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Observation of inertial waves in the stratosphere
Author(s) -
Thompson R. O. R. Y.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49710444111
Subject(s) - stratosphere , inertial wave , troposphere , radiosonde , inertial frame of reference , rotation (mathematics) , wavelength , anticyclone , atmospheric sciences , polar night , meteorology , physics , geology , environmental science , geodesy , climatology , wave propagation , optics , mechanical wave , classical mechanics , mathematics , geometry , longitudinal wave
Abstract A series of radiosonde flights over Laverton, Victoria (38°S), is found to have sufficient vertical (100m) and temporal (3 h) resolution, and sufficient length (28 days) to detect inertial waves. Fourier analysis shows that in the stratosphere there is a strong anticyclonic rotation of the wind vector which has energy concentrated near the local inertial frequency. This rotation is associated with a vertical wavelength between 1 and 3 km, and a downward phase propagation. There is no sign of inertial waves in the troposphere. The waves appear to be generated below the stratosphere and spread upwards.