SATELLITE MEASUREMENTS OF HYDROXYL IN THE MESOSPHERE

The global distribution of hydroxyl (OH) in the middle atmosphere was recently measured by the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograp h Investigation (MAHRSI) on a satellite deployed and retrieved by the space shuttle. During 75 orbits, MAHRSI acquired 1800 daytime limb sca ns of the OH ultraviolet solar resonance fluorescence intensity. Each limb scan extends over the altitude region from 30 to 90 km and across 10 degrees of latitude between 53 degrees S and 63 degrees N. OH numb er densities were retrieved using a Twomey regularization scheme const rained by the smoothness of the retrieved profile. Results provide a d etailed description of the diurnal variation of mesospheric OH. Midmor ning OH densities had a well defined peak of about 6 x 10(6) cm(-3) ne ar 70 km, a broad minimum centered near 64 km, and rose to about 1 x 1 0(7) cm(-3) at 50 km. This profile is in substantial disagreement with photochemical model predictions [Summers et al., this issue]. The obs ervations are compared with the two previous measurements.