Atmospheric Gravity Waves in Aeolus Wind Lidar Observations

T. P. Banyard; C. J. Wright; N. P. Hindley; G. Halloran; I. Krisch; B. Kaifler; L. Hoffmann

doi:10.1029/2021GL092756

Atmospheric Gravity Waves in Aeolus Wind Lidar Observations

T. P. Banyard, C. J. Wright, N. P. Hindley, G. Halloran, I. Krisch, B. Kaifler, L. Hoffmann

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Aeolus is the first Doppler wind lidar in space. It provides unique high-resolution measurements of horizontal wind in the sparsely observed upper-troposphere/lower-stratosphere (UTLS), with global coverage. In this study, Aeolus' ability to resolve atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) is demonstrated. The accurate representation of these small-scale waves is vital to properly simulate dynamics in global weather and climate models. In a case study over the Andes, Aeolus GW measurements show coherent phase structure from the surface to the lower stratosphere, with wind perturbations >10 ms⁻¹, a vertical wavelength ∼8 km, and an along-track horizontal wavelength ∼900 km. Good agreement is found between Aeolus and co-located satellite, ground-based lidar and reanalysis data sets for this example. Our results show that data from satellites of this type can provide unique information on GW sources and propagation in the UTLS, filling a key knowledge gap that underlies known major deficiencies in weather and climate modeling.

Original language	English
Article number	e2021GL092756
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	48
Issue number	10
Early online date	29 Apr 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL092756
Publication status	Published - 19 May 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the Aeolus DISC team for supporting this study and for their helpful communications throughout. The authors also wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments on the original manuscript. T. P. Banyard is funded by Royal Society grant RGF/EA/180217 and EPSRC grant EP/R513155/1. C. J. Wright is funded by Royal Society grant UF160545 and NERC grant NE/S00985X/1. C. J. Wright and N. P. Hindley are funded by NERC grant NE/R001391/1. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. The Authors.

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Aeolus
gravity waves
lidar
stratosphere
troposphere
wind

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1029/2021GL092756Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "Aeolus is the first Doppler wind lidar in space. It provides unique high-resolution measurements of horizontal wind in the sparsely observed upper-troposphere/lower-stratosphere (UTLS), with global coverage. In this study, Aeolus' ability to resolve atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) is demonstrated. The accurate representation of these small-scale waves is vital to properly simulate dynamics in global weather and climate models. In a case study over the Andes, Aeolus GW measurements show coherent phase structure from the surface to the lower stratosphere, with wind perturbations >10 ms−1, a vertical wavelength ∼8 km, and an along-track horizontal wavelength ∼900 km. Good agreement is found between Aeolus and co-located satellite, ground-based lidar and reanalysis data sets for this example. Our results show that data from satellites of this type can provide unique information on GW sources and propagation in the UTLS, filling a key knowledge gap that underlies known major deficiencies in weather and climate modeling.",

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note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Aeolus DISC team for supporting this study and for their helpful communications throughout. The authors also wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments on the original manuscript. T. P. Banyard is funded by Royal Society grant RGF/EA/180217 and EPSRC grant EP/R513155/1. C. J. Wright is funded by Royal Society grant UF160545 and NERC grant NE/S00985X/1. C. J. Wright and N. P. Hindley are funded by NERC grant NE/R001391/1. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021. The Authors. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

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AU - Krisch, I.

AU - Kaifler, B.

AU - Hoffmann, L.

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N2 - Aeolus is the first Doppler wind lidar in space. It provides unique high-resolution measurements of horizontal wind in the sparsely observed upper-troposphere/lower-stratosphere (UTLS), with global coverage. In this study, Aeolus' ability to resolve atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) is demonstrated. The accurate representation of these small-scale waves is vital to properly simulate dynamics in global weather and climate models. In a case study over the Andes, Aeolus GW measurements show coherent phase structure from the surface to the lower stratosphere, with wind perturbations >10 ms−1, a vertical wavelength ∼8 km, and an along-track horizontal wavelength ∼900 km. Good agreement is found between Aeolus and co-located satellite, ground-based lidar and reanalysis data sets for this example. Our results show that data from satellites of this type can provide unique information on GW sources and propagation in the UTLS, filling a key knowledge gap that underlies known major deficiencies in weather and climate modeling.

AB - Aeolus is the first Doppler wind lidar in space. It provides unique high-resolution measurements of horizontal wind in the sparsely observed upper-troposphere/lower-stratosphere (UTLS), with global coverage. In this study, Aeolus' ability to resolve atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) is demonstrated. The accurate representation of these small-scale waves is vital to properly simulate dynamics in global weather and climate models. In a case study over the Andes, Aeolus GW measurements show coherent phase structure from the surface to the lower stratosphere, with wind perturbations >10 ms−1, a vertical wavelength ∼8 km, and an along-track horizontal wavelength ∼900 km. Good agreement is found between Aeolus and co-located satellite, ground-based lidar and reanalysis data sets for this example. Our results show that data from satellites of this type can provide unique information on GW sources and propagation in the UTLS, filling a key knowledge gap that underlies known major deficiencies in weather and climate modeling.

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Atmospheric Gravity Waves in Aeolus Wind Lidar Observations

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Planetary and Gravity Waves as Drivers of Sudden Stratospheric Warmings

DRAGON-WEX: The Drake Passage and Southern Ocean Wave Experiment

Cite this

Atmospheric Gravity Waves in Aeolus Wind Lidar Observations

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Planetary and Gravity Waves as Drivers of Sudden Stratospheric Warmings

DRAGON-WEX: The Drake Passage and Southern Ocean Wave Experiment

Cite this