Studies of gravity wave and thermal tide and their interactions in the middle atmosphere
type: CreativeWork
description: Gravity waves (GWs) and tides are two strongest and most persistent waves in the middle atmosphere of the Earth. They are usually generated in the lower atmosphere and propagate upward to the middle and upper atmosphere, where they play important roles in the atmospheric composition, chemistry, dynamics and energetics. This dissertation focuses on a case-study of the propagation and dissipation characteristics of an inertial GW, the seasonal variation of the diurnal tide based on both the observations and models, and also the interactions between GWs and tides. One-night (October 28, 2003) temperature and horizontal wind measurements by a resonance sodium (Na) wind/temperature lidar in Maui (20.7 N, 156.3 W) and temperature measurement by a Rayleigh lidar at Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO, 19.5 N, 155.6 W), HI, are used as a case study of the GW propagation from the lower stratosphere to the lower thermosphere (35-103 km). A dominant wave mode is identi ed from the simultaneous temperature observations by both lidars. The wave is partially dissipated and propagates upward with an e-fold height of temperature amplitude at 14 km. A damping layer is present around the stratopause where the wave amplitude is relatively smaller, corresponding to a low static stability layer. The vertical wavelengths are larger in the mesosphere (12-13 km) than in the stratosphere (6-7 km), consistent with the decreasing static stability with altitude. The wave is propagating northward and the horizontal wavelength is 2140 km and intrinsic period is 15 hrs in the region of 84-103 km. The apparent period is 6 hrs and consistent with Doppler shift of the background wind. It is suggested that the convective zone over the equator to the south of Hawaii provides a constant GW source that is responsible for the observed GW throughout the night. The seasonal variability of the diurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) over Maui, HI is investigated using the meteor radar horizontal …
abstract: Gravity waves (GWs) and tides are two strongest and most persistent waves in the middle atmosphere of the Earth. They are usually generated in the lower atmosphere and propagate upward to the middle and upper atmosphere, where they play important roles in the atmospheric composition, chemistry, dynamics and energetics. This dissertation focuses on a case-study of the propagation and dissipation characteristics of an inertial GW, the seasonal variation of the diurnal tide based on both the observations and models, and also the interactions between GWs and tides. One-night (October 28, 2003) temperature and horizontal wind measurements by a resonance sodium (Na) wind/temperature lidar in Maui (20.7 N, 156.3 W) and temperature measurement by a Rayleigh lidar at Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO, 19.5 N, 155.6 W), HI, are used as a case study of the GW propagation from the lower stratosphere to the lower thermosphere (35-103 km). A dominant wave mode is identi ed from the simultaneous temperature observations by both lidars. The wave is partially dissipated and propagates upward with an e-fold height of temperature amplitude at 14 km. A damping layer is present around the stratopause where the wave amplitude is relatively smaller, corresponding to a low static stability layer. The vertical wavelengths are larger in the mesosphere (12-13 km) than in the stratosphere (6-7 km), consistent with the decreasing static stability with altitude. The wave is propagating northward and the horizontal wavelength is 2140 km and intrinsic period is 15 hrs in the region of 84-103 km. The apparent period is 6 hrs and consistent with Doppler shift of the background wind. It is suggested that the convective zone over the equator to the south of Hawaii provides a constant GW source that is responsible for the observed GW throughout the night. The seasonal variability of the diurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) over Maui, HI is investigated using the meteor radar horizontal …
author: Lu, Xian
language: en
keywords: Gravity Wave, tide, atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric waves, middle atmosphere, lidar, meteor radar
date published: 2011-08-25T22:18:14Z
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:25:26Z
provider: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/26193