scholarly journals Effect of latitudinally displaced gravity wave forcing in the lower stratosphere on the polar vortex stability

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Samtleben ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Petr Pišoft ◽  
Petr Šácha ◽  
Aleš Kuchař
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Polar Region ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Negative Refractive Index ◽  
Baroclinic Instability ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. In order to investigate the impact of a locally confined gravity wave (GW) hotspot, a sensitivity study based on simulations of the middle atmosphere circulation during northern winter was performed with a nonlinear, mechanistic, global circulation model. To this end, for the hotspot region we selected a fixed longitude range in the East Asian region (120° E–170° E) and a latitude range from 22.5° N–52.5° N between 18 km and 30 km, which was then shifted northward in steps of 5°. For the southernmost hotspots, we observe a decreased stationary planetary wave (SPW) 1 activity in the upper stratosphere/lower mesosphere, i.e. less SPWs 1 are propagating upwards. These GW hotspots are leading to a negative refractive index inhibiting SPW propagation at midlatitudes. The decreased SPW 1 activity is connected with an increased zonal mean zonal wind at lower latitudes. This in turn decreases the meridional potential vorticity gradient (qy) from midlatitudes towards the polar region. A reversed qy indicates local baroclinic instability which generates SPWs 1 in the polar region, where we observe a strong positive Eliassen-Palm (EP) divergence. Thus, the EP flux is increasing towards the polar stratosphere (corresponding to enhanced SPW 1 amplitudes) where the SPWs 1 are breaking and the zonal mean zonal wind is decreasing. Thus, the local GW forcing is leading to a displacement of the polar vortex towards lower latitudes. The effect of the local baroclinic instability indicated by the reversed qy also produces SPWs 1 in the lower mesosphere. The effect on the dynamics in the middle atmosphere by GW hotspots which are located northward of 50° N is negligible because the refractive index of the atmosphere is strongly negative in the polar region. Thus, any changes in the SPW activity due to the local GW forcing are quite ineffective.

scholarly journals Effect of latitudinally displaced gravity wave forcing in the lower stratosphere on the polar vortex stability

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Samtleben ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Petr Pišoft ◽  
Petr Šácha ◽  
Aleš Kuchař
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Polar Region ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Negative Refractive Index ◽  
Baroclinic Instability ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Wave Number ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. In order to investigate the impact of a locally confined gravity wave (GW) hotspot, a sensitivity study based on simulations of the middle atmosphere circulation during northern winter was performed with a nonlinear, mechanistic, general circulation model. To this end, we selected a fixed longitude range in the East Asian region (120–170∘ E) and a latitude range from 22.5 to 52.5∘ N between 18 and 30 km for the hotspot region, which was then shifted northward in steps of 5∘. For the southernmost hotspots, we observe a decreased stationary planetary wave (SPW) with wave number 1 (SPW 1) activity in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere, i.e., fewer SPWs 1 are propagating upwards. These GW hotspots lead to a negative refractive index, inhibiting SPW propagation at midlatitudes. The decreased SPW 1 activity is connected to an increased zonal mean zonal wind at lower latitudes. This, in turn, decreases the meridional potential vorticity gradient (qy) from midlatitudes towards the polar region. A reversed qy indicates local baroclinic instability, which generates SPWs with wave number 1 in the polar region, where we observe a strong positive Eliassen–Palm (EP) divergence. As a result, the EP flux increases towards the polar stratosphere (corresponding to enhanced SPW 1 amplitudes), where the SPWs with wave number 1 break, and the zonal mean zonal wind decreases. Thus, the local GW forcing leads to a displacement of the polar vortex towards lower latitudes. The effect of the local baroclinic instability indicated by the reversed qy also produces SPWs with wave number 1 in the lower mesosphere. The effect on the dynamics in the middle atmosphere due to GW hotspots that are located northward of 50∘ N is negligible, as the refractive index of the atmosphere is strongly negative in the polar region. Thus, any changes in the SPW activity due to the local GW forcing are quite ineffective.

scholarly journals Impact of local gravity wave forcing in the lower stratosphere on the polar vortex stability: effect of longitudinal displacement

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Samtleben ◽  
Aleš Kuchař ◽  
Petr Šácha ◽  
Petr Pišoft ◽  
Christoph Jacobi
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
North America ◽  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
Polar Region ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Negative Refractive Index ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Longitudinal Distribution

Abstract. The effects of gravity wave (GW) breaking hotspots in the lower stratosphere, especially the role of their longitudinal distribution, are evaluated through a sensitivity study by using a simplified middle atmosphere circulation model. For the position of the local GW hotspot, we first selected a fixed latitude range between 37.5 and 62.5∘ N and a longitude range from 112.5 to 168.75∘ E, as well as an altitude range between 18 and 30 km. This confined GW hotspot was then shifted in longitude by 45∘ steps, so that we created eight artificial GW hotspots in total. Strongly dependent on the location of the respective GW hotspot with regard to the phase of the stationary planetary wave of wavenumber 1 (SPW 1) generated in the model, the local GW forcing may interfere constructively or destructively with the modeled SPW 1. GW hotspots, which are located in North America near the Rocky Mountains, lead to an increase in the SPW 1 amplitude and EP flux, while hotspots located near the Caucasus, the Himalayas or the Scandinavian region lead to a decrease in these parameters. Thus, the polar vortex is less (Caucasus and Himalayan hotspots) or more weakened (Rocky Mountains hotspot) by the prevailing SPW activity. Because the local GW forcing generally suppresses wave propagation at midlatitudes, the SPWs 1 propagate into the polar region, where the refractive index turned to positive values for the majority of the artificial GW hotspots. An additional source of SPW 1 may be local instabilities indicated by the reversal in the meridional potential vorticity gradient in the polar region in connection with a positive EP divergence. In most cases, the SPWs 1 are breaking in the polar region and maintain the deceleration and, thus, the weakening of the polar vortex. While the SPWs 1 that form when the GW hotspots are located above North America propagate through the polar region into the middle atmosphere, the SPWs 1 in the remaining GW hotspot simulations were not able to propagate further upwards because of a negative refractive index above the positive refractive index anomaly in the polar region. GW hotspots, which are located near the Himalayas, influence the mesosphere–lower thermosphere region because of possible local instabilities in the lower mesosphere generating additional SPWs 1, which propagate upwards into the mesosphere.

scholarly journals Impact of local gravity wave forcing in the lower stratosphere on the polar vortex stability: Effect of longitudinal displacement

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadja Samtleben ◽  
Aleš Kuchař ◽  
Petr Šácha ◽  
Petr Pišoft ◽  
Christoph Jacobi
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
North America ◽  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
Polar Region ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Negative Refractive Index ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Longitudinal Distribution

Abstract. The effects of gravity wave (GW) breaking hotspots in the lower stratosphere, especially the role of their longitudinal distribution, are evaluated through a sensitivity study by using a simplified middle atmosphere circulation model. For the position of the local GW hotspot, we first selected a fixed latitude range between 37.5 and 62.5° N and a longitude range from 112.5 to 168.75° E, as well as an altitude range between 18 and 30 km. This confined GW hotspot was then shifted in longitude by 45° steps, so that we created 8 artificial GW hotspots in total. Strongly depending on the location of the respective GW hotspot with regard to the phase of the stationary planetary wave of wavenumber 1 (SPW 1) generated in the model, the local GW forcing may interfere constructively or destructively with the modeled SPW 1. GW hotspots, which are located in North America near the Rocky Mountains lead to an increase of the SPW 1 amplitude and EP flux, while hotspots located near the Caucasus, the Himalayas or the Scandinavian region lead to a decrease of these parameters. Thus, the polar vortex is less (Caucasus and Himalayan hotspots) or more weakened (Rocky Mountains hotspot) by the prevailing SPW activity. Because the local GW forcing generally suppresses wave propagation at midlatitudes, the SPWs 1 are propagating into the polar region, where the refractive index turned to positive values for the majority of the artificial GW hotspots. An additional source of SPW 1 may be local instabilities indicated by the reversal in the meridional potential vorticity gradient in the polar region in connection with a positive EP divergence. In most cases, the SPWs 1 are breaking in the polar region and maintain the deceleration and thus, the weakening of the polar vortex. While the SPWs 1 that form when the GW hotspots are located above North America propagate through the polar region into the middle atmosphere, the SPWs 1 in the remaining GW hotspot simulations were not able to propagate further upwards because of a negative refractive index above the positive refractive index anomaly in the polar region. GW hotspots, which are located near the Himalayas influence the mesosphere/lower thermosphere region because of possible local instabilities in the lower mesosphere generating additional SPWs 1, which propagate upwards into the mesosphere.

scholarly journals Mutual Interference of Local Gravity Wave Forcings in the Stratosphere

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1249
Author(s):  
Nadja Samtleben ◽  
Aleš Kuchař ◽  
Petr Šácha ◽  
Petr Pišoft ◽  
Christoph Jacobi
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Destructive Effect ◽  
The Impact

Gravity wave (GW) breaking and associated GW drag is not uniformly distributed among latitudes and longitudes. In particular, regions of enhanced GW breaking, so-called GW hotspots, have been identified, major Northern Hemisphere examples being located above the Rocky Mountains, the Himalayas and the East Asian region. These hotspots influence the middle atmosphere circulation both individually and in combination. Their interference is here examined by performing simulations including (i) the respective single GW hotspots, (ii) two GW hotspots, and (iii) all three GW hotspots with a simplified global circulation model. The combined GW hotspots lead to a modification of the polar vortex in connection with a zonal mean flow decrease and an increase of the temperature at higher latitudes. The different combinations of GW hotspots mainly prevent the stationary planetary wave (SPW) 1 from propagating upward at midlatitudes leading to a decrease in energy and momentum transfer in the middle atmosphere caused by breaking SPW 1, and in turn to an acceleration of the zonal mean flow at lower latitudes. In contrast, the GW hotspot above the Rocky Mountains alone causes an increase in SPW 1 amplitude and Eliassen–Palm flux (EP flux), inducing enhanced negative EP divergence, decelerating the zonal mean flow at higher latitudes. Consequently, none of the combinations of different GW hotspots is comparable to the impact of the Rocky Mountains GW hotspot alone. The reason is that the GW hotspots mostly interfere nonlinearly. Depending on the longitudinal distance between two GW hotspots, the interference between the combined Rocky Mountains and East Asian GW hotspots is more additive than the interference between the combined Rocky Mountains and Himalaya GW hotspots. While the Rocky Mountains and the East Asian GW hotspots are longitudinally displaced by 105°, the Rocky Mountains are shifted by 170° to the Himalayas. Moreover, while the East Asian and the Himalayas are located side by side, the interference between these GW hotspots is the most nonlinear because they are latitudinally displaced by 20°. In general, the SPW activity, e.g., represented in SPW amplitudes, EP flux or Plumb flux, is strongly reduced, when the GW hotspots are interacting with each other. Thus, the interfering GW hotspots mostly have a destructive effect on SPW propagation and generation.

scholarly journals Is Missing Orographic Gravity Wave Drag near 60°S the Cause of the Stratospheric Zonal Wind Biases in Chemistry–Climate Models?

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 802-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles McLandress ◽  
Theodore G. Shepherd ◽  
Saroja Polavarapu ◽  
Stephen R. Beagley
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Systematic Bias ◽  
Stratospheric Polar Vortex ◽  
Column Ozone ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Nearly all chemistry–climate models (CCMs) have a systematic bias of a delayed springtime breakdown of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) stratospheric polar vortex, implying insufficient stratospheric wave drag. In this study the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM) and the CMAM Data Assimilation System (CMAM-DAS) are used to investigate the cause of this bias. Zonal wind analysis increments from CMAM-DAS reveal systematic negative values in the stratosphere near 60°S in winter and early spring. These are interpreted as indicating a bias in the model physics, namely, missing gravity wave drag (GWD). The negative analysis increments remain at a nearly constant height during winter and descend as the vortex weakens, much like orographic GWD. This region is also where current orographic GWD parameterizations have a gap in wave drag, which is suggested to be unrealistic because of missing effects in those parameterizations. These findings motivate a pair of free-running CMAM simulations to assess the impact of extra orographic GWD at 60°S. The control simulation exhibits the cold-pole bias and delayed vortex breakdown seen in the CCMs. In the simulation with extra GWD, the cold-pole bias is significantly reduced and the vortex breaks down earlier. Changes in resolved wave drag in the stratosphere also occur in response to the extra GWD, which reduce stratospheric SH polar-cap temperature biases in late spring and early summer. Reducing the dynamical biases, however, results in degraded Antarctic column ozone. This suggests that CCMs that obtain realistic column ozone in the presence of an overly strong and persistent vortex may be doing so through compensating errors.

scholarly journals The CCCma third generation AGCM and its extension into the middle atmosphere

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 7883-7930 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Scinocca ◽  
N. A. McFarlane ◽  
M. Lazare ◽  
J. Li ◽  
D. Plummer
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Climate Modelling ◽  
Third Generation ◽  
Chemical Climate ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis third generation atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM3) is described. The discussion summarizes the details of the complete physics package emphasizing the changes made relative to the second generation version of the model. AGCM3 is the underlying model for applications which include the IPCC fourth assessment, coupled atmosphere-ocean seasonal forecasting, the first generation of the CCCma earth system model (CanESM1), and middle-atmosphere chemical-climate modelling (CCM). Here we shall focus on issues related to an upwardly extended version of AGCM3, the Canadian Middle-Atmosphere Model (CMAM). The CCM version of CMAM participated in the 2006 WMO/UNEP Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion and issues concerning its climate such as the impact of gravity-wave drag, the modelling of a spontaneous QBO, and the seasonality of the breakdown of the Southern Hemisphere polar vortex are discussed here.

scholarly journals On the influence of zonal gravity wave distributions on the Southern Hemisphere winter circulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 785-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Lilienthal ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Torsten Schmidt ◽  
Alejandro de la Torre ◽  
Peter Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Lower Boundary ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Global Circulation ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Hemisphere Winter

Abstract. A mechanistic global circulation model is used to simulate the Southern Hemisphere stratospheric, mesospheric, and lower thermospheric circulation during austral winter. The model includes a gravity wave (GW) parameterization that is initiated by prescribed 2-D fields of GW parameters in the troposphere. These are based on observations of GW potential energy calculated using GPS radio occultations and show enhanced GW activity east of the Andes and around the Antarctic. In order to detect the influence of an observation-based and thus realistic 2-D GW distribution on the middle atmosphere circulation, we perform model experiments with zonal mean and 2-D GW initialization, and additionally with and without forcing of stationary planetary waves (SPWs) at the lower boundary of the model. As a result, we find additional forcing of SPWs in the stratosphere, a weaker zonal wind jet in the mesosphere, cooling of the mesosphere and warming near the mesopause above the jet. SPW wavenumber 1 (SPW1) amplitudes are generally increased by about 10 % when GWs are introduced being longitudinally dependent. However, at the upper part of the zonal wind jet, SPW1 in zonal wind and GW acceleration are out of phase, which reduces the amplitudes there.

scholarly journals Gravity Wave Characteristics in the Southern Hemisphere Revealed by a High-Resolution Middle-Atmosphere General Circulation Model

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 1378-1396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaoru Sato ◽  
Satoshi Tateno ◽  
Shingo Watanabe ◽  
Yoshio Kawatani
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Energy Flux ◽  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Southern Andes ◽  
Atmosphere General Circulation Model

Abstract Gravity wave characteristics in the middle- to high-latitude Southern Hemisphere are analyzed using simulation data over 3 yr from a high-resolution middle-atmosphere general circulation model without using any gravity wave parameterizations. Gravity waves have large amplitudes in winter and are mainly distributed in the region surrounding the polar vortex in the middle and upper stratosphere, while the gravity wave energy is generally weak in summer. The wave energy distribution in winter is not zonally uniform, but it is large leeward of the southern Andes and Antarctic Peninsula. Linear theory in the three-dimensional framework indicates that orographic gravity waves are advected leeward significantly by the mean wind component perpendicular to the wavenumber vector. Results of ray-tracing and cross-correlation analyses are consistent with this theoretical expectation. The leeward energy propagation extends to several thousand kilometers, which explains part of the gravity wave distribution around the polar vortex in winter. This result indicates that orographic gravity waves can affect the mean winds at horizontal locations that are far distant from the source mountains. Another interesting feature is a significant downward energy flux in winter, which is observed in the lower stratosphere to the south of the southern Andes. The frequency of the downward energy flux is positively correlated with the gravity wave energy over the southern Andes. Partial reflection from a rapid increase in static stability around 10 hPa and/or gravity wave generation through nonlinear processes are possible mechanisms to explain the downward energy flux.

scholarly journals Technical Note: The CCCma third generation AGCM and its extension into the middle atmosphere

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (23) ◽  
pp. 7055-7074 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Scinocca ◽  
N. A. McFarlane ◽  
M. Lazare ◽  
J. Li ◽  
D. Plummer
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Polar Vortex ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Climate Modelling ◽  
Third Generation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis third generation atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM3) is described. The discussion summarizes the details of the complete physics package emphasizing the changes made relative to the second generation version of the model. AGCM3 is the underlying model for applications which include the IPCC fourth assessment, coupled atmosphere-ocean seasonal forecasting, the first generation of the CCCma earth system model (CanESM1), and middle-atmosphere chemistry-climate modelling (CCM). Here we shall focus on issues related to an upwardly extended version of AGCM3, the Canadian Middle-Atmosphere Model (CMAM). The CCM version of CMAM participated in the 2006 WMO/UNEP Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion and issues concerning its climate such as the impact of gravity-wave drag, the modelling of a spontaneous QBO, and the seasonality of the breakdown of the Southern Hemisphere polar vortex are discussed here.

Self-Acceleration in the Parameterization of Orographic Gravity Wave Drag

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 2537-2546 ◽  
Author(s):  
John F. Scinocca ◽  
Bruce R. Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Wave Theory ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Tuning Parameter ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Propagating Waves ◽  
The Impact

Abstract A new effect related to the evaluation of momentum deposition in conventional parameterizations of orographic gravity wave drag (GWD) is considered. The effect takes the form of an adjustment to the basic-state wind about which steady-state wave solutions are constructed. The adjustment is conservative and follows from wave–mean flow theory associated with wave transience at the leading edge of the wave train, which sets up the steady solution assumed in such parameterizations. This has been referred to as “self-acceleration” and it is shown to induce a systematic lowering of the elevation of momentum deposition, which depends quadratically on the amplitude of the wave. An expression for the leading-order impact of self-acceleration is derived in terms of a reduction of the critical inverse Froude number Fc, which determines the onset of wave breaking for upwardly propagating waves in orographic GWD schemes. In such schemes Fc is a central tuning parameter and typical values are generally smaller than anticipated from conventional wave theory. Here it is suggested that self-acceleration may provide some of the explanation for why such small values of Fc are required. The impact of Fc on present-day climate is illustrated by simulations of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model.

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