Joint strongradarstronglidar observations of possible aerosol layers in.pdf

2/10/04 9:26 AM Stebel et al. 2004 page 1 Joint radar/lidar observations of possible aerosol layers in the winter mesosphere 1* 2 2 1 3 4 K. Stebel , U. Blum , K.-H. Fricke , S. Kirkwood , N. J. Mitchell , A. Osepian . 1 Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 812, 981 28 Kiruna, Sweden 2 Physics Institute, University of Bonn, Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany 3 Telecommunications, Space and Radio Group, Department of Electronic Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK 4 Polar Geophysical Institute, Halturina 15, Murmansk, Russia * now at Norwegian Institute for Air Research, The Polar Environmental Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway corresponding author : S. Kirkwood, sheila.kirkwood@irf.se , tel +46 980 79083, fax +46 980 79050 version 7 March 2003 submitted to JASTP 7 march 2003 revised 10 february 2004 2/10/04 9:26 AM Stebel et al. 2004 page 2 Abstract Narrow layers of enhanced radar echoes from the winter mesosphere have been observed by the ESRAD 52 MHz radar (68° N, 21° E) during recent solar proton events. These layers have been named PMWE, Polar Mesosphere Winter Echoes. Comparison of the characteristics of the radar echoes to the expected characteristics of neutral turbulence in the winter mesosphere leads to the conclusion that PMWE are unlikely to be caused by neutral turbulence alone. Their strength, and their persistence in conditions when moderately high concentrations of negative ions can be expected, are however consistent with the expected influence of small charged aerosol particles on radar scatter. During a solar proton event in January 2002 measurements were made by both the ESRAD radar and a lidar situated at the same site. The lidar observed a region of enhanced backscatter in the same height interval as the radar ob