DEEPWAVE: A Study of Deeply Propagating Gravity Waves from the Earth's Surface to the Mesosphere

Summary

DEEPWAVE is going to study the dynamics of gravity waves (GWs) from the surface of the earth to the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT).  The project examines how tropospheric winds and storms modulate the generation of GWs, how GWs propagate across the tropopause into the stratosphere, and how the Polar Night Jet and tidal winds influence GW propagation and breakdown in the middle atmosphere. Important observational components of DEEPWAVE include in situ measurement from the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream-V (GV HIAPER) aircraft along with surface, airborne, and satellite-based remote sensing.

The objectives of DEEPWAVE are:

- Detailed measurement of deeply propagating GWs over several density scale heights using in situ and airborne remote sensing

- Determine the relationship between GWs in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) and GWs in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT).

- Implementation of new airborne remote sensing lidars and a mesospheric temperature mapper (MTM) to extend GW measurements into the MLT.

- Comparison of airborne observations of GWs with satellite observations

- Assessment of GW variations with altitude, including filtering and interactions throughout the stratosphere and mesosphere, and the implications for vortex-edge drag and MLT forcing.

- Development and testing of numerical models of GW generation and deep propagation over several density scale heights.

- Fundamental predictability studies of GWs and their secondary effects, which will guide our improvements in GW prediction and parameterizations in applications for numerical weather prediction, climate, and general circulation modeling communities.