Wind structure and variability in the middle atmosphere during the November 1980 Energy Budget Campaign

Abstract

Between 6 November and 1 December 1980 a series of rocket observations were obtained from two sites in northern Scandinavia (~ 68°N) as part of the Energy Budget Campaign, revealing the presence of significant vertical and temporal changes in the wind structure. These changes coincided with different geomagnetic conditions, i.e. quiet and enhanced. This represents the largest amount of rocket data ever gathered from high latitudes over such a short interval of time. Prior to 16 November the meridional wind component above 60 km was found to be positive (southerly), while the magnitude of the zonal wind component increased with altitude. After 16 November the meridional component became negative (northerly) and the magnitude of the zonal wind component was noted to decrease with altitude. Time-sections of the perturbations of the zonal wind show the presence of vertically propagating waves, which suggest gravity wave activity. These waves increase in length from 1 km near 30 km to over 12 km near 80 km. The observational techniques employed at Andøya (~ 69°N), Norway, and Esrange (67.9°N), Sweden, consisted of chaff foil, instrumented rigid spheres, chemical trails, inflatable spheres and parachutes.