Limb temperature observations in the mesosphere with OMPS

Global observations from space are not numerous and show some disagreements with ground-based NDACC lidars that are not fully explained or do not provide the required vertical resolution to reproduce large fluctuations (20-40 K) due to mesospheric inversions. Comparisons with ERA5 also confirm the lack of variability in the mesosphere. Temperature observations in the mesosphere are biased by migrating atmospheric solar tides with large amplitudes requiring more frequent measurements. Such observations can be easily handled by a constellation of cubesats.

Temperature profiles can be derived by existing satellite missions that were not initially designed for this purpose. This opportunity has been recently tested and processed using GOMOS/ENVISAT observations allowing to provide new and accurate temperature measurements in the mesosphere during 8 years of operation. OMPS/NPP is another limb sensor with a different technical implementation that can expend de 8 years duration of GOMOS to now providing more than 20 years of mesospheric temperature data.