Equatorial ozone profiles from the solar maximum mission—a comparison with theory

Abstract The u.v. spectrometer polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission has been utilized to measure mesospheric ozone vs altitude profiles by the technique of solar occultation. Sunset data are presented for 1980, during the fall equinoctal period within ± 20° of the geographic equator. Mean O 3 , concentrations are 4.0 × 10 10 cm −3 at 50 km, 1.6 × 10 10 cm −3 at 55 km. 5.5 × 10 9 cm −3 at 60 km and 1.5 × 10 9 cm −3 at 65 km. Som profiles exhibit altitude structure which is wavelike. The mean ozone profile is fit best with the results of a time-dependent model if the assumed water vapor mixing ratio employed varies from 6 ppm at 50 km to 2–4 ppm at 65 km.