Summary

The DEEPWAVE project is intended to measure gravity waves from their source in the  troposphere to their breakdown in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (i.e., MLT). The  location of the project is based on satellite indications that in austral winter, high altitude gravity  waves are found over New Zealand and the surrounding seas (see Fig. 1). The DEEPWAVE project is proposed for the period 15 June to 31 July 2014 corresponding to  the maximum GW activity in historical satellite data. 

Three types of aircraft missions are envisioned.  

• Wave flights over New Zealand (~ ten flights) 
• Wave flights south and west of New Zealand (~ five flights)
• Predictability flights west of New Zealand (~ five flights)

The primary tool for these studies is the NGV, equipped with dropsondes, flight level  instruments, and three new upward-looking remote sensing instruments: the Advanced  Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM), a Rayleigh Lidar and a Sodium Resonance Lidar.    

The purpose of the 2013 Dry Run is to examine conditions in the DEEPWAVE area of interest a year ahead of the actual campaign. A two week period within the Dry Run is planned (August 5 - 16) during which the major PIs will develop simulated flight plans and evaluate their ability to properly capture the phenomena of interest.