Observed Diurnal Oscilliatins of Pressure and Density in the Upper Stratosphere and Lower Mesosphere

Abstract

Two recent series of meteorological rocket measurements in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere conducted in the summer and fall of 1965 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, indicate a significant diurnal oscillation of pressure and density in this region. The amplitude of observed pressure oscillations over an averaged layer from 52 to 58 km varied from 4?7 per cent with a mean value of 5 per cent, while the amplitude of density averaged through the same layer varied from 3?5 per cent with a mean of 3.5 per cent. Harmonic analyses of the heights of the 1.0-, 0.6- and 0.4-mb surfaces indicate maxima. at approximately 1400 and 1200 hours (local time) for the summer and fall series, respectively. In the vicinity of 55 km the total range of the diurnal oscillations of pressure and density as evidenced by these data was found to he almost as large as the seasonal variability.