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Abstract We use high temporal‐resolution mesoscale imagery from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite‐R (GOES‐R) series to track the Lamb and gravity waves generated by the 15 January 2022 Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai eruption. The 1‐min cadence of these limited area (∼1,000×1,000 km2) brightness temperatures ensures an order of magnitude better temporal sampling than full‐disk imagery available at 10‐min or 15‐min cadence. The wave patterns are visualized in brightness temperature image differences, which represent the time derivative of the full waveform with the level of temporal aliasing being determined by the imaging cadence. Consequently, the mesoscale data highlight short‐period variations, while the full‐disk data capture the long‐period wave packet envelope. The full temperature anomaly waveform, however, can be reconstructed reasonably well from the mesoscale waveform derivatives. The reconstructed temperature anomaly waveform essentially traces the surface pressure anomaly waveform. The 1‐min imagery reveals waves with ∼40–80 km wavelengths, which trail the primary Lamb pulse emitted at ∼04:29 UTC. Their estimated propagation speed is ∼315 ± 15 m s−1, resulting in typical periods of 2.1–4.2 min. Weaker Lamb waves were also generated by the last major eruption at ∼08:40–08:45 UTC, which were, however, only identified in the near field but not in the far field. We also noted wind effects such as mean flow advection in the propagation of concentric gravity wave rings and observed gravity waves traveling near their theoretical maximum speed.
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Statistical Characteristics of High‐Frequency Gravity Waves Observed by an Airglow Imager at Andes Lidar Observatory
Abstract The long‐term statistical characteristics of high‐frequency quasi‐monochromatic gravity waves are presented using multi‐year airglow images observed at Andes Lidar Observatory (ALO, 30.3°S, 70.7°W) in northern Chile. The distribution of primary gravity wave parameters including horizontal wavelength, vertical wavelength, intrinsic wave speed, and intrinsic wave period are obtained and are in the ranges of 20–30 km, 15–25 km, 50–100 m s−1, and 5–10 min, respectively. The duration of persistent gravity wave events captured by the imager approximately follows an exponential distribution with an average duration of 7–9 min. The waves tend to propagate against the local background winds and show evidence of seasonal variations. In austral winter (May–August), the observed wave occurrence frequency is higher, and preferential wave propagation is equator‐ward. In austral summer (November–February), the wave occurrence frequency is lower, and the waves mostly propagate pole‐ward. Critical‐layer filtering plays a moderate role in determining the preferential propagation direction in certain months, especially for waves with a smaller observed phase speed (less than typical background winds). The observed wave occurrence and preferential propagation direction are related to the locations of convection activities nearby and their relative distance to ALO. However, direct wave generations are less likely due to the large distance between the ALO and convective sources. Other mechanisms such as secondary wave generation and possible ducted propagation should be considered. The estimated mean momentum fluxes have typical values of a few m2 s−2.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1759471
- PAR ID:
- 10369118
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Earth and Space Science
- Volume:
- 9
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 2333-5084
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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