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Seasonal evolution of Rossby and gravity wave induced laminae in ozonesonde data obtained from Wallops Island, Virginia
Author(s) -
Pierce R. Bradley,
Grant William B.
Publication year - 1998
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 - 10.1029/98gl01507
Subject(s) - rossby wave , tropopause , geology , atmospheric sciences , climatology , oceanography , stratosphere
A method for evaluating the seasonal evolution of ozone laminae using ozonesonde data is discussed. The method uses the correlation between small‐scale ozone and potential temperature variations to distinguish between laminae generated by quasi‐isentropic filamentation by Rossby waves and by vertical displacements of material surfaces by gravity waves. Data from Wallops Island, Virginia show that Rossby wave induced ozone laminae are most frequently encountered at Wallops during the winter months near 15 km while statistically significant gravity wave induced laminae occur above 15 km during the early winter and at the tropopause from late winter through early spring.