Waves in Venus's middle and upper atmosphere - Implications of Pioneer Venus probe data above the clouds

This paper reevaluates Pioneer Venus probe data which show the presence of waves in Venus's middle and upper atmosphere. The data are extended to 138 km. Uncertainties in the temperature are typically about 0.1 times amplitude, supporting the reliability of large-amplitude oscillations approaching 40 K at 120 km. Growth rates above 100 km follow approximately the inverse square root of density and 'saturation' occurs. The waves then break at the 120 km level, providing a source for the 'friction' required in models to match the observed day-night temperature contrast in the lower thermosphere. The data correlated to an unexpected degree with temperatures from the Pioneer Venus orbiter atmospheric drag experiment. The observations lead to the suggestion that the thermospheric waves are solar-fixed, induced either by the major subsidence across the termination or as continuation upward of waves in the middle atmosphere.