Wave motions in the upper atmospheric sodium layer observed with a lidar technique

Since the middle of 1980, the vertical profile of the atmospheric sodium layer was observed with a tunable laser radar at Mt. Zao Observatory in northern Japan. The principal characteristics of the lidar system are summarized. The output wavelength is continuously monitored by using a sodium resonance cell, a spectrometer, and a Fabry-Perot interferometer provided with the reference spectrum of the sodium lamp. Owing to the strict temperature control of the filters, the tuning is sufficiently stable throughout the night. The calibration of the absolute sodium density was carried out by adopting the method established by previous works.