Mesosphere Summer Echoes as Observed by VHF Radar at Kuhlungsborn (54°N)

We give a summary report on the properties of Mesosphere Summer Echoes (MSE) layers as observed throughout a complete summer season. The observations were performed with the new 53.5 MHz radar system at Kuhlungsborn (54.1 degrees N, 11.8 degrees E) during the summer 1998. MSE are the equivalent of Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) at midlatitudes. MSE events have been observed only during day-time, even though the radar was operated continuously. MSE were observed on 34 days for a total of 92 hours and only during sunlit conditions. The first and last MSE events of the season have been detected on June 2 and on August 3, 1998, respectively. Most of the MSE events have had a duration of the order of one to five hours. Two long lasting events have been observed on June 13 and 26 with a duration of 8 and 12 hours. On both dates. noctilucent cloud (NLC) layers were present and colocated lidars observed NLC overhead at night on June 13.