Measurement of lower thermosphere using The Optical Profiling of the Atmospheric Limb (OPAL) CubeSat experiment

The Earth's lower thermosphere region between 90-140 Km is subjected to episodic energy and momentum forcing from the solar wind in the form of Joule heating and particle precipitation. This is believed to be the largest driver of global thermospheric temperature variability. In addition, this region is also subjected to the periodic and episodic energy and momentum forcing through tides, planetary waves and gravity waves generated in the lower atmosphere. These internal waves affect the temperature structure on many scales as they propagate up from the lower atmosphere into the thermosphere. However, the relative importance of these two coupling processes on the thermospheric temperature structure, on both regional and global-scales is poorly understood.