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Detailed Reference Information
Snively et al. 2007
Snively, J.B., Pasko, V.P., Taylor, M.J. and Hocking, W.K. (2007). Doppler ducting of short-period gravity waves by midlatitude tidal wind structure. Journal of Geophysical Research 112: doi: 10.1029/2006JA011895. issn: 0148-0227.

Multiwavelength airglow image data depicting a short-period (~4.9 min) atmospheric gravity wave characterized by a sharp leading front have been analyzed together with synoptic meteor radar wind data recorded simultaneously from Bear Lake Observatory, Utah (41.60N, 111.60W). The wind data suggest the presence of a semidiurnal tide with horizontal winds peaking at around 60 m/s along the SSE direction of motion (1700 from north) of this short-period wave. It was found that the gravity wave was most probably ducted because of the Doppler shift imposed by this wind structure. A marked 1800 phase shift was observed between the near-infrared OH and the OI (557.7 nm) emissions. Numerical simulation results for similar ducted waves excited by idealized model sources suggest that the phase shift between the wave-modulated airglow intensities may be explained simply by chemical processes rather than by wave dynamics. Phase velocities of simulated waves, however, appear higher than those of observed waves, suggesting the importance of tidal thermal structure in determining the Doppler-ducted wave characteristics.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Atmospheric Processes, Acoustic-gravity waves, Atmospheric Processes, Tides and planetary waves, Atmospheric Processes, Thermospheric dynamics, Atmospheric Processes, Mesospheric dynamics, Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Aurorae and airglow
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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