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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