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At least 415 records · Page 23
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NASA NTRS1985

Medium scale gravity waves in the thermosphere observed by the AE-C satellite

It is pointed out that the measurements of the Atmosphere Explorer (AE) have made it possible to detect large- and medium-scale waves in neutrals and ions in the thermosphere. Gross et al. (1983, 1984) have reported on large-scale waves throughout a major portion of an orbit of AE-C with scale sizes from hundreds to thousands of kilometers. The present investigation is concerned with a more limited portion of the same orbit, taking into account a part in the Northern Hemisphere from about 10 deg to 54 deg latitude. The data consist of 1.0-s samples for ions and 1.5-s samples for neutrals. The data indicate fluctuations of oxygen, nitrogen, helium, and electron density, and temperature fluctuations. The structures formed by the fluctuations appear to be made up of waves having wavelengths in the range from 100 to over 400 km. The cross-correlation function demonstrates strong association between N2 and O with a peak value of 0.88 for waves of wavelengths on the order of 250-300 km.

Gross, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Simulations of gravity waves in frontal zones

Recent observations of frontal systems passing over the PROFS network in Colorado by Shapiro (1984) indicate the horizontal scale of some fronts can be on the order of a few kilometers or less. Motivated by Shapiros results, esearchers re-ran an earlier numerical simulation of frontogenesis by Williams (1972) (where a very simple stretching deformation forcing of a front is considered) using as high a resolution in both the vertical and horizontal as was possible. Highest resolution that we considered consisted of a grid with a vertical spacing of 32 meters and a horizontal spacing of 260 meters in the immediate vicinity of the surface front. The purpose was to examine development of the frontal structures as the scale of the front became very small. Two sources for banded structures in clouds were found: (1) in the stationary waves above the front and (2) in waves propagating upward from breaking waves under the front.

Gall, R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Gravity waves observed with GRAVNET: Saskatoon (52 deg N, 107 deg W) 1983/84

The GRAVNET system is based on a medium frequency (MF) radar (2.22 MGz) with one site consisting of a transmitting and spaced receiving antenna; and two remote receiving sites (approximately 40 km distance, forming an approximately equalateral triangle), also spaced receiving antennas. The winds of the upper middle atmosphere (60 to 110 km) are measured at each of the three sites in real time, using the Spaced Antenna method. Up to 12 profiles per hour were obtained. Spectral analysis was performed separately on northward and eastward velocity components for each site at the same height. Cross spectra are then found between sites. Data selection criteria included the Normalized Phase Discrepancy (NDP).

Meek, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Perturbations of the Richardson number field by gravity waves

An analytic solution is presented for a stratified fluid of arbitrary constant Richardson number. By computer aided analysis the perturbation fields, including that of the Richardson number can be calculated. The results of the linear analytic model were compared with nonlinear simulations, leading to the following conclusions: (1) the perturbations in the Richardson number field, when small, are produced primarily by the perturbations of the shear; (2) perturbations of in the Richardson number field, even when small, are not symmetric, the increase being significantly larger than the decrease (the linear analytic solution and the nonlinear simulations both confirm this result); (3) as the perturbations grow, this asymmetry increases, but more so in the nonlinear simulations than in the linear analysis; (4) for large perturbations of the shear flow, the static stability, as represented by N2, is the dominating mechanism, becoming zero or negative, and producing convective overturning; and (5) the convectional measure of linearity in lee wave theory, NH/U, is no longer the critical parameter (it is suggested that (H/u sub 0) (du sub 0/dz) takes on this role in a shearing flow).

Wurtele, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Energy balance constraints on gravity wave induced eddy diffusion in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

The constraints on turbulence improved by the mesospheric heat budget are reexamined, and the sufficiency of the theoretical evidence to support the hypothesis that the eddy Prandtl number is greater than one in the mesosphere is considered. The mesopause thermal structure is calculated with turbulent diffusion coefficients commonly used in chemical models and deduced from mean zonal wind deceleration. It is shown that extreme mesopause temperatures of less than 100 K are produced by the large net cooling. The results demonstrate the importance of the Prandtl number for mesospheric turbulence.

Strobel, D. F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Evidence of atmospheric gravity wave perturbations of the Brunt-Vaisala frequency in the atmosphere

A series of high altitude, medium resolution, measurements of temperature, pressure and turbulence have been performed by the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory. These measurements were conducted using the VIZ Manufacturing Co. microsondes with attached micro-thermal probes measuring the temperature structure coefficient. A typical atmospheric temperature measurement is given. Several small temperature inversions are evident in the troposphere. The stratosphere is marked with numerous fluctuations in the temperature profile. Microsondes provide temperature and pressure measurements every 4 seconds up to a maximum altitude of 30 km (MSL). Since the average ascent rate is 5 m/s, the altitude interval between the measurement reports is 20 m. The potential temperature is calculated from the temperature and pressure. Spectral analysis of atmospheric Brunt-Vaisala frequencies reveal spectra similiar to the velocity spectra of Dewan et al. (1984), Daniels (1982), and Endlich and Singleton (1969). The Brunt-Vaisala spectra indicate the existence of separate, distinguishable wave modes.

Good, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A study of gravity-wave spectra in the troposphere and stratosphere at 5-min to 5-day periods with the Poker Flat MST radar

An analysis of frequency spectra at periods of about 5 days to 5 min from two 20-day sets of velocity measurements in the stratosphere and troposphere region obtained with the Poker Flat mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar during January and June, 1984 is presented. A technique based on median filtering and averaged order statistics for automatic editing, smoothing and spectral analysis of velocity time series contaminated with spurious data points or outliers is outlined. The validity of this technique and its effects on the inferred spectral index was tested through simulation. Spectra obtained with this technique are discussed. The measured spectral indices show variability with season and height, especially across the tropopause. The discussion briefly outlines the need for obtaining better climatologies of velocity spectra and for the refinements of the existing theories to explain their behavior.

Bemra, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Acoustic gravity waves: A computational approach

This paper discusses numerical solutions of a hyperbolic initial boundary value problem that arises from acoustic wave propagation in the atmosphere. Field equations are derived from the atmospheric fluid flow governed by the Euler equations. The resulting original problem is nonlinear. A first order linearized version of the problem is used for computational purposes. The main difficulty in the problem as with any open boundary problem is in obtaining stable boundary conditions. Approximate boundary conditions are derived and shown to be stable. Numerical results are presented to verify the effectiveness of these boundary conditions.

Hariharan, S. I.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A study of the mechanism of internal gravity wave generation by quasigeostrophic meteorological motions

Numerous experiments on the detection of atmospheric waves in the frequency range from acoustic to planetary at meteor heights have revealed that important wave sources are meteorological processes in the troposphere (cyclones, atmospheric fronts, jet streams, etc.). A dynamical theory based on the others work include describing the adaptation of meteorological fields to the geostropic equilibrium state. According to this theory, wave motions appear as a result of constant competition between the maladjustment of the wind and pressure fields due to nonlinear effects and the tendency of the atmosphere to establish a quasi-geostrophic equilibrium of these fields. These meteorological fields are discussed.

Medvedev, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Internal gravity waves in the meteor zone in the Tbilisi Region

The study of wave disturbances (WD) in the upper part of the meteor zone (90 to 110 km) was made in the Tbilisi region. Observations were conducted using three ionospheric vertical sounders located at the corners of a triangle spaced from each other at a distance of 50 km, a four azimuth electrophotometer by the method of space reception with a small distance and a recording unit. These disturbances are measured and the results are given.

Sharadze, Z. S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Effects of eddy viscosity and thermal conduction and Coriolis force in the dynamics of gravity wave driven fluctuations in the OH nightglow

The chemical-dynamical model of Walterscheid et al. (1987), which describes wave-driven fluctuations in OH nightglow, was modified to include the effects of both eddy thermal conduction and viscosity, as well as the Coriolis force (with the shallow atmosphere approximation). Using the new model, calculations were performed for the same nominal case as used by Walterscheid et al. but with only wave periods considered. For this case, the Coriolis force was found to be unimportant at any wave period. For wave periods greater than 2 or 3 hours, the inclusion of thermal conduction alone greatly modified the results (in terms of a complex ratio 'eta' which expresses the relationship between the intensity oscillation about the time-averaged intensity and the temperature oscillation about the time-averaged temperature); this effect was reduced with the further inclusion of the eddy viscosity.

Hickey, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Evidence of gravity wave saturation and local turbulence production in the summer mesosphere and lower thermosphere during the STATE experiment

This study utilizes the unique data set obtained during the Structure and Atmospheric Turbulence Environment (STATE) experiment, conducted during June 1983 at Poker Flat, Alaska, to examine the structure and characteristics of the wave field near the summer mesopause. It is shown that the rocket and radar data together permit a much more detailed specification of wave parameters than would be possible using either data set alone. The results of this analysis suggest that the wave field near the summer mesopause is composed, in general, of a superposition of wave motions which act collectively to produce regions in which the wave field is convectively or dynamically unstable. These regions are found to correlate well with zones of enhanced turbulence and small-scale wave activity, suggesting the processes and effects of wave field saturation.

Fritts, David C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Eulerian measurements of horizontal accelerations in shoaling gravity waves

Laboratory and field measurements of suspended sediment in the nearshore suggest that fluid accelerations are an important factor in sediment transport by oscillatory waves. Here, Eulerian accelerations of the cross-shore velocity are calculated from measurements of velocity obtained by an array of bottom-mounted electromagnetic flow meters spanning a natural surf zone. Large shoreward accelerations of brief duration are associated with the steep front faces of both near-breaking and breaking waves. Weaker offshore accelerations of longer duration occur during passage of the more gently sloped rear faces. The acceleration field is thus strongly skewed in the shoreward direction. Power spectra and bispectra indicate, as expected, that statistics of the acceleration field are significantly influenced by high-frequency motions but are rather insensitive to surf beat.

Elgar, Steve↗
NASA NTRS1988

Acoustic gravity waves - A computational approach

This paper discusses numerical solutions of a hyperbolic initial boundary value problem that arises from acoustic wave propagation in the atmosphere. Field equations are derived from the atmospheric fluid flow governed by the Euler equations. The resulting original problem is nonlinear. A first order linearized version of the problem is used for computational purposes. The main difficulty in the problem as with any open boundary problem is in obtaining stable boundary conditions. Approximate boundary conditions are derived and shown to be stable. Numerical results are presented to verify the effectiveness of these boundary conditions.

Hariharan, S. I.↗