Atmospheric Properties from Measurements at Kwajalein Atoll on 5 April 1978.

Abstract : Measurements of atmospheric density, temperature, and wind velocity were obtained in the altitude range from 0 to 130 km using several sensors flown during a six hour period on 5 April 1978 from Kwajalein Atoll. The results from rawinsonde, rocketsonde, robin sphere, accelerometer sphere, and hypersonic sphere techniques were analyzed and the error sources associated with each technique were investigated. The measurements have been used together with a study of atmospheric variability to calculate a 'best profile' for each of the atmospheric parameters. A study of atmospheric scale sizes expected in the mesosphere was compared to the measurements and the vertical wavelengths measured were found in agreement with those predicted. These studies have also shown that regions of large atmospheric variability in the mesosphere are associated with turbulent, or unstable, layers based on the Richardson number stability criteria. (Author)