Results of Meteorological Rocket Experiments at Thumba

Abstract

A series of 23 successful meteorological rocket experiments were conducted at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station from July 1964 through July 1966. An analysis of the data collected shows the following pattern of winds in the equatorial upper atmosphere. In the stratosphere, the wind flow is predominantly easterly. However, westerlies are observed above 25?30 km in April and October-November. In the mesosphere westerlies become more frequent and are noticeable not only in the above months, but also in February through April. The transition to this pattern from the middle latitude wind regime seems to take place gradually in the subtropics. From a study of the wind shears over Thumba, as well as from radar observations of the spread of chaff, it is noticed that during certain periods a region of high shears and pronounced turbulence manifests itself above 50 km. Further, from chaff dispersion studies, it has been possible to make a preliminary estimate of the diffusion coefficient in the stratosphere and mesosphere.