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Gravity wave momentum flux in the lower stratosphere over convectionThis work describes a method for estimating vertical fluxes of horizontal momentum carried by short horizontal scale gravity waves (lambda(sub x) = 10-100 km) using aircraft measured winds in the lower stratosphere. We utilize in situ wind vector and pressure altitude measurements provided by the Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) on board the ER-2 aircraft to compute the momentum flux vectors at the flight level above deep convection during the tropical experiment of the Stratosphere Troposphere Exchange Project (STEP-Tropical). Data from Flight 9 are presented here for illustration. The vertical flux of horizontal momentum these observations points in opposite directions on either side of the location of a strong convective updraft in the cloud shield. This property of internal gravity waves propagating from a central source compares favorably with previously described model results.
Document ID
19960011395
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Alexander, M. Joan
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Pfister, Leonhard
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1995
Publication Information
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
ISSN: 0094-8534
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-200038
PAPER 95GL01984
NAS 1.26:200038
NIPS-96-07290
Accession Number
96N17831
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-662
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-93-22480
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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