Observations of Evolving Mesospheric KHI

The dynamics of the mesopause and lower thermosphere region are vital to understanding the transition from gravity wave breaking to the generation of turbulence, higher order waves, and instabilities. However, these features are unresolved in global-scale models. We present a case study of small-scale gravity waves and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities using ground-based instruments, which include the collocated sodium resonance lidar and hydroxyl imager at the Poker Flat Research Range. Analysis techniques include Fourier and wavelet packet analysis. Observation of the waves over time provide insight into gravity wave and instability interaction and evolution. The combination of data from both instruments is used to develop a three-dimensional understanding of wave packets on 31 March 2022.