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Characteristics Of Short-Period Wavelike Features Near 87 Km Altitude From Airglow And Lidar Observations Over Maui, J. H. Hecht, A. Z. Liu, R. L. Walterscheid, S. J. Franke, R. J. Rudy, M. J. Taylor, P. -D. Pautet Nov 2015

Characteristics Of Short-Period Wavelike Features Near 87 Km Altitude From Airglow And Lidar Observations Over Maui, J. H. Hecht, A. Z. Liu, R. L. Walterscheid, S. J. Franke, R. J. Rudy, M. J. Taylor, P. -D. Pautet

Alan Z Liu

Small-scale (less than 15 km horizontal wavelength) wavelike structures known as ripples are a common occurrence in OH airglow images. Recent case studies attribute their origin to the presence of either convective or dynamical instabilities. However, little is known about their frequency of occurrence and period. The Maui-MALT Observatory, located at Mt. Haleakala, is instrumented with a Na wind/temperature lidar, which allows the determination of whether the atmosphere is dynamically or convectively unstable, and a fast OH airglow camera which takes images every 3 s with a sensitivity high enough to see the ripples. This study reports on 2 months …


Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails 2. Photometry And Numerical Modeling, C. A. Kruschwitz, M. C. Kelley, C. S. Gardner, G. Swenson, A. Z. Liu, X. Chu, J. D. Drummond, B. W. Grime, W. T. Armstrong, J. M. C. Plane, P. Jenniskens Nov 2015

Observations Of Persistent Leonid Meteor Trails 2. Photometry And Numerical Modeling, C. A. Kruschwitz, M. C. Kelley, C. S. Gardner, G. Swenson, A. Z. Liu, X. Chu, J. D. Drummond, B. W. Grime, W. T. Armstrong, J. M. C. Plane, P. Jenniskens

Alan Z Liu

During the 1998 Leonid meteor shower, multi-instrument observations of persistent meteor trains were made from the Starfire Optical Range on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and from a secondary site in nearby Placitas, New Mexico. The University of Illinois Na resonance lidar measured the Na density and temperature in the trains, while various cameras captured images and videos of the trains, some of which were observed to persist for more than 30 min. The Na density measurements allow the contribution of Na airglow to the observed train luminescence to be quantified for the first time. To do this, persistent …


Measuring Eddy Heat And Constituent Fluxes With High-Resolution Na And Fe Doppler Lidars, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu Sep 2014

Measuring Eddy Heat And Constituent Fluxes With High-Resolution Na And Fe Doppler Lidars, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

Vertical transport by turbulent mixing plays a fundamental role in establishing the thermal and
constituent structure of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). Because of observational
challenges, eddy heat, constituent, and momentum fluxes, and the associated coefficients for thermal (kH),
constituent (kzz), and momentum (kM), diffusion have not been well characterized in the MLT. We show that
properly configured Na and Fe Doppler lidars, with sufficient resolution to observe the turbulence-induced wind,
temperature, and density fluctuations, can make direct measurements of eddy …


Inferring The Global Cosmic Dust Influx To The Earth’S Atmosphere From Lidar Observations Of The Vertical Flux Of Mesospheric Na, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu, Dan Marsh, Wuhu Feng, John Plane Aug 2014

Inferring The Global Cosmic Dust Influx To The Earth’S Atmosphere From Lidar Observations Of The Vertical Flux Of Mesospheric Na, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu, Dan Marsh, Wuhu Feng, John Plane

Alan Z Liu

Estimates of the global influx of cosmic dust are highly uncertain, ranging from 0.4110 t/d. All
meteoric debris that enters the Earths atmosphere is eventually transported to the surface. The downward
fluxes of meteoric metals like mesospheric Na and Fe, in the region below where they are vaporized and
where the majority of these species are still in atomic form, are equal to their meteoric ablation influxes,
which in turn, are proportional to the total cosmic dust influx. Doppler lidar measurements of mesospheric Na
fluxes made throughout the …


Removing Milky Way From Airglow Images Using Principle Component Analysis, Zhenhua Li, Alan Z. Liu, Gulamabas G. Sivjee Feb 2014

Removing Milky Way From Airglow Images Using Principle Component Analysis, Zhenhua Li, Alan Z. Liu, Gulamabas G. Sivjee

Alan Z Liu

Airglow imaging is an effective way to obtain atmospheric gravity wave information in the airglow layers in the upper mesosphere and the lower thermosphere. Airglow images are often contaminated by the Milky Way emission. To extract gravity wave parameters correctly, the Milky Way must be removed. The paper demonstrates that principal component analysis (PCA) can effectively represent the dominant variation patterns of the intensity of airglow images that are associated with the slow moving Milky Way features. Subtracting this PCA reconstructed field reveals gravity waves that are otherwise overwhelmed by the strong spurious waves associated with the Milky Way. Numerical …


Gravity Wave Characteristics In The Lower Atmosphere At South Pole, Matt Pfenniger, Alan Z. Liu, George C. Papen, Chester S. Gardner Oct 2013

Gravity Wave Characteristics In The Lower Atmosphere At South Pole, Matt Pfenniger, Alan Z. Liu, George C. Papen, Chester S. Gardner

Alan Z Liu

A 4-year (1993-1996) temperature and wind data set obtained from over 2000 high-resolution balloon soundings at South Pole is used to study gravity wave characteristics in the atmosphere and lower stratosphere. Extensive analyses of energy density, spectra, and static stability are performed to present a comprehensive view of the gravity waves are ubiquitous and often fairly strong at the South Pole, even though the generation mechanisms are not clear. Gravity wave characteristics are, in general, similar to those obtained at other high-latitude southern hemisphere stations. Potential energies vary between about 0.5 J/kg and 5 J/kg with season and altitude. Variations …


On The Variability Of Mesospheric Oh Emission Profiles, Romina Nikoukar, Gary R. Swenson, Alan Z. Liu, Farzad Kamalabadi Oct 2013

On The Variability Of Mesospheric Oh Emission Profiles, Romina Nikoukar, Gary R. Swenson, Alan Z. Liu, Farzad Kamalabadi

Alan Z Liu

Mesospheric OH radiance limb profiles measured by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument aboard the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) spacecraft were inverted to yield altitude profiles of OH volume emission rates. The Abel inversion results of two months of data (from 1 June to 31 July 2004) were analyzed for the layer mean and standard deviation as a function of latitude and local time. Statistical analysis of SABER data shows that the global difference between the mean and standard deviation profiles for the OH(vu = 7, 8, 9; ∆v = 2) emission …


Vertical Heat And Constituent Transport In The Mesopause Region By Dissipating Gravity Waves At Maui, Hawaii (20.7ºn), And Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico (35ºn), Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner Oct 2013

Vertical Heat And Constituent Transport In The Mesopause Region By Dissipating Gravity Waves At Maui, Hawaii (20.7ºn), And Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico (35ºn), Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner

Alan Z Liu

Vertical heat flux profiles induced by dissipating gravity waves in the mesopause region (85–100 km altitude) are derived from Na lidar measurements of winds and temperatures at Maui (20.7ºN, 156.3ºW), Hawaii, and compared with earlier results from Starfire Optical Range (SOR, 35.0ºN, 106.5ºW), New Mexico. The heat flux profile at SOR has a single downward maximum of 2.25 ± 0.3 K m/s at 88 km, while the profile at Maui has two downward maxima of 1.25 ± 0.5 K m/s and 1.40 ± 0.5 K m/s at 87 and 95 km, respectively. The common maximum below 90 km can be …


Characteristics Of Instabilities In The Mesopause Region Over Maui, Hawaii, Feng Li, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson Oct 2013

Characteristics Of Instabilities In The Mesopause Region Over Maui, Hawaii, Feng Li, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson

Alan Z Liu

Characteristics of convective and dynamical instabilities in the mesopause region (between 85 and 100 km) over Maui, Hawaii (20.7ºN, 156.3ºW) are investigated using 19 nights, ~133 hours of high-resolution wind and temperature data obtained by the University of Illinois Na wind/temperature lidar during the Maui Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (Maui MALT) campaigns. The mean probabilities of convective and dynamical instabilities are observed to be ~3 and 10%, respectively, but there is considerable night-to-night variation. At any given time the probability that an unstable condition is found at some altitudes in the 85–100 km range is 90%. The Maui MALT data …


Vertical Dynamical Transport Of Mesospheric Constituents By Dissipating Gravity Waves, Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner Oct 2013

Vertical Dynamical Transport Of Mesospheric Constituents By Dissipating Gravity Waves, Alan Z. Liu, Chester S. Gardner

Alan Z Liu

Over 400 h of Na wind/temperature lidar observations, obtained at the Star5re Optical Range, NM, are used to study the vertical dynamical transport of Na in the mesopause region between 85 and 100 km. Dynamical transport occurs when dissipating, non-breaking gravity waves impart a net vertical displacement in atmospheric constituents as they propagate through a region. We show that the vertical constituent flux can be related in a simple way to the vertical heat flux. Breaking gravity waves also contribute to eddy transport by generating turbulence. Because eddy transport is a mixing process, it only occurs in the presence of …


Estimation Of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux With Spectroscopic Imaging, Jing Tang, Farzad Kamalabadi, Steven J. Franke, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson Oct 2013

Estimation Of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux With Spectroscopic Imaging, Jing Tang, Farzad Kamalabadi, Steven J. Franke, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson

Alan Z Liu

Atmospheric gravity waves play a significant role in the dynamics and thermal balance of the upper atmosphere. In this paper, we present a novel technique for automated and robust calculation of momentum flux of high-frequency quasi-monochromatic wave components from spectroscopic imaging and horizontal radar wind measurements. Our approach uses the two-dimensional (2-D) cross periodogram of two consecutive Doppler-shifted time-differenced (TD) images to identify wave components and estimate intrinsic wave parameters. Besides estimating the average perturbation of dominant waves in the whole field of view, this technique applies 2-D short-space Fourier transform to the TD images to identify localized wave events. …


O(1s), Oh, And O2(B) Airglow Layer Perturbations Due To Agws And Their Implied Effects On The Atmosphere, Fabio Vargas, Gary Swenson, Alan Liu, Delano Gobbi Oct 2013

O(1s), Oh, And O2(B) Airglow Layer Perturbations Due To Agws And Their Implied Effects On The Atmosphere, Fabio Vargas, Gary Swenson, Alan Liu, Delano Gobbi

Alan Z Liu

The O(1S) (green line) night airglow emission in response to atmospheric gravity wave (AGW) perturbations was simulated with a linear, one-dimensional model. The results were combined with previously modeled O2(b, 0–1) atmospheric band and OH Meinel band emission response (Liu and Swenson, 2003) to derive amplitude and phase relations among multiple airglow layers in response to gravity waves with various intrinsic parameters and damping rates (β). The simulations show that the vertical profile of the standard deviation of the perturbed green line volume emission rate (VER) has a centroid altitude that is 3 km …


An Overview Of Observations Of Unstable Layers During The Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (Tomex), J. H. Hecht, Alan Z. Liu, R. L. Bishop, J. H. Clemmons, C. S. Gardner, M. F. Larsen, R. G. Roble, G. R. Swenson, R. L. Walterscheid Oct 2013

An Overview Of Observations Of Unstable Layers During The Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (Tomex), J. H. Hecht, Alan Z. Liu, R. L. Bishop, J. H. Clemmons, C. S. Gardner, M. F. Larsen, R. G. Roble, G. R. Swenson, R. L. Walterscheid

Alan Z Liu

The Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (TOMEX) was designed to measure the atmospheric response to the existence of unstable layers as determined by wind and temperature measurements from 80 to 105 km. TOMEX combined Na lidar measurements, from Starfire Optical Range in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a launch of a payload from White Sands Missile Range, located between 100 and 150 km south of Starfire. The payload included a trimethyl aluminum chemical release to measure winds and diffusion, a 5-channel ionization gauge to measure neutral density fluctuations at high vertical resolution, and a 3-channel photometer experiment to measure atomic oxygen related …


A Model For Calculating Acoustic Gravity Wave Energy And Momentum Flux In The Mesosphere From Oh Airglow, Gary R. Swenson, Alan Z. Liu Sep 2013

A Model For Calculating Acoustic Gravity Wave Energy And Momentum Flux In The Mesosphere From Oh Airglow, Gary R. Swenson, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

Acoustic gravity and tidal waves propagating in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (80-110 km) perturb the airglow layer intensities. The OH airglow has recently been modeled to determine the relationship between the relative perturbed atmospheric density and temperature (ρ’/ ρ, T’/T) to the OH intensity ( I’OH/IOH ) at the OH emission altitudes [Swenson and Gardner, 1997]. A model is presented here which relates wave perturbed OH airglow to the wave energy and momentum flux as they propagate through the emission layer. The model is dependent on the wave horizontal and vertical wavelengths (or phase speed as related through the dispersion relationship), …


Diurnal Variation Of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux And Its Forcing On The Diurnal Tide, Alan Z. Liu, Xian Lu, Steven Franke Feb 2013

Diurnal Variation Of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux And Its Forcing On The Diurnal Tide, Alan Z. Liu, Xian Lu, Steven Franke

Alan Z Liu

The diurnal variation of gravity wave (GW) momentum flux is derived from the 5 years of meteor radar wind measurements at Maui, Hawaii. The amplitude and phase relationships between the GW forcing and the diurnal tide are analyzed by calculating their equivalent Rayleigh frictions. The results show that the GW momentum flux is clearly modulated by the diurnal tide. The forcing from the momentum flux convergence has strong effects on both the amplitude and phase of the diurnal tide. They can reach 80 ms ‚àí‚Äâ1 day ‚àí‚Äâ1 for the amplitude and 15 h day ‚àí‚Äâ1 for the phase. The GW …


Instability Structures During Periods Of Large Richardson Number (Ri > ¼): Evidence Of Parametric Instability, Richard L. Walterscheid, L J. Gelinas, James H. Hecht, Alan Z. Liu Dec 2012

Instability Structures During Periods Of Large Richardson Number (Ri > ¼): Evidence Of Parametric Instability, Richard L. Walterscheid, L J. Gelinas, James H. Hecht, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

The commonly used criteria for shear and convective instabilities were developed for steady horizontally uniform background flows. However, the formalism that rigorously addresses the instability of waves on a basic state modulated by a primary wave is Floquet theory in which the basic state includes a wave. A Floquet system supports parametric instabilities when conventional Richardson number (Ri) criteria indicate that the system is stable. In a study of small-scale instability structures during the Maui MALT campaign, Hecht et al. (2005) noted that there were occurrences of ripple (instability) structure when the conventional criteria indicated stable conditions. …


Meteor-Radar Observed Mesospheric Semi-Annual Oscillation (Sao) And Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (Qbo) Over Maui, Hawaii, Tao Li, Alan Z. Liu, Xian Lu, Zhenhua Li, Steven Franke, Gary R. Swenson, Xiankang Dou Mar 2012

Meteor-Radar Observed Mesospheric Semi-Annual Oscillation (Sao) And Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (Qbo) Over Maui, Hawaii, Tao Li, Alan Z. Liu, Xian Lu, Zhenhua Li, Steven Franke, Gary R. Swenson, Xiankang Dou

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Spectral Energy Transfer Of Atmospheric Gravity Waves Through Sum And Difference Nonlinear Interactions, Kaiming Huang, Alan Z. Liu, Shaodong Zhang, Fan Yi, Zhenhua Li Feb 2012

Spectral Energy Transfer Of Atmospheric Gravity Waves Through Sum And Difference Nonlinear Interactions, Kaiming Huang, Alan Z. Liu, Shaodong Zhang, Fan Yi, Zhenhua Li

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Momentum Budget Of The Migrating Diurnal Tide In The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model At Vernal Equinox, Xian Lu, Alan Z. Liu, Han-Li Liu, Jie Yue Dec 2011

Momentum Budget Of The Migrating Diurnal Tide In The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model At Vernal Equinox, Xian Lu, Alan Z. Liu, Han-Li Liu, Jie Yue

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Gravity Wave Characteristics From Oh Airglow Imager Over Maui, Alan Z. Liu, Xian Lu, Zhenhua Li, Gary R. Swenson, Steven Franke Nov 2011

Gravity Wave Characteristics From Oh Airglow Imager Over Maui, Alan Z. Liu, Xian Lu, Zhenhua Li, Gary R. Swenson, Steven Franke

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Seasonal Variability Of The Diurnal Tide In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere Over Maui, Hawaii (20.7˚N, 156.3˚W), Xian Lu, Alan Z. Liu, Jens Oberheide, Qian Wu, Tao Li, Zhenhua Li, Gary R. Swenson, Steven J. Franke Sep 2011

Seasonal Variability Of The Diurnal Tide In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere Over Maui, Hawaii (20.7˚N, 156.3˚W), Xian Lu, Alan Z. Liu, Jens Oberheide, Qian Wu, Tao Li, Zhenhua Li, Gary R. Swenson, Steven J. Franke

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Wave-Induced Transport Of Atmospheric Constituents And Its Effect On The Mesospheric Na Layer, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu Oct 2010

Wave-Induced Transport Of Atmospheric Constituents And Its Effect On The Mesospheric Na Layer, Chester S. Gardner, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Overturning Instability In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere: Analysis Of Instability Conditions In Lidar Data, Lucas Hurd, Miguel F. Larsen, Alan Z. Liu Dec 2008

Overturning Instability In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere: Analysis Of Instability Conditions In Lidar Data, Lucas Hurd, Miguel F. Larsen, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Gravity Wave Propagation And Dissipation From The Stratosphere To The Lower Thermosphere, Xian Lu, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson, Tao Li Dec 2008

Gravity Wave Propagation And Dissipation From The Stratosphere To The Lower Thermosphere, Xian Lu, Alan Z. Liu, Gary R. Swenson, Tao Li

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


A Model Study Of The Effects Of Winds On Concentric Rings Of Gravity Waves From A Convective Plume Near Fort Collins On 11 May 2004, Sharon L. Vadas, Jia Yue, Chiao-Yao She, Peter A. Stamus, Alan Z. Liu Dec 2008

A Model Study Of The Effects Of Winds On Concentric Rings Of Gravity Waves From A Convective Plume Near Fort Collins On 11 May 2004, Sharon L. Vadas, Jia Yue, Chiao-Yao She, Peter A. Stamus, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Estimate Eddy Diffusion Coefficients From Gravity Wave Vertical Momentum And Heat Fluxes, Alan Z. Liu Dec 2008

Estimate Eddy Diffusion Coefficients From Gravity Wave Vertical Momentum And Heat Fluxes, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.


Sources Of Gravity Waves In The Lower Stratosphere Above South Pole, Zhenhua Li, Walter A. Robinson, Alan Z. Liu Dec 2008

Sources Of Gravity Waves In The Lower Stratosphere Above South Pole, Zhenhua Li, Walter A. Robinson, Alan Z. Liu

Alan Z Liu

No abstract provided.