Diurnal Temperature Change in the Atmosphere between 30 and 60 km Over White Sands Missile Range

Abstract

Diurnal temperature variations between 30 and 60 km have been determined in a series of eleven meteorological rocket soundings from 0400 MST 7 February 1964 through 0205 MST 8 February 1964 over White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The soundings were spaced at 2-hour intervals and temperatures were measured with thermistor type instrumentation suspended on a parachute. Minimum temperatures were recorded near 0400 to 0600 MST and maximum temperatures occurred about 1400 MST. The temperature range decreased from near 20C at 55 km to 15C at 45 km and to near 5C at 35 km. Significant non-diurnal heating was also present. Additional sets of temperature soundings made at 1400 and 1600 MST on 21 November 1964 and 0400 and 0600 MST on the 22nd over White Sands Missile Range were available for comparison. These soundings indicated a day to night variation of 15C from 63 km down to 55 km with marked dampening of variation thereafter. The November soundings may not represent the entire diurnal range since the soundings might have included large scale non-diurnal heating which was impossible to isolate.