HR: 0830h
AN: A31C-0047    [PDF]
TI: Gravity Wave Parameters Derived from High Vertical Resolution U.S. Radiosonde Data
AU: * Wang, L
EM: lwang@cora.nwra.com
AF: Colorado Research Associates Inc. Division of NorthWest Research Associates, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AU: Geller, M A
EM: mgeller@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
AF: Institude for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres State University of New York at Stony Brook, MSRC SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000 United States
AU: Alexander, M J
EM: alexand@cora.nwra.com
AF: Colorado Research Associates Inc. Division of NorthWest Research Associates, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AU: Fritts, D
EM: dave@cora.nwra.com
AF: Colorado Research Associates Inc. Division of NorthWest Research Associates, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AB: Five years of high vertical resolution U.S. radiosonde data have been analyzed to derive important gravity wave parameters such as intrinsic frequency, vertical wavelength, and vertical and horizontal directions of gravity wave energy propagation. It is found that all these parameters display distinctive latitudinal and seasonal variations. Most dominant gravity wave intrinsic frequencies divided by the Coriolis parameter are around 3.9 in the troposphere, and 2.4-3 in the lower stratosphere. In the lower stratosphere, this ratio generally decreases with increasing latitude and is higer in NH winter than summer at mid- and high- latitudes. Most dominant gravity wave vertical wavelengths decrease with increasing latitude in the lower straotphsere, and they maximize at mid-latitudes in the tropsophere. In both the troposphere and lower stratosphere, the vertical wavelengths are longer in winter and shorter in summer. Approximately 50% of the tropospheric gravity waves show upward energy propagation, whereas there is about 75% upward propagation in the lower stratosphere. The lower stratospheric percentage is smaller in winter and bigger in summer. In the lower stratosphere, the dominant horizontal wave propagation direction is eastward south of 25 N and westward north of 25 N. Waves are relatively more isotropic in the troposphere. Moreover, lower stratospheric waves are found to be more anisotropic in winter. Interpretations are given to explain the derived latitudinal and seasonal variations of these parameters.
DE: 0341 Middle atmosphere--constituent transport and chemistry (3334)
DE: 0342 Middle atmosphere--energy deposition
DE: 0358 Thermosphere--energy deposition
DE: 0368 Troposphere--constituent transport and chemistry
DE: 0399 General or miscellaneous
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting