Identification

Title

Implications for atmospheric dynamics derived from global observations of gravity wave momentum flux in stratosphere and mesosphere

Abstract

In this work absolute values of gravity wave (GW) momentum flux are derived from global temperature measurements by the satellite instruments High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) and Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER). Momentum fluxes in the stratosphere are derived for both instruments and for SABER in the whole mesosphere. The large-scale atmospheric background state is removed by a two-dimensional Fourier decomposition in longitude and time, covering even planetary-scale waves with periods as short as 1-2 days. Therefore, it is possible to provide global distributions of GW momentum flux from observations for the first time in the mesosphere. Seasonal as well as longer-term variations of the global momentum flux distribution are discussed. GWs likely contribute significantly to the equatorward tilt of the polar night jet and to the poleward tilt of the summertime mesospheric jet. Our results suggest that GWs can undergo large latitudinal shifts while propagating upward. In particular, GWs generated by deep convection in the subtropical monsoon regions probably contribute significantly to the mesospheric summertime wind reversal at mid- and high latitudes. Variations in the GW longitudinal distribution caused by those convectively generated GWs are still observed in the mesosphere and could be important for the generation of the quasi two-day wave. Indications for quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) induced variations of GW momentum flux are found in the subtropics. Also variations at time scales of about one 11-year solar cycle are observed and might indicate a negative correlation between solar flux and GW momentum flux.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7f47pvp

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011-10-08T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

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Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact