Vertical fluctuation energy in United States high vertical resolution radiosonde data as an indicator of convective gravity wave sources

<p>We explored the gravity wave behavior and its role for the unusual QBO structure in 2015/2016 by analyzing the data of U.S. radiosonde with high vertical resolution over four equatorial stations from 1998 to 2017. The result implies that the gravity wave behavior should play an important role during the QBOW phase interrupted around 22 km in 2015/2016 winter. While the role of gravity wave was not as important as Kelvin waves during the prolonged and upward propagating westerly zonal wind around 27 km. The enhanced gravity wave may be generated by the instability of the stratospheric atmosphere rather than the tropospheric convection because the convection is weak during the unusual QBO structure over the four equatorial stations.</p>

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Formation of the Enhanced-V Infrared Cloud-Top Feature from High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Radar Observations

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1175/jas-d-13-079.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 332-348 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Cameron R. Homeyer

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

High Resolution ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Radar Data ◽

Temperature Fields ◽

Formation Mechanisms ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

Responsible Mechanism ◽

High Vertical Resolution ◽

Atmospheric State

Abstract The responsible mechanism for the formation of the enhanced-V infrared cloud-top feature observed above tropopause-penetrating thunderstorms is not well understood. A new method for the combination of volumetric radar reflectivity from individual radars into three-dimensional composites with high vertical resolution (1 km) is introduced and used to test various formation mechanisms proposed in the literature. For analysis, a set of 89 enhanced-V storms over the eastern continental United States are identified in the 10-yr period from 2001 to 2010 using geostationary satellite data. The background atmospheric state from each storm is determined using the Interim ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) and radiosonde observations. In conjunction with the infrared temperature fields, analysis of the radar data in a coordinate relative to the location of the overshooting convective top and in altitudes relative to the tropopause suggests that above-anvil (stratospheric) cirrus clouds are the most likely mechanism for the formation of the enhanced V.

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Variation in the tropopause transition layer over China through analyzing high vertical resolution radiosonde data

Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters ◽

10.1080/16742834.2017.1256188 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 114-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhi-Xuan BAI ◽

Jian-Chun BIAN ◽

Hong-Bin CHEN

Keyword(s):

Transition Layer ◽

Radiosonde Data ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

High Vertical Resolution

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High-resolution temperature profiles (HRTP) retrieved from bi-chromatic stellar scintillation measurements by GOMOS/Envisat

10.5194/amt-2018-270 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Viktoria F. Sofieva ◽

Francis Dalaudier ◽

Alain Hauchecorne ◽

Valery Kan

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Gravity Wave ◽

Temperature Fluctuations ◽

Radiosonde Data ◽

Retrieval Algorithm ◽

Small Scale ◽

Temperature Profiles ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

Inversion Algorithm ◽

Stellar Scintillation

Abstract. In this paper, we describe the inversion algorithm for retrievals of high vertical resolution temperature profiles using bi-chromatic stellar scintillation measurements in the occultation geometry. This retrieval algorithm has been improved with respect to nominal ESA processing and applied to the measurements by Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS) operated on board Envisat in 2002–2012. The retrieval method exploits the chromatic refraction in the Earth's atmosphere. The bi-chromatic scintillations allow the determination of the refractive angle, which is proportional to the time delay between the photometer signals. The paper discusses the basic principle and detailed inversion algorithm for reconstruction of high resolution density, pressure and temperature profiles (HRTP) in the stratosphere from scintillation measurements. The HRTP profiles are retrieved with very good vertical resolution of ~200 m and high accuracy of ~1–3 K for altitudes of 15–32 km and with a global coverage. The best accuracy is achieved in in-orbital-plane occultations, and the accuracy weakly depends on star brightness. The whole GOMOS dataset has been processed with the improved HRTP inversion algorithm using the FMI's Scientific Processor; and the dataset (HRTP FSP v1) is in open access. The validation of small-scale fluctuations in the retrieved HRTP profiles is performed via comparison of vertical wavenumber spectra of temperature fluctuations in HRTP and in collocated radiosonde data. We found that the spectral features of temperature fluctuations are very similar in HRTP and collocated radiosonde temperature profiles. HRTP can be assimilated into atmospheric models, used in studies of stratospheric clouds and in analysis of internal gravity waves activity. As an example of geophysical applications, gravity wave potential energy has been estimated using the HRTP dataset. The obtained spatio-temporal distributions of gravity wave energy are in good agreement with the previous analyses using other measurements.

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Transport and Mixing in the Extratropical Tropopause Region in a High-Vertical-Resolution GCM. Part II: Relative Importance of Large-Scale and Small-Scale Dynamics

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1175/2009jas3334.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 67 (5) ◽

pp. 1315-1336 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Kazuyuki Miyazaki ◽

Shingo Watanabe ◽

Yoshio Kawatani ◽

Kaoru Sato ◽

Yoshihiro Tomikawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gravity Wave ◽

Gravity Waves ◽

Large Scale ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Small Scale ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

Tropopause Region ◽

High Vertical Resolution ◽

Transport And Mixing ◽

Extratropical Tropopause

Abstract The relative roles of atmospheric motions on various scales, from mesoscale to planetary scale, in transport and mixing in the extratropical tropopause region are investigated using a high-vertical-resolution general circulation model (GCM). The GCM with a vertical resolution of about 300 m explicitly represents the propagation and breaking of gravity waves and the induced transport and mixing. A downward control calculation shows that the Eliassen–Palm (E-P) flux of the gravity waves diverges and induces a mean equatorward flow in the extratropical tropopause region, which differs from the mean poleward flow induced by the convergence of large-scale E-P fluxes. The diffusion coefficients estimated from the eddy potential vorticity flux in tropopause-based coordinates reveal that isentropic motions diffuse air between 20 K below and 10 K above the tropopause from late autumn to early spring, while vertical mixing is strongly suppressed at around 10–15 K above the tropopause throughout the year. The isentropic mixing is mainly caused by planetary- and synoptic-scale motions, while small-scale motions with a horizontal scale of less than a few thousand kilometers largely affect the three-dimensional mixing just above the tropopause. Analysis of the gravity wave energy and atmospheric instability implies that the small-scale dynamics associated with the dissipation and saturation of gravity waves is a significant cause of the three-dimensional mixing just above the tropopause. A rapid increase in the static stability in the tropopause inversion layer is considered to play an important role in controlling the gravity wave activity around the tropopause.

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Exploring and Improving Access to High Vertical Resolution Radiosonde Data

Eos ◽

10.1002/2013eo440006 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 94 (44) ◽

pp. 401-401 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Peter T. Love ◽

Marvin A. Geller

Keyword(s):

Radiosonde Data ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

High Vertical Resolution

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High-resolution temperature profiles retrieved from bichromatic stellar scintillation measurements by GOMOS/Envisat

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques ◽

10.5194/amt-12-585-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 585-598 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Viktoria F. Sofieva ◽

Francis Dalaudier ◽

Alain Hauchecorne ◽

Valery Kan

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Gravity Wave ◽

Temperature Fluctuations ◽

Radiosonde Data ◽

Retrieval Algorithm ◽

Small Scale ◽

Temperature Profiles ◽

Vertical Resolution ◽

Inversion Algorithm ◽

Stellar Scintillation

Abstract. In this paper, we describe the inversion algorithm for retrievals of high vertical resolution temperature profiles (HRTPs) using bichromatic stellar scintillation measurements in the occultation geometry. This retrieval algorithm has been improved with respect to nominal ESA processing and applied to the measurements by Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS) operated on board Envisat in 2002–2012. The retrieval method exploits the chromatic refraction in the Earth's atmosphere. The bichromatic scintillations allow the determination of the refractive angle, which is proportional to the time delay between the photometer signals. The paper discusses the basic principle and detailed inversion algorithm for reconstruction of high-resolution density, pressure and temperature profiles in the stratosphere from scintillation measurements. The HRTPs are retrieved with a very good vertical resolution of ∼200 m and high precision (random uncertainty) of ∼1–3 K for altitudes of 15–32 km and with a global coverage. The best accuracy is achieved for in-orbital-plane occultations, and the precision weakly depends on star brightness. The whole GOMOS dataset has been processed with the improved HRTP inversion algorithm using the FMI's scientific processor; and the dataset (HRTP FSP v1) is in open access. The validation of small-scale fluctuations in the retrieved HRTPs is performed via comparison of vertical wavenumber spectra of temperature fluctuations in HRTPs and in collocated radiosonde data. We found that the spectral features of temperature fluctuations are very similar in HRTPs and collocated radiosonde temperature profiles. HRTPs can be assimilated into atmospheric models, used in studies of stratospheric clouds and used for the analysis of internal gravity waves' activity. As an example of geophysical applications, gravity wave potential energy has been estimated using the HRTP dataset. The obtained spatiotemporal distributions of gravity wave energy are in good agreement with the previous analyses using other measurements.

Download Full-text