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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

ER-2 mountain wave encounter over Antarctica - Evidence for blocking

Orographically forced large-amplitude gravity waves (mountain waves) encountered during the AAOE experiment by ER-2 on September 22, 1987 over Alexander Island (73-70 deg W, 69-72 deg S) were analyzed using a three-dimensional steady-state model of stratified flow over realistic topography, similar to the model used by Smith (1980). Taking into account the effects of low-level flow blocking, reasonable agreement was obtained between the model and observations, indicating that blocking may be an important feature of real flow over topography.

Bacmeister, Julio T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Mountain-wave drag in the stratosphere and mesosphere inferred from observed winds and a simple mountain-wave parameterization scheme

A daily analysis of mountain-wave propagation through observed, global wind, and temperature fields in January and August is presented. Winds and temperatures are obtained from the daily 18-level NMC Climate Analysis Center. Mountain-wave properties are deduced from a simple, gravity wave parameterization scheme in which the effects of topographic anisotropy (ridge orientation) are explicitly included. Planetary waves in the northern winter stratosphere are found to play an important role in modulating the magnitude and distribution of inferred mountain-wave drag in the middle atmosphere. The Aleutian anticyclone is found to effectively block mountain waves generated over western North America from reaching the mesosphere by inducing local mountain-wave-critical levels in the stratosphere. Stratospheric sudden warmings have a similar effect at all longitudes so that during months with sudden warmings the average inferred drag in the mesosphere is reduced by a factor of 4 to 5 from its normal value. Partly as a consequence of larger planetary-wave filtering in the Northern Hemisphere, inferred mountain-wave drag in the southern winter mesosphere is found to be comparable to that in the northern winter mesosphere. Almost all of the mountain wave drag exerted on the southern middle atmosphere is found to originate over the southern Andes and Antarctic Peninsula.

Bacmeister, Julio T.↗
NASA NTRS2004

A search for mountain waves in MLS stratospheric limb radiances fron the winter Northern Hemisphere: data analysis and global mountain wave modeling

Despite evidence from ground-based data that flow over mountains is a dominant source of gravity waves (GWs) for the Northern Hemisphere winter middle atmosphere, GW-related signals in global limb radiances from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) have shown little direct evidence of mountain waves.

gravity waves dynamics general circulation global ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Validating simulated mountain wave impacts on hub-height wind speed using SoDAR observations

The ascent of stably stratified air over a mountain barrier can trigger the generation of mountain waves. Mountain waves occur frequently over the Columbia River Gorge in western North America and can impact wind power generation over the area. Therefore, predicting the details of mountain waves events (e.g., dominant wavelength, timing, and duration) can be very valuable for the wind energy community. In this study, the ability of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate mountain waves and their impact on hub-height wind speed is investigated. Our results suggest that the WRF model has moderate skill in simulating observed mountain wave. Further, given WRF predictions of wavelength range and wave period, the Fast Fourier Transform can calculate the simulated mountain wave impact on hub-height wind speed. The resulting wind speeds agree well with SoDAR observations in terms of both magnitude and pattern. Finally, for the simulated cases, WRF consistently predicts impacts of significant mountain wave events about an hour earlier than the actual observations. Overall, in this work, the sensitivities as well as uncertainties associated with our methodology are discussed in detail.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mountain waves can impact wind power generation

Abstract. Mountains can modify the weather downstream of the terrain. In particular, when stably stratified air ascends a mountain barrier, buoyancy perturbations develop. These perturbations can trigger mountain waves downstream of the mountains that can reach deep into the atmospheric boundary layer where wind turbines operate. Several such cases of mountain waves occurred during the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2) in the Columbia River basin in the lee of the Cascade Range bounding the states of Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Signals from the mountain waves appear in boundary layer sodar and lidar observations as well as in nacelle wind speeds and power observations from wind plants. Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations also produce mountain waves and are compared to satellite, lidar, and sodar observations. Simulated mountain wave wavelengths and wave propagation speeds (group velocities) are analyzed using the fast Fourier transform. We found that not all mountain waves exhibit the same speed and conclude that the speed of propagation, magnitudes of wind speeds, or wavelengths are important parameters for forecasters to recognize the risk for mountain waves and associated large drops or surges in power. When analyzing wind farm power output and nacelle wind speeds, we found that even small oscillations in wind speed caused by mountain waves can induce oscillations between full-rated power of a wind farm and half of the power output, depending on the position of the mountain wave's crests and troughs. For the wind plant analyzed in this paper, mountain-wave-induced fluctuations translate to approximately 11 % of the total wind farm output being influenced by mountain waves. Oscillations in measured wind speeds agree well with WRF simulations in timing and magnitude. We conclude that mountain waves can impact wind turbine and wind farm power output and, therefore, should be considered in complex terrain when designing, building, and forecasting for wind farms.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1993

An Algorithm for Forecasting Mountain Wave Related Turbulence in the Stratosphere

A global mountain wave parameterization for prediction of wave related displacements and turbulence is described. The parameterization is used with input from NMC analyses of wind and temperature to examine small-scale disturbances encountered by the NASA high-altitude ER-2 during the Second Airborne Arctic Stratosphere Experiment (AASE-II). The magnitude and location of observed large wave events are well reproduced. A strong correlation is suggested between patches of moderate turbulence encountered by the ER-2 and locations where breaking mountain waves are predicted by the parameterization. These facts suggest that useful forecasts of global mountain wave activity, including wave related CAT, can be made quickly and inexpensively using our mountain wave parameterization with input from current numerical forecast models.

Chan, Roland↗
NASA NTRS1995

Modulated mountain waves

The theory of mountain waves is usually discussed for the case of a steady background wind. Here, the consequences of a superimposed diurnal (or other periodic) background wind variation are considered in outline. They are found to be sufficiently complicated as to warrant avoidance in detailed case studies. They include, however, the production of freely propagating waves and may be of interest on that account for other purposes.

Hines, Colin O.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Observational Evidence Against Mountain-Wave Generation of Ice Nuclei as a Prerequisite for the Formation of Three Solid Nitric Acid Polar Stratospheric Clouds Observed in the Arctic in Early December 1999

A number of recently published papers suggest that mountain-wave activity in the stratosphere, producing ice particles when temperatures drop below the ice frost point, may be the primary source of large NAT particles. In this paper we use measurements from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instruments on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites to map out regions of ice clouds produced by stratospheric mountain-wave activity inside the Arctic vortex. Lidar observations from three DC-8 flights in early December 1999 show the presence of solid nitric acid (Type Ia or NAT) polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). By using back trajectories and superimposing the position maps on the AVHRR cloud imagery products, we show that these observed NAT clouds could not have originated at locations of high-amplitude mountain-wave activity. We also show that mountain-wave PSC climatology data and Mountain Wave Forecast Model 2.0 (MWFM-2) raw hemispheric ray and grid box averaged hemispheric wave temperature amplitude hindcast data from the same time period are in agreement with the AVHRR data. Our results show that ice cloud formation in mountain waves cannot explain how at least three large scale NAT clouds were formed in the stratosphere in early December 1999.

MOUNTAIN WAVES↗
NASA NTRS1999

Global Measurements of Stratospheric Mountain Waves from Space

Temperatures acquired by the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) during shuttle mission STS-66 have provided measurements of stratospheric mountain waves from space. Large-amplitude, long-wavelength mountain waves at heights of 15 to 30 kilometers above the southern Andes Mountains were observed and characterized, with vigorous wave breaking inferred above 30 kilometers. Mountain waves also occurred throughout the stratosphere (15 to 45 kilometers) over a broad mountainous region of central Eurasia. The global distribution of mountain wave activity accords well with predictions from a mountain wave model. The findings demonstrate that satellites can provide the global data needed to improve mountain wave parameterizations and hence global climate and forecast models.

Eckermann, Stephen D.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Momentum Flux Estimates for South Georgia Island Mountain Waves in the Stratosphere Observed via Satellite

We show high-resolution satellite observations of mountain wave events in the stratosphere above South Georgia Island in the remote southern Atlantic Ocean and compute the wave momentum fluxes for these events. The fluxes are large, and they imply important drag forces on the circulation. Small island orography is generally neglected in mountain wave parameterizations used in global climate models because limited model resolution treats the grid cell containing the island as ocean rather than land. Our results show that satellite observations can be used to quantitatively constrain mountain wave momentum fluxes, and they suggest that mountain waves from island topography may be an important missing source of drag on the atmospheric circulation.

SOUTH GEORGIA ISLANDS↗
NASA NTRS2007

Turbulence and Mountain Wave Conditions Observed with an Airborne 2-Micron Lidar

Joint efforts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Defense, and industry partners are enhancing the capability of airborne wind and turbulence detection. The Airborne Coherent Lidar for Advanced In-Flight Measurements (ACLAIM) was flown on three series of flights to assess its capability over a range of altitudes, air mass conditions, and gust phenomena. This paper describes the observation of mountain waves and turbulence induced by mountain waves over the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges in southern California by lidar onboard the NASA Airborne Science DC-8 airplane. The examples in this paper compare lidar-predicted mountain waves and wave-induced turbulence to subsequent aircraft-measured true airspeed. Airplane acceleration data is presented describing the effects of the wave-induced turbulence on the DC-8 airplane. Highlights of the lidar-predicted airspeed from the two flights show increases of 12 m/s at the mountain wave interface and peak-to-peak airspeed changes of 10 m/s and 15 m/s in a span of 12 s in moderate turbulence.

Teets, Edward H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Turbulence and mountain wave conditions observed with an airborne 2-micron lidar

Joint efforts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Defense, and industry partners are enhancing the capability of airborne wind and turbulence detection. The Airborne Coherent Lidar for Advanced In-Flight Measurements (ACLAIM) was flown on three series of flights to assess its capability over a range of altitudes, air mass conditions, and gust phenomena. This paper describes the observation of mountain waves and turbulence induced by mountain waves over the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges (California, USA) by lidar onboard the NASA Airborne Science DC-8 airplane. The examples in this paper compare lidar-predicted mountain waves and wave-induced turbulence to subsequent aircraft-measured true airspeed. Airplane acceleration data is presented describing the effects of the wave-induced turbulence on the DC-8 airplane. Highlights of the lidar-predicted airspeed from the two flights show increases of 12 meters per second (m/s) at the mountain wave interface and peak-to-peak airspeed changes of 10 m/s and 15 m/s in a span of 12 seconds in moderate turbulence.

Teets, Edward H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Turbulence and Mountain Wave Conditions Observed with an Airborne 2-Micron Lidar

Joint efforts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Defense, and industry partners are enhancing the capability of airborne wind and turbulence detection. The Airborne Coherent Lidar (light detection and ranging) for Advanced In-Flight Measurements was flown on three series of flights to assess its capability over a range of altitudes, air mass conditions, and gust phenomena. This report describes the observation of mountain waves and turbulence induced by mountain waves over the Tehachapi and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges by lidar on board the NASA Airborne Science DC-8 (McDonnell Douglas Corporation, Long Beach, California) airplane during two flights. The examples in this report compare lidar-predicted mountain waves and wave-induced turbulence to subsequent airplane-measured true airspeed. Airplane acceleration data is presented describing the effects of the wave-induced turbulence on the DC-8 airplane. Highlights of the lidar-predicted airspeed from the two flights show increases of 12 m/s at the mountain wave interface and peak-to-peak airspeed changes of 10 m/s and 15 m/s in a span of 12 s in moderate turbulence.

Teets, Edward H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Antarctic NAT PSC Belt of June 2003: Observational Validation of the Mountain Wave Seeding Hypothesis

Satellite observations of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) over Antarctica in June 2003 revealed small nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) particles forming suddenly along the vortex edge. Models suggest the trigger was mountain waves over the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) forming ice for NAT nucleation. We test this hypothesis by analyzing perturbations in stratospheric radiances from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). AIRS data show mountain waves over the AP on 10-14 June, with no resolved wave activity before or after. Peak wave temperature amplitudes derived from independent 40 hPa channels all return values of 10-12 K, in agreement with values used to model this NAT event. These observations support a NAT wake from a small region of mountain wave activity over the AP as the source of this circumpolar NAT outbreak.

PSC (POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS)↗
NASA NTRS1985

The penetration of mountain waves into the middle atmosphere

A linear nonhydrostatic model of gravity waves forced by a bell-shaped ridge is used to investigate the penetration of mountain waves into the stratosphere and mesosphere during winter and fall. Gravity waves with horizontal scales less than 30 km are found to be trapped near the tropopause and the stratopause in regions of strong winds. The effect of trapping these modes produces a disturbance whose structure broadens with height. In the mesosphere the disturbance appears 20-40 km downstream from the forcing depending on the strength of the intervening winds. Wavebreaking associated with the mountain wave is predicted in the lower stratosphere as a result of wave superposition; no individual harmonic reaches breaking amplitude. In the mesosphere, wave breakdown is more prevalent, and the disturbance spectrum is relatively more monochromatic as a result of the filtering of the shorter scale modes by the lower atmosphere.

Schoeberl, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1965

The mountain wave

Reducing problems posed by flights in clear air turbulence caused by mountain waves

WAVE↗