Articles | Volume 13, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5117-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5117-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
29 Sep 2020
Research article |
| 29 Sep 2020
| 29 Sep 2020
Intra-annual variations of spectrally resolved gravity wave activity in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere (UMLT) region
René Sedlak
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
Alexandra Zuhr
Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
German Remote Sensing Data Center, German Aerospace Center,
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
now at: Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and
Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
Carsten Schmidt
German Remote Sensing Data Center, German Aerospace Center,
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Sabine Wüst
German Remote Sensing Data Center, German Aerospace Center,
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Michael Bittner
Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
German Remote Sensing Data Center, German Aerospace Center,
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Goderdzi G. Didebulidze
Georgian National Astrophysical Observatory, Ilia State University,
Tbilisi, Georgia
Colin Price
Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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With airglow spectrometers, the temperature in the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere can be derived each night. The data allow to estimate the amount of energy which is transported by small-scale atmospheric waves, known as gravity waves. In order to do this, information about the Brunt–Väisälä frequency and its evolution during the year is necessary. This is provided here for low and midlatitudes based on 18 years of satellite data.
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Short summary
Gravity wave (GW) activity in the UMLT in the period range 6-480 min is calculated by applying a wavelet analysis to nocturnal temperature time series derived from OH* airglow spectrometers. We analyse measurements from eight different locations at different latitudes.
GW activity shows strong period dependence. We find hardly any seasonal variability for periods below 60 min and a semi-annual cycle for periods longer than 60 min that evolves into an annual cycle around a period of 200 min.
Gravity wave (GW) activity in the UMLT in the period range 6-480 min is calculated by applying a...
