Coincident Imaging and Spectrometric Observations of Zenith OH Nightglow Structure
During the ALOHA-90 campaign a novel comparative study was made between near infrared wave structure imaged in the zenith using a CCD camera and that detected at infrared wavelengths by a Fourier Transform Spectrometer. Coincident measurements were made briefly on several occasions and for an extended period on 31 March. The temporal variations imaged in the near infrared structure during this night almost completely matched those detected in the OH (3,1) band spectrometer data when similar viewing fields were compared. However, the image data also displayed small scale wave forms that were not resolved by the larger field instrument. These structures exhibited significant changes in brightness and position on a time scale much shorter than the local Brunt-Vaisala period indicating that very high resolution measurements are necessary to investigate short period (<20 min) upper atmospheric wave motions.
Spectrometric and Imaging Measurements of a Spectacular Gravity Wave Event Observed During the ALOHA-93 Campaign
During the ALOHA-93 campaign coincident imaging and interferometric measurements of the near infrared and visible wavelength nightglow emissions were made from Haleakala Crater, Maui. On 10 October, 1993 a most unusual wave event was observed. This disturbance appeared as a sharp “front” followed by several conspicuous wave crests which progressed rapidly through the imager's field of view (180°). As the front passed overhead the interferometer detected a sudden jump in both the OH intensity (>50%) and its rotational temperature (∼20 K) with the temperature increase leading the intensity by almost 15 min. At the same time the imager registered a sharp decrease in the OI(557.7 nm) emission intensity. A description of this remarkable event follows.
Wavelength Dependence of Eddy Dissipation and Coriolis Force in the Dynamics of Gravity Wave Driven Fluctuations in the OH Nightglow
The theory of Walterscheid et al. (1987) to explain internal gravity wave induced oscillations in the emission intensity I and rotational temperature T of the OH nightglow was modified by Hickey (1988) to include the effects of eddy dissipation and Coriolis force. In the theory of Walterscheid et al. (1987) the ratio {eta} = ({delta}I/I{sub 0})/({delta}T/T{sub 0}) ({delta} refers to a perturbation quantity, and a zero subscript refers to an average) was found to be independent of horizontal wavelength at long periods, while in the extended theory of Hickey (1988) some such dependence was inferred. In the present paper the horizontal wavelength dependence of {eta} is examined. It is found that values of {eta} will be dependent on both wave period and horizontal wavelength, meaning that in order to compare measurement with theory, horizontal wavelengths will need to be measured in conjunction with the OH nightglow measurements. At long periods the modifications to {eta} by the inclusion of eddy dissipation are much larger for the shorter horizontal wavelength waves, although such modifications may be more observable for some of the longer horizontal wavelength waves. The Coriolis force is important only for waves of very large horizontal wavelength.