Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula

Above the southern Andes range and its prolongation in the Antarctic Peninsula, large-amplitude mountain and shear gravity waves observed with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model simulations during winter 2009 are analyzed. Two specific reasons motivated this study: (1) a decade o...

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Autores principales: De La Torre, A., Alexander, P., Hierro, R., Llamedo, P., Rolla, A., Schmidt, T., Wickert, J.
Formato: Artículo publishedVersion
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2012
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Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_01480227_v117_n2_p_DeLaTorre
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id paperaa:paper_01480227_v117_n2_p_DeLaTorre
record_format dspace
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
language Inglés
orig_language_str_mv eng
topic Atmospherics
Computer simulation
Gravity waves
Remote sensing
Research
Upper atmosphere
Wave energy conversion
Wavelet transforms
Weather forecasting
Antarctic Peninsula
Background winds
Constant pressures
Continuous Wavelet Transform
Different mechanisms
Dominant mode
Down-scaling
Drake passage
Equipartition
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
In-situ
Kinetic waves
Lower stratosphere
Mesoscale model simulation
Momentum flux
Partial waves
Pressure level
Reinitialization
Research programs
Satellite observations
Spin-up
Temperature fluctuation
Upper troposphere
Vertical fluxes
Wave amplitudes
Wave crest
Weather research and forecasting
Shear flow
air-sea interaction
amplitude
gravity wave
in situ measurement
mesocosm
mesoscale motion
mountain region
remote sensing
wave energy
wavelength
wind shear
zonal wind
Andes
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctica
Drake Passage
West Antarctica
spellingShingle Atmospherics
Computer simulation
Gravity waves
Remote sensing
Research
Upper atmosphere
Wave energy conversion
Wavelet transforms
Weather forecasting
Antarctic Peninsula
Background winds
Constant pressures
Continuous Wavelet Transform
Different mechanisms
Dominant mode
Down-scaling
Drake passage
Equipartition
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
In-situ
Kinetic waves
Lower stratosphere
Mesoscale model simulation
Momentum flux
Partial waves
Pressure level
Reinitialization
Research programs
Satellite observations
Spin-up
Temperature fluctuation
Upper troposphere
Vertical fluxes
Wave amplitudes
Wave crest
Weather research and forecasting
Shear flow
air-sea interaction
amplitude
gravity wave
in situ measurement
mesocosm
mesoscale motion
mountain region
remote sensing
wave energy
wavelength
wind shear
zonal wind
Andes
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctica
Drake Passage
West Antarctica
De La Torre, A.
Alexander, P.
Hierro, R.
Llamedo, P.
Rolla, A.
Schmidt, T.
Wickert, J.
Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula
topic_facet Atmospherics
Computer simulation
Gravity waves
Remote sensing
Research
Upper atmosphere
Wave energy conversion
Wavelet transforms
Weather forecasting
Antarctic Peninsula
Background winds
Constant pressures
Continuous Wavelet Transform
Different mechanisms
Dominant mode
Down-scaling
Drake passage
Equipartition
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
In-situ
Kinetic waves
Lower stratosphere
Mesoscale model simulation
Momentum flux
Partial waves
Pressure level
Reinitialization
Research programs
Satellite observations
Spin-up
Temperature fluctuation
Upper troposphere
Vertical fluxes
Wave amplitudes
Wave crest
Weather research and forecasting
Shear flow
air-sea interaction
amplitude
gravity wave
in situ measurement
mesocosm
mesoscale motion
mountain region
remote sensing
wave energy
wavelength
wind shear
zonal wind
Andes
Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctica
Drake Passage
West Antarctica
description Above the southern Andes range and its prolongation in the Antarctic Peninsula, large-amplitude mountain and shear gravity waves observed with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model simulations during winter 2009 are analyzed. Two specific reasons motivated this study: (1) a decade of satellite observations of temperature fluctuations in the stratosphere, allowing us to infer that this region may be launching the largest-amplitude gravity waves into the upper atmosphere, and (2) the recent design of a research program to investigate these features in detail, the Southern Andes Antarctic Gravity wave Initiative (SAANGRIA). The simulations are forced with ERA-Interim data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The approach selected for the regional downscaling is based on consecutive integrations with weekly reinitialization with 24 h of spin-up, and the outputs during this period are excluded from the analysis. From 1 June to 31 August 2009, five case studies were selected on the basis of their outstanding characteristics and large wave amplitudes. In general, one or two prevailing modes of oscillation are identified after applying continuous wavelet transforms at constant pressure levels and perpendicularly to the nominal orientation of the dominant wave crests. In all cases, the dominant modes are characterized by horizontal wavelengths around 50 km. Their vertical wavelengths, depending on a usually strong background wind shear, are estimated to be between 2 and 11 km. The corresponding intrinsic periods range between 10 and 140 min. In general, the estimated vertical wavelength (intrinsic period) maximizes (minimizes) around 250-300 hPa. The synoptic circulation for each case is described. Zonal and meridional components of the vertical flux of horizontal momentum are shown in detail for each case, including possible horizontal wavelengths between 12 and 400 km. Large values of this flux are observed at higher pressure levels, decreasing with increasing height after a progressive deposition of momentum by different mechanisms. As expected, in the wintertime upper troposphere and lower stratosphere in this region, a prevailing zonal component is negative almost everywhere, with the exception of one case above the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. A comparison with previous experimental results reported in the region from in situ and remote sensing measurements suggests a good agreement with the momentum flux profiles computed from the simulations. Partial wave reflection near the tropopause was found, as considerable departures from equipartition between potential and kinetic wave energy are obtained in all cases and at all pressure levels. This ratio was always less than 1 below the lower stratosphere. Copyright 2012 by the American Geophysical Union.
format Artículo
Artículo
publishedVersion
author De La Torre, A.
Alexander, P.
Hierro, R.
Llamedo, P.
Rolla, A.
Schmidt, T.
Wickert, J.
author_facet De La Torre, A.
Alexander, P.
Hierro, R.
Llamedo, P.
Rolla, A.
Schmidt, T.
Wickert, J.
author_sort De La Torre, A.
title Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula
title_short Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula
title_full Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula
title_fullStr Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula
title_full_unstemmed Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula
title_sort large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern andes, the drake passage, and the antarctic peninsula
publishDate 2012
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_01480227_v117_n2_p_DeLaTorre
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spelling paperaa:paper_01480227_v117_n2_p_DeLaTorre2023-06-12T16:46:49Z Large-amplitude gravity waves above the southern Andes, the Drake Passage, and the Antarctic Peninsula J. Geophys. Res. D Atmos. 2012;117(2) De La Torre, A. Alexander, P. Hierro, R. Llamedo, P. Rolla, A. Schmidt, T. Wickert, J. Atmospherics Computer simulation Gravity waves Remote sensing Research Upper atmosphere Wave energy conversion Wavelet transforms Weather forecasting Antarctic Peninsula Background winds Constant pressures Continuous Wavelet Transform Different mechanisms Dominant mode Down-scaling Drake passage Equipartition European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts In-situ Kinetic waves Lower stratosphere Mesoscale model simulation Momentum flux Partial waves Pressure level Reinitialization Research programs Satellite observations Spin-up Temperature fluctuation Upper troposphere Vertical fluxes Wave amplitudes Wave crest Weather research and forecasting Shear flow air-sea interaction amplitude gravity wave in situ measurement mesocosm mesoscale motion mountain region remote sensing wave energy wavelength wind shear zonal wind Andes Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Drake Passage West Antarctica Above the southern Andes range and its prolongation in the Antarctic Peninsula, large-amplitude mountain and shear gravity waves observed with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model simulations during winter 2009 are analyzed. Two specific reasons motivated this study: (1) a decade of satellite observations of temperature fluctuations in the stratosphere, allowing us to infer that this region may be launching the largest-amplitude gravity waves into the upper atmosphere, and (2) the recent design of a research program to investigate these features in detail, the Southern Andes Antarctic Gravity wave Initiative (SAANGRIA). The simulations are forced with ERA-Interim data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The approach selected for the regional downscaling is based on consecutive integrations with weekly reinitialization with 24 h of spin-up, and the outputs during this period are excluded from the analysis. From 1 June to 31 August 2009, five case studies were selected on the basis of their outstanding characteristics and large wave amplitudes. In general, one or two prevailing modes of oscillation are identified after applying continuous wavelet transforms at constant pressure levels and perpendicularly to the nominal orientation of the dominant wave crests. In all cases, the dominant modes are characterized by horizontal wavelengths around 50 km. Their vertical wavelengths, depending on a usually strong background wind shear, are estimated to be between 2 and 11 km. The corresponding intrinsic periods range between 10 and 140 min. In general, the estimated vertical wavelength (intrinsic period) maximizes (minimizes) around 250-300 hPa. The synoptic circulation for each case is described. Zonal and meridional components of the vertical flux of horizontal momentum are shown in detail for each case, including possible horizontal wavelengths between 12 and 400 km. Large values of this flux are observed at higher pressure levels, decreasing with increasing height after a progressive deposition of momentum by different mechanisms. As expected, in the wintertime upper troposphere and lower stratosphere in this region, a prevailing zonal component is negative almost everywhere, with the exception of one case above the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. A comparison with previous experimental results reported in the region from in situ and remote sensing measurements suggests a good agreement with the momentum flux profiles computed from the simulations. Partial wave reflection near the tropopause was found, as considerable departures from equipartition between potential and kinetic wave energy are obtained in all cases and at all pressure levels. This ratio was always less than 1 below the lower stratosphere. Copyright 2012 by the American Geophysical Union. Fil:De La Torre, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Alexander, P. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Hierro, R. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Llamedo, P. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Rolla, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. 2012 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_01480227_v117_n2_p_DeLaTorre