Abstract
In this paper we present a comparison between observed data and a number of simulations of early winter 1991/1992, carried out with a mechanistic model of the middle atmosphere (based upon the U.K.M.O. Stratosphere-Mesosphere Model). The model was integrated from early November 1991 through to mid January 1992, a period when the real atmosphere was in the throes of a very significant stratospheric warming.
The simulations differed mainly in that they were performed with a variety of parameterizations of the gravity wave drag. It is seen that the various gravity wave parameterizations have significant effects on the modelled evolution leading up to the observed mid-January warming. The simulated sequence of events is shown to be sensitive to the scheme used and the strength of the wave breaking resulting. It is found that the impact of the mesospheric wave drag is seen low in the stratosphere. The simulations are compared with observations obtained by the Improved Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder (ISAMS) which flew aboard the upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and collected data during late 1991 and some of 1992.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Andrews, D. G., Holton, J. R., and Leovy, C. B. (1987). Middle Atmosphere Dynamics. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Calif.
Butchart, N., Clough, S., Palmer, T., and Trevelyan, P. (1982). Simulations of an observed stratospheric warming with quasi-geostrophic refractive index used as a model diagnostic. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 108: 475 – 502.
Fritts, D. C. (1984). Gravity wave saturation in the middle atmosphere: A review of theory and observations. Rev. Geophys. Sp. Phys22: 275 – 308.
Fritts, D. C. and Lu, W. (1993). Spectral estimates of gravity wave energy and momentum fluxes. Part II: Parameterization of wave forcing and variability. J. Atmos. Sci., pages 3695 – 3713.
Fritts, D. C. and VanZandt, T. E. (1993). Spectral estimates of gravity wave energy and momentum fluxes. Part I. Energy dissipation, acceleration, and constraints. J. Atmos. Sci., 50: 3685 – 3694.
Garcia, R. R. and Boville, B. A. (1994). “Downward Control” of the mean meridional circulation and temperature distribution of the polar winter stratosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 51:2238–2245.
Haynes, P., Marks, C., Mclntyre, M., Shepherd, T., and Shine, K. (1991). On the “Downward Control” of extratropical diabatic circulations by eddy-induced mean zonal forces. J. Atmos. Sci., 48: 651 – 678.
Hines, C. O. (1991a). The saturation of gravity waves in the middle atmosphere. Part I: Critique of linear- instability theory. J. Atmos. Sci., 48: 1348 – 1359.
Hines, C. O. (1991b). The saturation of gravity waves in the middle atmosphere. Part II: Development of Doppler-spread theory. J. Atmos. Sci., 48: 1360 – 1379.
Hines, C. O. (1993). The saturation of gravity waves in the middle atmosphere. Part IV: Cutoff of the incident wave spectrum. J. Atmos. Sci., 50: 3045 – 3060.
Hines, C. O. (1996a). Doppler-spread parameterization of gravity-wave momentum deposition in the middle atmosphere. Part 1: Basic formulation. Submitted to J. Atm. Terr. Phys.
Hines, C. O. (1996b). Doppler-spread parameterization of gravity-wave momentum deposition in the middle atmosphere. Part 2: Broad spectra and quasi monochromatic waves, including orowaves. Submitted to J. Atm. Terr. Phys.
Holton, J. and Zhu, Z. (1984). A further study of gravity wave induced drag and diffusion in the meso- sphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 41: 2653 – 2662.
Holton, J. R. (1982). The role of gravity wave induced drag and diffusion in the momentum budget of the mesosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 39: 791 – 799.
Holton, J. R. (1983). The influence of gravity wave breaking on the general circulation of the middle atmosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 40: 2497 – 2507.
Holton, J. R. (1984). The generation of mesospheric planetary waves by zonally asymmetric gravity wave breaking. J. Atmos. Sci., 41: 3427 – 3430.
Houghton, J. T. (1978). The stratosphere and mesosphere. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 104: 1 – 29.
Leovy, C. (1964). Simple models of thermally driven mesospheric circulation. J. Atmos. Sci., 21:327– 341.
Leovy, C. and Ackerman, T. (1973). Evidence for high-frequency synoptic disturbances near the stratopause. J. Atmos. Sci., 30: 930 – 942.
Lindzen, R. S. (1981). Turbulence and stress owing to gravity wave and tidal breakdown. J. Geophys. Res., 86: 9707 - 9714.
Marks, C. J. (1989). Some features of the climatology of the middle atmosphere revealed by Nimbus 5 and 6. J. Atmos. Sci., 46: 2485 – 2508.
McFarlane, N. A. (1987). The effect of orogaphically excited gravity wave drag on the general circulation of the lower stratosphere and troposphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 44: 1775 – 1800.
O’Neill, A., Grose, W. L., Pope, V. D., MacLean, H., and Swinbank, R. (1994). Evolution of the stratosphere during northern winter 1991/1992 as diagnosed from U.K. Meteorological Office analyses. J. Atmos. Sci., 51: 2800 – 2817.
O’Neill, A. and Pope, V. (1988). Simulations of linear and nonlinear disturbances in the stratosphere. Q. J. R. Meteorol Soc., 114: 1063 – 1110.
Palmer, T. N., Shutts, G., and Swinbank, R. (1988). Alleviation of a systematic westerly bias in general circulation and numerical weather prediction models through an orographic gravity wave drag parameterization. Q. J. R. Meteorol Soc., 112: 1001 – 1039.
Peltier, W., Higuchi, K., and Bloxam, R. (1986). Quasi-geostrophic simulations of the 1979 stratospheric major warming: The importance of middle-atmosphere drag. PureAppl. Geophys., 124: 1051 – 1085.
Randel, W. J. (1987). The evaluation of winds from geopotential height data in the stratosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 44: 3097 – 3120.
Rind, D., Suozzo, R., Balachandran, N., Lacis, A., and Russel, G. (1988). The GISS global climate - middle atmosphere model. Part I: Model structure and climatology. J. Atmos. Sci., 45: 329 – 370.
Rosier, S., Lawrence, B., Andrews, D., and Taylor, F. (1994). Dynamical evolution of the northern stratosphere in early winter 1991/92, as observed by the improved stratospheric and mesospheric sounder. J. Atmos. Sci., 51: 2783 – 2799.
Rosier, S. M. (1996). Dynamical Evolution of the Northern Stratosphere in Early Winter, 1991/92: Observational and Modelling Studies. PhD thesis, University of Oxford.
Ruth, S., Remedios, J., Lawrence, B., and Taylor, F. (1994). Meaurements of N20 by the UARS Improved Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder during early northern winter 1991/92. J. Atmos. Sci., 51:2818– 2833.
Schoeberl, M. R. and Strobel, D. F. (1980). Numerical simulations of sudden stratospheric warmings. J. Atmos. Sci., 37: 214 – 236.
Shine, K. (1987). The middle atmosphere in the absence of dynamical heat fluxes. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 113: 603 – 633.
Smith, A. K. (1992). Preconditioning of stratospheric sudden warmings: Sensitivity studies with a numerical model. J. Atmos. Sci., 49: 1003 – 1019.
Swinbank, R. and O’Neill, A. (1994). A stratosphere-troposphere data assimilation system. Mon. Wea. Rev., 122: 686 – 702.
Taylor, F. W., Lambert, A., Grainger, R. G., Rodgers, C. D., and Remedios, J. J. (1994). Properties of northern hemisphere polar stratospheric clouds and volcanic aerosol in 1991/92 from UARS/ISAMS satellite measurements. J. Atmos. Sci., 51: 3019 – 3026.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Lawrence, B.N. (1997). The Effect of Parameterized Gravity Wave Drag on Simulations of the Middle Atmosphere during Northern Winter 1991/1992 — General Evolution. In: Hamilton, K. (eds) Gravity Wave Processes. NATO ASI Series, vol 50. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60654-0_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60654-0_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64495-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-60654-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive