An optical pulsed searchlight system has been developed for measuring the density profile of the upper atmosphere. A light source which emits a 50-megalumen pulse, 20 μsec in duration, is placed at the focal point of a 60-inch mirror. A photomultiplier, which is part of a logarithmic recording system covering a dynamic range of four orders of magnitude, is placed at the focal point of a similar mirror. Each time the light is pulsed, an entire density profile is obtained. An altitude above 40 km has been observed. Suggestions and methods for obtaining signals from higher altitudes are discussed. The data obtained to date agree with the results of previous investigators and theoretical calculations.
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Friedland et al. (1956) studied this question.
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