Secondary Gravity Waves From the Stratospheric Polar Vortex Over ALOMAR Observatory on 12–14 January 2016: Observations and Modeling

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
• Main Authors: Vadas, Sharon L., Becker, Erich, Bossert, Katrina, Baumgarten, Gerd, Hoffmann, Lars, Harvey, V. Lynn
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2023
• Subjects: info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/550; Arctic; polar night
• Online Access: https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/943409; https://juser.fz-juelich.de/search?p=id:%22FZJ-2023-00995%22

We analyze the gravity waves (GWs) observed by a Rayleigh lidar at the Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research (ALOMAR) (16.08°E, 69.38°N) in Norway at z ∼ 20–85 km on 12–14 January 2016. These GWs propagate upward and downward away from zknee = 57 and 64 km at a horizontally-displaced location with periods τr ∼ 5–10 hr and vertical wavelengths λz ∼ 9–20 km. Because the hodographs are distorted, we introduce an alternative method to determine the GW parameters. We find that these GWs are medium to large-scale, and propagate north/northwestward with intrinsic horizontal phase speeds of ∼35–65 m/s. Since the GW parameters are similar above and below zknee, these are secondary GWs created by local body forces (LBFs) south/southeast of ALOMAR. We use the nudged HIAMCM (HIgh Altitude Mechanistic general Circulation Model) to model these events. Remarkably, the model reproduces similar GW structures over ALOMAR, with zknee = 58 and 66 km. The event #1 GWs are created by a LBF at ∼35°E, ∼60°N, and z ∼ 58 km. This LBF is created by the breaking and dissipation of primary GWs generated and amplified by the imbalance of the polar night jet below the wind maximum; the primary GWs for this event are created at z ∼ 25–35 km at 49–53°N. We also find that the HIAMCM GWs agree well with those observed by the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) satellite, and that those AIRS GWs south and north of ∼50°N over Europe are mainly mountain waves and GWs from the polar vortex, respectively.