Seasonal and interannual variations of mesospheric gravity waves and background winds

Details Seasonal and interannual variations of mesospheric gravity waves and background winds Seasonal and interannual variations of mesospheric gravity waves and background winds

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsa34a..04h&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SA34A-04

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[3332] Atmospheric Processes / Mesospheric Dynamics, [3334] Atmospheric Processes / Middle Atmosphere Dynamics, [3389] Atmospheric Processes / Tides And Planetary Waves

Scientific paper

The seasonal variation of the activity of gravity waves (GW) in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere is investigated using wind measurements with meteor and MF radars at Juliusruh (55°N, 13°E) and Andenes (69°N, 16°E), as well as on the basis of the simulated annual cycle using a gravity-wave resolving mechanistic general circulation model. Observational and computational results show the strongest GW energy during winter and a secondary maximum during summer. Additional observational analysis of short-period GWs yields a more pronounced summer maximum. The semi-annual variation is consistent with the selective filtering of westward and eastward GWs by the mean zonal wind. The latitudinal dependence during summer is characterized by stronger GW energy between 65 and 85 km at middle latitudes than at polar latitudes, and a corresponding upward shift of the wind reversal towards the pole which is also reflected by the simulated GW drag. Based on long term measurements of mesospheric winds at mid and polar altitudes, the interannual variations of the activity of GW with different periods and their dependence from the background winds are investigated. First results indicate that the observed zonal wind trend at about 75 km during summer at mid latitudes goes along with an enhanced activity of GW with periods between 3 - 6 hours at altitudes between 80 and 88 km. We will continue our studies of GW trends for other seasons at both latitudes to illuminate the contribution of the selective GW filtering by the background winds.

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