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Impact of the tropopause on upward propagation of mountain waves
Author(s) -
Worthington R. M.,
Thomas L.
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/97gl00833
Subject(s) - tropopause , troposphere , radiosonde , stratosphere , geology , amplitude , atmospheric sciences , reflection (computer programming) , environmental science , geophysics , meteorology , physics , optics , computer science , programming language
The vertical propagation of mountain waves into the stratosphere is investigated, with reference to the Scorer parameter profile in the troposphere, and the change in Brunt‐Väisälä frequency at the tropopause. VHF radar provides data on the vertical and horizontal wind velocities, and echo power, while radiosondes supply temperature profiles. In studies of four large‐amplitude mountain‐wave events, where the wave phase remains nearly constant throughout the troposphere, partial reflection at a sharp tropopause offers a better explanation than wave trapping below a minimum in the Scorer parameter.