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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Waves and tides
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Mesospheric dynamics
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Convective processes
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Tropical meteorology
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Airglow and aurora

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 29, 2007, 4 PP., 2002
doi:10.1029/2002GL016069

Convectively generated mesoscale gravity waves simulated throughout the middle atmosphere

Takeshi Horinouchi

Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan

Takuji Nakamura

Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan

Jun-ichi Kosaka

Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Japan

A three-dimensional simulation was conducted with a cloud-resolving model to investigate mesoscale gravity waves generated by cumulus convection that propagate to the mesospheric and lower thermospheric (MLT) region. It is found that both individual convective turrets and mesoscale convective systems excite gravity waves, resulting in a broad scale distribution. Waves excited by the former have conically shaped phase surfaces as previously reported and are conspicuous up to around the stratopause. Waves excited by the latter dominate in the MLT region. Frequent wave breaking is found above 85 km, where convective instability is found typically in the initial stage, leading to unstable shear with billows resembling the ripple-type structures observed frequently in airglow imaging.

Published 1 November 2002.

Citation: Horinouchi, T., T. Nakamura, and J. Kosaka (2002), Convectively generated mesoscale gravity waves simulated throughout the middle atmosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(21), 2007, doi:10.1029/2002GL016069.

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