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A large amplitude gravity wave in the lower stratosphere detected by radiosonde
Author(s) -
Shutts G. J.,
Kitchen M.,
Hoare P. H.
Publication year - 1988
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.49711448103
Subject(s) - radiosonde , stratosphere , amplitude , gravity wave , context (archaeology) , meteorology , wind shear , atmospheric sciences , gravitational wave , geology , geodesy , physics , wind speed , astrophysics , optics , paleontology
Temperature profiles in the lower stratosphere commonly show fluctuations (typical peak‐to‐peak amplitude of a few degrees) on a vertical scale of a few kilometres. The routine operational radiosonde launched from Shanwell (56.43°N 2.87°W) at 2318 GMT on 12 December 1986 recorded very large amplitude excursions in temperature (15.9 K change over a vertical distance of 2 km) in the lower stratosphere which were identified as being exceptional by the staff at the radiosonde station. The temperature fluctuations were accompanied by strong shear in the horizontal wind and large variations in the rate of ascent of the balloon. The disturbance is argued to be due to a quasi‐stationary gravity wave with vertical momentum flux about 3 or 4 N m −2 averaged over a horizontal scale of at least 20km. These observations, their meteorological context and their interpretation are described in detail.