Polar Mesospheric Cloud Imaging and Tomography Experiment

Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs) are the highest clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere, 83 km (50 miles), near the edge of space, and are observed slightly below the mesopause in the polar summertime. These clouds are of special interest as they are sensitive to both global climate change and to solar/terrestrial influences, i.e. the coupling between the heliosphere and the Earth's atmosphere. The first recorded sightings of PMCs were reported in 1885 at high latitudes and were recognizable because they were of such altitude as to still reflect sunlight after the sun had set, thus giving the appearance of glowing at night, hence the term noctilucent (‘night-glowing’) clouds. The objective of this flight experiment is to observe and analyze, for the first time, stabilized imagery of very high resolution in proximity to PMC cloud layers. Tomography of PMC formations may then be obtained to a precision previously unobtainable.

The observations made by this technology will enable a greater understanding of Polar Mesopheric Clouds (PMCs) and their relation to climatic change, which will have a global benefit.

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