Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD): Early Orbit Observations
Abstract
The GOLD mission provides an unprecedented new data set for expanding our understanding of the Thermosphere-Ionosphere system. Data from the two-channel ultraviolet imaging spectrograph include images at a 30-minute cadence that cover the full disk of the Earth from a geostationary orbit (over the Americas) as well as limb scans and stellar occultations. After processing, the disk data provide, for the first time, simultaneous images of the composition and temperature across the Earth's lower thermosphere (near 160 km) during the daytime. These images are indicative of the changes in, and evolution of, the lower thermosphere. This is the region where some of the atmospheric tides and waves from lower altitudes dissipate their energy and where the solar and geomagnetic changes can cause dramatic changes in the space environment. Daily observations began in October 2018, following instrument commissioning. This presentation gives an overview of and examples of the limb and disk observations during early-orbit operations.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMSA11A..06E
- Keywords:
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- 0355 Thermosphere: composition and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTUREDE: 3369 Thermospheric dynamics;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 2437 Ionospheric dynamics;
- IONOSPHEREDE: 2481 Topside ionosphere;
- IONOSPHERE