Turbulence measurements and implications for gravity wave dissipation during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS rocket program

Details Turbulence measurements and implications for gravity wave dissipation during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS rocket program Turbulence measurements and implications for gravity wave dissipation during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS rocket program

Oct 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004georl..3124s07r&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 31, Issue 24, CiteID L24S07

Physics

10

Atmospheric Composition And Structure: Middle Atmosphere-Energy Deposition, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: General Circulation, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Mesospheric Dynamics, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Turbulence, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Waves And Tides

Scientific paper

Three altitude profiles of turbulent energy dissipation rates measured during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS summer rocket program are presented. All measurements show near continuous turbulent layers from ~72-90 km altitude. Above 82 km altitude measured dissipation rates are comparable to former results. Below 82 km the MaCWAVE/MIDAS measurements provide the first evidence for turbulence in summer at these altitudes ever obtained. This unusual turbulence activity is accompanied by a reduced altitude of the zonal wind maximum, colder temperatures below 85 km, and enhanced gravity wave amplitudes above ~75 km. The larger gravity wave amplitudes can be explained by the different local thermal structure through the wave amplitude dependence on the buoyancy frequency. These larger wave amplitudes lead to wave breaking, turbulence production, and forcing of the zonal wind at lower altitudes. Our measurements hence imply that the altitude of the zonal wind maximum is a sensitive indicator for the altitude distribution of turbulence in the upper mesosphere.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Turbulence measurements and implications for gravity wave dissipation during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS rocket program does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Turbulence measurements and implications for gravity wave dissipation during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS rocket program, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Turbulence measurements and implications for gravity wave dissipation during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS rocket program will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-845011