First scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer developed in China

• Published in: Chinese science bulletin 2014-02, Vol.59 (5-6), p.563-570
• Main Authors: Hu, Guoyuan, Ai, Yong, Zhang, Yange, Zhang, Hong, Liu, Jue
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: case studies; Chemistry/Food Science; Earth Sciences; Emission; emissions; Engineering; Fabry-Perot interferometers; Humanities and Social Sciences; Latitude; Life Sciences; measuring devices; Measuring instruments; mesosphere; multidisciplinary; oxygen; Physics; Scanning; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Space environment; Stations; thermosphere; Wind velocity; 中国科学院; 地面仪器; 大气风速; 干涉仪; 扫描法; 科学中心; 空间环境; 设计目标
• ISSN: 1001-6538; 1861-9541
• DOI: 10.1007/s11434-013-0093-5

A scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer （SFPI） was first developed and deployed at the Langfang near Space Environment Field Scientific Observation Station （39.38°N, 116.65°E） of the National Space Science Center, CAS. The instrument is designed to measure the mesospheric and ther- mospheric wind velocities using the atomic oxygen 557.7-nm and 630.0-nm emissions. Data from February 28 to March 3 and February 28 to March 15 in 2011 were chosen for case study and mean value study, respectively. The errors of the meridional and zonal winds are 6.5 and 7.5 m/s at 557.7-nm and at 630.0-nm, they are 7.1 and 6.6 m/s, respectively. During the whole experiment, the instrument has performed in good condition and provided high-quality data. The mean neutral wind data were consistent with that predicted by HWM07. Good agreement has been found in between the SFPI and a neighbor Meridian Project Fabry-Perot interferometer （MP FPI）, with a corresponding coefficient （re） larger than 80 %. In general, the scanning FPI meets the design goal, and it is a useful ground-based instrument for measuring mesospheric and thermospheric winds at middle latitudes and is able to provide high-quality data for future scientific studies.