Growth Rate of Gravity Wave Amplitudes Observed in Sodium Lidar Density Profiles and Nightglow Image Data

Amplitude growth rates of quasi-monochromatic gravity waves were estimated and compared from multiple instrument measurements carried out in Brazil. Gravity wave parameters, such as the wave amplitude and growth rate in distinct altitudes, were derived from sodium lidar density and nightglow all-sky images. Lidar observations were carried out in São Jose dos Campos (23 ∘ S, 46 ∘ W) from 1994 to 2004, while all-sky imagery of multiple airglow layers was conducted in Cachoeira Paulista (23 ∘ S, 45 ∘ W) from 1999–2000 and 2004–2005. We have found that most of the measured amplitude growth rates indicate dissipative behavior for gravity waves identified in both lidar profiles and airglow image datasets. Only a small fraction of the observed wave events (4% imager; 9% lidar) are nondissipative (freely propagating waves). Our findings also show that imager waves are strongly dissipated within the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region (MLT), decaying in amplitude in short distances (<12 km), while lidar waves tend to maintain a constant amplitude within that region. Part of the observed waves (16% imager; 36% lidar) showed unchanging amplitude with altitude (saturated waves). About 51.6% of the imager waves present strong attenuation (overdamped waves) in contrast with 9% of lidar waves. The general saturated or damped behavior is consistent with diffusive filtering processes imposing limits to amplitude growth rates of the observed gravity waves.

[1]  F. Vargas Uncertainties in gravity wave parameters, momentum fluxes, and flux divergences estimated from multi-layer measurements of mesospheric nightglow layers , 2019, Advances in Space Research.

[2]  M. López‐Puertas,et al.  Mesospheric OH layer altitude at midlatitudes: variability over the Sierra Nevada Observatory in Granada, Spain (37° N, 3° W) , 2017 .

[3]  H. Takahashi,et al.  Gravity wave amplitudes and momentum fluxes inferred from OH airglow intensities and meteor radar winds during SpreadFEx , 2009 .

[4]  P. Batista,et al.  Lidar study of the characteristics of gravity waves in the mesopause region at a southern low-latitude location , 2008 .

[5]  Gary R. Swenson,et al.  O(1S), OH, and O2(b) Airglow Layer Perturbations due to AGWs and their Implied Effects on the Atmosphere , 2007 .

[6]  Michael J. Taylor,et al.  On the Use of Simultaneous Measurements of OH and O2 Emissions to Investigate Wave Growth and Dissipation , 2007 .

[7]  S. Vadas,et al.  Mean and variable forcing of the middle atmosphere by gravity waves , 2006 .

[8]  Alan Z. Liu,et al.  Estimation of gravity wave momentum flux with spectroscopic imaging , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

[9]  H. Takahashi,et al.  Comparison of gravity wave activity observed by airglow imaging at two different latitudes in Brazil , 2004 .

[10]  Gary R. Swenson,et al.  High Frequency Atmospheric Gravity Wave Damping in the Mesosphere , 2003 .

[11]  M. Alexander,et al.  Gravity wave dynamics and effects in the middle atmosphere , 2003 .

[12]  Chester S. Gardner,et al.  Observational limits for lidar, radar, and airglow imager measurements of gravity wave parameters , 1998 .

[13]  M. Taylor,et al.  Two-dimensional spectral analysis of mesospheric airglow image data. , 1997, Applied optics.

[14]  J. Scheer,et al.  Characteristics of atmospheric waves in the tidal period range derived from zenith observations of O2(0–1) Atmospheric and OH(6‐2) airglow at lower midlatitudes , 1996 .

[15]  C. Gardner Diffusive filtering theory of gravity wave spectra in the atmosphere , 1994 .

[16]  P. Batista,et al.  A long‐term trend in the height of the atmospheric sodium layer: Possible evidence for global change , 1992 .

[17]  T. Tsuda,et al.  MST Radar Observations of a Saturated Gravity Wave Spectrum , 1989 .

[18]  Chester S. Gardner,et al.  Lidar studies of the nighttime sodium layer over Urbana, Illinois: 2. Gravity waves , 1987 .

[19]  D. B. Jenkins,et al.  ETON 1: A data base pertinent to the study of energy transfer in the oxygen nightglow , 1986 .

[20]  D. B. Jenkins,et al.  ETON 2: Quenching parameters for the proposed precursors of O2(b1Σg+) and O(1S) in the terrestrial nightglow , 1986 .

[21]  E. Dewan,et al.  Saturation and the “universal” spectrum for vertical profiles of horizontal scalar winds in the atmosphere , 1986 .

[22]  C. Hines INTERNAL ATMOSPHERIC GRAVITY WAVES AT IONOSPHERIC HEIGHTS , 1960 .