Thermospheric Density Minimum at the South Pole in June
Abstract
The thermospheric density in June occurs at the lowest part of the semiannual variation, and at the winter pole we see some of the lowest densities of the whole year. The effect is noticeable in the CHAMP accelerometer density data relative to MSIS model densities for the same conditions. The effect was observed for the years 2004-2008, but not for 2003. The ratio of CHAMP to MSIS with latitude in June shows a trend from low to higher values with increasing latitude, however the CHAMP altitude was significantly higher in the southern hemisphere than the northern hemisphere during this period. We also examine the ratios of CHAMP to HASDM, GRACE to MSIS and GRACE to HASDM to if we could see if we can understand this effect better.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010AGUFMSA11B1593W
- Keywords:
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- 0350 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Pressure;
- density;
- and temperature;
- 0355 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Thermosphere: composition and chemistry;
- 7969 SPACE WEATHER / Satellite drag