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 Forcing mechanisms of the quarterdiurnal tide

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Geißler ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Friederike Lilienthal
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Destructive Interference ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Wave Forcing ◽  
Global Circulation ◽  
Tidal Interactions ◽  
Forcing Mechanisms ◽  
The Individual

Abstract. We used a nonlinear mechanistic global circulation model to analyze the migrating quarterdiurnal tide (QDT) in the middle atmosphere with focus on its possible forcing mechanisms. These are absorption of solar radiation by ozone and water vapor, nonlinear tidal interactions, and gravity wave-tide interactions. We show a climatology of the QDT amplitudes, and we examined the contribution of the different forcing mechanisms on the QDT amplitude. To this end, we first extracted the QDT in the model tendency terms. Then, we separately removed the QDT contribution in different tendency terms. We find that the solar forcing mechanism is the most important one for the QDT, but also the nonlinear and gravity wave forcing mechanism play a role in certain seasons, latitudes and altitudes. Furthermore, destructive interference between the individual forcing mechanisms are observed. Therefore, tidal amplitudes partly become even larger in simulations with removed nonlinear or gravity wave forcing mechanism.

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 Forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal tide

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 15725-15742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Lilienthal ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Christoph Geißler
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Temperature Fields ◽  
Wave Number ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Solar Forcing ◽  
Global Circulation ◽  
Tidal Interactions ◽  
Forcing Mechanisms

Abstract. Using a nonlinear mechanistic global circulation model we analyze the migrating terdiurnal tide in the middle atmosphere with respect to its possible forcing mechanisms, i.e., the absorption of solar radiation in the water vapor and ozone band, nonlinear tidal interactions, and gravity wave–tide interactions. In comparison to the forcing mechanisms of diurnal and semidiurnal tides, these terdiurnal forcings are less well understood and there are contradictory opinions about their respective relevance. In our simulations we remove the wave number 3 pattern for each forcing individually and analyze the remaining tidal wind and temperature fields. We find that the direct solar forcing is dominant and explains most of the migrating terdiurnal tide's amplitude. Nonlinear interactions due to other tides or gravity waves are most important during local winter. Further analyses show that the nonlinear forcings are locally counteracting the solar forcing due to destructive interferences. Therefore, tidal amplitudes can become even larger for simulations with removed nonlinear forcings.

scholarly journals Forcing Mechanisms of the Terdiurnal Tide

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Lilienthal ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Christoph Geißler
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Temperature Fields ◽  
Nonlinear Interactions ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Solar Forcing ◽  
Global Circulation ◽  
Tidal Interactions ◽  
Forcing Mechanisms

Abstract. Using a nonlinear mechanistic global circulation model we analyze the migrating terdiurnal tide in the middle atmosphere with respect to its possible forcing mechanisms, i.e. the absorption of solar radiation in the water vapor and ozone band, nonlinear tidal interactions, and gravity wave-tide interactions. In comparison to the forcing mechanisms of diurnal and semidiurnal tides, these terdiurnal forcings are less well understood and there are contradictory opinions about their respective relevance. In our simulations we remove the wavenumber 3 pattern for each forcing individually and analyze the remaining tidal wind and temperature fields. We find that the direct solar forcing is dominant and explains most of the migrating terdiurnal tide's amplitude. Nonlinear interactions due to other tides or gravity waves are most important during local winter. Further analyses show that the nonlinear forcings are locally counteracting the solar forcing due to destructive interferences. Therefore, tidal amplitudes can become even larger for simulations with removed nonlinear forcings.

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 Southern Hemisphere Extratropical Gravity Wave Sources and Intermittency Revealed by a Middle-Atmosphere General Circulation Model

2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 1335-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon P. Alexander ◽  
Kaoru Sato ◽  
Shingo Watanabe ◽  
Yoshio Kawatani ◽  
Damian J. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
General Circulation Model ◽  
Gravity Waves ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Absolute Gravity ◽  
Atmosphere General Circulation Model ◽  
Time Of Year

Abstract Southern Hemisphere extratropical gravity wave activity is examined using simulations from a free-running middle-atmosphere general circulation model called Kanto that contains no gravity wave parameterizations. The total absolute gravity wave momentum flux (MF) and its intermittency, diagnosed by the Gini coefficient, are examined during January and July. The MF and intermittency results calculated from the Kanto model agree well with results from satellite limb and superpressure balloon observations. The analysis of the Kanto model simulations indicates the following results. Nonorographic gravity waves are generated in Kanto in the frontal regions of extratropical depressions and around tropopause-level jets. Regions with lower (higher) intermittency in the July midstratosphere become more (less) intermittent by the mesosphere as a result of lower-level wave removal. The gravity wave intermittency is low and nearly homogeneous throughout the SH middle atmosphere during January. This indicates that nonorographic waves dominate at this time of year, with sources including continental convection as well as oceanic depressions. Most of the zonal-mean MF at 40°–65°S in January and July is due to gravity waves located above the oceans. The zonal-mean MF at lower latitudes in both months has a larger contribution from the land regions but the fraction above the oceans remains larger.

scholarly journals Nonlinear forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal solar tide and their impact on the zonal mean circulation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Lilienthal ◽  
Christoph Jacobi
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Radiation Absorption ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Tidal Interactions ◽  
Solar Tide ◽  
Forcing Mechanisms

Abstract. We investigate the forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal solar tide in the middle atmosphere using a mechanistic global circulation model. In order to quantify their individual contributions, we perform several model experiments and separate each forcing mechanism by switching off the remaining sources. We find that the primary excitation is owing to the terdiurnal component of solar radiation absorption in the troposphere and stratosphere. Secondary sources are nonlinear tide-tide interactions and gravity wave-tide interactions. Thus, although the solar heating clearly dominates the terdiurnal forcing in our simulations, we find that nonlinear tidal and gravity wave interactions contribute in certain seasons and altitudes. By slightly enhancing the different excitation sources, we test the sensitivity of the background circulation on these changes of the dynamics. As a result, the increase of terdiurnal gravity wave drag can strongly affect the middle and upper atmosphere dynamics, including an irregular change of the terdiurnal amplitude, a weakening of neutral winds in the thermosphere, and a significant temperature change in the thermosphere, depending on the strength of the forcing. On the contrary, the influence of nonlinear tidal interactions on the middle atmosphere background dynamics is rather small.

scholarly journals Forcing mechanisms of the migrating quarterdiurnal tide

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Geißler ◽  
Christoph Jacobi ◽  
Friederike Lilienthal
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Lower Thermosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Destructive Interference ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Wave Forcing ◽  
Tidal Interactions ◽  
Forcing Mechanisms ◽  
The Individual

Abstract. We used a nonlinear mechanistic global circulation model to analyze the migrating quarterdiurnal tide (QDT) in the middle atmosphere with focus on its possible forcing mechanisms: the absorption of solar radiation by ozone and water vapor, nonlinear tidal interactions, and gravity wave–tide interactions. We show a climatology of the QDT amplitudes, and we examine the contribution of the different forcing mechanisms to the QDT amplitude. To this end, we first extracted the QDT from the model tendency terms and then removed the respective QDT contribution from the different tendency terms. We find that the solar forcing mechanism is the most important one for the QDT; however, the nonlinear and gravity wave forcing mechanisms also play a role in autumn and winter, particularly at lower and middle latitudes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. Furthermore, destructive interference between the individual forcing mechanisms is observed. Therefore, tidal amplitudes become even larger in simulations with the nonlinear or gravity wave forcing mechanisms removed.

scholarly journals Nonlinear forcing mechanisms of the migrating terdiurnal solar tide and their impact on the zonal mean circulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Lilienthal ◽  
Christoph Jacobi
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Wave ◽  
Middle Atmosphere ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Radiation Absorption ◽  
Global Circulation Model ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Tidal Interactions ◽  
Solar Tide ◽  
Forcing Mechanisms

Abstract. We investigate the forcing mechanisms of the terdiurnal solar tide in the middle atmosphere using a mechanistic global circulation model. In order to quantify their individual contributions, we perform several model experiments and separate each forcing mechanism by switching off the remaining sources. We find that the primary excitation is owing to the terdiurnal component of solar radiation absorption in the troposphere and stratosphere. Secondary sources are nonlinear tide–tide interactions and gravity wave–tide interactions. Thus, although the solar heating clearly dominates the terdiurnal forcing in our simulations, we find that nonlinear tidal and gravity wave interactions contribute in certain seasons and at certain altitudes. By slightly enhancing the different excitation sources, we test the sensitivity of the background circulation to these changes of the dynamics. As a result, the increase of terdiurnal gravity wave drag can strongly affect the middle and upper atmosphere dynamics, including an irregular change of the terdiurnal amplitude, a weakening of neutral winds in the thermosphere, and a significant temperature change in the thermosphere, depending on the strength of the forcing. On the contrary, the influence of nonlinear tidal interactions on the middle atmosphere background dynamics is rather small.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document