Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere

Planetary waves with periods between two and four days in the middle atmosphere over Antarctica are characterized using one year of data from the medium-frequency spaced antenna (MFSA) radars at Scott Base, Rothera, and Davis. In order to investigate the origin of the observed waves, the ground-base...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Main Authors: Baumgaertner, A.J.G., McDonald, A.J., Hibbins, R.E., Fritts, D.C., Murphy, D.J., Vincent, R.A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Elsevier 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5728/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007
id ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:5728
record_format openpolar
spelling ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:5728 2024-06-09T07:39:29+00:00 Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere Baumgaertner, A.J.G. McDonald, A.J. Hibbins, R.E. Fritts, D.C. Murphy, D.J. Vincent, R.A. 2008 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5728/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007 unknown Elsevier Baumgaertner, A.J.G.; McDonald, A.J.; Hibbins, R.E. orcid:0000-0002-6867-2255 Fritts, D.C.; Murphy, D.J.; Vincent, R.A. 2008 Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 70 (10). 1336-1350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007> Meteorology and Climatology Physics Atmospheric Sciences Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2008 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007 2024-05-15T08:49:44Z Planetary waves with periods between two and four days in the middle atmosphere over Antarctica are characterized using one year of data from the medium-frequency spaced antenna (MFSA) radars at Scott Base, Rothera, and Davis. In order to investigate the origin of the observed waves, the ground-based data are complemented by temperature measurements from the Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder (EOS MLS) instrument on the Aura satellite as well as wind velocity data from the United Kingdom Met. Office (UKMO) stratospheric assimilation. Observed characteristics of waves with a period of approximately two days in summer are consistent with the quasi-two-day wave (QTDW) generally found after the summer solstice at low- and mid-latitudes. The Scott Base observations of the QTDW presented here are the highest-latitude ground-based observations of this wave to date. Waves with preferred periods of two and four days occur in bursts throughout the winter with maximum activity in June, July, and August. The mean of the two- and four-day wave amplitudes is relatively constant, suggesting constant wave forcing. When several waves with different periods occur at the same time, they often have similar phase velocities, supporting suggestions that they are quasi-non-dispersive. In 2005, a “warmpool” lasts from late July to late August. An alternative interpretation of this phenomenon is the presence of a structure propagating with the background wind. Consideration of the role of vertical shear (baroclinic instabilities) and horizontal shear (barotropic instabilities) of the zonal wind suggests that instabilities are likely to play a role in the forcing of the two- and four-day waves, which are near-resonant modes and thus supported by the atmosphere. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic Rothera ENVELOPE(-68.130,-68.130,-67.568,-67.568) Scott Base ENVELOPE(166.766,166.766,-77.849,-77.849) The Antarctic Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 70 10 1336 1350
institution Open Polar
collection Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive
op_collection_id ftnerc
language unknown
topic Meteorology and Climatology
Physics
Atmospheric Sciences
spellingShingle Meteorology and Climatology
Physics
Atmospheric Sciences
Baumgaertner, A.J.G.
McDonald, A.J.
Hibbins, R.E.
Fritts, D.C.
Murphy, D.J.
Vincent, R.A.
Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere
topic_facet Meteorology and Climatology
Physics
Atmospheric Sciences
description Planetary waves with periods between two and four days in the middle atmosphere over Antarctica are characterized using one year of data from the medium-frequency spaced antenna (MFSA) radars at Scott Base, Rothera, and Davis. In order to investigate the origin of the observed waves, the ground-based data are complemented by temperature measurements from the Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder (EOS MLS) instrument on the Aura satellite as well as wind velocity data from the United Kingdom Met. Office (UKMO) stratospheric assimilation. Observed characteristics of waves with a period of approximately two days in summer are consistent with the quasi-two-day wave (QTDW) generally found after the summer solstice at low- and mid-latitudes. The Scott Base observations of the QTDW presented here are the highest-latitude ground-based observations of this wave to date. Waves with preferred periods of two and four days occur in bursts throughout the winter with maximum activity in June, July, and August. The mean of the two- and four-day wave amplitudes is relatively constant, suggesting constant wave forcing. When several waves with different periods occur at the same time, they often have similar phase velocities, supporting suggestions that they are quasi-non-dispersive. In 2005, a “warmpool” lasts from late July to late August. An alternative interpretation of this phenomenon is the presence of a structure propagating with the background wind. Consideration of the role of vertical shear (baroclinic instabilities) and horizontal shear (barotropic instabilities) of the zonal wind suggests that instabilities are likely to play a role in the forcing of the two- and four-day waves, which are near-resonant modes and thus supported by the atmosphere.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Baumgaertner, A.J.G.
McDonald, A.J.
Hibbins, R.E.
Fritts, D.C.
Murphy, D.J.
Vincent, R.A.
author_facet Baumgaertner, A.J.G.
McDonald, A.J.
Hibbins, R.E.
Fritts, D.C.
Murphy, D.J.
Vincent, R.A.
author_sort Baumgaertner, A.J.G.
title Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere
title_short Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere
title_full Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere
title_fullStr Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere
title_full_unstemmed Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere
title_sort short-period planetary waves in the antarctic middle atmosphere
publisher Elsevier
publishDate 2008
url http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5728/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007
long_lat ENVELOPE(-68.130,-68.130,-67.568,-67.568)
ENVELOPE(166.766,166.766,-77.849,-77.849)
geographic Antarctic
Rothera
Scott Base
The Antarctic
geographic_facet Antarctic
Rothera
Scott Base
The Antarctic
genre Antarc*
Antarctic
Antarctica
genre_facet Antarc*
Antarctic
Antarctica
op_relation Baumgaertner, A.J.G.; McDonald, A.J.; Hibbins, R.E. orcid:0000-0002-6867-2255
Fritts, D.C.; Murphy, D.J.; Vincent, R.A. 2008 Short-period planetary waves in the Antarctic middle atmosphere. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 70 (10). 1336-1350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007>
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2008.04.007
container_title Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
container_volume 70
container_issue 10
container_start_page 1336
op_container_end_page 1350
_version_ 1801379908412243968