• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2020

We analyze the observations of temperature and ozone measured by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) during the period of 2005-2016, to investigate the vertical structures of temperature and ozone in the stratosphere and mesosphere during stratospheric sudden warming (SSW). We compute the height profiles of the correlation coefficients between 55 height levels of MLS temperature anomalies and compare them with the results of Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model simulations for three major SSWs. We also construct the temperature and ozone anomalies for the events to investigate the changes in the temperature and ozone distributions with height. There seems to always be a relatively weak but broad negative correlation between the temperature anomaly at 10 hPa and temperature anomalies over the entire mesosphere during the period before SSW events. However, this pattern gets stronger in the lower mesosphere but becomes a positive correlation in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere after the onset of SSW. We also found that the temperatures from the simulations show a similar trend to the observational results but with smaller variations and the transition height from negative to positive correlation in the mesosphere is much lower in the simulation than in the actual observations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2018

Non-specular, vertically upward transit, fast-moving radar echoes are observed in the summer polar upper mesosphere near 90 km using 52 MHz VHF radar at Esrange, Sweden. By resolving maximum echo power movement, the unusual meteor trails propagate vertically upward with taking horizontal displacements at an initial speed of 10 km/s exponentially decreasing with increasing height from 85-89 km, lasting for 3.5 sec. Another upward transit is observed as following a downward transit echo target in about ~1 sec, lasting over 5 sec. The upward motion cannot be explained with the dynamics of penetrating meteors or by atmospheric dynamics. The observation proposes that secondary produced plasma jets occurring from meteor trail are possibly responsible for upward fast moving echoes. The long-lasting (3-5 sec), ascending meteor trails at speeds of a few $10^4m/s$ are distinctive from any previous occurrences of meteors or upper atmospheric electrical discharges in the aspect of long-lasting upward/downward motions. This result possibly suggests a new type of meteor-trail leader discharge occurring in the summer polar upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 2015

Previously, all-sky airglow images observed at Shigaraki ($34.9^{\circ}N$, $136.1^{\circ}E$), Japan, during 2004 and 2005 were analyzed in relation to those observed at Mt. Bohyun ($36.2^{\circ}N$, $128.9^{\circ}E$) for a comparison of their gravity wave characteristics (Kim et al. 2010). By applying the same selection criteria of waves and cloud coverages as in the case of Mt. Bohyun all-sky images, we derived apparent wavelengths, periods, phase velocities, and monthly occurrence rates of gravity waves at Shigaraki in this study. The distributions of wavelengths, periods, and speeds derived for Shigaraki were found to be roughly similar to those for Mt. Bohyun. However, the overall occurrence rates of gravity waves at Shigaraki were 36% and 34% for OI 557.7 nm and OH Meinel band airglow layers, respectively, which were significantly higher than those at Mt. Bohyun. The monthly occurrence rates did not show minima near equinox months, unlike those for Mt. Bohyun. Furthermore, the seasonal preferential directions that were clearly apparent for Mt. Bohyun were not seen in the wave propagation trends for Shigaraki. These differences between the two sites imply different origins of the gravity waves near the Korean peninsula and the Japanese islands. The gravity waves over the Japanese islands may originate from sources at various altitudes; therefore, wind filtering may not be effective in causing any seasonal preferential directions in the waves in the airglow layers. Our analysis of the Shigaraki data supports recent theoretical studies, according to which gravity waves can be generated from in situ sources, such as mesosphere wind shear or secondary wave formation, in the mesosphere.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.169-176
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• 2014

Since the operation of the King Sejong Station (KSS) started in Antarctic Peninsula in 1989, there have been continuous efforts to perform the observation for the upper atmosphere. The observations during the initial period of the station include Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) and Michelson Interferometer for the mesosphere and thermosphere, which are no longer in operation. In 2002, in collaboration with York University, Canada, the Spectral Airglow Temperature Imager (SATI) was installed to observe the temperature in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region and it has still been producing the mesopause temperature data until present. The observation was extended by installing the meteor radar in 2007 to observe the neutral winds and temperature in the MLT region during the day and night in collaboration with Chungnam National University. We also installed the all sky camera in 2008 to observe the wave structures in the MLT region. All these observations are utilized to study on the physical characteristics of the MLT region and also on the wave phenomena such as the tide and gravity wave in the upper atmosphere over KSS that is well known for the strong gravity wave activity. In this article, brief introductions for the currently operating instruments at KSS will be presented with their applications for the study of the upper atmosphere.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2002

We report all sky camera and Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) observations of mesospheric gravity waves and a 12-hour wave at Resolute $(75^{\circ}N)$ and a joint observation of 10-hour wave with Eureka $(80^{\circ}N)$. All sky camera observations showed a low occurrence of mesosphere gravity waves during equinoxes, which is similar to the mid-latitude region. A slightly higher occurrence near solstice appears to indicate that gravity waves are not filtered out by the neutral wind in the winter. The FPI observation of a 12-hour wave showed amplitude variations from day to day. The phase of the wave is mostly stable and consistent with the GSWM prediction in the winter. The phase shifts with season as predicted by the GSWM. Four events of the 12-hour wave were found in spring with amplitudes larger than the GSW predictions. The FPls at Resolute and Eureka also observed a wave with period close to 10 hours. The 10-hour wave maybe the result of the non-linear interaction between the semi-diurnal tide and the quasi-two day wave. Further studies are under way. Overall, the combined Resolute and Eureka observation have revealed some new fractures about the mesospheric gravity wave, tidal wave, and other oscillations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2001

As part of a long-term program for polar upper atmospheric studies, temperatures and intensities of the OH(3-1) bands were derived from spectrometric observations of airglow emissions over King Sejong station($62.22^{circ}S,\;301.25^{circ}E$). These measurements were made with a Michelson interferometer to cover wavelength regions between 1000nm and 2000 nm. A spectral analysis was performed to individual nights of data to acquire information on the waves in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere. It is assumed that the measured fluctuations in the intensity and temperature of the OH (3-1) airglow were caused by gravity waves propagating through the emission layer. Correlation of intensity and temperature variation revealed oscillations with periods ranging from 2 to 9 hours. We also calculated Krassovsky’s parameter and compared with published values.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.49.1-49.1
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• 2018

The MATS (Mesosphere Airglow/Aerosol Tomography Spectroscopy) satellite is the next Swedish science microsatellite. We report optical performance test results of the limb telescope, which is the major payload. This telescope is designed with "linear astigmatism-free" (LAF) off-axis optical system in order to have high optical performance across the wide field of view. We measured Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) and Encircled Energy Diameter (EED) of the limb telescope. Full field imaging tests show expected results without linear astigmatism across the full field of view ($5.67^{\circ}{\times}0.91^{\circ}$). Since the amount of stray light is from the earth and the sun, we also simulated and measured the stray light in the field image.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.68.3-68.3
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• 2018

The MATS (Mesosphere Airglow / Aerosol Tomography Spectroscopy) satellite is a Swedish scientific microsatellite which Kyung Hee University participates in developing. The limb telescope of the MATS satellite is designed with linear astigmatism-free off axis optical configuration which allows wide field of view ($5.67^{\circ}{\times}0.91^{\circ}$). Here we present the full-field optical performance test setup that consists of a point source, a collimator, the limb telescope and a CCD (Charged Coupled Device). The incidence angle of the collimator was carefully controlled by the rotary stage under the limb telescope. The imaging tests represent expected results without dominant aberrations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2004

The terrestrial nightglow emission in near infrared region were obtained using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer(FTS) at Esrange, Sweden ($67.90^{\circ}$N, $21.10^{\circ}$E) and the OH(4- 2) bands were used to derive temperature and airglow emission rate of the upper mesosphere. For this study, we analyzed data taken during winter of 2001/2002 and performed spectral analysis to retrieve wave information. From the Lomb-Scargle spectral analysis to the measured temperatures, dominant oscillations at various periods near tidal frequency are found. Most commonly observed waves are 4, 6, and 8 hour oscillations. Because of periods and persistence, the observed oscillations are most likely of tidal origin, i.e. zonally symmetric tides which are known to have their maximum amplitudes at the pole.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.72.2-72.2
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• 2019

The hydroxyl radical (OH) sky emission lines arise from the Earth's mesosphere, and they serve as a major source of the sky background in the infrared. With IGRINS, the observed line strength show non-negligible variation even within a few minutes of time scale, making its subtraction difficult. Toward the aim better sky subtraction in the IGRINS pipeline, we present 1) improved identification of sky lines in H and K band and 2) improved method of subtracting sky background. Using the recent line list of Brooke et al. (2015), we have detected ~500 OH doublets from upper vibrational level between 2 and 9 and maximum upper J level of 25. In particular, we found that a significant fraction of unidentified lines reported by Oliva et al. (2015) are indeed OH lines resulting from transitions between different F levels. With the extended line identification, we present an improved method of sky subtraction. The method, based on the method of Noll et al. (2014), empirically accounts non-LTE level population of OH molecules.