Ar. Jacobson et Rc. Carlos, OBSERVATIONS OF ACOUSTIC-GRAVITY WAVES IN THE THERMOSPHERE FOLLOWING SPACE-SHUTTLE ASCENTS, Journal of atmospheric and terrestrial physics, 56(4), 1994, pp. 525-528
Using an ionospheric Doppler sounder al Havelock, North Carolina, we o
bserved upper atmospheric waves generated by three ascents of the Spac
e Shuttle during 1990-1991. The exhaust plume's initial explosion and
subsequent buoyant rise apparently launch acoustic and buoyancy waves,
respectively. The bouyancy waves observed close (< 150 km) to the fli
ght path are shorter period (200 s) than the Brunt-Vaisaila period. Th
is may be due to wind-generated Doppler shifts, or alternatively to th
e waves being ducted on the thermocline.