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Isentropic advection by gravity waves: Quasi‐universal M −3 vertical wavenumber spectra near the onset of instability
Author(s) -
Eckermann Stephen D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1998gl900283
Subject(s) - wavenumber , physics , gravity wave , amplitude , spectral line , superposition principle , instability , convection , gravitational wave , computational physics , mechanics , astrophysics , optics , quantum mechanics
A two‐dimensional model was used to advect air parcels under the influence of a linear superposition of hydrostatic gravity waves. As wave amplitudes increased, vertically profiled wave perturbations became nonsinusoidal, producing increased spectral power at large wavenumbers M . At saturation amplitudes just before onset of convective instabilities, these “tail spectra” assumed universal M −3 shapes, similar to observed spectra in the atmosphere and oceans.