An Overview of the MaCWAVE Program to Study Gravity Forcing of the Polar Mesosphere During Both Summer and Winter

MaCWAVE is an acronym for Mountain And Convective Waves Ascending Vertically. This coordinated rocket, ground-based, and satellite program was designed to address gravity wave forcing of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT), with launch sequences into the polar MLT during summer (July 2002) and winter (January 2003) conditions. The summer launch program was conducted at the Norwegian Andoya Rocket Range (ARR, 69.3N); the winter program at the Swedish Rocket Range (ESRANGE, 67.9N). Correlative instrumentation included the ALOMAR radars and lidars (including the new Weber sodium lidar), ESRANGE RMR lidar, ESRAD MST radar, radiosondes, and TIMED satellite measurements of thermal, wind, and constituent structures. The data are being used to define the wave field structure, fluxes, and turbulence generation leading to forcing of the large-scale flow. During summer, launch sequences coupled with ground-based measurements at ARR addressed the forcing of the mesopause environment by anticipated convective and shear generated gravity waves. These motions were measured with two 12-hr rocket sequences, each involving one Terrier-Orion payload accompanied by a mix of MET rockets, all at ARR in Norway. The MET rockets were used to provide large scale meteorology of the mesosphere and stratosphere. The Terrier-Orions were designed to measure small scale plasma fluctuations and/or turbulence that might be induced by wave breaking in the mesosphere. During the summer series, three European MIDAS rockets) were also launched from ARR in coordination with the MaCWAVE payloads. These were designed to measure plasma and neutral turbulence within the MLT. The winter program was planned to study the upward propagation and penetration of mountain waves from northern Norway into the MLT at a site favored for such penetration. As the major response was expected to be downstream (east) of the Norwegian coast, these motions were measured with rocket sequences similar to the summer campaign, but this time at ESRANGE in Sweden. However, a polar stratospheric warming just prior to the rocket window induced stratospheric wind shears, which prevented mountain wave penetration into the mesosphere. Instead, the observed wave structure in the mesosphere originated from other sources. A program description plus preliminary results will be discussed.