Five-years Altitude Statistics of Noctilucent Clouds Based on Multi-Site Wide-Field Camera Survey

TL;DR

This study analyzes five years of multi-site ground-based observations of noctilucent clouds, providing altitude maps, statistical distributions, and comparison with other measurement techniques to improve understanding and monitoring methods.

Contribution

It introduces a multi-location triangulation technique for NLC altitude mapping and compares it with colorimetric methods to enhance measurement accuracy.

Findings

Mean NLC altitudes are quantified and their seasonal variations analyzed.

The triangulation method provides reliable altitude measurements across multiple sites.

Comparison with colorimetric data validates the triangulation approach.

Abstract

The results of simultaneous measurements of noctilucent clouds (NLC) position in a number of ground-based locations are presented. Observational data of 14 bright NLC events over 5 years is used for building the altitude maps of cloud fields using triangulation technique updated for multi-location case. Statistical distribution of NLC altitude and its change during the summer season is considered. Mean NLC altitudes are compared with colorimetric technique based on the same data and simple radiation transfer model. This can be used to check the model and estimate the accuracy of single-camera technique of NLC altitude measurements. Results and methods are suggested for net ground-based survey of noctilucent clouds.