Ray Methods for Atmospheric Gravity Waves

Computational Physics Inc, Springfield VA

Investigators

Abstract

The source of gravity waves in the region 80km - 100 km is from the troposphere and stratosphere, and the ability to divine common sources can be achieved by ray-tracing techniques. Ray tracing methods are here enhanced by a three-fold research effort that first addresses the traditional limitation of application to slowly varying gravity waves. Our approach includes treatment of rapidly varying waves generated by tropospheric convection. The second task of the research is reconciliation of the classical dispersion formalism in both Eularian (ground-based) and Lagrangian (with the wave) reference frames, which to date appear to produce differing ray-trace results. Finally, this effort expands common ray trace methods to include wave propagation through a realistic, three-dimensional atmosphere rather than the steady-state approximations used to date.