Skip to main content
Earth, Planets and Space
Download PDF
  • Article
  • Published:

Horizontal variations of gravity wave activities in the lower stratosphere over Japan: A case study in the Baiu season 1991

Earth, Planets and Space volume 51, pages 107–113 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Vertical wavenumber spectra are analyzed by using temperature, zonal wind and meridional wind data obtained with MU radar and radiosondes at the MU observatory in Shigaraki and with operational rawinsondes at five stations over Japan. The temperature and meridional wind spectral power densities of the dominant gravity wave increase with a decrease of latitude, whereas the zonal wind spectral power seems to have a maximum near the tropopausal jet stream axis. An analysis technique to estimate a characteristic value of intrinsic frequency from the wind and temperature vertical-wavenumber spectra is proposed. The different meridional distributions of spectral power densities for temperature, zonal wind and meridional wind possibly can be explained by a latitudinal distribution of the characteristic intrinsic frequency.

References

  • Allen, S. J. and R. A. Vincent, Gravitywave activity in the lower atmosphere: Seasonal and latitudinal variations, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 1327–1350, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balsley, B. B. and D. A. Carter, The spectrum of atmospheric velocity fluctuations at 8 km and 86 km, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 465–468, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bjerknes, J. and E. Palmén, Investigations of selected European cyclones by means of serial ascents Case 4: February 15–17, 1935, Geop. Publ., 7, 6–62, 1937.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danielsen, E. F., The laminar structure of the atmosphere and its relation to the concept of a tropopause, Arch. Met. Geoph. Biokl., A11, 293–332, 1959.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckermann, S. D. and W. K. Hocking, The effect of superposition on measurements of atmospheric gravity waves: a cautionary note and some reinterpretations, J. Geophys. Res., 94, 6333–6339, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckermann, S. D., I. Hirota, and W. K. Hocking, Gravity wave and equatorial wave morphology of the stratosphere derived from long-term rocket soundings, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 121, 149–186, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Endlich, R. M., R. C. Singleton, and J. W. Kaufman, Spectral analysis of detailed vertical wind speed profiles, J. Atmos. Sci., 26, 1030–1041, 1969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritts, D. C. and T. E. VanZandt, Spectral estimates of gravity wave energy and momentum fluxes. Part I: Energy dissipation, acceleration, and constraints, J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 3685–3694, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritts, D. C., T. Tsuda, T. Sato, S. Fukao, and S. Kato, Observational evidence of a saturated gravity wave spectrum in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 45, 1741–1759, 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukao, S., M. D. Yamanaka, H. Matsumoto, T. Sato, T. Tsuda, and S. Kato, Wind fluctuations near a cold vortex-tropopause funnel system observed by the MU radar, Pure Appl. Geophys., 130, 463–479, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gage, K. S. and G. D. Nastrom, On the spectrum of atmospheric velocity fluctuations seen by MST/ST radar and their interpretation, Radio Sci., 20, 1339–1347, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett, C. and W. Munk, Space-time scales of internal waves: A progress report, J. Geophys. Res., 80, 291–297, 1975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirota, I., Climatology of gravity waves in the middle atmosphere, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 46, 767–773, 1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirota, I. and T. Niki, A statistical study of inertia-gravity waves in the middle atmosphere, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 63, 1055–1066, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, Y. and I. Hirota, Small-scale disturbances in the lower strato-sphere revealed by daily rawin sonde observations, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 67, 817–830, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitaoka, T., Some considerations on the stratospheric circulation related to the cause of the Aleutian high, in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Stratospheric and Mesospheric Circulation, pp. 121–152, Freien Universität Berlin, 1963.

  • Larsen, M. F., M. C. Kelley, and K. S. Gage, Turbulence spectra in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere at periods between 2 hours and 40 days, J. Atmos. Sci., 39, 1035–1041, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muraoka, Y., S. Fukao, T. Sugiyama, M. Yamamoto, T. Nakamura, T. Tsuda, and S. Kato, Frequency spectra of mesospheric wind fluctuations observed with the MU radar, Geophys. Res. Lett., 17, 1897–1900, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogino, S.-Y., M. D. Yamanaka, and S. Fukao, Meridional variation of lower stratospheric gravity wave activity: A quick look at Hakuhomaru J-COARE cruise rawinsonde data, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 73, 407–413, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sato, K., A statistical study of the structure, saturation and sources of inertio-gravity waves in the lower stratosphere observed with the MU radar, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 56, 755–774, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shibagaki, Y., M. D. Yamanaka, H. Uyeda, A. Watanabe, Y. Maekawa, and S. Fukao, Hierarchical structures of medium-scale cyclones and cloud clusters near the Baiu front observed by MU and meteorological radars: Outline and preliminary results of three-week observation campaign, J. Geomag. Geoelectr., 48, 151–160, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shibata, T., S. Ichimori, T. Narikiyo, and M. Maeda, Spectral analysis of vertical temperature profiles observed by a lidar in the upper stratosphere and the lower mesosphere, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 66, 1001–1005, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimomai, T., M. D. Yamanaka, and S. Fukao, Application of Wavelet analysis to wind disturbances observed with MST radar techniques, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 58, 683–696, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shimomai, T., M. D. Yamanaka, and S. Fukao, Application of two-dimensional wavelet analysis to wind disturbances observed with MST radar in the lower stratosphere and troposphere, J. Geomag. Geoelectr., 49, S205–S213, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, S. A., D. C. Fritts, and T. E. VanZandt, Comparison of mesospheric wind spectra with a gravity wave model, Radio Sci., 20, 1331–1338, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, S. A., D. C. Fritts, and T. E. VanZandt, Evidence for a saturated spectrum of atmospheric gravity waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 44, 1404–1410, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuda, T., T. Inoue, D. C. Fritts, T. E. VanZandt, S. Kato, T. Sato, and S. Fukao, MST radar observations of a saturated gravity wave spectrum, J. Atmos. Sci., 46, 2440–2447, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuda, T., Y. Murayama, T. Nakamura, R. A. Vincent, A. H. Manson, C. E. Meek, and R. L. Wilson, Variations of the gravity wave characteristics with height, season and latitude revealed by comparative observations, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 56, 555–568, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanZandt, T. E., A universal spectrum of buoyancy waves in the atmosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 575–578, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanZandt, T. E., A model for gravity wave spectra observed by Doppler sounding systems, Radio Sci., 20, 1323–1330, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VanZandt, T. E. and D. C. Fritts, A theory of enhanced saturation of the gravity wave spectrum due to increases in atmospheric stability, Pure Appl. Geophys., 130, 399–420, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamanaka, M. D., The power spectrum of internal gravity wave: Strato-spheric balloon observations and interpretations, WRI MAP Res. Note, 6, Water Research Institute, Nagoya University, Japan, 13pp., 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamanaka, M. D. and S. Fukao, Multiple tropopauses: A major source of middle-atmospheric gravity waves, in STEP Symp. Proc., pp. 453–461, Pergamon Press, 1994.

  • Yamanaka, M. D., S.-Y. Ogino, S. Kondo, T. Shimomai, S. Fukao, Y. Shiba-gaki, Y. Maekawa, and I. Takayabu, Inertio-gravity waves and subtropical multiple tropopauses: Vertical wavenumber spectra of wind and temperature observed by the MU radar, radiosondes and operational rawinsonde network, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 58, 785–805, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Toyoshi Shimomai

    Present address: Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University, 3-13 Honohara, Toyokawa, Aichi, 442-8507, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radio Atmospheric Science Center, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan

    Shin-Ya Ogino, Yoshiaki Shibagaki, Toyoshi Shimomai & Shoichiro Fukao

  2. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, Nada-ku, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan

    Manabu D. Yamanaka

Authors
  1. Shin-Ya Ogino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manabu D. Yamanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yoshiaki Shibagaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Toyoshi Shimomai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shoichiro Fukao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shin-Ya Ogino.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ogino, SY., Yamanaka, M.D., Shibagaki, Y. et al. Horizontal variations of gravity wave activities in the lower stratosphere over Japan: A case study in the Baiu season 1991. Earth Planet Sp 51, 107–113 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352215

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352215

Keywords