Traveling neutral disturbances

Abstract

The coupling of acoustic-gravity waves in the main atmosphere to acoustic waves characteristic of individual minor species in the atmosphere is postulated. Such coupling would exist as a result of resonances in the response of the minor species, and its likelihood depends on the mass of the atmospheric particle relative to the major species mass, the diffusion of the minor species, and the direction of propagation of the main disturbance. These minor-species disturbances may explain some AE-C measurements in the thermosphere and could possibly play a role in the distribution of minor species and their chemistry in the mesosphere.