M. Khaplanov et al., HYGROSONDE - A DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF WATER-VAPOR IN THE STRATOSPHERE AND MESOSPHERE, Geophysical research letters, 23(13), 1996, pp. 1645-1648
A rocket-borne optical hygrometer for night time in situ measurements
of the middle atmospheric water content was successfully launched from
Esrange, Sweden, in December 1994. Utilizing the OH photofragment flu
orescence technique, the instrument takes measurements in an undisturb
ed volume outside the rocket shock front. A profile of water vapor was
obtained between 17 and 70 km. The stratospheric mixing ratio increas
es from 3.5 ppmv near 20 km to around 6 ppmv above 45 km, while the me
sospheric profile shows a strongly stratified structure; The results a
re discussed in terms of horizontal transport and compared to recently
published model results on the redistribution of water vapor in the w
inter polar mesosphere.