhelm, Gunter Stober, and Peter Brown
Ann. Geophys., 37, 851–875, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-851-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-851-2019, 2019
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We report on long-term observations of atmospheric parameters in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere made over the last 2 decades for the northern-latitude locations of Andenes, Juliusruh, and Tavistock. The observations are based on meteor wind measurements and further include the long-term variability of winds, tides, and the kinetic energy of gravity waves and planetary waves. Furthermore, the influence on an 11-year oscillation on the winds and tides is presented.
Kathrin Baumgarten and Gunter Stober
Ann. Geophys., 37, 581–602, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-581-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-581-2019, 2019
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The paper presents the variability in thermal tides in the middle atmosphere from temperature observations as well as from horizontal wind data using a new diagnostic approach which takes into account a possible intermittency of tides. The data are analyzed from a local as well as from a global perspective to distinguish between different tidal modes. Surprisingly, there are dominating tidal modes, which are seen in the local data, and a phase relation between temperature and winds is evaluated.
Maosheng He and Jorge Luis Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5993–6006, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5993-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5993-2019, 2019
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We propose an approach to resolve waves with multiple spatial scales at a given frequency using ground-based detectors from few longitudinal sectors. The approach is used to investigate near-12 h waves. Results suggest that broadly reported enhancements of two solar nonmigrating tides during sudden stratospheric warming events are just low-frequency-resolved signatures of two neighboring waves. The tides do not enhance.
Dimitry Pokhotelov, Gunter Stober, and Jorge Luis Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5251–5258, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5251-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5251-2019, 2019
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Twelve years of radar observations from a mid-latitude location in Kühlungsborn, Germany have been analysed to study characteristics of mesospheric summer echoes (MSEs). The statistical analysis shows that MSEs have a strong daytime preference and early summer seasonal preference. It is demonstrated that the meridional wind transport from polar regions is the important controlling factor for MSEs, while no clear connection to geomagnetic and solar activity is found.
Fazlul I. Laskar, Gunter Stober, Jens Fiedler, Meers M. Oppenheim, Jorge L. Chau, Duggirala Pallamraju, Nicholas M. Pedatella, Masaki Tsutsumi, and Toralf Renkwitz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5259–5267, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5259-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5259-2019, 2019
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Meteor radars are used to track and estimate the fading time of meteor trails. In this investigation, it is observed that the diffusion time estimated from such trail fading time is anomalously higher during noctilucent clouds (NLC) than that in its absence. We propose that NLC particles absorb background electrons and thus modify the background electrodynamics, leading to such an anomaly.
Jorge Luis Chau, Juan Miguel Urco, Juha Pekka Vierinen, Ryan Andrew Volz, Matthias Clahsen, Nico Pfeffer, and Jörg Trautner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 2113–2127, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2113-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2113-2019, 2019
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New systems to study the mesosphere are introduced. They result from the reengineering of previous systems, by making use of MIMO, spread-spectrum and compressed-sensing techniques that are widely used in telecommunications. The interferometer configuration is now implemented in transmission, making the location of meteor echoes possible with just one antenna on reception. Our novel concept makes the study of a mesosphere volume from different viewing points on the ground feasible and easy.
Nikoloz Gudadze, Gunter Stober, and Jorge L. Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4485–4497, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4485-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4485-2019, 2019
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We show a possibility of measuring mean vertical winds during the summer months using polar mesosphere summer echo (PMSE) observations. Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System observations of PMSE five-beam radial velocities are analysed to obtain the results. We found that sampling issues are the reason for bias in vertical wind measurements at the edges of PMSE altitudes. However, the PMSE is a good tracer for the mean vertical wind estimation at the central altitudes with its peak occurrence.
Juan Miguel Urco, Jorge Luis Chau, Tobias Weber, and Ralph Latteck
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 955–969, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-955-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-955-2019, 2019
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For decades, radar observations have been used to study complicated atmospheric dynamics. Previous observations of the mesosphere, between 80 and 90 km altitude, over polar regions have been limited to a spatial resolution of a few kilometers. In this work, we present a technique which allows 3-D radar observations of the mesospheric dynamics, with an unprecedented spatial resolution of ~ 900 m. We combine the concept of MIMO and high-resolution algorithms to improve the spatial resolution.
Sven Wilhelm, Gunter Stober, Vivien Matthias, Christoph Jacobi, and Damian J. Murphy
Ann. Geophys., 37, 1–14, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-1-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-1-2019, 2019
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This study shows that the mesospheric winds are affected by an expansion–shrinking of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere that takes place due to changes in the intensity of the solar radiation, which affects the density within the atmosphere. On seasonal timescales, an increase in the neutral density occurs together with a decrease in the eastward-directed zonal wind. Further, even after removing the seasonal and the 11-year solar cycle variations, we show a connection between them.
Michael Gerding, Jochen Zöllner, Marius Zecha, Kathrin Baumgarten, Josef Höffner, Gunter Stober, and Franz-Josef Lübken
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 15569–15580, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15569-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15569-2018, 2018
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We describe the first comparative study of noctilucent clouds (NLCs) and mesospheric summer echoes at midlatitudes. Therefore, this study compares fresh clouds (small particles) with fully evolved clouds in the mesosphere, hinting at their evolution. It is shown that, in contrast to higher latitudes, here only a thin layer of fresh particles exist above the NLCs. This gives evidence that NLCs are not formed locally but are typically advected. This needs to be acknowledged in trend studies.
Gunter Stober, Jorge L. Chau, Juha Vierinen, Christoph Jacobi, and Sven Wilhelm
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 4891–4907, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-4891-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-4891-2018, 2018
J. Federico Conte, Jorge L. Chau, Fazlul I. Laskar, Gunter Stober, Hauke Schmidt, and Peter Brown
Ann. Geophys., 36, 999–1008, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-999-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-999-2018, 2018
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Based on comparisons of meteor radar measurements with HAMMONIA model simulations, we show that the differences exhibited by the semidiurnal solar tide (S2) observed at middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere between equinox times are mainly due to distinct behaviors of the migrating semidiurnal (SW2) and the non-migrating westward-propagating wave number 1 semidiurnal (SW1) tidal components.
Jorge L. Chau, Derek McKay, Juha P. Vierinen, Cesar La Hoz, Thomas Ulich, Markku Lehtinen, and Ralph Latteck
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 9547–9560, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9547-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9547-2018, 2018
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Combining a phased-array power radar and a phased-array radio telescope, we have been able to identify and characterized horizontal structures and movement of noctilucent clouds, but at 3 m scales instead of optical scales. As a byproduct of our observations, we have studied their angular dependence. We show a new alternative to study these clouds on routine basis and therefore study the atmospheric dynamics that modulate them.
Dimitry Pokhotelov, Erich Becker, Gunter Stober, and Jorge L. Chau
Ann. Geophys., 36, 825–830, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-825-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-825-2018, 2018
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Atmospheric tides are produced by solar heating of the lower atmosphere. The tides propagate to the upper atmosphere and ionosphere playing an important role in the vertical coupling. Ground radar measurements of the seasonal variability of tides are compared with global numerical simulations. The agreement with radar data and limitations of the numerical model are discussed. The work represents a first step in modelling the impact of tidal dynamics on the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.
Sabine Wüst, Thomas Offenwanger, Carsten Schmidt, Michael Bittner, Christoph Jacobi, Gunter Stober, Jeng-Hwa Yee, Martin G. Mlynczak, and James M. Russell III
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 2937–2947, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2937-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2937-2018, 2018
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OH*-spectrometer measurements allow the analysis of gravity wave ground-based periods, but spatial information cannot necessarily be deduced. We combine the approach of Wachter at al. (2015) in order to derive horizontal wavelengths (but based on only one OH* spectrometer) with additional information about wind and temperature and compute vertical wavelengths. Knowledge of these parameters is a precondition for the calculation of further information such as the wave group velocity.
Gunter Stober, Svenja Sommer, Carsten Schult, Ralph Latteck, and Jorge L. Chau
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6721–6732, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6721-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6721-2018, 2018
Rolf Rüfenacht, Gerd Baumgarten, Jens Hildebrand, Franziska Schranz, Vivien Matthias, Gunter Stober, Franz-Josef Lübken, and Niklaus Kämpfer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 1971–1987, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1971-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1971-2018, 2018
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Wind information throughout the middle-atmosphere is crucial for the understanding of atmospheric dynamics but became available only recently, thanks to developments in remote sensing and modelling approaches. We present the first thorough assessment of the quality of the wind estimates by comparing co-located observations from lidar and microwave radiometry and opposing them to the major atmospheric models. Moreover we evaluated a new approach for measuring mesopause region wind by radiometry.
Qiang Li, Markus Rapp, Gunter Stober, and Ralph Latteck
Ann. Geophys., 36, 577–586, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-577-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-577-2018, 2018
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With the powerful MAARSY radar, we detected 3D wind fields and the vertical winds show a non-Gaussian distribution. We further obtained the frequency spectrum of vertical wind. The distribution of the spectral slopes under different wind conditions is derived and their comparisons with the background horizontal winds show that the spectra become steeper with increasing wind velocities under quiet conditions, approach a slope of −5/3 at 10 m/s and then maintain this slope for even stronger winds.
Sven Wilhelm, Gunter Stober, and Jorge L. Chau
Ann. Geophys., 35, 893–906, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-893-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-893-2017, 2017
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A comparison between winds and tides in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere based on measurements from a meteor radar (MR) and a medium-frequency radar in northern Norway was done to estimate potential biases between the two systems. Our results indicate reasonable agreement for the zonal and meridional wind components between 78 and 92 km. Based on these findings, we have taken the MR data as a reference and thus construct a consistent and homogenous wind from approximately 60 to 110 km.
Gunter Stober, Vivien Matthias, Christoph Jacobi, Sven Wilhelm, Josef Höffner, and Jorge L. Chau
Ann. Geophys., 35, 711–720, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-711-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-711-2017, 2017
Svenja Sommer and Jorge L. Chau
Ann. Geophys., 34, 1231–1241, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1231-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1231-2016, 2016
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Radar echoes from mesospheric altitudes (80–90 km) are called polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSEs). These echoes can be used to derive wind velocities and turbulence strength estimations in a region where measurements are hard to perform. The small-scale structure of PMSEs has not been analysed before but, as we will show, has a major influence on wind and turbulence measurements. We also present a method to improve these measurements by using software beam-steering methods.
Qiang Li, Markus Rapp, Anne Schrön, Andreas Schneider, and Gunter Stober
Ann. Geophys., 34, 1209–1229, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1209-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-34-1209-2016, 2016
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Turbulence is an essential process in the atmosphere and ocean. Clear-air turbulence is a well-known threat for the safety of aviation. Using a powerful MST radar, we detected turbulence and compared it with the results from radiosondes. The correlation between turbulence and background conditions, e.g., Richardson number and wind shears, is determined. There is a nearly negative correlation between turbulence and Richardson number independent of the length scale over which it was calculated.
Ch. Jacobi, N. Samtleben, and G. Stober
Adv. Radio Sci., 14, 169–174, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-14-169-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-14-169-2016, 2016
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VHF meteor radar observations of mesosphere/lower thermosphere daily temperatures have been performed at Collm, Germany. The data have been analyzed with respect to long-period oscillations at time scales of 2 to 30 days. The results reveal that oscillations with periods of up to 6 days are more frequently observed during summer, while those with longer periods have larger amplitudes during winter. The results are comparable with analyses from radar wind measurements.
Johannes Norberg, Ilkka I. Virtanen, Lassi Roininen, Juha Vierinen, Mikko Orispää, Kirsti Kauristie, and Markku S. Lehtinen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1859–1869, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1859-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1859-2016, 2016
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We validate 2-D ionospheric tomography reconstructions against EISCAT incoherent scatter radar measurements. The method is based on Bayesian statistical inversion. We employ ionosonde measurements for the choice of the prior distribution parameters and use a sparse matrix approximation for the computations. This results in a computationally efficient tomography algorithm with clear probabilistic interpretation. We find that ionosonde measurements improve the reconstruction significantly.
Juha Vierinen, Anthea J. Coster, William C. Rideout, Philip J. Erickson, and Johannes Norberg
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1303–1312, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1303-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-1303-2016, 2016
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We present a statistical framework for estimating GNSS receiver bias by using a weighted linear least squares of independent differences (WLLSID) model to examine differences of a large number of TEC measurements. This allows a consistent way for treating elevation-dependent model errors and spatiotemporal distance-dependent geophysical differences arising in ionospheric GNSS measurements. The method is also applicable to other GNSS system than GPS, supporting, e.g., GLONASS.
T. Renkwitz, C. Schult, R. Latteck, and G. Stober
Adv. Radio Sci., 13, 41–48, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-13-41-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-13-41-2015, 2015
S. Sommer, G. Stober, J. L. Chau, and R. Latteck
Adv. Radio Sci., 12, 197–203, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-12-197-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-12-197-2014, 2014
G. Stober, S. Sommer, M. Rapp, and R. Latteck
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2893–2905, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2893-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2893-2013, 2013
C. Schult, G. Stober, J. L. Chau, and R. Latteck
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1843–1851, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1843-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1843-2013, 2013
V. Matthias, P. Hoffmann, A. Manson, C. Meek, G. Stober, P. Brown, and M. Rapp
Ann. Geophys., 31, 1397–1415, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1397-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1397-2013, 2013
G. Stober, C. Schult, C. Baumann, R. Latteck, and M. Rapp
Ann. Geophys., 31, 473–487, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-473-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-473-2013, 2013
T. Dunker, U.-P. Hoppe, G. Stober, and M. Rapp
Ann. Geophys., 31, 61–73, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-61-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-61-2013, 2013
M. Rapp, J. M. C. Plane, B. Strelnikov, G. Stober, S. Ernst, J. Hedin, M. Friedrich, and U.-P. Hoppe
Ann. Geophys., 30, 1661–1673, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-1661-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-1661-2012, 2012
Related subject area
Subject: Others (Wind, Precipitation, Temperature, etc.) | Technique: Remote Sensing | Topic: Instruments and Platforms
The Atmospheric Sounder Spectrometer by Infrared Spectral Technology (ASSIST): instrument design and signal processing
Characterization of surface clutter signal in the presence of orography for a spaceborne conically scanning W-band Doppler radar
Spectral performance analysis of the Fizeau interferometer on board ESA's Aeolus wind lidar satellite
The Arctic Weather Satellite radiometer
Tracking traveling ionospheric disturbances through Doppler-shifted AM radio transmissions
Instrument uncertainties of network-suitable ground-based microwave radiometers: overview, quantification, and mitigation strategies
Calibration of Weather Radars with a Target Simulator
Feasibility of a space-borne terahertz heterodyne spectrometer for atomic oxygen and temperature in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere
Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR): multi-static system configuration and wind comparison with co-located lidar
ScintPi measurements of low-latitude ionospheric irregularity drifts using the spaced-receiver technique and SBAS signals
Quantitative error analysis of polarimetric phased-array radar weather measurements to reveal radar performance and configuration potential
Optimization of a direct-detection UV wind lidar architecture for 3D wind reconstruction at high altitude
The GRAS-2 radio occultation mission
Exploring the Potential of Aerial and Balloon-Based Observations in the Study of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes
The ALOMAR Rayleigh/Mie/Raman lidar: status after 30 years of operation
The Far-INfrarEd Spectrometer for Surface Emissivity (FINESSE) – Part 1: Instrument description and level 1 radiances
Evaluation of the effects of different lightning protection rods on the data quality of C-band weather radars
Wind comparisons between meteor radar and Doppler shifts in airglow emissions using field-widened Michelson interferometers
A new dual-frequency stratospheric–tropospheric and meteor radar: system description and first results
The Doppler wind, temperature, and aerosol RMR lidar system at Kühlungsborn, Germany – Part 1: Technical specifications and capabilities
Directly measuring the power-law exponent and kinetic energy of atmospheric turbulence using coherent Doppler wind lidar
3D wind observations with a compact mobile lidar based on tropo- and stratospheric aerosol backscatter
A novel infrared imager for studies of hydroxyl and oxygen nightglow emissions in the mesopause above northern Scandinavia
Absolute radiance calibration in the UV and visible spectral range using atmospheric observations during twilight
Measurement uncertainties of scanning microwave radiometers and their influence on temperature profiling
Advancing airborne Doppler lidar wind profiling in turbulent boundary layer flow – an LES-based optimization of traditional scanning-beam versus novel fixed-beam measurement systems
Observing atmospheric convection with dual-scanning lidars
Evaluation of error components in rainfall retrieval from collocated commercial microwave links
In-orbit cross-calibration of millimeter conically scanning spaceborne radars
The Far-Infrared Radiation Mobile Observation System (FIRMOS) for spectral characterization of the atmospheric emission
Calibrating radar wind profiler reflectivity factor using surface disdrometer observations
Pseudorandom modulation continuous-wave narrowband sodium temperature and wind lidar
Stratospheric temperature measurements from nanosatellite stellar occultation observations of refractive bending
Airborne coherent wind lidar measurements of the momentum flux profile from orographically induced gravity waves
GNSS radio occultation soundings from commercial off-the-shelf receivers on board balloon platforms
Complementarity of wind measurements from co-located X-band weather radar and Doppler lidar
Evaluation of the New York State Mesonet Profiler Network data
Quantification of motion-induced measurement error on floating lidar systems
Observation error analysis for the WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscope W-band Doppler conically scanning spaceborne radar via end-to-end simulations
Evaluating convective planetary boundary layer height estimations resolved by both active and passive remote sensing instruments during the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign
Atmospheric precipitable water vapor and its correlation with clear-sky infrared temperature observations
Spectral performance analysis of the Aeolus Fabry–Pérot and Fizeau interferometers during the first years of operation
Moderate spectral resolution solar irradiance measurements, aerosol optical depth, and solar transmission, from 360 to 1070 nm, using the refurbished rotating shadow band spectroradiometer (RSS)
Mitigation of bias sources for atmospheric temperature and humidity in the mobile Raman Weather and Aerosol Lidar (WALI)
Gravity wave instability structures and turbulence from more than 1.5 years of OH* airglow imager observations in Slovenia
ALADIN laser frequency stability and its impact on the Aeolus wind error
A compact static birefringent interferometer for the measurement of upper atmospheric winds: concept, design and lab performance
The COTUR project: remote sensing of offshore turbulence for wind energy application
Characterization of dark current signal measurements of the ACCDs used on board the Aeolus satellite
Relationship between wind observation accuracy and the ascending node of the sun-synchronous orbit for the Aeolus-type spaceborne Doppler wind lidar
Vincent Michaud-Belleau, Michel Gaudreau, Jean Lacoursière, Éric Boisvert, Lalaina Ravelomanantsoa, David D. Turner, and Luc Rochette
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3585–3609, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3585-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3585-2025, 2025
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The Atmospheric Sounder Spectrometer by Infrared Spectral Technology (ASSIST) is a commercially available ground-based infrared spectroradiometer. It is designed for automated and passive measurement of the thermal radiation emitted by the atmosphere, providing information about the vertical distribution of temperature and humidity, trace gases, clouds, and aerosols in the boundary layer. In this paper, we outline the key characteristics of the ASSIST hardware and signal processing algorithm that yields downwelling radiance spectra in near real-time.
Francesco Manconi, Alessandro Battaglia, and Pavlos Kollias
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 2295–2310, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2295-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2295-2025, 2025
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The paper aims to study the ground reflection, or clutter, of the signal from a spaceborne radar in the context of ESA's WIVERN (WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscop) mission, which will observe in-cloud winds. Using topography and land type data, with a model of the satellite orbit and rotating antenna, simulations of scans have been run over the Piedmont region of Italy. These measurements cover the full range of the ground clutter over land for WIVERN and have allowed for analyses of the precision and accuracy of velocity observations.
Michael Vaughan, Kevin Ridley, Benjamin Witschas, Oliver Lux, Ines Nikolaus, and Oliver Reitebuch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 2149–2181, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2149-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2149-2025, 2025
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ESA's Aeolus mission, launched in 2018, has exceeded expectations, providing valuable global wind lidar data for nearly 5 years. Its data have improved weather forecasting, with Mie-cloudy winds proving to be especially precise. Challenges have emerged, such as unexpected misalignments in signal angles and reduced signal levels due to beam clipping and laser issues. Lessons from Aeolus highlight the need for better optical alignment and active control systems for future lidar missions.
Patrick Eriksson, Anders Emrich, Kalle Kempe, Johan Riesbeck, Alhassan Aljarosha, Olivier Auriacombe, Joakim Kugelberg, Enne Hekma, Roland Albers, Axel Murk, Søren Møller Pedersen, Laurenz John, Jan Stake, Peter McEvoy, Bengt Rydberg, Adam Dybbroe, Anke Thoss, Alessio Canestri, Christophe Accadia, Paolo Colucci, Daniele Gherardi, and Ville Kangas
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1769, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1769, 2025
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The Arctic Weather Satellite (AWS), developed by the European Space Agency, highlights a new approach in satellite design, aiming to expand the network of operational microwave sensors cost-effectively. Launched in August 2024, AWS features a 19-channel microwave cross-track radiometer. Notably, it introduces groundbreaking channels at 325.15 GHz. In addition, AWS acts as the stepping stone to a suggested constellation of satellites, denoted as EUMETSAT Polar System Sterna.
Claire C. Trop, James LaBelle, Philip J. Erickson, Shun-Rong Zhang, David McGaw, and Terrence Kovacs
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1909–1925, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1909-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1909-2025, 2025
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Traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) are manifestations of atmospheric waves that are significant for the transfer of energy and momentum between atmospheric layers and regions. This work demonstrates that velocities and directions of TIDs can be measured by monitoring the tiny shift in frequency of AM radio signals when they reflect from a moving ionosphere and that this method can be scaled to use large numbers of radio receivers and transmitters to monitor TIDs on a continental scale.
Tobias Böck, Moritz Löffler, Tobias Marke, Bernhard Pospichal, Christine Knist, and Ulrich Löhnert
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1727, 2025
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We investigated how accurate modern ground-based weather sensors are in measuring temperature and humidity within the lower atmosphere. We identified different types of small but important measurement errors inherent to the instrument. Understanding these issues helps improve data quality and supports better short-term weather forecasts using sensor networks across Europe.
Marc Schneebeli, Andreas Leuenberger, Philipp J. Schmid, Jacopo Grazioli, Heather Corden, Alexis Berne, Patrick Kennedy, Jim George, Francesc Junyent, and V. Chandrasekar
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1702, 2025
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A new technique for the end-to-end calibration of weather radars is introduced. Highly precise artificial radar targets are generated with a radar target simulator and serve as a calibration reference for weather radar observables like reflectivity and Doppler velocity. The system allows to investigate and correct any biases associated with weather radar observations.
Peder Bagge Hansen, Martin Wienold, and Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3648, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3648, 2025
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In this numerical study, we assess the feasibility of a satellite-borne instrument for measuring the atomic oxygen concentration and temperature in the upper atmosphere by detecting its emission in the terahertz range. We simulate the measurement scenario considering technological feasibility and state-of-the-art atmosphere models. We find that both atomic oxygen and temperature could be accurately measured from an altitude of 100 km up to at least 200 km with such an instrument.
Zishun Qiao, Alan Z. Liu, Gunter Stober, Javier Fuentes, Fabio Vargas, Christian L. Adami, and Iain M. Reid
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1091–1104, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1091-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1091-2025, 2025
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This paper describes the installation of the Chilean Observation Network De Meteor Radars (CONDOR) and its initial results. The routine winds are point-to-point comparable to the co-located lidar winds. The retrievals of spatially resolved horizontal wind fields and vertical winds are also facilitated, benefiting from the extensive meteor detections. The successful deployment and maintenance of CONDOR provide 24/7 and state-of-the-art wind measurements to the research community.
Josemaria Gomez Socola, Fabiano S. Rodrigues, Isaac G. Wright, Igo Paulino, and Ricardo Buriti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 909–919, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-909-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-909-2025, 2025
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New low-cost, off-the-shelf Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers enable the estimation of zonal ionospheric irregularity drifts using the scintillation spaced-receiver technique, previously tested only with commercial GNSS receivers. Despite their low C/No resolution (1 dB-Hz), we demonstrate that the recorded raw data can be used to estimate irregularity drifts. Further, our observations are consistent with the behavior of an empirical model of the thermospheric winds (HMW14).
Junho Ho, Zhe Li, and Guifu Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 619–638, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-619-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-619-2025, 2025
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This study quantitatively analyzes and compares weather measurements from planar (PPPAR) and cylindrical polarimetric phased-array radars (CPPARs). It examines data quality and potential problems and clarifies misunderstandings between configurations. The findings highlight 2D PPPARs' challenges in making accurate weather measurements when the beam steers off broadside. The CPPAR shows promise in obtaining high-quality polarimetric data due to its azimuthal scan-invariant beam characteristics.
Thibault Boulant, Tomline Michel, and Matthieu Valla
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 7049–7064, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-7049-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-7049-2024, 2024
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This paper presents a design of a UV wind lidar, made with a UV fiber laser and a Quadri Mach-Zehnder interferometer as a spectral analyzer, used to measure the wind in front of future low-consumption aircraft. The article details the optimization of the different elements of the instrument with simulations. This paper also presents a method to optimize laser angles for determining wind direction and strength and shows a 50 % improvement over the current angles used.
Joel Rasch, Anders Carlström, Jacob Christensen, and Thomas Liljegren
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6213–6222, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6213-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6213-2024, 2024
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Soon the MetOp Second Generation (Metop-SG) series of polar orbiting meteorological satellites will be launched. On these satellites, the GRAS-2 instrument will be mounted. It will provide GNSS radio occultation measurements with unsurpassed accuracy. The occultation measurements are used routinely for numerical weather prognosis, i.e. predicting the weather. In this paper, we describe the design of this new instrument and the novel methods developed to process the data.
Marek Sommer, Tomáš Czakoj, Iva Ambrožová, Martin Kákona, Olena Velychko, and Ondřej Ploc
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2789, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2789, 2024
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This work studies powerful bursts of radiation, called Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes, which happen during thunderstorms. It explores the use of planes and weather balloons as platforms for radiation detectors to gather data about this phenomenon. Using computer simulations, it was found that balloons might work better for high-altitude storms, while planes could be useful for lower ones. Moreover, the influence of the Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash strength and its altitude of origin was revealed.
Jens Fiedler and Gerd Baumgarten
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 5841–5859, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5841-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5841-2024, 2024
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This article describes the current status of a lidar installed at ALOMAR in northern Norway. It has investigated the Arctic middle atmosphere on a climatological basis for 30 years. We discuss major upgrades of the system implemented during recent years, including methods for reliable remote operation of this complex lidar. We also show examples that illustrate the performance of the lidar during measurements at different altitude ranges and timescales.
Jonathan E. Murray, Laura Warwick, Helen Brindley, Alan Last, Patrick Quigley, Andy Rochester, Alexander Dewar, and Daniel Cummins
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4757–4775, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4757-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4757-2024, 2024
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The Far INfrarEd Spectrometer for Surface Emissivity, FINESSE, is designed to measure the ability of natural surfaces to emit infrared radiation. FINESSE combines a commercial instrument with custom-built optics to view a surface from different angles with complementary views of the sky. Its choice of internal components means it can cover a wide range of wavelengths, extending into the far-infrared. We characterize FINESSE’s uncertainty budget and provide examples of its measurement capability.
Cornelius Hald, Maximilian Schaper, Annette Böhm, Michael Frech, Jan Petersen, Bertram Lange, and Benjamin Rohrdantz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4695–4707, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, 2024
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Weather radars should use lightning protection to be safe from damage, but the rods can reduce the quality of the radar measurements. This study presents three new solutions for lightning protection for weather radars and evaluates their influence on data quality. The results are compared to the current system. All tested ones have very little effect on data, and a new lightning protection system with four rods is recommended for the German Meteorological Service.
Samuel K. Kristoffersen, William E. Ward, and Chris E. Meek
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3995–4014, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3995-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3995-2024, 2024
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In this paper, the relationship between observations from two instruments, a meteor radar and a field-widened Michelson interferometer (ERWIN) which provide complementary information on this region, is investigated. On average the ratio of ERWIN winds to meteor radar winds is ∼ 0.7. Differences between the wind observations may be caused by variations in the airglow brightness associated with dissipating gravity waves.
Qingchen Xu, Iain Murray Reid, Bing Cai, Christian Adami, Zengmao Zhang, Mingliang Zhao, and Wen Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2957–2975, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2957-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2957-2024, 2024
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To have better understanding of the dynamics of the lower and middle atmosphere, we installed a newly designed dual-frequency radar system that uses 53.8 MHz for near-ground to 20 km wind measurements and 35.0 MHz for 70 to 100 km wind measurements. The initial results show its good performance, along with the analysis of typical winter gravity wave activities.
Michael Gerding, Robin Wing, Eframir Franco-Diaz, Gerd Baumgarten, Jens Fiedler, Torsten Köpnick, and Reik Ostermann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2789–2809, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2789-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2789-2024, 2024
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This paper describes a new lidar system developed in Germany intended to study wind and temperature at night in the middle atmosphere. The paper explains how we have set up the system to work automatically and gives technical details for anyone who wants to build a similar system. We present a case study showing temperatures and winds at different altitudes. In a future article, we will present how we process the data and deal with uncertainties.
Jinhong Xian, Chao Lu, Xiaoling Lin, Honglong Yang, Ning Zhang, and Li Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1837–1850, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1837-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1837-2024, 2024
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Improving the monitoring capability of atmospheric turbulence can help unravel the mystery of turbulence. Based on some assumptions, scientists have proposed various detection methods. However, these assumptions limit their applicability. We abandoned these assumptions and proposed a more accurate method, revealing some new results. Our method can provide more accurate three-dimensional features of turbulence, which will have a huge driving effect on the development of turbulence.
Thorben H. Mense, Josef Höffner, Gerd Baumgarten, Ronald Eixmann, Jan Froh, Alsu Mauer, Alexander Munk, Robin Wing, and Franz-Josef Lübken
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1665–1677, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1665-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1665-2024, 2024
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A novel lidar system with five beams measured horizontal and vertical winds together, reaching altitudes up to 25 km. Developed in Germany, it revealed accurate horizontal wind data compared to forecasts, but vertical wind estimates differed. The lidar's capability to detect small-scale wind patterns was highlighted, advancing atmospheric research.
Peter Dalin, Urban Brändström, Johan Kero, Peter Voelger, Takanori Nishiyama, Trond Trondsen, Devin Wyatt, Craig Unick, Vladimir Perminov, Nikolay Pertsev, and Jonas Hedin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1561–1576, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1561-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1561-2024, 2024
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A novel infrared imaging instrument (OH imager) was put into operation in November 2022 at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna (Sweden). The OH imager is dedicated to the study of nightglow emissions coming from the hydroxyl (OH) and molecular oxygen (O2) layers in the mesopause (80–100 km). Based on a brightness ratio of two OH emission lines, the neutral temperature is estimated at around 87 km. The average daily winter temperature for the period January–April 2023 is 203±10 K.
Thomas Wagner and Jānis Puķīte
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 277–297, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-277-2024, 2024
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We present a radiance calibration method based on the comparison of measurements and radiative transfer simulations of the zenith-scattered sun radiance during twilight. Cloud-free conditions are required. The method can be applied to measurements in the filed, and no laboratory measurements are required. The accuracy is estimated to range from about 4 % at 340 nm to about 10 % at 700 nm.
Tobias Böck, Bernhard Pospichal, and Ulrich Löhnert
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 219–233, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-219-2024, 2024
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In this study, measurement uncertainties from microwave radiometers and their impact on temperature profiling are analyzed. These measurement uncertainties include horizontal inhomogeneities of the atmosphere, pointing errors or tilts of the instrument, physical obstacles which are in the line of sight of the radiometer, and radio frequency interferences. Impacts on temperature profiles from these uncertainties are usually small in real-life scenarios and when obstacles are far enough away.
Philipp Gasch, James Kasic, Oliver Maas, and Zhien Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5495–5523, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5495-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5495-2023, 2023
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This paper rethinks airborne wind measurements and investigates a new design for airborne Doppler lidar systems. Recent advances in lidar technology allow the use of multiple lidar systems with fixed viewing directions instead of a single lidar attached to a scanner. Our simulation results show that the proposed new design offers great potential for both higher accuracy and higher-resolution airborne wind measurements.
Christiane Duscha, Juraj Pálenik, Thomas Spengler, and Joachim Reuder
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5103–5123, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5103-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5103-2023, 2023
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We combine observations from two scanning Doppler lidars to obtain new and unique insights into the dynamic processes inherent to atmospheric convection. The approach complements and enhances conventional methods to probe convection and has the potential to substantially deepen our understanding of this complex process, which is crucial to improving our weather and climate models.
Anna Špačková, Martin Fencl, and Vojtěch Bareš
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3865–3879, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3865-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3865-2023, 2023
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Commercial microwave links as rainfall sensors have been investigated and evaluated in numerous studies with gauge-adjusted radar used for reference for rainfall observations. We evaluate collocated commercial microwave links, which are thus exposed to identical atmospheric conditions. This set-up enables the exploration of inconsistencies in observations of independent sensors using data from a real telecommunication network. The sensors are in agreement and are homogeneous in their behaviour.
Alessandro Battaglia, Filippo Emilio Scarsi, Kamil Mroz, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3283–3297, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3283-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3283-2023, 2023
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Some of the new generation of cloud and precipitation spaceborne radars will adopt conical scanning. This will make some of the standard calibration techniques impractical. This work presents a methodology to cross-calibrate radars in orbits by matching the reflectivity probability density function of ice clouds observed by the to-be-calibrated and by the reference radar in quasi-coincident locations. Results show that cross-calibration within 1 dB (26 %) is feasible.
Claudio Belotti, Flavio Barbara, Marco Barucci, Giovanni Bianchini, Francesco D'Amato, Samuele Del Bianco, Gianluca Di Natale, Marco Gai, Alessio Montori, Filippo Pratesi, Markus Rettinger, Christian Rolf, Ralf Sussmann, Thomas Trickl, Silvia Viciani, Hannes Vogelmann, and Luca Palchetti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2511–2529, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2511-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2511-2023, 2023
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FIRMOS (Far-Infrared Radiation Mobile Observation System) is a spectroradiometer measuring in the far-infrared, developed to support the preparation of the FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring) satellite mission. In this paper, we describe the instrument, its data products, and the results of the comparison with a suite of observations made from a high-altitude site during a field campaign, in winter 2018–2019.
Christopher R. Williams, Joshua Barrio, Paul E. Johnston, Paytsar Muradyan, and Scott E. Giangrande
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2381–2398, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2381-2023, 2023
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This study uses surface disdrometer observations to calibrate 8 years of 915 MHz radar wind profiler deployed in the central United States in northern Oklahoma. This study had two key findings. First, the radar wind profiler sensitivity decreased approximately 3 to 4 dB/year as the hardware aged. Second, this drift was slow enough that calibration can be performed using 3-month intervals. Calibrated radar wind profiler observations and Python processing code are available on public repositories.
Xin Fang, Feng Li, Lei-lei Sun, and Tao Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2263–2272, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2263-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2263-2023, 2023
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We successfully developed the first pseudorandom modulation continuous-wave narrowband sodium lidar (PMCW-NSL) system for simultaneous measurements of the mesopause region's temperature and wind. Based on the innovative decoded technique and algorithm for CW lidar, both the main and residual lights modulated by M-code are used and directed to the atmosphere in the vertical and eastward directions, tilted 20° from the zenith. The PMCW-NSL system can applied to airborne and space-borne purposes.
Dana L. McGuffin, Philip J. Cameron-Smith, Matthew A. Horsley, Brian J. Bauman, Wim De Vries, Denis Healy, Alex Pertica, Chris Shaffer, and Lance M. Simms
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2129–2144, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2129-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2129-2023, 2023
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This work demonstrates the viability of a remote sensing technique using nanosatellites to measure stratospheric temperature. This measurement technique can probe the stratosphere and mesosphere at a fine vertical scale around the globe unlike other high-altitude measurement techniques, which would provide an opportunity to observe atmospheric gravity waves and turbulence. We analyze observations from two satellite platforms to provide a proof of concept and characterize measurement uncertainty.
Benjamin Witschas, Sonja Gisinger, Stephan Rahm, Andreas Dörnbrack, David C. Fritts, and Markus Rapp
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1087–1101, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1087-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1087-2023, 2023
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In this paper, a novel scan technique is applied to an airborne coherent Doppler wind lidar, enabling us to measure the vertical wind speed and the horizontal wind speed along flight direction simultaneously with a horizontal resolution of about 800 m and a vertical resolution of 100 m. The performed observations are valuable for gravity wave characterization as they allow us to calculate the leg-averaged momentum flux profile and, with that, the propagation direction of excited gravity waves.
Kevin J. Nelson, Feiqin Xie, Bryan C. Chan, Ashish Goel, Jonathan Kosh, Tyler G. R. Reid, Corey R. Snyder, and Paul M. Tarantino
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 941–954, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-941-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-941-2023, 2023
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Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) remote sensing is effective for atmospheric profiling. The capability of a low-cost and scalable commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) GNSS receiver on board high-altitude balloons is tested in two campaigns. Preliminary results demonstrate high-quality refractivity observations from the COTS RO receiver, which is worth further improvement for dense atmospheric observations over a targeted region.
Jenna Ritvanen, Ewan O'Connor, Dmitri Moisseev, Raisa Lehtinen, Jani Tyynelä, and Ludovic Thobois
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6507–6519, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6507-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6507-2022, 2022
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Doppler lidars and weather radars provide accurate wind measurements, with Doppler lidar usually performing better in dry weather conditions and weather radar performing better when there is precipitation. Operating both instruments together should therefore improve the overall performance. We investigate how well a co-located Doppler lidar and X-band radar perform with respect to various weather conditions, including changes in horizontal visibility, cloud altitude, and precipitation.
Bhupal Shrestha, Jerald A. Brotzge, and Junhong Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6011–6033, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6011-2022, 2022
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The NYS Mesonet Profiler Network is comprised of 17 profiler sites, each equipped with a Doppler lidar, microwave radiometer, and sun photometer. This study presents a multi-year, multi-station evaluation based on well-defined reference measurements. Results demonstrate robust technologies that can aid real-time weather operations and a network test bed that can be used for further expansion, evaluation, and integration of such technologies at a large scale.
Felix Kelberlau and Jakob Mann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5323–5341, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5323-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5323-2022, 2022
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Floating lidar systems are used for measuring wind speeds offshore, and their motion influences the measurements. This study describes the motion-induced bias on mean wind speed estimates by simulating the lidar sampling pattern of a moving lidar. An analytic model is used to validate the simulations. The bias is low and depends on amplitude and frequency of motion as well as on wind shear. It has been estimated for the example of the Fugro SEAWATCH wind lidar buoy carrying a ZX 300M lidar.
Alessandro Battaglia, Paolo Martire, Eric Caubet, Laurent Phalippou, Fabrizio Stesina, Pavlos Kollias, and Anthony Illingworth
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3011–3030, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3011-2022, 2022
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We present an instrument simulator for a new sensor, WIVERN (WInd VElocity Radar Nephoscope), a conically scanning radar payload with Doppler capabilities, recently down-selected as one of the four candidates for the European Space Agency Earth Explorer 11 program. The mission aims at measuring horizontal winds in cloudy areas. The simulator is instrumental in the definition and consolidation of the mission requirements and the evaluation of mission performances.
James B. Duncan Jr., Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Tyler Bell, Irina V. Djalalova, Laura Riihimaki, Joseph Sedlar, Elizabeth N. Smith, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2479–2502, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, 2022
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In this study, several ground-based remote sensing instruments are used to estimate the height of the convective planetary boundary layer, and their performance is compared against independent boundary layer depth estimates obtained from radiosondes launched as part of the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign. The impact of clouds (particularly boundary layer clouds) on the estimation of the boundary layer depth is also investigated.
Vicki Kelsey, Spencer Riley, and Kenneth Minschwaner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1563–1576, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1563-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1563-2022, 2022
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In the interior western USA there are distances of hundreds of kilometers between weather balloon launch sites for weather forecasting. Satellite coverage can also be sparse or with poor resolution. Using infrared thermometers, clear-sky temperatures were collected and compared with data from weather balloons. A correlation between clear-sky temperatures and precipitable water measurements from weather balloons was found. This means that citizen scientists can collect data.
Benjamin Witschas, Christian Lemmerz, Oliver Lux, Uwe Marksteiner, Oliver Reitebuch, Fabian Weiler, Frederic Fabre, Alain Dabas, Thomas Flament, Dorit Huber, and Michael Vaughan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1465–1489, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1465-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1465-2022, 2022
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In August 2018, the ESA launched the first Doppler wind lidar into space. In order to calibrate the instrument and to monitor the overall instrument conditions, instrument spectral registration measurements have been performed with Aeolus on a weekly basis. Based on these measurements, the alignment drift of the Aeolus satellite instrument is estimated by applying tools and mathematical model functions to analyze the spectrometer transmission curves.
Joseph J. Michalsky and Peter W. Kiedron
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 353–364, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-353-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-353-2022, 2022
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This paper describes an instrument that measures spectrally from 360 nm (ultraviolet) to 1070 nm (near-infrared) at 1002 separate wavelengths. The measurements were made every minute from the late summer of 2009 to the winter of 2014 at a site in northern Oklahoma (USA; 36.605° N, 97.486° W). Methods are described that enable the normalized transmission across the spectrum to be measured and, subsequently, used to calculate the aerosol optical depth and spectra irradiance.
Julien Totems, Patrick Chazette, and Alexandre Baron
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 7525–7544, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7525-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7525-2021, 2021
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We describe in detail the design and calibration of the new Raman channels for the WALI system, going over the important sources of bias and uncertainty on retrieved temperature profiles. For the first time, their impact is investigated using horizontal shots in a homogenous atmosphere: the magnitude of the highlighted biases can be much larger than the targeted absolute accuracy of 1° C. Actual measurement errors are quantified using radiosoundings launched close to the lidar site.
René Sedlak, Patrick Hannawald, Carsten Schmidt, Sabine Wüst, Michael Bittner, and Samo Stanič
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6821–6833, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6821-2021, 2021
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High-resolution images of the OH* airglow layer (ca. 87 km height) acquired at Otlica Observatory, Slovenia, have been analysed. A statistical analysis of small-scale wave structures with horizontal wavelengths up to 4.5 km suggests strong presence of instability features in the upper mesosphere or lower thermosphere. The dissipated energy of breaking gravity waves is derived from observations of turbulent vortices. It is concluded that dynamical heating plays a vital role in the atmosphere.
Oliver Lux, Christian Lemmerz, Fabian Weiler, Thomas Kanitz, Denny Wernham, Gonçalo Rodrigues, Andrew Hyslop, Olivier Lecrenier, Phil McGoldrick, Frédéric Fabre, Paolo Bravetti, Tommaso Parrinello, and Oliver Reitebuch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6305–6333, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6305-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6305-2021, 2021
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The work assesses the frequency stability of the laser transmitters on board Aeolus and discusses its influence on the quality of the global wind data. Excellent frequency stability of the space lasers is evident, although enhanced frequency noise occurs at certain locations along the orbit due to micro-vibrations that are introduced by the satellite’s reaction wheels. The study elaborates on this finding and investigates the extent to which the enhanced frequency noise increases the wind error.
Tingyu Yan, Jeffery A. Langille, William E. Ward, William A. Gault, Alan Scott, Andrew Bell, Driss Touahiri, Sheng-Hai Zheng, and Chunmin Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6213–6232, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6213-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6213-2021, 2021
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High-resolution interferometers are routinely used to measure upper atmospheric motions by measuring small Doppler shifts in spectrally isolated airglow emissions. The birefringent interferometer presented in this paper has similar capabilities as several existing state-of-the-art instruments but is smaller and less complex to construct and operate. This paper presents the measurement technique and characterization of a lab prototype and examines the performance of the instrument.
Etienne Cheynet, Martin Flügge, Joachim Reuder, Jasna B. Jakobsen, Yngve Heggelund, Benny Svardal, Pablo Saavedra Garfias, Charlotte Obhrai, Nicolò Daniotti, Jarle Berge, Christiane Duscha, Norman Wildmann, Ingrid H. Onarheim, and Marte Godvik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6137–6157, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6137-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6137-2021, 2021
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The COTUR campaign explored the structure of wind turbulence above the ocean to improve the design of future multi-megawatt offshore wind turbines. Deploying scientific instruments offshore is both a financial and technological challenge. Therefore, lidar technology was used to remotely measure the wind above the ocean from instruments located on the seaside. The experimental setup is tailored to the study of the spatial correlation of wind gusts, which governs the wind loading on structures.
Fabian Weiler, Thomas Kanitz, Denny Wernham, Michael Rennie, Dorit Huber, Marc Schillinger, Olivier Saint-Pe, Ray Bell, Tommaso Parrinello, and Oliver Reitebuch
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 5153–5177, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5153-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5153-2021, 2021
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This paper reports on dark current signal anomalies of the detectors used on board the ESA's Earth Explorer satellite Aeolus during the first 1.5 years in orbit. After introducing sophisticated algorithms to classify dark current anomalies according to their characteristics, the impact of the different kinds of anomalies on wind measurements is discussed. In addition, mitigation approaches for the wind retrieval are presented and potential root causes are discussed.
Chuanliang Zhang, Xuejin Sun, Wen Lu, Yingni Shi, Naiying Dou, and Shaohui Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4787–4803, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4787-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4787-2021, 2021
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The first spaceborne doppler wind lidar (DWL) Aeolus operates on sun-synchronous dawn–dusk orbit to lower the impact of solar background radiation (SBR) on wind observation accuracy. Increased SBR leads to an increment of averaged wind observation uncertainties from 0.19 to 0.27 m s-1 comparing Aeolus and two added spaceborne DWLs operating on orbits with local ascending times of 15:00 and 12:00 LT. A quantitative design of laser pulse energy according to accuracy requirements is also proposed.
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Short summary
This paper describes the use of pseudorandom coded continuous wave radar transmissions for meteor radar. This avoids range-aliased echoes, maximizes pulse compression gain, is less susceptible to RFI, allows time resolution to be changed flexibly, and enables multiple transmitters to operate on the same frequency without interfering each other. These features make the radar well suited for multi-static meteor radar networks. We show results from a measurement campaign to demonstrate the method.
This paper describes the use of pseudorandom coded continuous wave radar transmissions for...
