Application of the Satellite Triaxial Accelerometer Experiment to Atmospheric Density and Wind Studies

摘要

A new satellite triaxial accelerometer system has been developed. This instrument has been flight-tested on three-axis stabilized satellites and has demonstrated the capability to accurately measure accelerations in the satellite's in-track, cross-track, and radial directions. The in-track data provide direct determination of atmospheric density. These data, obtained during a period of high solar flux, supplement the extensive set of measurements obtained by other accelerometer experiments during low solar flux conditions. The cross-track and radial results permit, for the first time, large-scale measurements of the zonal and, possibly, radial components of neutral atmospheric winds. These simultaneous wind and density data provide an extremely valuable input for the understanding of dynamic processes in the atmosphere and for the improvement of atmospheric models. (Author)