ACP Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ACP 1680-7324 Copernicus GmbH Göttingen, Germany 10.5194/acp-12-1701-2012 Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances Gong J. 1 Wu D. L. 1 3 Eckermann S. D. 2 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC 20375, USA now at: Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA 16 02 2012 12 4 1701 1720 This is an open-access article ditributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. This article is available from http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/1701/2012/acp-12-1701-2012.html The full text article is available as a PDF file from http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/1701/2012/acp-12-1701-2012.pdf

As the first gravity wave (GW) climatology study using nadir-viewing infrared sounders, 50 Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) radiance channels are selected to estimate GW variances at pressure levels between 2–100 hPa. The GW variance for each scan in the cross-track direction is derived from radiance perturbations in the scan, independently of adjacent scans along the orbit. Since the scanning swaths are perpendicular to the satellite orbits, which are inclined meridionally at most latitudes, the zonal component of GW propagation can be inferred by differencing the variances derived between the westmost and the eastmost viewing angles. <br><br> Consistent with previous GW studies using various satellite instruments, monthly mean AIRS variance shows large enhancements over meridionally oriented mountain ranges as well as some islands at winter hemisphere high latitudes. Enhanced wave activities are also found above tropical deep convective regions. GWs prefer to propagate westward above mountain ranges, and eastward above deep convection. AIRS 90 field-of-views (FOVs), ranging from +48&deg; to −48&deg; off nadir, can detect large-amplitude GWs with a phase velocity propagating preferentially at steep angles (e.g., those from orographic and convective sources). The annual cycle dominates the GW variances and the preferred propagation directions for all latitudes. Indication of a weak two-year variation in the tropics is found, which is presumably related to the Quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). <br><br> AIRS geometry makes its out-tracks capable of detecting GWs with vertical wavelengths substantially shorter than the thickness of instrument weighting functions. The novel discovery of AIRS capability of observing shallow inertia GWs will expand the potential of satellite GW remote sensing and provide further constraints on the GW drag parameterization schemes in the general circulation models (GCMs).

 References Alexander,~M J. and Barnet,~C.: Using satellite observations to constrain parameterizations of gravity wave effects for global models, J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 1652–1665, 2007. Alexander,~M J. and Holton,~J R.: A model study of zonal forcing in the equatorial stratosphere by convectively induced gravity waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 54, 408–419, 1997. Alexander,~M J. and Rosenlof,~K H.: Gravity wave forcing in the stratosphere: observational constraints from the upper atmosphere research satellite and implications for parameterization in global models, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4597–4611, 2003. Alexander, M. J., Tsuda, T., and Vincent, R. A.: On the latitudinal variations observed in gravity waves with short vertical wavelengths, J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1394–1404, 2002. Alexander,~M J., Tsuda,~T., and Vincent,~R.: On the latitudinal variations observed in gravity waves with short vertical wavelengths, J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1652–1665, 2002. Alexander,~M J., Geller,~M., McLandress,~C., Polavarapu,~S., Preusse,~P., Sassi,~F., Sato,~K., Eckermann,~S., Ern,~M., Hertzog,~A., Kawatani,~Y., Pulido,~M., Shaw,~T A., Sigmond,~M., Vincent,~R., and Watanabe,~S.: Recent developments in gravity-wave effects in climate models and the global distribution of gravity-wave momentum flux from observations and models, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 136, 1103–1124, 2010. Alexander, S. P., Tsuda, T., Kawatani, Y., and Takahashi, M.: Global distribution of atmospheric waves in the equatorial upper troposphere and lower stratosphere: COSMIC observations of wave mean flow interactions, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D24115, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2008JD010039doi:10.1029/2008JD010039, 2008. Aumann,~H H. and Miller,~C.: Atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS) on the Earth observing system, Opt. Engin., 33, 776–784, 1994. Bacmeister,~J T.: Mountain-wave drag in the stratosphere and mesosphere inferred from observed winds and a simple mountain-wave parameterization scheme, J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 377–399, 1993. Baldwin,~M P., Gray,~L J., Dunkerton,~T J., Hamilton,~K., Haynes,~P H., Randel,~W J., Holton,~J R., Alexander,~M J., Hirota,~I., Horinouchi,~T., Jones,~D B A., Kinnersley,~J S., Marquardt,~C., Sato,~K., and Takahashi,~M.,: The quasi-biennial oscillation, Rev. Geophys., 39, 179–229, 2001. Beres,~J H., Alexander,~M J., and Holton,~J R.: A method of specifying the gravity wave spectrum above convection based on latent heating properties and background wind, J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 324–337, 2004. Beres,~J H., Garcia,~R R., Boville,~B A., and Sassi,~F.: Implementation of a gravity wave source spectrum parameterization dependent on the properties of convection in the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM), J. Geophys. Res., 110, D10108, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005504doi:10.1029/2004JD005504, 2005. Choi,~H.-J., Chun,~H.-Y., Gong,~J., and Wu,~D L.: Comparison of gravity wave temperature variances between the ray-based parameterization of convective gravity waves and AIRS observations, J. Geophys. Res., http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016900doi:10.1029/2011JD016900, 2012. Dunkerton,~T J.: Inertia-Gravity waves in the stratosphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 41, 3396–3404, 1984. Dunkerton,~T J. and Butchart,~N.: Propagation and selective transmission of internal gravity waves in a sudden warming, J. Atmos. Sci., 41, 1443–1460, 1984. Eckermann,~S D.: On the observed morphology of gravity-wave and equatorial-wave variance in the stratosphere, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 57, 105–134, 1995. Eckermann,~S D., Ma,~J., Wu,~D L., and Broutman,~D.: A three-dimensional mountain wave imaged in satellite radiance throughout the stratosphere: evidence of the effects of directional wind shear, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 133, 1959–1975, 2007. Fritts,~D C. and Alexander,~M J: Gravity wave dynamics and effects in the middle atmosphere, Rev. Geophys., 41, 1003, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2001RG000106doi:10.1029/2001RG000106, 2003. Giorgetta,~M A., Manzini,~E., and Roeckner,~E.: Forcing of the quasi-biennial oscillation from a broad spectrum of atmospheric waves, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 1245, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2002GL014756doi:10.1029/2002GL014756, 2002. Gruninger,~J., Duff,~J W., Brown,~J H., and Blumberg,~W A M.: Radiation transport effects and the interpretation of infrared images of gravity waves and turbulence, P. Soc. Photo-Opt. Ins., 3495, 122–135, 1998. Hamill,~P. and Toon,~O B.: Polar stratospheric clouds and the ozone hole, Phys. Today, 44, 34–42, 1991. Kawatani,~Y., Watanabe,~S., Sato,~K., Dunkerton,~T J., Miyahara,~S., and Takahashi,~M.: The roles of equatorial trapped waves and internal inertia-gravity waves in driving the quasi-biennial oscillation. Part~I: zonal mean wave forcing, J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 963–980, 2010a. Kawatani,~Y., Watanabe,~S., Sato,~K., Dunkerton,~T J., Miyahara,~S., and Takahashi,~M.: The roles of equatorial trapped waves and internal inertia-gravity waves in driving the quasi-biennial oscillation. Part~II: three-dimensional distribution of wave forcing, J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 963–980, 2010b. Kim,~Y.-J., Eckermann,~S D., and Chun,~H.-Y.: An overview of the past, present and future of gravity-wave drag parametrization for numerical climate and weather prediction models, Atmos. Ocean., 41, http://dx.doi.org/10.3137/ao.410105doi:10.3137/ao.410105, 2003. Krebsbach, M., and P. Preusse: Spectral analysis of gravity wave activity in SABER temperature data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L03814, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL028040doi:10.1029/2006GL028040, 2007. Lane,~T P. and Moncrieff,~M W.: Characterization of momentum transport associated with organized moist convection and gravity waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 3208–3225, 2010. Lee,~J N., Wu,~D L., Manney,~G L., and Schwartz,~M J.: Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the northern annular mode: from the mesosphere to the upper troposphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L20807, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2009GL040678doi:10.1029/2009GL040678, 2009. Lee,~J N., Wu,~D L., Manney,~G L., Schwartz,~M J., Lambert,~A., Livesey,~N J., Minschwaner,~K R., Pumphrey,~H C., and Read,~W.G.: Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the polar middle atmosphere: dynamics and transport of CO and H<sub>2</sub>O, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D05110, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010JD014608doi:10.1029/2010JD014608, 2011. Liu,~C T., Zipser,~E J., and Nesbitt,~S W.: Global distribution of tropical deep convection: differet perspectives from TRMM infrared and radar data, J. Climate, 20, 489–503, 2007. McFarlane,~N A.: The effect of orographically excited gravity wave drag on the general circulation of the lower stratosphere and troposphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 44, 1775–1800, 1987. McLandress,~C., Alexander,~M J., and Wu,~D L.: Microwave Limb Sounder observations of gravity waves in the stratosphere: a climatology and interpretation, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 11947–11967, 2000. Preusse, P., Eckermann, S. D., Ern, M., Oberheide, J., Picard, R. H., Roble, R. G., Riese, M., Russell, J. M., and Mlynczak, M. G.: Global ray tracing simulations of the SABER gravity wave climatology, J. Geophys. Res., 114, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2008JD011214doi:10.1029/2008JD011214, 2009. Ratnam,~M V., Tetzlaff,~G., and Jacobi,~C.: Global and seasonal variations of stratospheric gravity wave activity deduced from the CHAMP/GPS Satellite, J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 1610–1620, 2004. Richter, Jadwiga H., Fabrizio Sassi, Rolando R. Garcia: Toward a Physically Based Gravity Wave Source Parameterization in a General Circulation Model, J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 136–156, 2010. Sato,~K. and Dunkerton,~T J.: Estimates of momentum flux associated with equatorial Kelvin and gravity waves, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 26247–26261, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/96JD02514doi:10.1029/96JD02514, 1997. Sato,~K., O'Sullivan,~D J., and Dunkerton,~T J.: Low-frequency inertia-gravity waves in the stratosphere revealed by three-week continuous observation with the MU radar, Geophys. Res. Lett., 24, 1739–1742, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/97GL01759doi:10.1029/97GL01759, 1997. Sato,~K., Kumakura,~T., and Takahashi,~M.: Gravity waves appearing in a high-resolution GCM simulation, J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 1005–1018, 1999. Scaife,~A A., Butchart,~N., and Warner,~C D.: Impact of a spectral gravity wave parameterization on the stratosphere in the Met Office unified model, J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1473–1489, 2002. Song,~I.-S. and Chun,~H.-Y.: Momentum flux of convectively forced internal gravity waves and its application to gravity wave drag parameterization. Part I: theory, J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 136–156, 2005. Song,~I.-S. and Chun,~H.-Y.: A lagrangian spectral parameterization of gravity wave drag induced by cumulus convection, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 1204–1224, 2008. De la Torre,~A., Schmidt,~T., and Wickert,~J.: A global analysis of wave potential energy in the lower stratosphere derived from 5 years of GPS radio occultation data with CHAMP, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L24809, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027696doi:10.1029/2006GL027696, 2006. Vincent,~R A. and Alexander,~M J.: Gravity waves in the tropical lower stratosphere: an observational study of seasonal and interannual variability, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 17971–17982, 2000. Wang,~B. and Rui,~H.: Synoptic climatology of transient tropical intraseasonal convection anomalies: 1975–1985, Meteorol. Atmos. Phys., 44, 43–61, 1990. Wang,~L. and Geller,~M A.: Morphology of gravity-wave energy as observed from 4 years (1998–2001) of high vertical resolution U.S. radiosonde data, J. Geophys. Res., 108, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002786doi:10.1029/2002JD002786, 2003. Wheeler,~M., Kiladis,~G N., and Webster,~P J.: Large-scale dynamical fields associated with convectively coupled equatorial waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 613–640, 2000. Wu,~D L.: Mesoscale gravity wave variances from AMSU-A radiances, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L12114, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004GL019562doi:10.1029/2004GL019562, 2004. Wu,~D L. and Eckermann,~S D.: Global gravity wave variances from Aura MLS: characteristics and interpretation, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 3695–3718, 2008. Wu,~D L. and Waters,~J W.: Gravity-wave-scale temperature fluctuations seen by the UARS MLS, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 3289–3292, 1996. Wu,~D L., Preusse,~P., Eckermann,~S D., Jiang,~J H., Juarez,~M T., Coy,~L., and Wang,~D Y.: Remote sounding of atmospheric gravity waves with satellite limb and nadir techniques, Adv. Space Res., 37, 2269–2277, 2006.