Artists impression of AWE mapping the properties of worldwide mesospheric gravity waves. Credit: NASA
NASAs Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) has actually just recently captured preliminary pictures of the mesosphere from its perch on the International Space Station (ISS). AWE was set up on the Space Station on November 18, and preliminary commands were sent to the instrument on November 20. The first images just recently caught, or “first light” images, represent a turning point that verifies the instrument is operating as developed and the objective is operating as expected.
AWE is offering global-scale observations of climatic gravity waves (AGWs) at the mesopause area, 54 miles (87 kilometers) above Earth. When scientists are able to evaluate AWEs observations, they will have the ability to study how AGWs form by weather condition occasions on Earth and are carried through Earths atmosphere. This will also assist us comprehend AGWs broader role in the upper atmosphere understood as the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere and their impacts on area weather.
Wonder Ground Systems & & Mission Operations Manager Pedro Sevilla of the Solar Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), in addition to Emeritus Principal Investigator Michael Taylor and Principal Investigator Ludger Scherliess of Utah State Universitys College of Science, observe some of the very first live images from the AWE instrument being transferred from the International Space Station to AWEs Mission Operations Center at SDL. Credit: SDL/Allison Bills
NASAs Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) represents an advanced effort in space research, focused on studying climatic gravity waves. These waves play a crucial role in the dynamics of Earths atmosphere, especially in the upper layers like the mesosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere. Wonder runs from its distinct perspective aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Among the primary objectives of AWE is to observe and evaluate atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) in the mesopause area, which has to do with 54 miles (87 kilometers) above the Earths surface. By studying these waves, AWE aims to deepen our understanding of how weather occasions in the worlds surface area can produce these waves and how they propagate through and affect the environments higher areas. This research study is crucial for understanding the wider impacts of AGWs on the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere system, particularly in regards to space weather impacts, which have implications for satellite operations and interaction systems.
Wonder is led by Ludger Scherliess at Utah State University in Logan, and it is handled by the Explorers Program Office at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Utah State Universitys Space Dynamics Laboratory built the AWE instrument and offers the objective operations center.
NASAs Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) represents an advanced effort in space research, focused on studying climatic gravity waves. One of the primary objectives of AWE is to observe and evaluate climatic gravity waves (AGWs) in the mesopause area, which is about 54 miles (87 kilometers) above the Earths surface. By studying these waves, AWE aims to deepen our understanding of how weather condition occasions on Earths surface can generate these waves and how they propagate through and affect the environments greater regions.