Ground-based measurement technologies: Development of CRL Fabry-Perot interferometers and observation of the thermosphere

Abstract

The Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) has long been established as a remarkably versatile high-resolution system for a wide range of spectroscopic purposes. This system screen out rays with a specific wavelength by letting multiple reflections occur between two glass plates called etalon. It has been used for estimating wind velocity and temperature in the mesosphere and the thermosphere which is much difficult to deduce with other observational methods. Two types of FPI, the all-sky FPI and the scanning FPI, have been developed as a part of international cooperative research project between CRL and University of Alaska, Fairbanks. After several operations in Japan for improving total systems, these instruments were installed in Alaska. The scanning FPI, installed in the Poker Flat Research Range, is used for vertical wind feature in the vicinity of aurora. The all-sky FPI, installed at the Eagle observatory, is used for ionosphere-thermosphere coupling study with cooperative observations with HF-radar. An automatic observation system has been developed for operating the instrument and data analyzing software for retrieving parameters with high precisions.