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Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere changes caused by the July 2, 2019 total Eclipse in South America over the Andes Lidar Observatory, Cerro Pachon, Chile
  • +8
  • Fabio Vargas,
  • Alan Z Liu,
  • Gary R. Swenson,
  • Carlos Segura,
  • Pedro Vega-Jorquera,
  • Javier Fuentes,
  • Pierre-Dominique Pautet,
  • Michael J. Taylor,
  • Yucheng Zhao,
  • Y. Jade Morton,
  • Harrison W Bourne
Fabio Vargas
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Alan Z Liu
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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Gary R. Swenson
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
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Carlos Segura
Andes Lidar Observatory
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Pedro Vega-Jorquera
Universidad de La Serena
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Javier Fuentes
NOIR Lab, Gemini South Observatory
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Pierre-Dominique Pautet
Utah State Uiversity
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Michael J. Taylor
Utah State University
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Yucheng Zhao
Utah State University
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Y. Jade Morton
University of Colorado Boulder
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Harrison W Bourne
University of Colorado Boulder
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Abstract

This paper presents the results of a campaign covering a week of observations around the July 2, 2019, total Chilean eclipse. The eclipse occurred between 1922–2146 UTC, with complete sun disc obscuration happening at 2038–2040 UTC (1638–1640 LT) over the Andes Lidar Observatory (ALO) at (30.3$^\circ$S,70.7$^\circ$W). Observations were carried out using ALO instrumentation to observe eclipse–induced effects on the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region (MLT) (75–105 km altitude). Several mesosphere-sounding sensors were utilized to collect data before, during, and after the eclipse, including a narrow‐band resonance‐fluorescence 3D winds/temperature Na lidar with daytime observing capability, a meteor radar observing horizontal winds continuously, a multi-color nightglow all-sky camera monitoring the OH(6,2), O$_2$(0,1), O($^1S$), and O($^1D$) emissions, and a mesosphere temperature mapper (MTM) observing the OH(6–2) brightness and rotational temperature. We have also utilized TIMED/SABER temperatures and ionosonde measurements taken at the University of La Serena’s Juan Soldado Observatory. We discuss the effects of the eclipse in the MLT, which can shed light on a sparse set of measurements during this type of event. Our results point out several effects of eclipse–induced changes in the atmosphere below and above but not directly within the MLT. These effects include an unusual fast, bow–shaped gravity wave structure in airglow images, MTM brightness as well as in lidar temperature, strong zonal wind shears above 100 km, the occurrence of a sporadic E layer around 100 km, and finally variations in lidar temperature and density and the presence of a descending sporadic sodium layer near 98 km.