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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 29, NO. 20, 1966, doi:10.1029/2002GL015794, 2002

High frequency gravity waves observed in OH airglow at Starfire Optical Range, NM: Seasonal variations in momentum flux

Jing Tang

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA


Alan Z. Liu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA


Gary R. Swenson

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA


Abstract

Airglow imager and Na wind/temperature lidar measurements at Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico (35°N, 107°W) are used to estimate the seasonal variation of the vertical fluxes of horizontal momentum carried by high frequency Atmospheric Gravity Waves (AGWs). The cross-correlation coefficients between the vertical and horizontal wind perturbations were calculated from the OH airglow imager data collected during 32 nights in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The RMS wind velocities were deduced from the lidar measurements. The combined information was used to estimate the upper limit of the momentum flux. The meridional component of the vertical flux of horizontal momentum was observed to be towards the summer pole. The zonal component had westward preference in winter and weak preference in summer. The unanticipated large meridional component may act to regulate the summer to winter circulation in the mesosphere.

Published 22 October 2002.

Index Terms: 3384 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Waves and tides; 3334 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Middle atmosphere dynamics (0341, 0342); 0310 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Airglow and aurora; 3360 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Remote sensing.

Subscriber Access to Full Article (Nonsubscribers may purchase for $9.00, Includes print PDF, file size: 175334 bytes)

Citation: Tang, J., A. Z. Liu, and G. R. Swenson (2002), High frequency gravity waves observed in OH airglow at Starfire Optical Range, NM: Seasonal variations in momentum flux, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(20), 1966, doi:10.1029/2002GL015794.