Search

We present observations of polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) using the Middle Atmosphere Alomar Radar System in Northern Norway (69.30° N, 16.04° E). The radar is able to resolve PMSE at high spatial and temporal resolution and to perform pulse-to-pulse beam steering. In this experiment, 81 oblique beam directions were used with off-zenith angles up to 25°. For each beam pointing direction and range gate, coherent radar imaging was applied to determine the mean backscatter location. The location of the mean scatterer in the beam volume was calculated by the deviation from the nominal off-zenith angle of the brightest pixel. It shows that in tilted beams with an off-zenith angle greater than 5°, structures appear at the altitudinal edges of the PMSE layer. Our results indicate that the mean influence of the location of the maximum depends on the tilt of the beam and on the observed area of the PMSE layer. At the upper/lower edge of the PMSE layer, the mean backscatter has a greater/smaller off-zenith angle than the nominal offzenith angle. This effect intensifies with greater off-zenith beam pointing direction, so the beam filling factor plays an important role in the observation of PMSE layers for oblique beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Hemisphere midlatitude sporadic E (Es) layer occurrence rates derived from FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC GPS radio occultation (RO) measurements during the Geminid meteor showers 2006-2010 are compared with meteor rates obtained with the Collm (51.3° N, 13.0° E) VHF meteor radar. In most years, Es rates increase after the shower, with a short delay of few days. This indicates a possible link between meteor influx and the production of metallic ions that may form Es. There is an indication that the increase propagates downward, probably partly caused by tidal wind shear. However, the correlation between Es rates and meteor flux varies from year to year. A strong correlation is found especially in 2009, while in 2010 Es rates even decrease during the shower. This indicates that additional processes significantly influence Es occurrence also during meteor showers. A possible effect of the semidiurnal tide is found. During years with weaker tidal wind shear, the correlation between Es and meteor rates is even weaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]