Spatial and seasonal variability of medium- and high-frequency gravity waves in the lower atmosphere revealed by US radiosonde data

Zhang, S. D.; Huang, Chunming; Huang, Kai; Yi, Fan; Zhang, Y. H.; Gong, Yun; Gan, Quan

doi:10.5194/angeo-32-1129-2014

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…By applying this assumption, Zhang et al (2012Zhang et al ( , 2013Zhang et al ( , 2014 directly calculated complete GW parameters and compared them with the results from other methods. The good consistency con- Figure 1.…”

Section: Data Description and Analysis Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical wavenumber spectra of three-dimensional winds revealed by radiosonde observations at midlatitude

et al. 2017

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Abstract. By applying 12-year (1998-2009) radiosonde data over a midlatitude station, we studied the vertical wavenumber spectra of three-dimensional wind fluctuations. The horizontal wind spectra in the lower stratosphere coincide well with the well-known "universal spectra", with mean spectral slopes of − 2.91 ± 0.09 and −2.99 ± 0.09 for the zonal and meridional wind spectra, respectively, while the mean slopes in the troposphere are −2.64 ± 0.07 and −2.70 ± 0.06, respectively, which are systematically less negative than the canonical slope of −3. In both the troposphere and lower stratosphere, the spectral amplitudes (slopes) of the horizontal wind spectra are larger (less negative) in winter, and they are larger (less negative) in the troposphere than in the lower stratosphere. Moreover, we present the first statistical results of vertical wind fluctuation spectra, which revealed a very shallow spectral structure, with mean slopes of −0.58 ± 0.06 and −0.23 ± 0.05 in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, respectively. Such a shallow vertical wind fluctuation spectrum is considerably robust. Different from the horizontal wind spectrum, the slopes of the vertical wind spectra in both the troposphere and lower stratosphere are less negative in summer. The height variation of vertical wind spectrum amplitude is also different from that of the horizontal wind spectrum, with a larger amplitude in the lower stratosphere. These evident differences between the horizontal and vertical wind spectra strongly suggest they should obey different spectral laws. Quantitative comparisons with various theoretical models show that no existing spectral theories can comprehensively explain the observed three-dimensional wind spectra, indicating that the spectral features of atmospheric fluctuations are far from fully understood.

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Section: Data Description and Analysis Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical wavenumber spectra of three-dimensional winds revealed by radiosonde observations at midlatitude

et al. 2017

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“…It is now well understood that high frequency (HF) gravity waves (period K 1 h) propagating from the lower atmosphere into the mesosphere carry significant momentum (e.g., Zhang et al, 2014), and, when damped, transfer that momentum to the mean flow. Also it is well understood that the strong zonal circulation filters the waves, as shown in very early dynamic studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of high frequency gravity wave forcing on the meridional residual circulation at the mesopause region

Vargas

Swenson

Liu

2015

Advances in Space Research

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Data of high frequency gravity wave propagation direction from globally distributed stations indicate a meridional preference of mesospheric gravity waves to be globally oriented toward the summer pole. This orientation is opposite to the mean residual circulation (from summer to winter pole) at mesospheric altitudes. We discuss here a number of dynamic mechanisms including filtering that may be responsible for the preferential wave orientation, and the effects of the gravity wave forcing imposed on the meridional flow due to dissipative waves. Using nightglow image data recorded in three distinct latitude stations, we have estimated the meridional wave drag (i.e, deceleration) of about À4:6 AE 0:2 m/s/day during the summer, and 3:8 AE 0:2 m/s/day during the winter, which is significant because the meridional flow has small magnitude. This is a component of dynamic forcing in the mesopause region, not heretofore recognized.

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“…Aiming at investigating the interannual variation of gravity wave energy in the lower atmosphere, we analyzed 14 years (1998–2011) radiosonde data from 16 stations located from 14.3°S to 29.37°N. To demonstrate the height evolution of gravity wave activity, we applied the broad spectral method proposed by Zhang et al [, , ] to extract the gravity wave parameters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aiming at investigating the interannual variation of gravity wave energy in the lower atmosphere, we analyzed 14 years (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 10.1002/2016JD025435 the height evolution of gravity wave activity, we applied the broad spectral method proposed by Zhang et al [2012Zhang et al [ , 2013Zhang et al [ , 2014 to extract the gravity wave parameters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Satellite [ Tsuda et al , ; Venkat Ratnam and Jacobi , ; Wang and Alexander , ] and multistation radiosonde observations [ Wang and Geller , ; Wang et al , ; Zhang et al , ] indicated that the gravity wave energy density shows latitudinal variation. Besides, obvious signatures of seasonal and interannual oscillations are found in the gravity wave energy density in the troposphere and lower stratosphere due to the modulation of oscillations in the background atmosphere [ Vincent and Alexander , ; Wang and Geller , ; Zhang et al , , , ]. Zhang et al [] also reported the significant semiannual oscillation of gravity wave energy density in low latitude and obvious annual oscillation in middle‐ and high‐latitude regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low‐frequency oscillations of the gravity wave energy density in the lower atmosphere at low latitudes revealed by U.S. radiosonde data

Huang

Zhang

et al. 2016

JGR Atmospheres

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We adopted 14 year (from 1998 to 2011) radiosonde data from 16 stations at latitudes between 14.33°S to 29.37°N to investigate the low‐frequency oscillations of inertial gravity wave energy densities (including kinetic energy density, potential energy density, and total energy density) in the lower atmosphere from 2 km to 30 km. Apparent signatures of 11 year solar cycle and quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) were found in the gravity wave energy densities in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, respectively. Detailed analyses suggested that the 11 year oscillation and QBO of gravity wave activity might be due to the 11 year oscillation of convection activity and zonal wind QBO modulation, respectively. Besides, the gravity wave energy also showed a 35.2 month oscillation in the lower stratosphere, which might be generated by the interaction between the QBO (with the period of 26.7 months), and the 11 year solar cycle, while more possible causes are the direct modulation from the background zonal wind. Our results showed that the QBO signature in gravity wave total energy density could extend northward to over 20°N in the Northern Hemisphere, while the 11 year solar cycle in gravity wave activity could only extend to lower than 7.5°N. The oscillation with the period of 35.2 months may be a prolonged QBO in both gravity wave activity and background zonal wind.

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Spatial and seasonal variability of medium- and high-frequency gravity waves in the lower atmosphere revealed by US radiosonde data

Cited by 18 publications

References 34 publications

Vertical wavenumber spectra of three-dimensional winds revealed by radiosonde observations at midlatitude

Vertical wavenumber spectra of three-dimensional winds revealed by radiosonde observations at midlatitude

Evidence of high frequency gravity wave forcing on the meridional residual circulation at the mesopause region

Low‐frequency oscillations of the gravity wave energy density in the lower atmosphere at low latitudes revealed by U.S. radiosonde data

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