CEDAR: Development and Optimization of Tomographic Imaging Methods for Advanced Gravity Wave Studies in the Mesospheric and Lower Thermospheric (MLT) Region

Utah State University, Logan UT

Investigators

Abstract

Two all-sky imagers sampling the OH nightglow are initially positioned in the Northern Utah, and Wyoming region. These imagers generate all-sky images distinct by virtue of observation geometry, which are then tomographically inverted to produce two-dimensional intensity maps of short period (less one hour) gravity waves in the upper mesosphere. Classical algebraic tomographic inversions and stochastic inversion algebraic inversions are compared with system (integral) and geometric tomographic models using the actual airglow data to isolate the best technique for wave structure extraction using two OH imagers. Extension to 3-dimension descriptions of wave motion and vertical structure in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere is finally accomplished using coincident measurements of the OH airglow, the O2 airglow, and the OI airglow - which arise from different layers between 80-155 km.