Francois Vial

On modeling migrating solar tides

Recent updates and extensions to a steady-state two-dimensional linearized model of global-scale atmospheric waves have facilitated improved calculations of the subset of those waves which are subharmonics of a solar day and propagate with the apparent motion of the sun. The model improvements are briefly described and some updated predictions of the migrating solar diurnal component are highlighted. The latter represent the first numerical modeling effort to examine the seasonal variability of the migrating diurnal harmonic as it propagates into the mesosphere and lower thermosphere.

On tidal variability induced by nonlinear interaction with planetary waves

Short-time variability of the atmospheric tides is frequently observed in the meteor region but is not yet fully explained in terms of production mechanisms. This is probably due to the existence of several such mechanisms acting together or separately. In this paper we show that many observations can be explained by nonlinear interactions between tides and planetary waves having periods corresponding to those of the observed tidal amplitude modulations. These nonlinear interactions generate two secondary waves whose frequencies are the sum and difference of frequencies of the primary waves. These two waves beat with the tide, modulating its amplitude with the planetary wave period. A numerical model is used to demonstrate that with primary waves of reasonable amplitudes the nonlinear interactions can be quite large. This is because the importance of nonlinearity depends essentially on the amplitude of the induced fluid velocity in the direction of wave propagation compared to the wave propagation velocity. When two waves propagate simultaneously, the fluid velocity can have a large component in the direction of propagation of one of the waves, and advective (nonlinear) terms can be large. This point is further illustrated in the case of two gravity waves interacting together. Finally, some observational campaigns carried out above Garchy (45°N) are analyzed using a nonparametric method. The results indicate that nonlinear interactions between tides and planetary waves really take place in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere.

Estimation of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux and Phase Speeds from Quasi-Lagrangian Stratospheric Balloon Flights. Part II: Results from the Vorcore Campaign in Antarctica

Abstract The stratospheric gravity wave field in the Southern Hemisphere is investigated by analyzing observations collected by 27 long-duration balloons that flew between September 2005 and February 2006 over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. The analysis is based on the methods introduced by Boccara et al. in a companion paper. Special attention is given to deriving information useful to gravity wave drag parameterizations employed in atmospheric general circulation models. The balloon dataset is used to map the geographic variability of gravity wave momentum fluxes in the lower stratosphere. This flux distribution is found to be very heterogeneous with the largest time-averaged value (28 mPa) observed above the Antarctic Peninsula. This value exceeds by a factor of ∼10 the overall mean momentum flux measured during the balloon campaign. Zonal momentum fluxes were predominantly westward, whereas meridional momentum fluxes were equally northward and southward. A local enhancement of southward flux is ne...

Some transient aspects of tidal propagation

The effects of transient forcing on the structure of some tidal modes are investigated using a time-dependent numerical model. After presentation of the numerical scheme, some of the main features of tidal field variations are presented. The simulated tidal structures are interpreted as consisting of beats between tidal modes and transient waves near tidal periods. From these simulations, several types of information are obtained. Vertical group velocities are calculated and compared with those computed using the analytical expressions of Richmond (1975). Several possible definitions of the setup time are given, and the results from the model calculations are compared with those obtained by Bernard (1981). The authors found that the (2,2) setup time is longer (several weeks) than the (1,1) setup time, contrary to the Bernard conclusions. From these setup time estimates, some conclusions regarding the interpretation of observations and comparisons with steady state model calculations are drawn. Finally, similar results obtained for a two-dimensional gravity wave are analyzed to clarify further basic mechanisms acting on tidal structure variations induced by transient forcing.

Estimation of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux and Phase Speeds from Quasi-Lagrangian Stratospheric Balloon Flights. Part I: Theory and Simulations

A methodology for estimating gravity wave characteristics from quasi-Lagrangian observations provided by long-duration, superpressure balloon flights in the stratosphere is reviewed. Wavelet analysis techniques are used to detect gravity wave packets in observations of pressure, temperature, and horizontal velocity. An emphasis is put on the estimation of gravity wave momentum fluxes and intrinsic phase speeds, which are generally poorly known on global scales in the atmosphere. The methodology is validated using Monte Carlo simulations of time series that mimic the balloon measurements, including the uncertainties associated with each of the meteorological parameters. While the azimuths of the wave propagation direction are accurately retrieved, the momentum fluxes are generally slightly underestimated, especially when wave packets overlap in the time–frequency domain, or for short-period waves. A proxy is derived to estimate by how much momentum fluxes are reduced by the analysis. Retrievals of intrinsic phase speeds are less accurate, especially for low phase speed waves. A companion paper (Part II) implements the methodology to observations gathered during the Vorcore campaign that took place in Antarctica between September 2005 and February 2006.

Semidiurnal tidal climatology of the E region

Theoretical predictions of global monthly and seasonally averaged semidiurnal temperatures and winds between 80 and 150 km are presented and compared with seasonal means from measurements at the Arecibo, Chatanika, Millstone Hill, and Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radars. The model values above 100 km are obtained by utilizing a set of tabulated ‘Hough mode extension’ functions to extrapolate the (2,2), (2,3), (2,4), and (2,5) propagating tidal modes at 100 km from a spectral model (not valid in the E region due to the way molecular dissipation is parameterized) to higher altitudes and by superimposing a component driven by in-situ excitation (important mainly above 140 km). The monthly simulations demonstrate the close coupling that exists between seasonal and latitudinal structures and argue for an observational program emphasizing adequate seasonal and latitudinal coverage. Despite constraints imposed by the distributions of existing data with respect to month and year, comparisons with the model reveal several trends that appear to be real: (1) the model amplitudes are usually 20–50% smaller than those observed; (2) vertical wavelengths are well-predicted by the model, but model phases generally lead the observations at middle and low latitudes by approximately 2–3 hours at all heights for both winds and temperatures; (3) semidiurnal temperatures at middle and low latitudes, in both the observations and model, indicate significant seasonal changes in the phase of the temperature oscillation, but not in the winds; and (4) the seasonal trends in the model and observations are consistent, with “summer leading winter” at Millstone Hill, while the reverse is true at Arecibo. The sources of the absolute amplitude and phase discrepancies in the model, which are probably connected with the adopted mean wind and thermal excitation specifications, need to be investigated. In addition, a concerted effort must be made within the Coupling Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) program to better delineate the seasonal-latitudinal thermal structure and dynamics of the E region, following the example of the extensive F region observational data base which has been accumulated over the last decade.

An Assessment of ECMWF and NCEP-NCAR Reanalyses in the Southern Hemisphere at the End of the Presatellite Era: Results from the EOLE Experiment (1971-72)

Abstract This article estimates the biases and standard deviations of the 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and the 50-yr National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR) Reanalysis (NN50) in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere in 1971–72. These estimates are obtained by comparing the reanalyzed temperatures and winds with EOLE observations, a dataset collected during 480 superpressure-ballon flights in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Dedicated algorithms have been developped to control the quality of this dataset and a stringent selection has been performed on the observations. None of the atmospheric centers has assimilated the EOLE dataset, which is therefore fully independent from the reanalyses. It is furthermore argued that the statistics obtained in this study at the end of the presatellite era may be representative of the reanalysis accuracy since 1957. The results of these comparisons indi...

Axial Atmospheric Angular Momentum Budget at Diurnal and Subdiurnal Periodicities

Abstract The diurnal and subdiurnal variations of the mass and wind terms of the axial atmospheric angular momentum (AAM) are explored using a 1-yr integration of the Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique (LMDz) GCM, twelve 10-day ECMWF forecasts, and some ECMWF analysis products. In these datasets, the wind and mass AAMs present diurnal and semidiurnal oscillations for which tendencies far exceed the total torque. In the LMDz GCM, these diurnal and semidiurnal oscillations are associated with axisymmetric (s = 0) and barotropic circulation modes that resemble the second gravest (n = 2) eigensolution of Laplace’s tidal equations. This mode induces a Coriolis conversion from the wind AAM toward the mass AAM that far exceeds the total torque. At the semidiurnal period, this mode dominates the axisymmetric and barotropic circulation. At the diurnal period, this n = 2 mode is also present, but the barotropic circulation also presents a mode resembling the first gravest n = 1 eigensolution of the tidal equatio...