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

Physical Sciences - Daytona Beach

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 …