Abstract
The nightly mean mesospheric temperature profiles between 80 and 107 km, observed by Na lidar, over Fort Collins, Colorado (41°N, 105°W) from 1990 to 2010, are employed to research the temporal and spatial variations and mesopause. We find that the maximum mean temperature is in summer months above 95 km, but reverse below 95 km, and there is a cooler region below 185 K around 97 km in August. The largest seasonal variation is 39.2 K at 81 km, and the minimum is 6.5 K at 96.5 km. The maximum standard derivation in spring and autumn months are larger than other seasons above 105 km, but the temperatures in March, June and September are lower than the other months between 82 km and 100 km where winter is the largest season. Moreover, the seasonal variations of the temperature are about 36, 8 and 21 K at 85, 95 and 105 km, respectively. winter is colder and summer is warmer above 97.5 km, but reverse below 92 km. The mesopause height is around 102 km in winter, but 84 km in summer, and the mean speed of decreasing or increasing of the mesopause height is about 5 km/month in spring and autumn months which are about 90 km. The lasting time of the mesopause in winter is near 6 months, longer than other seasons, and the mesopause temperature is about 165 K in cool summer, and 185 K in warm winter.
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