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Uncertainties in using the hodograph method to retrieve gravity wave characteristics from individual soundings
Author(s) -
Zhang Fuqing,
Wang Shuguang,
Plougonven Riwal
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1029/2004gl019841
Subject(s) - hodograph , gravity wave , geology , mesoscale meteorology , gravitational wave , wave packet , geodesy , mechanics , geophysics , meteorology , physics , quantum mechanics , astrophysics
The hodograph method is commonly used to retrieve inertio‐gravity wave characteristics from individual vertical profiles of the winds. In order to estimate the uncertainties of this method, we have analyzed mesoscale numerical simulations of a gravity wave event in which a coherent quasi‐monochromatic inertio‐gravity wave packet is present. Single profiles are extracted from the simulations, analyzed using the hodograph method, and the derived wave characteristics are compared to the reference values determined from the four‐dimensional simulated fields. Although the conditions favor the use of the hodograph method, the derived wave parameters possess significant uncertainties.