Near simultaneous measurements of Polar Mesospheric Clouds from the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size and the Solar Occultation for Ice experiments on the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere Mission
Abstract
The Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) and the Solar Occultation for Ice (SOFIE) instruments on the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) Explorer view the same region of space (the Common Volume) every orbit. This unique observational scenario allows Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs) to be imaged from above and sensed in solar occultation. The combination of measurements provides scattering angle information on the observed clouds with high spatial resolution in the ultraviolet from CIPS, and spectral information in the ultraviolet and infrared from SOFIE. We will show how the resulting PMC properties are quantitatively enhanced by combining the measurements from the two instruments. SOFIE also measures important properties of the background atmosphere. The results provide new input into microphysical modeling of PMCs.
- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008AGUSMSA31A..03R
- Keywords:
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- 0300 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0340 Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry;
- 0394 Instruments and techniques;
- 3332 Mesospheric dynamics