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Mesoscale disturbances in the tropical stratosphere excited by convection - Observations and effects on the stratospheric momentum budgetAircraft temperature and pressure measurements as well as satellite imagery are used to establish the amplitudes and the space and time scale of potential temperature disturbances over convective systems. A conceptual model is proposed for the generation of mesoscale gravity waves by convection. The momentum forcing that a reasonable distribution of convection might exert on the tropical stratosphere through convectively excited mesoscale gravity waves of the observed amplitudes is estimated. Aircraft measurements show that presence of mesoscale disturbances in the lower stratospheric temperature, disturbances that appear to be associated with underlying convection. If the disturbances are convectively excited mesoscale gravity waves, their amplitude is sufficient that their breakdown in the upper stratosphere will exert a zonal force comparable to but probably smaller than the planetary-scale Kelvin waves.
Document ID
19930055321
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Pfister, Leonhard
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Scott, Stanley
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Loewenstein, Max
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Bowen, Stuart
(San Jose State Univ. CA, United States)
Legg, Marion
(Synernet Corp. Fremont, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
April 15, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Volume: 50
Issue: 8
ISSN: 0022-4928
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
93A39318
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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