HR: 0800h
AN: SA21A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: The Plasma Physics of Using Non-Specular Radar Meteor Echoes to Monitor Lower Thermosphere Wind Profiles
AU: * Oppenheim, M M
EM: meerso@bu.edu
AF: Center for Space Physics Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, United States
AU: Sugar, G
EM: gsugar@bu.edu
AF: Center for Space Physics Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, United States
AU: Bass, E
EM: enb@bu.edu
AF: Center for Space Physics Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, United States
AU: Slowey, N O
EM: bond007@bu.edu
AF: Center for Space Physics Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, United States
AU: Chau, J L
EM: jchau@jro.igp.gob.pe
AF: Radio Observatorio de Jicamarca Instituto Geofisico del Peru, Lima, Peru, Lima, Peru
AU: Close, S
EM: sigrid@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratories, Space and Remote Sensing, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States
AB: We will present a new method of measuring lower thermospheric wind velocity profiles by tracking non-specular meteor echoes in time. This approach relies on having a radar following plasma irregularities as they are dragged by the neutral wind. This requires a VHF radar with interferometric capability able to point close to perpendicular to the geomagnetic field. Using a small sample of data from the Jicamarca Radio Observatory, we calculated wind speeds and directions between 90 and 110 km with a range resolution of a few hundred meters. The measurements taken show speeds reaching 150m/s and sometimes changing by as much as 100m/s over a 6km altitude range. With some refinement of the data collection and analysis techniques, we expect that one could obtain high resolution images of lower thermospheric winds as they change in both altitude and time. We will discuss these results, the physics underlying these measurements, and the limitations.
DE: 2439 Ionospheric irregularities
DE: 2442 Meteor-trail physics
DE: 2471 Plasma waves and instabilities (2772)
DE: 3369 Thermospheric dynamics (0358)
DE: 3389 Tides and planetary waves
SC: SPA: Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2009 Joint Assembly