We analyze the gravity waves (GWs) from the ground to the thermosphere during 11–14 January 2016 using the nudged HI Altitude Mechanistic general Circulation Model. We find that the entrance, core and exit regions of the polar vortex jet are important for generating primary GWs and amplifying GWs from below. These primary GWs dissipate in the upper stratosphere/lower mesosphere and deposit momentum there; the atmosphere responds by generating secondary GWs. This process is repeated, resulting in medium to large‐scale higher‐order, thermospheric GWs. We find that the amplitudes of the secondary/higher‐order GWs from sources below the polar vortex jet are exponentially magnified. The higher‐order, thermospheric GWs have concentric ring, arc‐like and planar structures, and spread out latitudinally to 10 − 90°N. Those GWs with the largest amplitudes propagate against the background wind. Some of the higher‐order GWs generated over Europe propagate over the Arctic region then southward over the US to ∼15–20°N daily at ∼14 − 24 UT (∼9 − 16 LT) due to the favorable background wind. These GWs have horizontal wavelengths
We analyze the gravity waves (GWs) observed by a Rayleigh lidar at the Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research (ALOMAR) (16.08°E, 69.38°N) in Norway at
- Award ID(s):
- 1832988
- PAR ID:
- 10395654
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
- Volume:
- 128
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2169-897X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
Abstract λ H ∼ 200 − 2,200 km, horizontal phase speedsc H ∼ 165 − 260 m/s, and periodsτ r ∼ 0.3 − 2.4 hr. Such GWs could be misidentified as being generated by auroral activity. The large‐scale, higher‐order GWs are generated in the lower thermosphere and propagate southwestward daily across the northern mid‐thermosphere at ∼8–16 LT withλ H ∼ 3,000 km andc H ∼ 650 m/s. We compare the simulated GWs with those observed by AIRS, VIIRS/DNB, lidar and meteor radars and find reasonable to good agreement. Thus the polar vortex jet is important for facilitating the global generation of medium to large‐scale, higher‐order thermospheric GWs via multi‐step vertical coupling. -
Abstract We examine the total electron content (TEC) from GPS receivers over the United States on March 25–26, 2015. We observe partial to nearly fully concentric rings of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) with centers close to deep convection. Many of these TIDs have observed horizontal phase speeds
c H > 300 m/s, suggesting they are induced by gravity waves (GWs) created in the thermosphere. We investigate the largest‐amplitude concentric TIDs at 23:00 UT on March 25 and 01:20 UT on March 26. We find thatc Hand the GW periodτ rincrease linearly with radius and the horizontal wavelength,λ H, increases quadratically with radius. This is expected if the GWs are excited by point sources. For these GWs,c H = 150–530 m/s,τ r ∼ 8–40 min, andλ H ∼ 100–500 km. Using reverse ray‐tracing, no GW withc H > 200 m/s propagates belowz = 100 km, 73% of the GWs in the first case cannot propagate belowz ∼ 100 km, all of the GWs in the second case cannot propagate belowz ∼ 100 km, and the inferred thermospheric point sources are ∼2–4° from deep convection. Because the underlying GWs are most likely excited by a point source and most must be created in the thermosphere, we find that these concentric TIDs are most likely induced by GWs generated in the thermosphere, including those withc H = 150–200 m/s. Their close proximity to deep convection and the TEC map asymmetries suggest these TIDs are likely induced by secondary GWs from local horizontal body forces created by the dissipation of primary GWs from deep convection. -
Abstract Utilizing 956 nights of Na lidar nocturnal mesopause region temperature profiles acquired at Fort Collins, CO (40.6°N, 105.1°W) over a 20‐year period (March 1990–2010), we deduce background nightly mean temperature
and the square of the buoyancy frequency N 2(z ) at 2‐km resolution between 83 and 105 km. The temperature climatology reveals the two‐level mesopause structure with clarity and sharp mesopause transitions, resulting in 102 days of summer from Days 121 to 222 of the year. The same data set analyzed at 10‐min and 1‐km resolution gives the gravity wave (GW) temperature perturbationsT i '(z ) and the wave varianceVar (T ′(z )) and GW potential energyE pm (z ) between 85 and 100 km. Seasonal averages of GWVar (T ′(z )) andE pm (z ) between 90 and 100 km, show thatVar (T ′) for spring and autumn are comparable and lower than for summer and winter. Due mainly to the higher background stability, or largerN 2(z ) in summer,E pm (z ) between 85 and 100 km is comparable in spring, summer, and autumn seasons, but ∼30%–45% smaller than the winter values at the same altitude. The uncertainties are about 4% for winter and about 5% for the other three seasons. The values forE pm are (156.0, 176.2, 145.6, and 186.2 J/kg) at 85 km for (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) respectively, (125.4, 120.2, 115.2, and 168.7 J/kg) at 93 km, and (207.5, 180.5, 213.1, and 278.6 J/kg) at 100 km. Going up in altitude, all profiles first decrease and then increase, suggesting that climatologically, GWs break below 85 km. -
Abstract We investigate the effects on the mesosphere and thermosphere from a strong mountain wave (MW) event over the wintertime Southern Andes using a gravity wave (GW)‐resolving global circulation model. During this event, MWs break and attenuate at
z ∼50–80 km, thereby creating local body forces that generate large‐scale secondary GWs having concentric ring structure with horizontal wavelengthsλ H =500–2,000 km, horizontal phase speedsc H =70–100 m/s, and periodsτ r ∼3–10 hr. These secondary GWs dissipate in the upper mesosphere and thermosphere, thereby creating local body forces. These forces have horizontal sizes of 180–800 km, depending on the constructive/destructive interference between wave packets and the overall sizes of the wave packets. The largest body force is atz =80–130 km, has an amplitude of ∼2,400 m/s/day, and is located ∼1,000 km east of the Southern Andes. This force excites medium‐ and large‐scale “tertiary GWs” having concentric ring structure, withλ H increasing with radius from the centers of the rings. Near the Southern Andes, these tertiary GWs havec H =120–160 m/s,λ H =350–2,000 km, andτ r ∼4–9 hr. Some of the larger‐λ H tertiary GWs propagate to the west coast of Africa with very large phase speeds ofc H ≃420 m/s. The GW potential energy density increases exponentially atz ∼95–115 km, decreases atz ∼115–125 km where most of the secondary GWs dissipate, and increases again atz >125 km from the tertiary GWs. Thus, strong MW events result in the generation of medium‐ to large‐scale fast tertiary GWs in the mesosphere and thermosphere via this multistep vertical coupling mechanism. -
Abstract The seasonal and height dependencies of the orographic primary and larger‐scale secondary gravity waves (GWs) have been studied using the temperature profiles measured by Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) from 2002 to 2017. At ~40°S and during Southern Hemisphere winter, there is a strong GW peak over the Andes mountains that extend to
z ~ 55 km. Using wind and topographic data, we show that orographic GWs break above the peak height of the stratospheric jet. Atz ~ 55–65 km, GW breaking and momentum deposition create body forces that generate larger‐scale secondary GWs; we show that these latter GWs form a wide peak above 65 km with a westward tilt. At middle latitudes during summer in the respective hemisphere, orographic GW breaking also generates larger‐scale secondary GWs that propagate to higher altitudes. Both orographic primary and larger‐scale secondary GWs are likely responsible for most of the non‐equatorial peaks of the persistent global distribution of GWs in SABER.