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Grassl, H. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Grassl, H. J..

Observations of the diurnal tide from space

This study presents a climatology of mesospheric and lower-thermospheric diurnal tidal winds obtained with the High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). The observations reveal that although tidal structures are present at all times, like the prevailing zonal winds, they exhibit significant semiannual as well as other shorter-term variations in amplitude. Results are presented for a period extending over more than one year from November 1991 to July 1993. The 1,1 diurnal tidal amplitude of the meridional component, characterized by the value at an altitude of 90 km and a latitude of 22 deg, ranges from a minimum at solstice of less than 20 m per sec to an equinox maximum of over 70 m per sec. The vertical wavelength and phase of the tide show only slight variations throughout the year, with a suggestion of semiannual variations in both.

Hays, Paul B.↗

Stratospheric free chlorine measured by balloon-borne in situ resonance fluorescence

Eight balloon-borne in situ measurements of ClO in the stratosphere are analyzed and are compared with recent model calculations. While the use of in situ stratospheric studies of free radicals to test models by comparing observed and predicted concentration profiles is essential for a prognosis of changes in stratospheric ozone, resulting from future changes in stratospheric ozone, such studies provide only limited insight into the nature of stratospheric photochemistry, because natural variability and the large number of fast reactions which compete in the coupling among the key radicals frustrate a detailed comparison between a mean distribution provided by the models and an instantaneous distribution provided by a single observation.

Anderson, J. G.↗

Sounding rocket flight report, MUMP 9 and MUMP 10

The results of the launching of two-Marshall-University of Michigan Probes (MUMP 9 and MUMP 10), Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket payloads, are summarized. The MUMP is similar to the thermosphere probe, an ejectable instrument package for studying the variability of the earth's atmospheric parameters. The MUMP 9 payload included an omegatron mass analyzer, a molecular fluorescence densitometer, a mini-tilty filter, and a lunar position sensor. This complement of instruments permitted the determination of the molecular nitrogen density and temperature in the altitude range from approximately 143 to 297 km over Wallops Island, Virginia, during January 1971. The MUMP 10 payload included an omegatron mass analyzer, an electron temperature probe, a cryogenic densitometer, and a solar position sensor. These instruments permitted the determination of the molecular nitrogen density and temperature and the charged particle density and temperature in the altitude range from approximately 145 to 290 km over Wallops Island during the afternoon preceding the MUMP 9 launch.

Grassl, H. J.↗

Sounding rocket flight report: MUMP 9 and MUMP 10

The results of the launching of two Marshall-University of Michigan Probes (MUMP 9 and MUMP 10), Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket payloads, are summarized. The MUMP 9 paylaod included an omegatron mass analyzer, a molecular fluorescence densitometer, a mini-tilty filter, and a lunar position sensor. This complement of instruments permitted the determination of the molecular nitrogen density and temperature in the altitude range from approximately 143 to 297 km over Wallops Island, Virginia, during January 1971. The MUMP 10 payload included an omegatron mass analyzer, an electron temperature probe (Spencer, Brace, and Carignan, 1962), a cryogenic densitometer, and a solar position sensor. This complement of instruments permitted the determination of the molecular nitrogen density and temperature and the charged particle density and temperature in the altitude range from approximately 145 to 290 km over Wallops Island, Virginia, during the afternoon preceding the MUMP 9 launch in January 1971. A general description of the payload kinematics, orientation analysis, and the technique for the reduction and analysis of the data is given.

Grassl, H. J.↗