SBUV observations of polar mesospheric clouds compared with MLS temperature and water vapor measurements

Abstract

Earlier studies have shown that Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC) occur more frequently in the northern hemisphere (NH) than the SH, consistent with colder NH temperatures. Coincident PMC observations with the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet instruments on the NOAA‐16 and NOAA‐18 satellite and temperature and water vapor measurements with the Microwave Limb Sounder on the Aura satellite support this result. These coincident measurements also show that, for similar temperatures and water vapor mixing ratios, PMCs occur more frequently and are brighter in the NH than the SH. Possible reasons for these hemispheric differences are discussed.