All Physics Faculty Publications

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Geophysical Research

Volume

112

Issue

A03304

Publisher

American Geophysical Union

Publication Date

3-2007

First Page

1

Last Page

9

Abstract

Multiwavelength airglow image data depicting a short-period (4.9 min) atmospheric gravity wave characterized by a sharp leading front have been analyzed together with synoptic meteor radar wind data recorded simultaneously from Bear Lake Observatory, Utah (41.6N, 111.6W). The wind data suggest the presence of a semidiurnal tide with horizontal winds peaking at around 60 m/s along the SSE direction of motion (170 from north) of this short-period wave. It was found that the gravity wave was most probably ducted because of the Doppler shift imposed by this wind structure. A marked 180 phase shift was observed between the near-infrared OH and the OI (557.7 nm) emissions. Numerical simulation results for similar ducted waves excited by idealized model sources suggest that the phase shift between the wave-modulated airglow intensities may be explained simply by chemical processes rather than by wave dynamics. Phase velocities of simulated waves, however, appear higher than those of observed waves, suggesting the importance of tidal thermal structure in determining the Doppler-ducted wave characteristics.

Comments

Published by the American Geophysical Union in Journal of Geophysical Research.

http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2007/2006JA011895.shtml

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