The Coupling of Momentum Between Internal Gravity Waves and Mean Flow: A Numerical Study

Jones, Walter L.; Houghton, David D.

doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1971)028<0604:tcombi>2.0.co;2

Cited by 42 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…The dynamical consequences of wave-mean flow interactions have long been studied by atmospheric fluid dynamicists, for example, in the context of gravity-wave forcing of zonal winds in the equatorial stratosphere (e.g., Lindzen & Holton 1968;Jones & Houghton 1971;Holton & Lindzen 1972;Grimshaw 1975;Plumb 1977;Savaranan 1990). The results of numerous such investigations contradict the previously noted expectation that angular momentum transport by internal waves can eradicate nonuniform rotation in the radiative interior of the Sun.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We remark that one of the main differences between the present paper (and also Paper I) and most of the earlier works in atmospheric sciences (e.g., Lindzen & Holton 1968;Jones & Houghton 1971;Holton & Lindzen 1972;Plumb 1977;Savaranan 1990) is that the momentum transport arises from the radiative damping in the diffusive limit. For instance, Lindzen & Holton (1968) invoked critical layers for wave absorption, and Plumb (1977) used Newtonian radiative cooling (which is valid in an optically thin medium).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gravity Wave–driven Flows in the Solar Tachocline. II. Stationary Flows

Kim

MacGregor

2003

ApJ

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The effects of gravity waves on the mean radial differential rotation profile in the solar tachocline are studied, including the effect of a uniform, toroidal magnetic field. Vertical transport of horizontal momentum arises from the radiative damping of inwardly traveling waves that are generated by low-frequency, convective fluid motions. By considering two-wave and one-wave interactions, the radiatively damped gravity waves are shown to accentuate the shear in the mean radial differential rotation. In the presence of a strong horizontal magnetic field, internal gravity waves become nearly Alfvénic and cannot propagate downward through the tachocline. For a magnetic field that is weak enough to permit wave propagation, the mean shear profile is shown to be smoother than that obtained in the case of purely hydrodynamic waves. The implications of our results for gravity-wave forcing of the internal solar rotation are discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity Wave–driven Flows in the Solar Tachocline. II. Stationary Flows

Kim

MacGregor

2003

ApJ

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“…Breeding [1971] performed nonlinear simulations that predicted larger reflection and smaller transmission coefficients than expected on the basis of linear theory, particularly at small (stable) values of the minimum mean Richardson number. The coupling between an incident gravity wave and the mean flow was considered in more detail by Jones and Houghton [1971]. For a maintained incident wave forcing, Tanaka [1975] and Fritts [1978] found the criticallevel interaction and the induced unstable layers to be displaced toward the wave source with time, a consequence of the mean flow accelerations induced by the vertical divergence of the incident wave Reynolds stress near the critical level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transient critical‐level interaction in a Boussinesq fluid

Fritts¹

1982

J. Geophys. Res.

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A numerical model was used to examine the consequences of transience and nonlinearity in the critical‐level interaction of an internal gravity wave. Wave packets in a shear flow were observed to evolve as predicted by the linear, initial‐value results of Booker and Bretherton (1967) until convectively unstable layers evolved. Once formed, such layers were found to break down via a convective instability, presumably resulting in the turbulent dissipation of the incident wave packet. Several simulations were used to illustrate the transient stabilization of, and the Eulerian mean flow accelerations induced by, critical‐level interactions. Other simulations were performed to examine the evolution of a wave packet in a time‐dependent shear flow. The latter suggest that critical‐level absorption and wave action dissipation can be either greatly accelerated or effectively eliminated depending upon the tendency of the mean velocity shear. The implications of these findings for internal gravity wave propagation in the atmosphere and the oceans are discussed.

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“…The waves are dissipated when they approach critical levels [Bretherton, 1966] or when they induce convective instability [Hodges, 1967], and their associated momentum is deposited into the flow [Jones and Houghton, 1971]. In the mean, this gravity wave drag forces flow into a region away from the breaking waves where it subsequently descends and warms adiabatically.…”

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confidence: 99%

Lidar observations of gravity wave activity and Arctic stratospheric vortex core warming

Duck

Whiteway

Carswell

1998

Geophysical Research Letters

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Abstract. Measurements of stratospheric thermal structure and gravity wave activity have been obtained with a Rayleigh lidar in the Canadian High Arctic at Eureka (80øN, 86øW) during five recent winters. The observations reveal that an annual late December warming of the upper stratosphere occurred in the polar vortex core and was sustained through the winter. Increased gravity wave activity was detected in the vortex jet during the warming. That these two phenomena developed in parallel suggests they are related. It is proposed that increased gravity wave momentum deposition above the jet maximum forced flow into the vortex core where it descended and warmed adiabatically.

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The Coupling of Momentum Between Internal Gravity Waves and Mean Flow: A Numerical Study

Cited by 42 publications

References 0 publications

Gravity Wave–driven Flows in the Solar Tachocline. II. Stationary Flows

Gravity Wave–driven Flows in the Solar Tachocline. II. Stationary Flows

The transient critical‐level interaction in a Boussinesq fluid

Lidar observations of gravity wave activity and Arctic stratospheric vortex core warming

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