Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Model Study of Intermediate-Scale Tropical Inertia–Gravity Waves and Comparison to TWP-ICE Campaign Observations

Stephanie Evan University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by Stephanie Evan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
M. Joan Alexander NWRA, CoRA Division, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by M. Joan Alexander in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Jimy Dudhia NCAR, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by Jimy Dudhia in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Feb 2012
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-11-051.1
Page(s):
591–610
Restricted access

Abstract

A 2-day inertia–gravity wave (IGW) was observed in high-resolution radiosonde soundings of horizontal wind and temperature taken during the 2006 Tropical Warm Pool–International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) experiment in the Darwin area. The wave was observed in the stratosphere above Darwin from 28 January to 5 February. A similar wave event is observed in the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational data. A comparison between the characteristics of the IGW derived with the ECMWF data to the properties of the wave derived with the radiosonde data shows that the ECMWF data capture similar structure for this 2-day wave event but with a larger vertical wavelength.

A reverse ray-tracing method is used to localize the source region. Using ECMWF data to define the atmospheric background conditions and wave properties observed in the soundings, it is found that the 2-day wave event originated from deep convection in the Indonesian region around 20 January.

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system is used to complement the ECMWF data to assess the influence of vertical resolution and initial conditions on the wave structure. The model domain is configured as a tropical channel and the ECMWF analyses provide the north/south boundaries and initial conditions. WRF is used with the same horizontal resolution (40 km) as the operational ECMWF in 2006 while using a finer vertical grid spacing than ECMWF. The model is run from 18 January to 11 February to cover the wave life cycle. Different experiments are also performed to determine the sensitivity of the wave structure to cumulus schemes, initial conditions, and vertical resolution. The 2-day wave properties resulting from the WRF experiments are compared to those retrieved from the radiosonde data and from the ECMWF analyses. It is demonstrated that higher vertical resolution would be required for ECMWF to accurately resolve the vertical structure of the wave and its effect on the middle-atmospheric circulation.

Corresponding author address: Stephanie Evan, ATOC, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309. E-mail: stephanie.evan@colorado.edu

Abstract

A 2-day inertia–gravity wave (IGW) was observed in high-resolution radiosonde soundings of horizontal wind and temperature taken during the 2006 Tropical Warm Pool–International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) experiment in the Darwin area. The wave was observed in the stratosphere above Darwin from 28 January to 5 February. A similar wave event is observed in the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational data. A comparison between the characteristics of the IGW derived with the ECMWF data to the properties of the wave derived with the radiosonde data shows that the ECMWF data capture similar structure for this 2-day wave event but with a larger vertical wavelength.

A reverse ray-tracing method is used to localize the source region. Using ECMWF data to define the atmospheric background conditions and wave properties observed in the soundings, it is found that the 2-day wave event originated from deep convection in the Indonesian region around 20 January.

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system is used to complement the ECMWF data to assess the influence of vertical resolution and initial conditions on the wave structure. The model domain is configured as a tropical channel and the ECMWF analyses provide the north/south boundaries and initial conditions. WRF is used with the same horizontal resolution (40 km) as the operational ECMWF in 2006 while using a finer vertical grid spacing than ECMWF. The model is run from 18 January to 11 February to cover the wave life cycle. Different experiments are also performed to determine the sensitivity of the wave structure to cumulus schemes, initial conditions, and vertical resolution. The 2-day wave properties resulting from the WRF experiments are compared to those retrieved from the radiosonde data and from the ECMWF analyses. It is demonstrated that higher vertical resolution would be required for ECMWF to accurately resolve the vertical structure of the wave and its effect on the middle-atmospheric circulation.

Corresponding author address: Stephanie Evan, ATOC, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309. E-mail: stephanie.evan@colorado.edu
Save
Cover Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences

  • Alexander, M. J., and C. Barnet, 2007: Using satellite observations to constrain parameterizations of gravity wave effects for global models. J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 1652–1665.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Alexander, M. J., and H. Teitelbaum, 2007: Observation and analysis of a large amplitude mountain wave event over the Antarctic Peninsula. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D21103, doi:10.1029/2006JD008368.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Baldwin, M. P., and Coauthors, 2001: The quasi-biennial oscillation. Rev. Geophys., 39, 179–229.

  • Bengtsson, L., K. I. Hodges, and S. Hagemann, 2004: Sensitivity of the ERA40 reanalysis to the observing system: Determination of the global atmospheric circulation from reduced observations. Tellus, 56A, 456–471.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Beres, J. H., 2004: Gravity wave generation by a three-dimensional thermal forcing. J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 1805–1815.

  • Boville, B. A., and W. J. Randel, 1992: Equatorial waves in a stratospheric GCM: Effects of vertical resolution. J. Atmos. Sci., 49, 785–801.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Cadet, D., and H. Teitelbaum, 1979: Observational evidence of internal inertia-gravity waves in the tropical stratosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 36, 892–907.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Ern, M., P. Preusse, M. J. Alexander, and C. D. Warner, 2004: Absolute values of gravity wave momentum flux derived from satellite data. J. Geophys. Res., 109, D20103, doi:10.1029/2004JD004752.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Ern, M., P. Preusse, M. Krebsbach, M. G. Mlynczak, and J. M. I. Russell, 2008: Equatorial wave analysis from SABER and ECMWF temperatures. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 845–869, doi:10.5194/acp-8-845-2008.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Evan, S., and M. J. Alexander, 2008: Intermediate scale tropical inertia gravity waves observed during the TWP-ICE campaign. J. Geophys. Res., 113, D14104, doi:10.1029/2007JD009289.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Giorgetta, M. A., E. Manzini, and E. Roeckner, 2002: Forcing of the quasi-biennial oscillation from a broad spectrum of atmospheric waves. Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 1245, doi:10.1029/2002GL014756.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Haertel, P. T., and G. N. Kiladis, 2004: Dynamics of 2-day equatorial waves. J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 2707–2721.

  • Hamilton, K., R. J. Wilson, and R. S. Hemler, 1999: Middle atmosphere simulated with high vertical and horizontal resolution versions of a GCM: Improvements in the cold pole bias and generation of a QBO-like oscillation in the tropics. J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 3829–3846.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hamilton, K., R. J. Wilson, and R. S. Hemler, 2001: Spontaneous stratospheric QBO-like oscillations simulated by the GFDL SKYHI general circulation model. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 3271–3292.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Highwood, E. J., and B. J. Hoskins, 2001: The tropical tropopause. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 124, 1579–1604.

  • Holton, J. R., M. J. Alexander, and M. T. Boehm, 2001: Evidence for short vertical wavelength Kelvin waves in the Department of Energy–Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Nauru99 radiosonde data. J. Geophys. Res., 106, 20 125–20 129.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Holton, J. R., J. H. Beres, and X. Zhou, 2002: On the vertical scale of gravity waves excited by localized thermal forcing. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 2019–2023.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Horinouchi, T., and Coauthors, 2003: Tropical cumulus convection and upward-propagating waves in middle-atmospheric GCMs. J. Atmos. Sci., 60, 2765–2782.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Inoue, T., M. Satoh, H. Miura, and B. Mapes, 2008: Characteristics of cloud size of deep convection simulated by a global cloud resolving model over the western tropical Pacific. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 86A, 1–15.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kawatani, Y., M. Takahashi, K. Sato, S. P. Alexander, and T. Tsuda, 2009: Global distribution of atmospheric waves in the equatorial upper troposphere and lower stratosphere: A GCM simulation of sources and propagation. J. Geophys. Res., 114, D01102, doi:10.1029/2008JD010374.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kawatani, Y., S. Watanabe, K. Sato, T. J. Dunkerton, S. Miyahara, and M. Takahashi, 2010a: The roles of equatorial trapped waves and internal inertia–gravity waves in driving the quasi-biennial oscillation. Part I: Zonal mean wave forcing. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 963–980.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kawatani, Y., S. Watanabe, K. Sato, T. J. Dunkerton, S. Miyahara, and M. Takahashi, 2010b: The roles of equatorial trapped waves and internal inertia–gravity waves in driving the quasi-biennial oscillation. Part II: Three-dimensional distribution of wave forcing. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 981–997.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kim, S., H. Chun, and D. L. Wu, 2009: A study on stratospheric gravity waves generated by Typhoon Ewiniar: Numerical simulations and satellite observations. J. Geophys. Res., 114, D22104, doi:10.1029/2009JD011971.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Le Sommer, J., H. Teitelbaum, and V. Zeitlin, 2006: Global estimates of equatorial inertia–gravity wave activity in the stratosphere inferred from ERA40 reanalysis. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L07810, doi:10.1029/2005GL024873.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Mahfouf, J.-f., P. Bauer, and V. Marécal, 2005: The assimilation of SSM/I and TMI rainfall rates in the ECMWF 4D-Var system. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 131, 437–458.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Mapes, B. E., and R. A. Houze, 1993: Cloud clusters and superclusters over the oceanic warm pool. Mon. Wea. Rev., 121, 1398–1416.

  • Marks, C. J., and S. D. Eckermann, 1995: A three-dimensional nonhydrostatic ray-tracing model for gravity waves: Formulation and preliminary results for the middle atmosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 1959–1984.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • May, P. T., J. H. Mather, G. Vaughan, K. N. Bower, C. Jakob, G. M. McFarquhar, and G. G. Mace, 2008: The Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud Experiment. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 89, 629–645.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Ortland, D. A., M. J. Alexander, and A. Grimsdell, 2011: On the wave spectrum generated by tropical heating. J. Atmos. Sci., 68, 2042–2060.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Pfister, L., and Coauthors, 1993: Gravity waves generated by a tropical cyclone during the STEP tropical field program: A case study. J. Geophys. Res., 98 (D5), 8611–8638.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Plougonven, R., and H. Teitelbaum, 2003: Comparison of a large-scale inertia-gravity wave as seen in the ECMWF analyses and from radiosondes. Geophys. Res. Lett., 30, 1954, doi:10.1029/2003GL017716.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Ratnam, M., T. Tsuda, Y. Shibagaki, T. Kozu, and S. Mori, 2006: Gravity wave characteristics over the equator observed during the CPEA campaign using simultaneous data from multiple stations. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 84A, 239–257.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Salby, M. L., and R. R. Garcia, 1987: Transient response to localized episodic heating in the tropics. Part I: Excitation and short-time near-field behavior. J. Atmos. Sci., 44, 458–498.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sato, K., and T. Dunkerton, 1997: Estimate of momentum flux associated with equatorial Kelvin and gravity waves. J. Geophys. Res., 102, 26 247–26 261.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Skamarock, W. C., J. B. Klemp, J. Dudhia, D. O. Gill, D. M. Barker, W. Wang, and J. G. Powers, 2005: A description of the Advanced Research WRF version 2. NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-468+STR, 88 pp.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Stockwell, R. G., L. Mansinha, and R. P. Lowe, 1996: Localization of the complex spectrum: The S transform. IEEE Trans. Signal Process., 44, 998–1001, doi:10.1109/78.492555.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Takahashi, M., 1996: Simulation of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation using a general circulation model. Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 661–664.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Takayabu, Y. N., 1994: Large-scale cloud disturbances associated with equatorial waves. Part II: Westward-propagating inertio-gravity waves. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 72, 451–465.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Tindall, J. C., J. Thuburn, and E. J. Highwood, 2006a: Equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere. I: A novel detection method. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 132, 177–194.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Tindall, J. C., J. Thuburn, and E. J. Highwood, 2006b: Equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere. II: Annual and interannual variability. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 132, 195–212.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Tulich, S., G. Kiladis, and A. Suzuki-Parker, 2011: Convectively coupled Kelvin and easterly waves in a regional climate simulation of the tropics. Climate Dyn., 36, 185–203, doi:10.1007/s00382-009-0697-2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wada, K., T. Nitta, and K. Sato, 1999: Equatorial inertia-gravity waves in the lower stratosphere revealed by TOGA-COARE IOP data. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 77, 721–736.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Xie, S., T. Hume, C. Jakob, S. A. Klein, R. B. McCoy, and M. Zhang, 2010: Observed large-scale structures and diabatic heating and drying profiles during TWP-ICE. J. Climate, 23, 57–79.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Žagar, N., N. Gustafsson, and E. Källén, 2004: Dynamical response of equatorial waves in four-dimensional variational data assimilation. Tellus, 56A, 29–46.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 1115 894 64
PDF Downloads 149 36 2