Super Cold Arctic Mesopause Project (CAMP): A research project to investigate the polar middle atmosphere in summer with rocket launches from 65°-80° N
Document ID: 295
Kopp, E.1
Philbrick, C. Russell2
Thomas, G. E.3
Witt, G.4
1 University of Bern, Physikalisches Institut, Bern, Switzerland
2 USAF, Geophysics Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA, U.S.A.
3 University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, U.S.A.
4 University of Stockholm, Meteorological Observatory, Stockholm, Sweden
Presented: 7th ESA Symposium on European Rocket & Balloon Programmes and Related Research
Loen, Norway, 5-11 May 1985
Abstract
An international campaign "Super CAMP" (CAMP Cold Arctic Mesopause Project) is proposed for summer 1988 which will be focused to study the structure and dynamics of the middle atmosphere (50-150 km) above the north polar region. The polar summer mesosphere is characterized by the presence of the thin, persistent and dense clouds at altitudes 82-86 km north of 70°N latitude. The polar mesospheric cloud layer (PMC), as observed from the SME satellite, is the source of ice particles which are visible from ground as Noctilucent Clouds (NLC) in summer at high latitudes (>70°N).
Super CAMP should concentrate on following goals:
- Measurements of water vapor, ozone and temperature and its variability as a function of time, geomagnetic and meteor shower activity. - Formation, particle size and density, transport and life time of NLC particles. - Dynamics and temperature and their effects on ice particle growths and the distribution of minor constituents including the ionospheric plasma. - Electric fields, charged aerosols, massive positive and negative ions in the vicinity of NLC.
In situ measurements from rockets, grouped in 2-3 salvos should be supported by ground, airborne and satellite remote sensing experiments in the latitude region 60-80°N. Rocket launchings from Nord, Greenland (81.5°N) and/or Thule, Greenland (76.6°N) would offer a study of the mesosphere where NLC particles originate.
Keywords: arctic regions, atmospheric sounding, mesopause, rocket sounding, summer, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric temperature, electric fields, noctilucent clouds, middle atmosphere, summer mesosphere, polar region, Rocket Campaign
| Citation: | "Super Cold Arctic Mesopause Project (CAMP): A research project to investigate the polar middle atmosphere in summer with rocket launches from 65°-80° N", Kopp, E., C. R. Philbrick, G. E. Thomas, G. Witt, Proceedings of 7th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programems and Related Research, European Space Agency (ESA), 1985, pp. 125 - 136, SEE N86-18811 09-46, Bibliographic Code:1985ESASP.229..125K |