Estudo de ondas de gravidade observadas na emissão do OI630 nm da aeroluminescência noturna.

Abstract

In this work, observed and intrinsic parameters(period, wavelength and phase speed) of gravity waves were studied using OI 630.0 nm airglow measurements. Those waves were observed at São João do Cariri (geographic coordinates: 7:4 S; 36:5 W, geomagnetic coordinates: 0:48 N, 35:8 L). A total of 51 gravity waves events were observed from September 2011 to April 2015 using an all sky airglow imager. Intrinsic parameters of 31 gravity waves were estimated using spectral analysis. The spectral characteristics of the waves are in agreement with observations made in other places around the world, i.e., the observed periods range between 12 and 30 minutes, the horizontal wavelengths from 90 to 180 km and the observed phase speed were from 30 to 180 m/s. Most of the observed waves showed the propagation direction to the east and northeast. Simultaneous measurements of the atmospheric wind made by two Fabry-Perot Interferometers, deployed at São João do Cariri and Cajazeiras ( geographic coordinates: 6:9 S; 38:5 W, geomagnetic coordinates: 01:49 N; 33:41 L), were also used to estimate the intrinsic parameters of the gravity waves. The termospheric wind blows predominantly to the southwest. The observed periods of the gravity waves showed changes, mainly between 18 and 30 min as compared to the intrinsic ones. All of the waves that had propagation direction to the north and northwest decreased their horizontal observed phase speed when they are compared to the intrinsic phase speed. Furthermore, most of the waves propagating to the northeast decreased their observed phase speed.On the other hand, most of the waves propagating to the southeast increased the observed phase speed.Thus, all of the waves propagating eastward had the observed phase speed increased.