Open AccessObservation of gravity wave generation and breaking in the lowermost stratosphere
Author(s) -
Pavelin Edward,
Whiteway James A.,
Vaughan Geraint
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2000jd900480
Subject(s) - stratosphere , radiosonde , tropopause , geostrophic wind , gravity wave , wind shear , geology , geophysics , instability , gravitational wave , breaking wave , amplitude , physics , turbulence , atmospheric sciences , perturbation (astronomy) , meteorology , wave propagation , mechanics , climatology , astrophysics , wind speed , astronomy , optics
Measurements with the Aberystwyth VHF radar have revealed a striking illustration of gravity wave generation and breaking in the lowermost stratosphere. Horizontal wind measurements show an inertia‐gravity wave that was essentially monochromatic and persisted for longer than 5 days, with a maximum perturbation amplitude of approximately 10 ms −1 . Radiosonde measurements show that this wave induced shear instability that led to intense turbulence close to the tropopause. The event was associated with a highly curved jet stream over Europe, suggesting that geostrophic adjustment was a likely source mechanism.