Diurnal and Annual Temperature Variations in the 30—60 km Region as Indicated by Statistical Analysis of Rocketsonde Temperature Data

Abstract

Rocketsonde temperature data taken during the period 1964?69 at White Sands, N. M., Cape Kennedy, Fla., and Wallops Island, Va., are stratified into 10 day and 10 night intervals and then averaged to give mean diurnal temperature curves at 5-km intervals from 30 to 60 km. Representative values of solar radiation errors are eliminated from all the daytime observations. The results show diurnal temperature ranges of 4.7, 3.6, 4.3, 8.9, 6.8, 7.2 and 8.9K at 30, 35, 40, 45,50, 55 and 60 km, respectively. The temperature maxima occur from 1?3 hr after local noon. The temperature minima occur 1?2 hr before sunrise below the stratopause and shortly after midnight above the stratopause. Adjustments for systematic temperature errors and diurnal variations are applied to mean monthly temperatures (based on midday data only) to give estimates of the true monthly means. The January and July mean temperatures for the three stations are compared with the model atmospheres published in the U. S. Standard Atmosphere Supplements (1966).