Investigation of an unusual quasi-stationary frontal gravity-wave
Abstract
As part of an ongoing investigation of gravity-wave dynamics, the Utah State University (USU) Na Doppler lidar and USU Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM) have collected thousands of hours of coordinated measurements. On September 11, 2016, a unique gravity-wave event was observed in OH airglow images and Na doppler lidar profiles. On this night a wave was observed to propagate into the field of view of the AMTM, slow, and eventually cease horizontal propagation relative to the ground station. Simultaneously there was an observed steepening of the wave and increase of the amplitude of wave modulation, resulting in decreasing horizontal wavelength ( 27km to 10km), increasing OH airglow intensity and temperature perturbations ( 5K). The Na lidar simultaneously observed a large background temperature enhancement ( 15K) and a strong, consistent wind component against the direction of wave propagation coinciding with the event. Because gravity-waves are responsible for energy transport and chemical species mixing in the mesopause, events which are spatially limited are particularly interesting. We present a characterization of this event, background conditions, and a discussion of relevant dynamics which may have led to such an observation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMSA43B3510C
- Keywords:
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- 3369 Thermospheric dynamics;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 3384 Acoustic-gravity waves;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 3389 Tides and planetary waves;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions;
- IONOSPHERE