Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Shibata, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Shibata, T..

Seasonal to Decadal Variations of Water Vapor in the Tropical Lower Stratosphere Observed with Balloon-Borne Cryogenic Frost Point Hygrometers

We investigated water vapor variations in the tropical lower stratosphere on seasonal, quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), and decadal time scales using balloon-borne cryogenic frost point hygrometer data taken between 1993 and 2009 during various campaigns including the Central Equatorial Pacific Experiment (March 1993), campaigns once or twice annually during the Soundings of Ozone and Water in the Equatorial Region (SOWER) project in the eastern Pacific (1998-2003) and in the western Pacific and Southeast Asia (2001-2009), and the Ticosonde campaigns and regular sounding at Costa Rica (2005-2009). Quasi-regular sounding data taken at Costa Rica clearly show the tape recorder signal. The observed ascent rates agree well with the ones from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) satellite sensor. Average profiles from the recent five SOWER campaigns in the equatorial western, Pacific in northern winter and from the three Ticosonde campaigns at Costa Rica (10degN) in northern summer clearly show two effects of the QBO. One is the vertical displacement of water vapor profiles associated with the QBO meridional circulation anomalies, and the other is the concentration variations associated with the QBO tropopause temperature variations. Time series of cryogenic frost point hygrometer data averaged in a lower stratospheric layer together with HALOE and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder data show the existence of decadal variations: The mixing ratios were higher and increasing in the 1990s, lower in the early 2000s, and probably slightly higher again or recovering after 2004. Thus linear trend analysis is not appropriate to investigate the behavior of the tropical lower stratospheric water vapor.

Fujiwara, M.↗

Instrument Overview of the JEM-EUSO Mission

JEM-EUSO with a large and wide-angle telescope mounted on the International Space Station (ISS) has been planned as a space mission to explore extremes of the universe through the investigation of extreme energy cosmic rays by detecting photons which accompany air showers developed in the earth's atmosphere. JEM-EUSO will be launched by Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) and mounted at the Exposed Facility of Japanese Experiment Module (JEM/EF) of the ISS in the second phase of utilization plan. The telescope consists of high transmittance optical Fresnel lenses with a diameter of 2.5m, 200k channels of multi anode-photomultiplier tubes, focal surface front-end, readout, trigger and system electronics. An infrared camera and a LIDAR system will be also used to monitor the earth's atmosphere.

Kajino, F.↗

The Ny-Alesund aerosol and ozone measurements intercomparison campaign 1997/1998 (NAOMI-1998)

An intercomparison campaign for Lidar measurements of stratospheric ozone and aerosol has been conducted at the Primary Station of the Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC) in Ny-Alesund/Spitsbergen during January-February 1998. In addition to local instrumentation, the NDSC mobile ozone lidar from NASA/GSFC and the mobile aerosol lidar from Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) participated. The aim is the validation of stratospheric ozone and aerosol profile measurements according to NDSC guidelines. This paper briefly presents the employed instruments and outlines the campaign. Results of the blind intercomparison of ozone profiles are given in a companion paper and temperature measurements are described in this issue.

Neuber, R.↗

Observation of atmospheric ozone by dial with Raman lasers pumped by a KrF laser

Since the XeCl excimer laser (308 nm) was first used in Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) for stratospheric ozone detection, the XeCl ozone lidar became a useful tool for the monitoring of the stratospheric ozone concentration. Shorter wavelength lasers are needed for the observation of ozone in the troposphere where the ozone concentration is about one order of magnitude smaller than in the stratosphere. In 1983, tropospheric ozone was observed with the combination of the second Stokes line (290.4 nm) of stimulated Raman scattering from methane pumped by a KrF laser and the XeCl laser line. The measurement of the ozone distribution from ground to 30 km was reported, using three Stokes lines of Raman lasers pumped by a KrF laser. At wavelengths shorter than 295 nm, the background solar radiation is effectively suppressed by atmospheric ozone. Such a solar-blind effect can be expected when two wavelengths 277 and 290.4 nm are used for DIAL ozone detection. A preliminary measurement of the day time ozone distribution in the troposphere is presented using these wavelengths generated by a KrF laser with a Raman shifter. Analysis using the lidar equation predicts the maximum detectable range is 7 km.

Maeda, M.↗

XeF lidar measurements of density and temperature in the middle atmosphere

In recent years, it has been widely recognized that vertically propagating internal gravity waves in the middle atmosphere play an important role in determining the large scale wind field by their momentum transport and deposition. However, very little is known about them in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere because of the lack of adequate techinques to observe small scale motions. A XeF excimer laser was used for the Rayleigh lidar observation. The characteristics of the XeF lidar system are given. The wavelength of the XeF laser is in the region that is ozone absorption free, and the Rayleigh scattering cross section is 5 times larger than in 532 nm. The advantages of using the XeF laser as against the YAG laser have been discussed in detail. The density and temperature profiles between the altitude range of 30 and 70 km measured with this lidar system are illustrated. The accuracy is less than + or - 3% and 10k at 60 km for an observation time of 15 min. The results on the gravity waves by the observation through about one year since Apr. 1985 is presented.

Shibata, T.↗

Two classes of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances observed with an array on HF-Doppler sounders

The importance of the quasi-evanescent mode of acoustic-gravity waves (AGW) was recently stressed to elaborate on the daytime dispersion characteristics of horizontal velocity of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MS-TID) which were observed by a high frequency Doppler (HFD) sounder array in central Japan. Observed MS-TIDs were classified into two categories: the internal mode and the quasi-evanescent mode as regards physical implication. Nonlinear wave-wave interaction is proposed in an attempt to explain salient features of the latter-class TID.

Shibata, T.↗

HF Doppler observations of acoustic waves excited by the earthquake

Ionospheric disturbances caused by the earthquake of a relatively small and large epicentral distance have been detected by a network of HF-Doppler sounders in central Japan and Kyoto station, respectively. The HF-Doppler data of a small epicentral distance, together with the seismic data, have been used to formulate a mechanism whereby ionospheric disturbances are produced by the Urakawa-Oki earthquake in Japan. Comparison of the dynamic spectra of these data has revealed experimentally that the atmosphere acts as a low-pass filter for upward-propagating acoustic waves. By surveying the earthquakes for which the magnitude M is larger than 6.0, researchers found the ionospheric effect in 16 cases of 82 seismic events. As almost all these effects have occurred in the daytime, it is considered that it may result from the filtering effect of the upward-propagating acoustic waves.

Ichinose, T.↗

Lidar observations of the El Chichon cloud in the stratosphere over Fukuoka

A volcanic cloud in the stratosphere, originating from the March to April 1982 eruptions of El Chichon, has been observed for about 2.5 years at Fukuoka (33.5 degrees N, 130.4 degrees E) with two wavelengths of Nd-YAG lidar, 1.06 and 0.53 microns. Time and height variabilities of the cloud are described, using the 1.06 microns data, and some results of the two-wavelength measurements are presented. A sudden enormous increase in the total aerosol backscattering from the stratosphere (backscattering coefficient for 1.06 microns integrated over 13.5 to 28.5 km range) was followed by a decrease from late spring to summer with large fluctuations. The cloud initially appeared stratified into two layers: the upper one with fine structure and sharp edges in the easterly wind region and the lower dumpy one in the westerly wind region. Most of the aerosols were contained in the upper layer. The two layers merged into a broad, single-peaked layer as the easterly prevailed in the whole region in fall, when the total aerosol backscattering began to increase. The layer then decreased its peak height as it broadened. The difference in shape of both layers and the increase of total backscattering from fall can be interpreted by the difference in velocity of material transport in the easterly and the westerly wind region.

Fujiwara, M.↗

Exicimer lidar measurements of ozone

The observation of the atmospheric ozone profile in an altitude range of 3 to 28 km by means of differential absorption lidar in combination with an XeCl laser (308 nm) and SRS pumped by a KrF laser (249 nm) is discussed.

Shibata, T.↗

Numerical simulation of El Chichon volcanic cloud

The stratospheric volcanic cloud from the eruption of El Chichon, Mexico, on April 4, 1982 was observed routinely by a Nd:YAG lidar system from April 18, 1982 at Kyushu University. There were two phenomena detected by lidar observation of the El Chichon volcanic cloud: (1) The main enhanced layer was formed in the summer easterly wind region over Fukuoka (33.5 deg N, 130.4 deg E). The layer had two high gradient top and bottom boundaries. The layer width slowly broadened until September 1982, when the easterly wind changed to the westerly wind. A similar phenomenon was observed after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in May 1980. (2) The stratospheric integrated backscattering coefficient (IBC) reached a peak value on May 3, 1982. It then gradually decreased until August, but reincreased significantly from September to December 1982. After January 1983, IBC decreased slowly. This remarkable reincrease had not been seen in past increases which had been observed by lidar at Kyushu University. These phenomena are briefly discussed.

Shibata, T.↗

Application of thermoluminescence for detection of cascade shower 1: Hardware and software of reader system

A reader system for the detection of cascade showers via luminescence induced by heating sensitive material (BaSO4:Eu) is developed. The reader system is composed of following six instruments: (1) heater, (2) light guide, (3) image intensifier, (4) CCD camera, (5) image processor, (6) microcomputer. The efficiency of these apparatuses and software application for image analysis is reported.

Akashi, M.↗