elib
DLR-Header
DLR-Logo -> http://www.dlr.de
DLR Portal Home | Imprint | Privacy Policy | Contact | Deutsch
Fontsize: [-] Text [+]

Oblique propagation and refraction of gravity waves over the Andes observed by GLORIA and ALIMA during the SouthTRAC campaign

Krasauskas, Lukas and Kaifler, Bernd and Rhode, Sebastian and Ungermann, J. and Woiwode, W. and Preusse, P. (2023) Oblique propagation and refraction of gravity waves over the Andes observed by GLORIA and ALIMA during the SouthTRAC campaign. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, pp. 1-38. Wiley. doi: 10.1029/2022JD037798. ISSN 2169-897X.

[img] PDF - Postprint version (accepted manuscript)
11MB

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022JD037798

Abstract

Gravity waves (GW) carry energy and momentum from the troposphere to the middle atmosphere and have strong influence on the circulation there. Global atmospheric models cannot fully resolve GWs, and therefore rely on highly simplified GW parametrizations that, among other limitations, account for vertical wave propagation only and neglect refraction. This is a major source of uncertainty in models, and leads to well-known problems, such as late break-up of polar vortex due to the ”missing” GW drag around 60°S. To investigate these phenomena, GW observations over Southern Andes were performed during SouthTRAC aircraft campaign. This paper presents measurements from a SouthTRAC flight on 21 September 2019, including 3-D tomographic temperature data of the infrared limb imager GLORIA (8-15 km altitude) and temperature profiles of the ALIMA lidar (20-80 km altitude). GLORIA observations revealed multiple overlapping waves of different wavelengths. 3-D wave vectors were determined from the GLORIA data and used to initialise a GW ray-tracer. The ray-traced GW parameters were compared with ALIMA observations, showing good agreement between the instruments and direct evidence of oblique (partly meridional) GW propagation. ALIMA data analysis confirmed that most waves at 25-40 km altitudes were indeed orographic GWs, including waves seemingly upstream of the Andes. We directly observed horizontal GW refraction, which has not been achieved before SouthTRAC. Refraction and oblique propagation caused significant meridional transport of horizontal momentum as well as horizontal momentum exchange between waves and the background flow all along the wave paths, not just in wave excitation and breaking regions.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/194677/
Document Type:Article
Title:Oblique propagation and refraction of gravity waves over the Andes observed by GLORIA and ALIMA during the SouthTRAC campaign
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iDORCID Put Code
Krasauskas, LukasFZ Jülich, JülichUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Kaifler, BerndDLR, IPAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5891-242XUNSPECIFIED
Rhode, SebastianFZ Jülich, JülichUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Ungermann, J.FZ Jülich, JülichUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Woiwode, W.KIT, KarlsruheUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Preusse, P.FZ Jülich, JülichUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Date:6 April 2023
Journal or Publication Title:Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Refereed publication:Yes
Open Access:Yes
Gold Open Access:No
In SCOPUS:Yes
In ISI Web of Science:Yes
DOI:10.1029/2022JD037798
Page Range:pp. 1-38
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:2169-897X
Status:Published
Keywords:SouthTRAC, gravity waves, mountain waves, oblique propagation, ALIMA, lidar, HALO, aircraft
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport
HGF - Program:Space
HGF - Program Themes:Earth Observation
DLR - Research area:Raumfahrt
DLR - Program:R EO - Earth Observation
DLR - Research theme (Project):R - Middle Atmosphere
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen
Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Atmospheric Physics
Institute of Atmospheric Physics > Lidar
Deposited By: Kaifler, Dr. Natalie
Deposited On:17 Apr 2023 07:51
Last Modified:17 Apr 2023 07:51

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Browse
Search
Help & Contact
Information
electronic library is running on EPrints 3.3.12
Website and database design: Copyright © German Aerospace Center (DLR). All rights reserved.