An Unusual Mesospheric Bore Event Observed at High Latitudes over Antarctica
All-sky CCD observations of short-period mesospheric gravity waves have been made from Halley Station, Antarctica (76S, 27W). On 27 May, 2001, an unusual wave event exhibiting several features characteristic of a ‘‘bore’’ was observed in the OH, Na, and O2 nightglow emissions. Mesospheric bores are...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
Hosted by Utah State University Libraries
2006
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/physics_facpub/1186 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2185&context=physics_facpub |
| Summary: | All-sky CCD observations of short-period mesospheric gravity waves have been made from Halley Station, Antarctica (76S, 27W). On 27 May, 2001, an unusual wave event exhibiting several features characteristic of a ‘‘bore’’ was observed in the OH, Na, and O2 nightglow emissions. Mesospheric bores are rare wave events that have previously been observed at mid- and low-latitudes. This event was particular interesting as: (1) it initially appeared as a single, high contrast, linear front, accompanied by a sharp enhancement in intensity in all three emissions, (2) a number of trailing wave crests were observed to form with a measured growth rate of 6.6 waves/hr, and (3) the wave pattern exhibited unusual dynamics with significant variability in the observed phase speed and a reduction in the horizontal wavelength by 50% over a 1-hr period. The location of Halley and the observed propagation suggests a ducted wave consistent with current bore models. |
|---|