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On the Eastward Travelling Wavenumber Two in the Northern StratosphereDisturbances in the middle atmosphere are often interpreted in the framework of waves superimposed on a zonal-mean flow. This paper presents an analysis of travelling waves in the northern hemisphere stratosphere, concentrating on planetary wavenumber two (W2). Space-time spectral analysis reveals the existence of a substantial eastward-travelling planetary W2 at high latitudes in winter. While a similar feature is well documented in the southern hemisphere stratosphere, where it is observed in most winters, this northern hemisphere counterpart is less common and has not been examined in detail. A climatology of occurrence of the wave is given for the northern stratospheric winter. It is denoted as the quasi-16-day eastward travelling W2, because of its dominant periodicity, which ranges from about one to three weeks. Although the wave has some similarities with the southern hemispheric wave, there is much larger interannual and intraseasonal variability in the northern hemisphere. will emphasize the variations in the spatial and temporal structure of this wave, as isolated in meteorological analyses of radiosonde and satellite data. The possible role of these travelling waves in preconditioning the stratosphere as a precursor to sudden stratospheric warmings in both hemispheres will be discussed.
Document ID
20040031806
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Pawson, Steven
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Krueger, Kirstin
(Technische Hochschule Berlin, Germany)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: IUGG 2003 Assembly
Location: Sapporro
Country: Japan
Start Date: June 30, 2003
End Date: July 11, 2003
Sponsors: International Council of Scientific Unions
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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