scholarly journals A numerical study of mountain waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5123-5139 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mahalov ◽  
M. Moustaoui ◽  
V. Grubišić
Keyword(s):  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Inversion Layer ◽  
Shear Instability ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mountain Waves ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Microscale Model ◽  
Momentum Fluxes ◽  
Simulation Results

Abstract. A numerical study of mountain waves in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) is presented for two Intensive Observational Periods (IOPs) of the Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX). The simulations use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and a microscale model that is driven by the finest WRF nest. During IOP8, the simulation results reveal presence of perturbations with short wavelengths in zones of strong vertical wind shear in the UTLS that cause a reversal of momentum fluxes. The spectral properties of these perturbations and the attendant vertical profiles of heat and momentum fluxes show strong divergence near the tropopause indicating that they are generated by shear instability along shear lines locally induced by the primary mountain wave originating from the lower troposphere. This is further confirmed by results of an idealized simulation initialized with the temperature and wind profiles obtained from the microscale model. For IOP6, we analyze distributions of O3 and CO observed in aircraft measurements. They show small scale fluctuations with amplitudes and phases that vary along the path of the flight. Detailed comparisons between these fluctuations and the observed vertical velocity show that the behavior of these short fluctuations is due not only to the vertical motion, but also to the local mean vertical gradients where the waves evolve, which are modulated by larger variations. The microscale model simulation results show favorable agreement with in situ radiosonde and aircraft observations. The high vertical resolution offered by the microscale model is found to be critical for resolution of smaller scale processes such as formation of inversion layer associated with trapped lee waves in the troposphere, and propagating mountain waves in the lower stratosphere.

scholarly journals A numerical study of mountain waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 4487-4532 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mahalov ◽  
M. Moustaoui ◽  
V. Grubišić
Keyword(s):  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Inversion Layer ◽  
Shear Instability ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mountain Waves ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Microscale Model ◽  
Momentum Fluxes ◽  
Simulation Results

Abstract. A numerical study of mountain waves in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) is presented for two Intensive Observational Periods (IOPs) of the Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX). The simulations use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and a microscale model that is driven by the finest WRF nest. During IOP8, the simulation results reveal presence of perturbations with short wavelengths in zones of strong vertical wind shear in the UTLS that cause a reversal of momentum fluxes. The spectral properties of these perturbations and the attendant vertical profiles of heat and momentum fluxes show strong divergence near the tropopause indicating that they are generated by shear instability along shear lines locally induced by the primary mountain wave originating from the lower troposphere. This is further confirmed by results of an idealized simulation initialized with the temperature and wind profiles obtained from the microscale model. For IOP6, we analyse distributions of O3 and CO observed in aircraft measurements. These show small scale fluctuations with amplitudes and phases that vary along the path of the flight. Comparison between these fluctuations and the observed vertical velocity show that the behavior of these short fluctuations is due not only to the vertical motion, but also to the local mean vertical gradients where the waves evolve, which are modulated by larger variations. The microscale model simulation results shows favorable agreement with in situ radiosonde and aircraft observations. The high vertical resolution offered by the microscale model is found to be critical for resolution of smaller scale processes such as formation of inversion layer associated with trapped lee waves in the troposphere, and propagating mountain waves in the lower stratosphere.

Numerical Study of Methane and Air Combustion Inside Heat-Recirculating Combustors

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanxia Li ◽  
Zhongliang Liu ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Jiaming Liu
Keyword(s):  
Gas Flow ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Convection Heat Transfer ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Inlet Velocity ◽  
Strong Convection ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Lean Fuel ◽  
Set Up

A numerical model on methane/air combustion inside a small Swiss-roll combustor was set up to investigate the flame position of small-scale combustion. The simulation results show that the combustion flame could be maintained in the central area of the combustor only when the speed and equivalence ratio are all within a narrow and specific range. For high inlet velocity, the combustion could be sustained stably even with a very lean fuel and the flame always stayed at the first corner of reactant channel because of the strong convection heat transfer and preheating. For low inlet velocity, small amounts of fuel could combust stably in the central area of the combustor, because heat was appropriately transferred from the gas to the inlet mixture. Whereas, for the low premixed gas flow, only in certain conditions (Φ = 0.8 ～ 1.2 when ν0 = 1.0m/s, Φ = 1.0 when ν0 = 0.5m/s) the small-scale combustion could be maintained.

scholarly journals Aircraft measurements of gravity waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere during the START08 field experiment

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (13) ◽  
pp. 7667-7684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuqing Zhang ◽  
Junhong Wei ◽  
Meng Zhang ◽  
K. P. Bowman ◽  
L. L. Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Law ◽  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Shear Instability ◽  
Aircraft Measurements ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. This study analyzes in situ airborne measurements from the 2008 Stratosphere–Troposphere Analyses of Regional Transport (START08) experiment to characterize gravity waves in the extratropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (ExUTLS). The focus is on the second research flight (RF02), which took place on 21–22 April 2008. This was the first airborne mission dedicated to probing gravity waves associated with strong upper-tropospheric jet–front systems. Based on spectral and wavelet analyses of the in situ observations, along with a diagnosis of the polarization relationships, clear signals of mesoscale variations with wavelengths ~ 50–500 km are found in almost every segment of the 8 h flight, which took place mostly in the lower stratosphere. The aircraft sampled a wide range of background conditions including the region near the jet core, the jet exit and over the Rocky Mountains with clear evidence of vertically propagating gravity waves of along-track wavelength between 100 and 120 km. The power spectra of the horizontal velocity components and potential temperature for the scale approximately between ~ 8 and ~ 256 km display an approximate −5/3 power law in agreement with past studies on aircraft measurements, while the fluctuations roll over to a −3 power law for the scale approximately between ~ 0.5 and ~ 8 km (except when this part of the spectrum is activated, as recorded clearly by one of the flight segments). However, at least part of the high-frequency signals with sampled periods of ~ 20–~ 60 s and wavelengths of ~ 5–~ 15 km might be due to intrinsic observational errors in the aircraft measurements, even though the possibilities that these fluctuations may be due to other physical phenomena (e.g., nonlinear dynamics, shear instability and/or turbulence) cannot be completely ruled out.

scholarly journals Study of Clear Air Turbulence Related to Tropopause Folding over the Romanian Airspace

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
Sabina Ștefan ◽  
Bogdan Antonescu ◽  
Ana Denisa Urlea ◽  
Livius Buzdugan ◽  
Meda Daniela Andrei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Horizontal Temperature Gradient ◽  
Jet Streams ◽  
Mountain Waves ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Air Turbulence ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
Tropopause Folding

Clear air turbulence (CAT) poses a significant threat to aviation. CAT usually occurs in the lower stratosphere and the upper troposphere. It is generally associated with large scale waves, mountain waves, jet streams, upper-level fronts and tropopause folds. Aircraft can experience CAT when flying in proximity of a tropopause fold. To better understand and diagnose tropopause fold- associated CAT we selected a series of cases from among those reported by pilots between June 2017 and December 2018 in the Romanian airspace. Data on turbulence were used in conjunction with meteorological data, satellite imagery, and vertical profiles. Additionally, a set of indices as Ellrod, horizontal temperature gradient, Dutton, and Brown were computed to diagnose CAT associated with tropopause folding. These indices were also analyzed to test the physics mechanisms that may explain the occurrence of severe turbulence. Results show that out of the 420 cases announced by pilots, severe turbulence was reported in 80 cases of which 13 were associated with tropopause folding.

scholarly journals Retrieval of three-dimensional small-scale structures in upper-tropospheric/lower-stratospheric composition as measured by GLORIA

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kaufmann ◽  
J. Blank ◽  
T. Guggenmoser ◽  
J. Ungermann ◽  
A. Engel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Flight Pattern ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Very High Spatial Resolution ◽  
First Results

Abstract. The three-dimensional quantification of small-scale processes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is one of the challenges of current atmospheric research and requires the development of new measurement strategies. This work presents the first results from the newly developed Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) obtained during the ESSenCe (ESa Sounder Campaign) and TACTS/ESMVal (TACTS: Transport and composition in the upper troposphere/lowermost stratosphere, ESMVal: Earth System Model Validation) aircraft campaigns. The focus of this work is on the so-called dynamics-mode data characterized by a medium-spectral and a very-high-spatial resolution. The retrieval strategy for the derivation of two- and three-dimensional constituent fields in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is presented. Uncertainties of the main retrieval targets (temperature, O3, HNO3, and CFC-12) and their spatial resolution are discussed. During ESSenCe, high-resolution two-dimensional cross-sections have been obtained. Comparisons to collocated remote-sensing and in situ data indicate a good agreement between the data sets. During TACTS/ESMVal, a tomographic flight pattern to sense an intrusion of stratospheric air deep into the troposphere was performed. It was possible to reconstruct this filament at an unprecedented spatial resolution of better than 500 m vertically and 20 × 20 km horizontally.

scholarly journals Observed versus simulated mountain waves over Scandinavia – improvement of vertical winds, energy and momentum fluxes by enhanced model resolution?

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 4031-4052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Wagner ◽  
Andreas Dörnbrack ◽  
Markus Rapp ◽  
Sonja Gisinger ◽  
Benedikt Ehard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Horizontal Resolution ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mountain Waves ◽  
Stratospheric Intrusion ◽  
Momentum Fluxes ◽  
Wave Effects ◽  
Energy And Momentum ◽  
Vertical Winds ◽  
Mesoscale Simulations

Abstract. Two mountain wave events, which occurred over northern Scandinavia in December 2013 are analysed by means of airborne observations and global and mesoscale numerical simulations with horizontal mesh sizes of 16, 7.2, 2.4 and 0.8 km. During both events westerly cross-mountain flow induced upward-propagating mountain waves with different wave characteristics due to differing atmospheric background conditions. While wave breaking occurred at altitudes between 25 and 30 km during the first event due to weak stratospheric winds, waves propagated to altitudes above 30 km and interfacial waves formed in the troposphere at a stratospheric intrusion layer during the second event. Global and mesoscale simulations with 16 and 7.2 km grid sizes were not able to simulate the amplitudes and wavelengths of the mountain waves correctly due to unresolved mountain peaks. In simulations with 2.4 and 0.8 km horizontal resolution, mountain waves with horizontal wavelengths larger than 15 km were resolved, but exhibited too small amplitudes and too high energy and momentum fluxes. Simulated fluxes could be reduced by either increasing the vertical model grid resolution or by enhancing turbulent diffusion in the model, which is comparable to an improved representation of small-scale nonlinear wave effects.

scholarly journals Aircraft measurements of gravity waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere during the START08 Field Experiment

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 4725-4766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuqing Zhang ◽  
Junhong Wei ◽  
Meng Zhang ◽  
K. P. Bowman ◽  
L. L. Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Aircraft Measurements ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Long Wavelength ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. This study analyzes in situ airborne measurements from the 2008 Stratosphere–Troposphere Analyses of Regional Transport (START08) experiment to characterize gravity waves in the extratropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (ExUTLS) region. The focus is on the second research flight (RF02), which took place on 21–22 April 2008. This was the first airborne mission dedicated to probing gravity waves associated with strong upper-tropospheric jet-front systems. Based on spectral and wavelet analyses of the in situ observations, along with a diagnosis of the polarization relationships, clear signals of mesoscale variations with wavelengths ~50–500 km are found in almost every segment of the 8 h flight, which took place mostly in the lower stratosphere. The aircraft sampled a wide range of background conditions including the region near the jet core, the jet exit and over the Rocky Mountains. In contrast to the long wavelength mesoscale variations, smaller-scale wavelike oscillations below 50 km are found to be quite transient. In particular, aircraft measurements of several flight segments are dominated by signals with periods of ~20– ~60 s and wavelengths of ~5– ~15 km. We speculate that at least part of these nearly-periodic high-frequency signals are a result of intrinsic observational errors in the aircraft measurements or small-scale flight-altitude fluctuations that are difficult to fully characterize. Despite the presence of possibly spurious wave oscillations in several flight segments, the power spectra of horizontal winds and temperature averaged over the analyzed START08 flight segments follow closely the -5/3 power law.

scholarly journals Retrieval of three-dimensional small scale structures in upper tropospheric/lower stratospheric composition as measured by GLORIA

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 4229-4274 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kaufmann ◽  
J. Blank ◽  
T. Guggenmoser ◽  
J. Ungermann ◽  
A. Engel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Flight Pattern ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Very High Spatial Resolution ◽  
First Results

Abstract. The three-dimensional quantification of small scale processes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is one of the challenges of current atmospheric research and requires the development of new measurement strategies. This work presents first results from the newly developed Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) obtained during the ESSenCe and TACTS/ESMVal aircraft campaigns. The focus of this work is on the so-called dynamics mode data characterized by a medium spectral and a very high spatial resolution. The retrieval strategy for the derivation of two- and three-dimensional constituent fields in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is presented. Uncertainties of the main retrieval targets (temperature, O3, HNO3 and CFC-12) and their spatial resolution are discussed. During ESSenCe, high resolution two-dimensional cross-sections have been obtained. Comparisons to collocated remote-sensing and in-situ data indicate a good agreement between the data sets. During TACTS/ESMVal a tomographic flight pattern to sense an intrusion of stratospheric air deep into the troposphere has been performed. This filament could be reconstructed with an unprecedented spatial resolution of better than 500 m vertically and 20 km × 20 km horizontally.

scholarly journals Validation of ACE-FTS satellite data in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UTLS) using non-coincident measurements

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1483-1499 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. I. Hegglin ◽  
C. D. Boone ◽  
G. L. Manney ◽  
T. G. Shepherd ◽  
K. A. Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Data ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Vertical Resolution ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Relative Differences

Abstract. CO, O3, and H2O data in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UTLS) measured by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) on Canada's SCISAT-1 satellite are validated using aircraft and ozonesonde measurements. In the UTLS, validation of chemical trace gas measurements is a challenging task due to small-scale variability in the tracer fields, strong gradients of the tracers across the tropopause, and scarcity of measurements suitable for validation purposes. Validation based on coincidences therefore suffers from geophysical noise. Two alternative methods for the validation of satellite data are introduced, which avoid the usual need for coincident measurements: tracer-tracer correlations, and vertical tracer profiles relative to tropopause height. Both are increasingly being used for model validation as they strongly suppress geophysical variability and thereby provide an "instantaneous climatology". This allows comparison of measurements between non-coincident data sets which yields information about the precision and a statistically meaningful error-assessment of the ACE-FTS satellite data in the UTLS. By defining a trade-off factor, we show that the measurement errors can be reduced by including more measurements obtained over a wider longitude range into the comparison, despite the increased geophysical variability. Applying the methods then yields the following upper bounds to the relative differences in the mean found between the ACE-FTS and SPURT aircraft measurements in the upper troposphere (UT) and lower stratosphere (LS), respectively: for CO ±9% and ±12%, for H2O ±30% and ±18%, and for O3 ±25% and ±19%. The relative differences for O3 can be narrowed down by using a larger dataset obtained from ozonesondes, yielding a high bias in the ACE-FTS measurements of 18% in the UT and relative differences of ±8% for measurements in the LS. When taking into account the smearing effect of the vertically limited spacing between measurements of the ACE-FTS instrument, the relative differences decrease by 5–15% around the tropopause, suggesting a vertical resolution of the ACE-FTS in the UTLS of around 1 km. The ACE-FTS hence offers unprecedented precision and vertical resolution for a satellite instrument, which will allow a new global perspective on UTLS tracer distributions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document