Gravity-Wave Activity in the Lower Atmosphere: Seasonal and Latitudinal Variations

S. J. Allen and R. A. Vincent

Abstract

A climatology of gravity-wave activity in the lower atmosphere based on high-resolution radiosonde measurements provided by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is presented. These data are ideal for investigating gravity-wave activity and its variation with position and time. Observations from 18 meteorological stations within Australia and Antarctica, covering a latitude range of 12 deg S to 68 deg S and a longitude range of 78 deg E to 159 deg E, are discussed. Vertical-wavenumber power spectra of normalized temperature fluctuations are calculated within both the troposphere and the lower stratosphere and are compared with the predictions of current gravity-wave saturation theories. Estimates of important model parameters such as the total gravity-wave energy per unit mass are also presented.

Status

This paper has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Geophysical Research.


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