National Science Foundation &Air Force Office of Scientific Research

The Maui/MALT Program:Probing the Atmosphere to the Edge of Space

Middle & upper atmosphere (30-120 km) most easily studied usingRemote sensing techniques: lidar, radar, & airglow sensors

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MSIS90 Temperature

Temperature (K)

Troposphere

Stratosphere

Mesosphere

Thermosphere

Mesopause

Stratopause

Tropopause

Airglow & Meteoric Metal Layers

Ozone Layer

•Gravity waves excited in troposphere have profoundEffect on middle atmosphere circulation & temperature

•Tides generated by solar absorption by water vapor & ozoneHave large amplitudes in middle atmosphere

•Trace gases transported from troposphere & meteor depositionImpact middle atmosphere chemistry & long term temperatures

OH airglow results from reaction of atomic oxygen and hydrogen

Carries signature ofWave perturbations

H + O3 OH* + O2

O* and O2* emissions

Also observed

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Effective Backscatter Cross Section (10

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Frequency Offset (MHz)

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RT =NNorm( f+)+NNorm( f−)

NNorm( fa)

Na D2 Backscatter Cross Section

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Na D2 Line Backscatter Cross Section

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Effective Backscatter Cross Section (10

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Frequency Offset (MHz)

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f- f+

CW Frequency-DoubledNd:YVO4 Laser

532 nm4 W CW Ring Dye Laser

589 nm0.5 W

Na VaporCell

Wavemeter

Photo Detector

Acoustic-OpticFrequency Shifter

630 MHzOpticalIsolator

Pulsed Dye Amplifier

PulsedFrequency-Doubled

Nd:YAG Laser

CW InjectionSeeder Laser

Pulsed589 nm1.5 W

1064 nm5 mW

532 nm15 W

Na Wind/Temperature LIDAR

Lidar- Light Detection & Ranging

ΔT ≈250K

N

ΔV ≈200m / s

NN ∝ PAΔzΔt

Accuracy depends on photon count N

P = laser power A = telescope areaN~105 for 1 K & 1 m/s

AEOS = 10.6 m2

1998 Leonids Shower @Starfire Optical Range

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Na Density [cm

-3]

Altitude [km]

09:30:20 (UT) AZ 128.09 EL 51.53

1998 Leonids Shower @Starfire Optical Range

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Nov. 17, 1998 09:29:40UT

AZ 128.09 EL 51.53

Temperature (K)

Altitude (km)

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Nov. 17, 1998 09:29:40UT

AZ 128.09 EL 51.53

Na Density (cm

-3

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Altitude (km)

Na density profile of meteor trail shows evidence of wall structureTemperature of walls distinctly warmer where airglow brightestEvidence of chemical heating associated with excited OH, & O2

Δz = 24 mΔt = 10 s

Δz = 24 mΔt = 10 s

Red = N2<0=Unstable

TOMEX

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Rocket Launch - White Sands MR

TOMEXNASA

Lidar Winds

South PoleLidar/Balloon Data

MSIS-2000Model QuickTime™ and a

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Maui/MALT* Investigators•Airglow Imagery & Spectroscopy

Mike Taylor, Utah State UGary Swenson, U IllinoisMike Kelley, Cornell UJim Hecht, Aerospace Corp

•Meteor RadarSteve Franke, U IllinoisWayne Hocking, U Western Ontario

•Na Wind/Temperature LidarChet Gardner, George Papen, Xinzhao Chu, U Illinois

•Rayleigh Temperature LidarTim Kane, Penn State UJohn Meriwether, Clemson U

*2 Year program funded jointly by NSF & AFOSR

Barking SandsRocket Range

AMOS

Mauna Loa

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Altitude (km)

Temperature (K)

Na Density (cm-3)

MSIS-00

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Maui/MALTNa Lidar

First Light 09 Jan 02

Scientific Research Goals

•Develop instrument capabilities to measure atmosphericTemperature and winds from surface to edge of space (110 km)

•Characterize generation, propagation, and dissipation of gravity wavesFrom troposphere through mesosphere

•Develop models for predicting winds & temperature at all levels (flight ops)

•Determine relationship between breaking gravity waves, tides,And clear air turbulence (imaging, flight ops, directed energy weapons)

•Determine influence of waves and tides on structure and brightnessOf infrared airglow layers (surveillance, imaging, missile defense)

•Characterize and model diurnal and seasonal variations of Na layer(laser guided adaptive imaging, surveillance, directed energy weapons)

Research Goals Related to Air Force Needs