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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

2000

Waves and tides

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Secular Variations Of Atomic Oxygen In The Mesopause Region Induced By Transient Gravity Wave Packets, Michael P. Hickey Ph.D., R. L. Walterscheid, Philip G. Richards Nov 2000

Secular Variations Of Atomic Oxygen In The Mesopause Region Induced By Transient Gravity Wave Packets, Michael P. Hickey Ph.D., R. L. Walterscheid, Philip G. Richards

Publications

We employ a 2-dimensional, time-dependent, fully nonlinear model of minor species in the mesopause region and our Spectral Full-Wave Model to simulate the response of atomic oxygen (O) to a gravity wave packet in the mesopause region. We demonstrate that gravity waves affect the time-averaged distribution of O in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region through the constituent fluxes the waves induce. Our conclusions are based on simulations of two wave packets that violate the non-acceleration conditions through transience and dissipation. The net cycle-averaged effect of the waves is to significantly increase (by as much as 50%) the O …


Resolving Ambiguities In Gravity Wave Propagation Directions Inherent In Satellite Observations: A Simulation Study, Michael P. Hickey Ph.D., Jason S. Brown Sep 2000

Resolving Ambiguities In Gravity Wave Propagation Directions Inherent In Satellite Observations: A Simulation Study, Michael P. Hickey Ph.D., Jason S. Brown

Publications

We simulate space-based, sub-limb viewing observations of airglow brightness fluctuations caused by atmospheric gravity wave interactions with the O2 atmospheric airglow, and we demonstrate that, due to the geometry associated with such observations, the brightness fluctuations observed for the optically thick 0–0 band emission will always appear stronger for waves traveling towards the observer (satellite). The effect should be most noticeable for waves having relatively small vertical wavelengths (∼10 km) and horizontal wavelengths of 50 km or greater. For waves of short (∼100 km) horizontal wavelength, the brightness fluctuation anisotropy with respect to viewing direction may also be evident in …