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Connection between mesopause temperature, circulation and noctilucent cloudsTo investigate the connection between mesopause temperature in summer and the induced circulation upon possible formation of the observed polar mesospheric (noctilucent) cloud layer (PMC), a two-dimensional semiempirical model is used to calculate the zonally averaged diabatic circulation. On the basis of the calculations, one may draw the following conclusions: (1) if the large departures from radiative equilibrium which occur at the summer mesopause at high latitudes should be balanced by adiabatic processes of the mean circulation alone, a vigorous circulation is needed (there is some evidence that such a vigorous circulation has been observed); (2) the vertical velocities of some cm/s at the polar summertime mesopause will support the formation of polar mesospheric clouds, because those large wind speeds support larger ice particles against gravitational sedimentation; and (3) a region of mild subsidence in the summertime midlatitude mesosphere due to the effect of nonlinear temperature advection would tend to limit the occurrence of ice particles to latitudes poleward of about 55 deg.
Document ID
19860018257
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Gartner, V.
(I Bonn, Germany)
Memmesheimer, M.
(I Bonn, Germany)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: International Council of Scientific Unions Handbook for MAP, Vol. 18
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
86N27729
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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