CXVII. The height variation of upper atmospheric winds

Abstract

The radio echo meteor technique has been used to investigate the variation of wind velocity with altitude in the 80–100 km region. Phase changes of 5 deg km⁻¹ are found in the 12 hour periodic wind and the amplitude of this component also increases by about 1 m sec⁻¹ km-1 with height. There is also a uniform height gradient of 0·5 m sec ⁻¹ km⁻¹ in the prevailing wind. The variations in the periodic wind are considered in relation to the theory of atmospheric oscillations.