Observation of the thermal structure and dynamics of the stratosphere and the mesosphere from space

Various dynamical, chemical and radiative processes control the thermal structure of the middle atmosphere. The middle atmosphere plays an important role in the radiative budget of the Earth and contains the stratospheric ozone layer protecting us against harmful solar UV radiation. Observations are thus fundamental to have a good knowledge of this region and to predict correctly its future evolution in relation with global climate changes. In situ and remote sensing ground-based measurements provide a detailed but localized description of the state of the atmosphere. On the contrary, space borne instruments allow the observation of atmospheric parameters on a global scale. The goal of this article is to describe the available space instruments for the study of the temperature and dynamics of the stratosphere and the mesosphere and to show how ground-based and satellite observations complement each other.