A STUDY OF METEOR RADAR WINDS FROM 2 LOCATIONS IN THE BRITISH-ISLES

Winds and tides have been measured by a two-station meteor radar syste m which has increased spatial resolution compared with single station radars used in the past. Narrow radar beams, pointing SW from Sheffiel d (53.5 degrees N, 1.6 degrees W) and 30 degrees N of W from Shrivenha m (51.5 degrees N, 1.6 degrees W), are arranged to converge over the U .K. MST radar site near Aberystwyth, thus defining a unique atmospheri c volume in which meteor wind components are simultaneously measured f rom the two radar sites. The resultant 'true', or local, wind vector i s compared with the spatially averaged vector obtained with the aid of beams pointing SW and NW from Sheffield only. It is found that the 't rue' and averaged tidal winds are in good agreement, as expected from their large scale sizes, and that the main advantages of the dual stat ion technique lie in the resolution of a small scale structure such as that related to internal atmospheric gravity waves. By the simultaneo us deployment of two-station meteor radar, MST radar and LIDAR, such w aves may now be studied through a large vertical section of the atmosp here in a geographically localized area.