Dynamical Characteristics Of Inertia Gravity Waves In The Antarctic Mesosphere

This book examines the origins and dynamical characteristics of atmospheric inertia-gravity waves in the Antarctic mesosphere. Gravity waves are relatively small-scale atmospheric waves with a restoring force of buoyancy that can transport momentum upward from the troposphere to the middle atmosphere. In previous studies, the dynamical characteristics of mesospheric gravity waves have not been fully examined using numerical simulations, since performing a numerical simulation with a high resolution and a high model-top requires considerable computational power. However, recent advances in computational capabilities have allowed us to perform numerical simulations using atmospheric general circulation models, which cover the troposphere to the mesosphere with a sufficiently fine horizontal resolution to resolve small-scale gravity waves. The book first describes the simulation of mesospheric gravity waves using a high-resolution non-hydrostatic atmospheric model with a high model top. The accuracy of the numerical results was confirmed by the first Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere/Incoherent Scattering (MST/IS) radar observation in the Antarctic. It also depicts the origins and propagation processes of mesospheric gravity waves on the basis of the results of the high-resolution numerical model. The behaviors of mesospheric gravity waves can be clearly explained using both fundamental and cutting-edge theories of fluid dynamics

Abstract The mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) (~80-110 km) is dominated by abundant atmospheric waves, of which gravity waves are one of the least understood due to large varieties in wave characteristics as well as potential sources. Gravity waves play an important role in the atmosphere by influencing the thermal balance and helping to drive the global circulation. But due to their sub-grid scale, the effects of gravity waves in General Circulation Models (GCMs) are mostly parameterized. The investigations of gravity waves in this dissertation are from two perspectives: the dynamical processes of gravity wave propagation and dissipation in the MLT region, and the climatology and statistical characteristics of gravity waves as physical basics of gravity wave parameterization. The studies are based on the data acquired from an airglow imager and a sodium lidar, with the assistance of some simulation data from a meso-scale numerical model and GCMs. To understand the dynamical processes in gravity wave propagation and dissipation, a gravity wave should be resolved as fully as possible. The first topic of this dissertation is motivated by the fact that most observational instruments can only capture part of the gravity waves spectrum, either horizontal or vertical structures. Observations from multiple complementary instruments are used to study gravity waves in 3-D space. There are two cases included in this topic. In case 1, a co-located sodium lidar and an airglow imager were used to depict a comprehensive picture of a wave event at altitude between 95-105 km. Thus, the horizontal and vertical gravity waves structures and their ambient atmosphere states were fully characterized, which suggests that a gravity wave undergoes reflection at two different altitudes and near-critical layer filtering in-between. All the retrieved parameters were then applied to a 2-D numerical model whose outputs help to interpret the observations. In case 2, the lidar system is configured in a 5-direction mode, whose laser beams were pointed to zenith and 30° off-zenith at four cardinal directions. Thus, there is a ~50 km separation at 90 km altitude between zenith and any off-zenith directions. Besides the vertical information from traditional lidar measurement pro horizontal wavelength and propagation direction are derived from the phase among measurements in different directions. With a full set of wave and parameters, multiple dispersion validate the goodness of different assumptions involved in linear gravity wave files, differences background and polarization relations are examined and the results theory Better knowledge of gravity waves from observational and numerical, as well as theoretical studies directly contribute to the development of physically-based parameterizations. The second topic of this dissertation is about long-term climatology and statistical characteristics of gravity waves observed by an airglow imager. The results provide some insights on how the source spectrum can be specified and tuning factors are constrained in the parameterization. Results from two sites are compared, one is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the other above the Andes Mountains. The difference and similarity provide some clues to the effects of wave sources and background flow on the gravity wave climatology and intermittency in the mesopause region. Firstly, the long-term climatology of intrinsic wave parameters and propagation direction preferences for high-frequency quasi-monochromatic gravity waves observed by an airglow imager is presented. Wave occurrence and propagation direction are related to convective activities nearby and local background winds. The preferential wave propagation during austral summer is poleward and equatorward during winter. The estimated momentum fluxes show a clear anti-correlation with background winds. Secondly, intermittency of gravity waves near mesopause region is studied. The concept of intermittency is originally from the factors used in wave parameterization schemes to describe the fractional coverage of waves within a large spatial grid and/or temporal period in order to accurately quantify the forcing on the atmosphere by dissipating gravity waves. Intermittency of gravity waves was described by the probability density functions of absolute momentum flux and some diagnostic parameters. An explicit probability function that is a piecewise function of lognormal and power law functions is obtained from airglow data. The relative importance of abundant waves with smaller amplitudes and rare waves with dramatically large amplitudes were compared. Lastly, the duration of gravity waves in the airglow layer is studied. The observed gravity waves duration in the airglow layer is exponentially distributed. Several mechanisms that could lead to such a distribution are put forward from the perspective of wave breaking due to instabilities and blocking due to evanescent regions. Ducted propagation is also a possible factor. Through individual cases and statistical studies, this dissertation investigates the dynamical processes and statistical characteristics of gravity in the MLT region. The results are expected to provide more insight in both observational and modeling research on gravity waves.

This monograph creates a systematic interpretation of the theoretical and the most actual experimental aspects of the internal wave dynamics in the ocean. Firstly, it draws attention to the important physical effects from an oceanographical point of view which are presented in mathematical descriptions. Secondly, the book serves as an introduction to the range of modern ideas and the methods in the study of wave processes in dispersive media. The book is meant for specialists in physics of the ocean, oceanography, geophysics, hydroacoustics.

This monograph creates a systematic interpretation of the theoretical and the most actual experimental aspects of the internal wave dynamics in the ocean. Firstly, it draws attention to the important physical effects from an oceanographical point of view which are presented in mathematical descriptions. Secondly, the book serves as an introduction to the range of modern ideas and the methods in the study of wave processes in dispersive media. The book is meant for specialists in physics of the ocean, oceanography, geophysics, hydroacoustics.

PAGEOPH, stratosphere, these differences provide us with new evidence, interpretation of which can materially help to advance our understanding of stratospheric dynamics in general. It is now weil established that smaller-scale motions-in particular gravity waves and turbulence-are of fundamental importance in the general circulation of the mesosphere; they seem to be similarly, if less spectacularly, significant in the troposphere, and probably also in the stratosphere. Our understanding of these motions, their effects on the mean circulation and their mutual interactions is progressing rapidly, as is weil illustrated by the papers in this issue; there are reports of observational studies, especially with new instruments such as the Japanese MV radar, reviews of the state of theory, a laboratory study and an analysis of gravity waves and their effects in the high resolution "SKYHI" general circulation model. There are good reasons to suspect that gravity waves may be of crucial significance in making the stratospheric circulation the way it is (modeling experience being one suggestive piece of evidence for this). Direct observational proof has thus far been prevented by the difficulty of making observations of such scales of motion in this region; in one study reported here, falling sphere observations are used to obtain information on the structure and intensity of waves in the upper stratosphere.

In this thesis, investigations on gravity waves are conducted in two regions of the middle atmosphere: the lower stratosphere using high-resolution radiosonde at South Pole and the mesopause region using OH airglow imager at Maui, Hawaii and Cerro Pachon, Chile. Wave characteristics at these regions are deduced and the seasonal variation of wave activity, wave sources, and propagation effect are studied. The study of gravity waves in the lower stratosphere at South Pole reveals that sources other than topography are important even for the lower part of middle atmosphere. Horizontal propagation must be included in parameterization schemes to reflect the fact that waves derived from radiosondes have slant propagation paths. They travel long distance horizontally before they reach higher altitudes. Long term gravity wave characteristics over Maui from 2002 to 2007 are deduced from OH airglow imager. Wave parameters from the long term imager observation provide robust statistics of high-frequency gravity wave in the midlatitudes. Poleward wave propagation preference during summer and equatorward wave propagation preference during winter are observed over Maui. They are also opposite to the seasonal mean meridional wind direction which are always pointing toward winter pole. Momentum fluxes deduced from OH imager are also highly anti-correlated with background winds. At least for the part of spectrum observed by airglow imager, gravity waves act as damping mechanism for diurnal tide. Gravity wave occurrence frequency does not follow the variation of local convective sources and convective sources in a large domain when ducted waves are considered. In fact, with a constant wave source and monthly mean background atmospheric condition, the simulated wave transmission resembles the wave occurrence frequency observed by OH airglow imager at Maui. Thus, at Maui the propagation effect dominates the seasonal variation in wave activity. Gravity wave momentum fluxes deduced from airglow imager provide important observation constraint for gravity wave parameterization for the mesopause region. To explain the cause of seasonal change on meridional propagation preference, three mechanisms are investigated: critical-layer filtering, wave ducting, and Doppler-shifting by local mean wind. Critical-layer filtering failed to explain the propagation preference. Observed gravity wave propagation directions are largely related to the background wind in the airglow layer. This is caused by Doppler-shifting of gravity waves by background wind. Background wind Doppler shifts gravity waves propagating against (along) background wind to higher (lower) frequency and larger (smaller) vertical wavelength. Thus, the observed gravity waves tend to propagate against background wind. The apparent against background wind propagation is largely caused by the contrast in cancellation factor for waves propagate in different direction. To a lesser degree, the difference in dissipation for waves propagate in different direction also contributes to the observed against background wind propagation. The results from this work show gravity wave's propagation in middle atmosphere is strongly affected by atmospheric field. For low frequency waves, their propagation paths are slant and can travel hundreds of kilometers before they reach the middle atmosphere. For high frequency gravity waves, though their propagation paths are mostly vertical, they are subject to ducting and reflection. Due to the large contribution of momentum flux in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) by high-frequency, short-horizontal-scale waves, these propagation effects must be included in gravity wave parameterizations.

The subject of this volume is the observation and modelling of the gravity wave field in the atmosphere. The focus is on the question of how to include the effects of small-scale gravity waves in sophisticated global climate models. The book comprises 26 chapters, including contributions from distinguished experts in observation and theory, along with results from studies of gravity wave parameterization within comprehensive climate models.

Abstract Gravity waves and thermal tides are two of the most important dynamical features of the atmosphere. They are both generated in the lower atmosphere and propagate upward transporting energy and momentum to the upper atmosphere. This dissertation focuses on the interaction of these waves in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region of the atmosphere using both observational data and Global Circulation Model (GCMs). The first part of this work focuses on observations of gravity wave interactions with the tides using both LIDAR data at the Star Fire Optical Range (SOR, 35°N, 106.5°W) and a meteor radar data at the Andes LIDAR Observatory (ALO, 30.3°s, 70.7°W). At SOR, the gravity waves are shown to enhance or damp the amplitude of the diurnal variations dependent on altitude while the phase is always delayed. The results compare well with previous mechanistic model results and with the Japanese Atmospheric General circulation model for Upper Atmosphere Research (JAGUAR) high resolution global circulation model. The meteor radar observed the GWs to almost always enhance the tidal amplitudes and either delay or advance the phase depending on the altitude. When compared to previous radar results from the same meteor radar when it was located in Maui, Hawaii, the Chile results are very similar while the LIDAR results show significant differences. This is because of several instrument biases when calculating GW momentum fluxes that is not significant when determining the winds. The radar needs to perform large amounts of all-sky averaging across many weeks, while the LIDAR directly detects waves in a small section of sky. The second part of this work focuses on gravity wave parameterization scheme effects on the tides in GCMs. The Specified Dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (SD-WACCM) and the extended Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (used for this analysis. The gravity wave parameterization schemes in the scheme) have been shown to enhance the tidal amplitudes compared to observation is the parameterization scheme in SD-WACCM (Lindzen scheme) overdamps eCMAM) are eCMAM (Hines while the tides. It is shown here that the Hines scheme assumption that only small scale gravity waves force the atmosphere do not create enough drag to properly constrain the tidal amplitudes. The Lindzen scheme produces too much drag because all wave scales are assumed to be saturated thus continuing to provide forcing on the atmosphere above the breaking altitude. The final part of this work investigates GWs, tides and their interactions on a local time scale instead of a global scale in the two GCMs. The local time GW's in eCMAM are found to have a strong seasonal dependence, with the majority of the forcings at the winter pole at latitudes where the diurnal variations are weak limiting their interactions. In SD-WACCM, the largest local GW forcings are located at mid latitudes near where the diurnal variations peak causing them to dampen the diurnal amplitudes. On a local time level the diurnal variations may be a summation of many tidal modes. The analysis reveals that in eCMAM the DW1 tidal mode is by far the dominant mode accounting for the local time variations. The high amount of modulation of GWs by the DW1 tidal winds does not allow it to be properly constrained, causing it to dominate the local time diurnal variations. Similarly, the DW1 projection of GW forcing is dominant over all other modes and contributes the most to the local time diurnal GW variations. The local time wind variations in SD-WACCM are influenced by several tidal modes because the DW1 tide is of compatible amplitudes to other modes. This is because of the increased damping on the tide by the GWs. It is also found that the local GW diurnal variations have significant contributions from all tidal modes due to the time and location of the forcing being dependent only on the tropospheric source regions and not the at altitude tidal winds.

Gravity waves exist in all types of geophysical fluids, such as lakes, oceans, and atmospheres. They play an important role in redistributing energy at disturbances, such as mountains or seamounts and they are routinely studied in meteorology and oceanography, particularly simulation models, atmospheric weather models, turbulence, air pollution, and climate research. An Introduction to Atmospheric Gravity Waves provides readers with a working background of the fundamental physics and mathematics of gravity waves, and introduces a wide variety of applications and numerous recent advances. Nappo provides a concise volume on gravity waves with a lucid discussion of current observational techniques and instrumentation. Foreword is written by Prof. George Chimonas, a renowned expert on the interactions of gravity waves with turbulence. CD containing real data, computer codes for data analysis and linear gravity wave models included with the text