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Roper, R. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Roper, R. G..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Tidal winds at mesopause altitudes over Arecibo (18 deg N, 67 deg W), 5-11 April 1989 (AIDA '89)

A tidal analysis of the imaging Doppler interferometer scattering point parameter data at upper mesosphere-lower thermosphere altitudes (70-110 km) is presented, on the basis of the procedure developed by Groves (1959), over the interval April 5-11, 1989 at Aercibo as part of Project AIDA. This analysis reveals a typical equatorial easterly circulation, with mean meridional circulation becoming significant only above 96 km. A periodogram analysis shows the diurnal tide to be the most significant feature of the wind field at these altitudes, with zonal amplitudes up to some 50 m/s and meridional amplitudes approximately half this value. The semidiurnal tide is well developed in both zonal and meridional directions only above 96 km. Both 8- and 6-hr components become significant above 100 km, the 6-h component being as strong as both the 24- and 12-h tides at 100 km.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP, volume 25

GLOBMET (the Global Meteor Observation System) was first proposed by the Soviet Geophysical Committee and was accepted by the Middle Atmosphere Program Steering Committee in 1982. While the atmospheric dynamics data from the system are of primary interest to MAP, GLOBMET also encompasses the astronomical radio and optical observations of meteoroids, and the physics of their interaction with the Earth's atmosphere. These astronomical observations and interactional physics with the Earth's atmosphere are discussed in detail.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Mean winds of the upper middle atmosphere (60-110 km): A global distribution from radar systems (M.F., METEOR, VHF)

Since the development of the last CIRA in 1972, the number of radars providing winds in the upper middle atmosphere has increased significantly. These systems fill the data gap between 60 km and 110 km. The radars include medium frequency (MF) radars or partial reflection systems giving data from 60/70 to 100/110 km; meteor radars, 80 to 110 km, and M.S.T. radars operating as meteor radars. Data from 12 locations are shown, which represent a good Northern Hemispheric (NH) North American chain, an Oceanian chain which is mainly in the Southern Hemisphere (SH), and some Western Europe data. Generally tidal oscillations have been removed from days or groups of days, and the remaining mean winds and longer period oscillations plotted as height-time contours. Composite cross sections from the years 1978 to 1982 were formed where possible so that only the major temporal features remain.

Manson, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Mean Winds of the Upper Middle Atmosphere (60-110 Km): a Global Distribution from Radar Systems (MF, Meteor, VHF)

During the last decade a large number of radars have been developed, which have produced substantial quantities of tidally corrected mean winds data in the upper middle atmosphere. The distribution of the radars is not global, but many areas are well covered. Zonal and meridional wind height-time cross sections from 60 to 80 km (MF/meteor radar) to approx. 110 km were preared for the last 5 to 6 years. They are compared with cross sections from CIRA 1972 for zonal winds, and GROVES (1969) for meridional winds. It is shown that while CIRA 1972 is still a useful model for many purposes, significant differences exist between it and the new radar data. The latter demonstrate important seasonal, latitudinal, longitudinal and hemispheric variations. The new meridional cross sections are of great value. The common features with GROVES (1969) are the equatorward cells in summer near 85 km; however, their strength (approx. 10 m/s) and size are less. Systematic and somewhat different variations emerge at (higher 52 N) and lower (35 to 44 deg) latitudes.

Manson, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Relationship of isolated turbulent regions to the general turbulent background, part 4.4A

The atmosphere below 100 km is often referred to as the homosphere; the region above, the heterosphere. In the homosphere, constitutents are mixed, and average molecular weight is constant. In the heterosphere, diffusive separation occurs, and species tend to fractionate; average molecular weight decreases with height. Mixing in the homosphere has its source dynamical (wind) energy. Against this background turbulence, intermittent enhancements of turbulent intensity are observed. Some of these enhancements are long lived -- for example, a turbulent layer at approximately 86 km altitude seems to be almost a permanent feature of the (global) daytime D region, as oserved by partial reflection. This may well be a delineation of the mesopause level, since long-term radio meteor studies have shown approx. 85 km to be the breakpoint between thermospheric circulation above, and mesospheric circulation below. The use of stratosphere-troposphere (ST) radars in the lower atmosphere, and mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) and partial-reflection radars in the mesosphere for height/time profiles of turbulent intensity is discussed.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

MENTOR: Adding an outlying receiver to an ST radar for meteor-wind measurement

Radar scattering from ionized meteor trails has been used for many years as a way to determine mesopause-level winds. Scattering occurs perpendicular to the trails, and since the ionizing efficiency of the incoming meteoroids depends on the cosine of the zenith angle of the radiant, echoes directly overhead are rare. Stratosphere-troposphere (ST) radars normally sample within 15 deg of the vertical, and thus receive few meteor echoes. Even the higher powdered mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radars are not good meteor radars, although they were used to successfully retrieved meteor winds from the Poker Flat, Alaska MST radar by averaging long data intervals. It has been suggested that a receiving station some distance from an ST radar could receive pulses being scattered from meteor trails, determine the particular ST beam in which the scattering occurred, measure the radial Doppler velocity, and thus determine the wind field. This concept has been named MENTOR (Meteor Echoes; No Transmitter, Only Receivers).

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

MWR, Meteor Wind Radars

The requirements of a state of the art meteor wind radar, and acceptable comprises in the interests of economy, are detailed. Design consideration of some existing and proposed radars are discussed. The need for international cooperation in mesopause level wind measurement, such as that being fostered by the MAP GLOBMET (Global Meteor Observations System) project, is emphasized.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Meteor wind results from Atlanta, USA, and Ramey, Puerto Rico

Results obtained using the French (CNET) meteor wind radar at Ramey, Puerto Rico, and the Georgia Tech radio meteor wind facility in Atlanta, U.S.A., are presented and compared. Prevailing wind, diurnal, and semidiurnal wind amplitudes are considerably larger over Ramey than over Atlanta, but the mean zonal circulation over Atlanta is more characteristic of the equatorial circulation than winds measured by stations at higher midlatitudes. The value of continuous observations, with a height resolution of + or - 2 km, is emphasized, as is the need for the application of several techniques, groundbased, in situ and satellite, if projects such as the MAP GLOBMET are to succeed in delineating the global meteorology of the mesopause.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Mesospheric and lower thermospheric dynamics

Studies of the dynamics of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are reviewed. Attention is given to prevailing winds, mean vertical motions, tidal winds, and stratospheric warmings. Semiempirical models, compatibility of measurement techniques, and availability of data are also discussed.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Theoretical and experimental investigations of upper atmosphere dynamics

A brief overview of the significant contributions made to the understanding of the dynamics of the Earth's upper atmosphere is presented, including the addition of winds and diffusion to the semi-empirical Global Reference Atmospheric Model developed for the design phase of the Space Shuttle, reviews of turbulence in the lower thermosphere, the dynamics of the equatorial mesopause, stratospheric warming effects on mesopause level dynamics, and the relevance of these studies to the proposed Middle Atmosphere Program (1982-85). A chronological bibliography, with abstracts of all papers published, is also included.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A comparison between radio meteor and airglow winds

A comparison between the winds near an altitude of 97 kilometers has been made from observations of the 17,924-K (5577-A) O I emission line at Fritz Peak Observatory (39.8 deg N, 195.5 deg W) and with a meteor radar facility at Atlanta (34 deg N, 84 deg W), from August 1974 to November 1975. Since the optical emission measurements are made only at night, the nighttime meteor radar measurements have been used, weighted by an airglow emission-rate profile. The results show general agreement in both the zonal and meridional wind vectors, but with the variations in the amplitude of the meridional winds at the northernmost station (Fritz Peak Observatory) larger than those at Atlanta. This is a result of the smoothing inherent in producing the meteor winds.

Hernandez, G.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Winds from the Atlanta /34 deg N, 84 deg W/ radio meteor wind facility

A brief description of the Georgia Tech radio meteor wind facility is followed by a tabular presentation and discussion of winds measured over Atlanta (34 deg N, 84 deg W) for the first three intervals of the URSI/IAGA Cooperative Tidal Observations Program (CTOP). The pervailing zonal wind measured during August 1974, being easterly, is significantly different from that measured during October 1975 and January 1976, and is not typical of winds measured in August 1975 and August 1976, when westerlies predominated. The complicated tidal picture is detailed, but is not easily summarized.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The effects of polar stratwarms on the winds at the mesopause level in mid latitudes

The continuous measurement of the wind profile over the 80 to 100 km region by means of radio reflections from meteor trails provides data which can be correlated with stratospheric temperature changes inferred from satellite radiance data. The very preliminary results presented show a tendency for stratospheric warming events to produce dramatic changes in the circulation in the neighborhood of the mesopause at 34 deg N. The mean zonal wind over the height range 80 to 100 km above Atlanta for the period November, 1974 through February, 1975 is presented in a graph.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Four-D global reference atmosphere

Model generates values for pressure, density, temperature, and winds from surface level to orbital altitudes. Program can define altitude profiles of atmospheric parameters for simulated trajectory.

Robertson, B.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A global reference atmospheric model for surface to orbital altitudes

An empirical atmospheric model has been developed which generates values for pressure, density, temperature and winds from surface levels to orbital altitudes. The output parameters consist of components for: (1) latitude, longitude, and altitude dependent monthly means; (2) quasi-biennial oscillations; and (3) random perturbations to partially simulate the variability due to synoptic, diurnal, planetary wave and gravity wave variations. The monthly mean models consist of: NASA's four dimensional worldwide model for height, latitude, and longitude dependent monthly means from the surface to 25 km; and a newly developed latitude-longitude dependent model which is an extension of the Groves latitude dependent model for the region between 25 and 90 km. The Jacchia 1970 model is used above 90 km and is faired with the modified Groves values between 90 and 115 km. Quasi-biennial and random variation perturbations are computed from parameters determined from various empirical studies, and are added to the monthly mean values.

Justus, C. G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The measurement of meteor winds over Atlanta /34 N, 84 W/

An all-sky, continuous wave radio meteor wind facility has been installed in Atlanta. A double sideband suppressed carrier CW transmitter, operating at around 32.5 MHz, with an rms output of 2 kW, has been installed, and a receiving site was established at 27 km away. Details of the equipment, together with height/time profiles of mean wind circulation and tides between 80 and 100 km, measured from August 9 to September 4, 1974, are presented.

Roper, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Four-D global reference atmosphere technical description, part 1

An empirical atmospheric model was developed which generates values for pressure, density, temperature, and winds from surface levels to orbital altitudes. The output parameters consist of components for: (1) latitude, longitude, and altitude dependent monthly and annual means; (2) quasi-biennial oscillations; and (3) random perturbations to simulate partially the variability due to synoptic, diurnal, planetary wave, and gravity wave variations. Quasi-biennial and random variation perturbations are computed from parameters determined from various empirical studies and are added to the monthly mean values. This model has been developed as a computer program called PROFILE which can be used to generate altitude profiles of atmospheric parameters along any simulated trajectory through the atmosphere. The PROFILE program was developed for design applications in the space shuttle program. Other applications of the model are discussed, such as for global circulation and diffusion studies, and for generating profiles for comparison with other atmospheric measurement techniques, (e.g. satellite measured temperature profiles).

Justus, C. G.↗