A middle atmosphere temperature reference model from satellite measurements

Temperature fields in the stratosphere and mesosphere have been derived from radiance measurements made by the Nimbus 5 SCR, the Nimbus 6 PMR, and the Nimbus 7 SAMS and LIMS radiometers. These instruments cover different latitude and height ranges and different times during the 1973–1983 period. The problems of combining different data sets are discussed, and examples from a proposed model atmosphere for the stratosphere and mesosphere are presented. The model is given in terms of zonal means and amplitude and phase of zonal waves 1 and 2 for temperature and geopotential height, as functions of latitude and pressure for each calendar month. Comparisons are made with the CIRA 1972 and the Koshelkov Southern Hemisphere models and with the SAMS results and in-situ rocket/radio sondes.