Middle atmosphere research was found to be important, for the first time in the 1970s, with an information on possible atmosphere damage caused by human activity. International endeavors organized and carried out the Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP in 1982-1985). It was essential to understand dynamics of the middle atmosphere in MAP. In the early 1980s atmospheric gravity waves were found to play an important role in dynamics in the mesosphere, the upper part of the middle atmosphere. It was a good coincidence that atmosphere radars were found to be powerful for observing gravity waves. The MU radar of Kyoto University was constructed just on time in 1984. The facility, the best in the world for middle atmosphere observation, has been open for visiting scientists, domestic and abroad, even now, producing many excellent works. Of these works, this paper intends to review some important works done mainly by our Kyoto University radar group together with the basic knowledge of gravity waves.


(Communicated by Yoshibumi TOMODA, M.J.A.)