First mesospheric wind images using the Michelson interferometer for airglow dynamics imaging

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Physics
• Geophysics
• Optical Instrumentation

Background:

• The mesopause region is crucial for understanding atmospheric dynamics.
• Remote sensing of upper atmospheric winds requires advanced instrumentation.
• Airglow emissions provide valuable data for atmospheric studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the measurement and analysis approach of the Michelson interferometer for airglow dynamics imaging (MIADI).
• To present the extraction of line-of-sight Doppler wind and irradiance fields from MIADI observations.
• To validate the imaging capability of MIADI for detecting geophysical perturbations.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing Doppler Michelson interferometry combined with imaging.
• Employing spectrally isolated airglow emissions (O(S1) at 557.73 nm and OH (6, 2) P1 (2) at 839.918 nm).
• Developing a measurement and analysis approach for simultaneous wind and irradiance imaging.

Main Results:

• Successful 6-hour measurement campaign conducted in July 2014.
• Obtained simultaneous images of line-of-sight Doppler wind and irradiance fields.
• Identified large-scale and small-scale geophysical perturbations in the obtained images.

Conclusions:

• The MIADI instrument and its analysis approach are effective for remote wind detection in the mesopause.
• MIADI's imaging capability is validated by the detection of atmospheric perturbations.
• The study demonstrates the potential of MIADI for studying airglow dynamics.