Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology

Selected Works

2015

Ducting

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Gravity Wave Ducting In The Upper Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere Duct System, R. L. Walterscheid, Michael P. Hickey Ph.D. Sep 2015

Gravity Wave Ducting In The Upper Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere Duct System, R. L. Walterscheid, Michael P. Hickey Ph.D.

Michael P. Hickey

We report on a numerical study of gravity wave propagation in a pair of ducts located in a region where dramatic changes in the airglow most likely associated with ducted wave trains are observed. We examine ducting in an upper mesosphere inversion (INV) and an always present lower thermosphere stable layer (LTD) for a range of phase speeds and horizontal wavelengths characteristic of ducting events. We analyze the propagation and modal structure of ducted waves for backgrounds with increasing realism, starting with a climatological temperature profile where only the LTD is present. In succession, we add the INV based on …


Numerical And Statistical Evidence For Long-Range Ducted Gravity Wave Propagation Over Halley, Antarctica, J. B. Snively, K. Nielsen, M. P. Hickey, C. J. Heale, M. J. Taylor, T. Moffat-Griffin Sep 2015

Numerical And Statistical Evidence For Long-Range Ducted Gravity Wave Propagation Over Halley, Antarctica, J. B. Snively, K. Nielsen, M. P. Hickey, C. J. Heale, M. J. Taylor, T. Moffat-Griffin

Michael P. Hickey

Abundant short-period, small-scale gravity waves have been identified in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over Halley, Antarctica, via ground-based airglow image data. Although many are observed as freely propagating at the heights of the airglow layers, new results under modeled conditions reveal that a significant fraction of these waves may be subject to reflections at altitudes above and below.The waves may at times be trapped within broad thermal ducts, spanning from the tropopause or stratopause to the base of the thermosphere (~140 km), which may facilitate long-range propagation (~1000s of km) under favorable wind conditions.