Evaluation of uncertainty in gravity wave potential energy calculations through GPS radio occultation measurements

The application of the Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) method to the atmosphere enables the determination of height profiles of temperature, among other variables. From these measurements, gravity wave activity is usually quantified by calculating the potential energy through the integration of the ratio of perturbation and background temperatures between two given altitudes in each profile. The uncertainty in the estimation of wave activity depends on the systematic biases and random errors of the measured temperature, but also on additional factors like the selected vertical integration layer and the separation method between background and perturbation temperatures. In this study, the contributions of different parameters and variables to the uncertainty in the calculation of gravity wave potential energy in the lower stratosphere are investigated and quantified. In particular, a Monte Carlo method is used to evaluate the uncertainty that results from different GPS RO temperature error distributions. In addition, our analysis shows that RO data above 30 km height becomes dubious for gravity waves potential energy calculations.     

A comparison between CRISTA satellite data and Warner and McIntyre gravity wave parameterization scheme: Horizontal and vertical wavelength filtering of gravity wave momentum flux

An along-track analysis of temperature height profiles measured by the CRISTA satellite instrument was performed to obtain height profiles of absolute values of gravity wave momentum flux. Global distributions of momentum flux from CRISTA are compared to results of the Warner and McIntyre gravity wave parameterization scheme. Only a limited range of horizontal and vertical wavelengths is visible to the CRISTA instrument. Therefore the model results have to be filtered accordingly to make comparisons meaningful. We demonstrate the importance of such a wavelength filtering which significantly increases the correlation of observed and modeled momentum fluxes.     

GOCE orbit analysis: Long-wavelength gravity field determination using the acceleration approach

The restricted sensitivity of the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) gradiometer instrument requires satellite gravity gradiometry to be supplemented by orbit analysis in order to resolve long-wavelength features of the geopotential. For the hitherto published releases of the GOCE time-wise (TIM) and GOCE space-wise gravity field series—two of the official ESA products—the energy conservation method has been adopted to exploit GPS-based satellite-to-satellite tracking information. On the other hand, gravity field recovery from data collected by the CHAllenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite showed the energy conservation principle to be a sub-optimal choice. For this reason, we propose to estimate the low-frequency part of the gravity field by the point-wise solution of Newton’s equation of motion, also known as the acceleration approach. This approach balances the gravitational vector with satellite accelerations, and hence is characterized by (second-order) numerical differentiation of the kinematic orbit. In order to apply the method to GOCE, we present tailored processing strategies with regard to low-pass filtering, variance–covariance information handling, and robust parameter estimation. By comparison of our GIWF solutions (initials GI for “Geodätisches Institut” and IWF for “Institut für WeltraumForschung”) and the GOCE-TIM estimates with a state-of-the-art gravity field solution derived from GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment), we conclude that the acceleration approach is better suited for GOCE-only gravity field determination as opposed to the energy conservation method.     

北京地区大气温度及重力波活动的季节变化

利用瑞利激光雷达观测数据,分析了北京地区35~70km高度范围内大气温度和重力波活动的季节变化.发现北京地区30~70km高度范围内的大气温度有明显的年周期变化:平流层顶最高温度出现在6,7月份,大约为270K;中间层70km高度最低温度也出现在6,7月份,大约为200K.以2014年10月14日晚数据为例,分析重力波势能密度,发现50km以下重力波势能存在耗散,而在50km以上重力波近乎无耗散地向上传播.通过对比35~50km高度范围内的平均势能密度,对北京地区重力波活动强弱的季节变化进行了研究.研究结果表明,北京上空重力波活动强度具有明显的年周期变化,冬季平均势能密度为18J·kg-1,夏季为8J·kg-1,且冬季重力波活动强度约为夏季的两倍.此外,还分析了春夏秋冬四个季节重力波势能密度随高度的变化.结果表明,不同季节和不同高度的重力波势能密度不同.      

重力波波包在三维非等温大气和水平风场中非线性传播的数值研究

采用全隐欧拉格式（FICE）对重力波波包在三维非等温大气、均匀和剪切风场中的非线性传播进行了数值模拟，给出了重力波波包三维非线性传播的全过程，分析了重力波的传播特性及背景温度场、风场对重力波传播的影响。结果表明：波包扰动速度振幅的增长比在WKB条件下振幅的增长要慢；波包非线性传播的路径、能量传输速度不同于WKB近似下的结果，非线性效应导致了重力波的传播特性的改变；温度场的非均匀性会改变重力波传播的路径和速度；剪切风场使扰动速度振幅的增加变得缓慢，使垂直波长减小。     

The temporal variation of mean gravity of atmosphere

One of the precise widely used global Zenith Hydrostatic Delay (ZHD) model is based on the gravity value at the centroid of the atmospheric column at the station of observation and gravity value at the centroid is constant in this model for a specific location throughout the year. However, as the content and extent of atmosphere varies temporally, its centroid and consequently gravity value at the centroid also varies. Apart from this, the actual atmospheric condition of different region is not alike. Therefore, there is a need to develop a regional mean gravity model and development of such model has been discussed in this paper. To obtain the mean gravity model, first a regional model of centroid height of atmospheric column was developed as a function of the surface pressure and temperature. It was developed by multiple regressions between estimated centroid of the atmosphere and surface pressure, surface temperature using radiosonde data of five radiosonde stations spread over the Indian subcontinent. Three years radiosonde data from 2006 to 2008 was used for each station. The root mean square error in estimating centroid of the atmospheric column is about ±326 m, which is negligible considering the variability of the atmosphere and its content. The centroid height model has been used to formulate the mean gravity model, considering uniform lapse rate in gravity with height. It is found that proposed mean gravity model provides temporal variation of mean gravity values at the centroid and thus matches with the reality. The interesting advantage of the developed model is that the model shows diurnal variation of mean gravity. The accuracy of ZHD has shown of the order of about 0.3 mm using the developed regional mean gravity model. However, already developed ZHD model has shown a slight inferior result compared to the developed model. These models have shown accuracy of about 0.8 mm and 0.6 mm.     

Median filtering algorithms for multichannel detectors

Particle detectors of worldwide networks are continuously measuring various secondary particle fluxes incident on Earth surface. At the Aragats Space Environmental Center (ASEC), the data of 12 cosmic ray particle detectors with a total of ∼280 measuring channels (count rates of electrons, muons and neutrons channels) are sent each minute via wireless bridges to a MySQL database. These time series are used for the different tasks of off-line physical analysis and for online forewarning services. Usually long time series contain several types of errors (gaps due to failures of high or low voltage power supply, spurious spikes due to radio interferences, abrupt changes of mean values of several channels or/and slowly trends in mean values due to aging of electronics components, etc.). To avoid erroneous physical inference and false alarms of alerting systems we introduce offline and online filters to “purify” multiple time-series. In the presented paper we classify possible mistakes in time series and introduce median filtering algorithms for online and off-line “purification” of multiple time-series.     

重力波波包在可压大气中的非线性传播

本文采用二维全隐欧拉(FICE)格式对具有高斯分布的重力波波包在等温、可压大气中的非线性传播过程进行数值模拟和分析.数值分析结果表明:尽管存在非线性效应,在整个传播过程中,波动的等相面向下运动,波包和波相关能量向上传输.波相关扰动速度随高度增加指数增长,并且波与平流会发生非线性相互作用,最后导致平均流场增强.这与线性重力波理论完全一致.重力波波包的传播路径与重力波线性射线理论预言非常接近,但平均水平群速度和平均垂直群速度均明显小于线性射线理论给出的结果,可见波动的非线性过程会改变波相关能量的传输速度.模拟结果首次定量地展示出非线性效应对重力波波包传播的影响,表明建立在线性理论框架中的重力波运动学定义的合理性.      

急流与低层大气重力波能量的相关性研究

通过分析武汉(30.5oN, 114oE)上空2000至2004年的Radiosonde常规观测数据, 对当地对流层(1~10 km)与低平流层(18~25km)的某些惯性重力波特征进行了研究, 发现重力波能量与急流强度变化之间存在显著的相关. 同时分析了海口(20oN, 114oE)(2000至2004年)、北京(40oN, 116oE)(2001年12月至2003年2 月)的Radiosonde观测数据并进行了比较, 发现较高纬度地区的相关性明显大于低纬度地区. 通过对武汉地区2006年1月5天Radiosonde加密观测数据的分析, 讨论了重力波动能与势能的高度变化, 进一步发现纬向风的垂直剪切与急流中心的分布分别与重力波势能和动能的强弱分布相对应.      

重力波波包在剪切风场中的非线性传播

采用二维全隐欧拉格式,对具有高斯分布的重力波波包在剪切风场中的非线性传播过程进行数据模拟和分析,数值分析结果表明,在没有出现临界层的情况下,尽管存在非线性效应,在整个传播过程中,波动的等相面向下运动,波包和波相关能量仍然能够自由地向上传输。波相关扰动速度随高度增加而增加,并且垂直波长随高度增加而减小。     

一次暴雨激发平流层重力波的卫星观测与数值模拟

针对卫星Aqua/AIRS观测到的与2011年7月25日山东省乳山市特大暴雨相伴的一次平流层重力波过程,利用中尺度数值模式WRF进行暴雨诱发平流层重力波的数值模拟.对模式输出的垂直速度场和温度扰动场的分析表明,暴雨在平流层内的弧状波结构主要集中在降水云系东侧,水平影响范围大于1000km,且随着高度的增加,圆弧状结构趋于闭合,波动能量显著增强.此外,对垂直速度剖面结构分析表明,受高空东风和风切变的影响,重力波在上传过程中逆着背景风场向东传输,不同高度波动形态各异.基于快速傅里叶变换（FFT）的功率谱分析结果表明,此次暴雨激发的平流层重力波在35km高度的周期为7~20h,水平波长约为1000km,垂直波长为5~10km.通过分析动量通量的垂直输送,定量反映出重力波上传过程中的动力学变化特征.      

Vertical wavenumber spectra of atmospheric ozone measured from ozonesonde observations

Vertical profiles of ozone have been measured at balloon altitudes. Our purpose is to examine the character of vertical wavenumber spectra of ozone fluctuations, to assess the possible roles of gravity wave field in ozone fluctuations, and to determine dominant vertical wavelengths of ozone spectra. Vertical wavenumber spectra of 12 ozone fluctuations obtained during June–August 2003 are presented. Results indicate that mean spectral slopes in the wavenumber range from 4.69 × 10⁻⁴ to 2.50 × 10⁻³ cyc/m are about −2.91 in the troposphere and −2.87 in the lower stratosphere, which is close to the slope of −3 predicted by current gravity wave saturation models. The consistency of the observed spectral slopes with the value of −3 predicted by current gravity wave saturation models suggests that the observed ozone fluctuations are due primarily to atmospheric gravity waves. At m = 1/(1000 m) the mean spectral amplitude is over 30 times larger in the lower stratosphere than in the troposphere. Mean vertical wavenumber spectra in area-preserving form reveal dominant vertical wavelengths of ∼2.6 km in the troposphere and ∼2.7 km in the lower stratosphere, which is consistent with the values varying between 1.5 and 3.0 km estimated from the velocity field and temperature field at these heights.     

Sodium lidar measurements of mesopause region temperatures at 23° S

A sodium lidar, capable of measuring temperature in the 80–100 km region, has been in operation at São José dos Campos (23° S, 46 W) since March 2007. Good quality data have been obtained for late autumn, winter and spring, but weather conditions make it extremely difficult to make measurements from mid-November to mid- February. We find the temperature structure to be strongly modulated by tides and gravity waves, but average profiles typically show a primary mesopause height close to 100 km with temperatures around 180 K, and a tendency for a secondary minimum of about 185 K to occur close to 90 km. Vertical temperature gradients greater than 50 K/km are sometimes seen even on profiles averaged over several hours. The strongest gradients are always positive and are frequently associated with strong gradients in sodium concentration. On the other hand, we frequently see rapid changes in the temperature profile, suggesting that models and non-local temperature measurements, as made by satellite radiometers, for example, are of little use in applications such as the analysis of gravity wave propagation seen in airglow images.     

模拟三维重力波传播过程的并行数值模式

从三维大气运动的基本控制方程出发, 基于MPI消息传递接口和区域分解的思想, 建立了模拟三维可压缩大气中重力波传播过程的并行数值模式. 在对垂直方向进行区域分解的基础上, 针对跳点网格的特点, 以垂直速度主格点线为子区域的下边界, 状态变量主格点线为子区域的上边界进行区域分解. 利用MPI消息传递接口来传递计算各子区域中变量时所要用到的相邻子区域上相应变量, 从而顺利地完成对整个计算域的并行计算. 根据线性重力波理论, 通过模拟小振幅重力波的传播过程对所建模式进行了验证. 结果表明, 模式可以很好地模拟小振幅重力波在三维空间中的传播过程, 模拟的重力波振幅随着传播高度的增加以指数形式增长, 对能量传播路径以及有效扰动位能和扰动动能的模拟结果均与理论预测的结果吻合很好. 另外, 随着进程个数的增加, 完成相同的计算量所用的计算时间也显著减少. 这表明本文建立的并行数值模式不但能够很好的模拟重力波的传播过程, 而且能够有效地节约计算时间.      

Spiral eddies in the Baltic,Black and Caspian seas as seen by satellite radar data

Despite spiral eddies were first seen on the sea surface more than 40 years ago, there is still a lot of uncertainty concerning these eddies. The present paper is aimed to provide the comprehensive results on the occurrence and statistics of small-scale eddies in the three inner seas (the Baltic, Black and Caspian) using satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The dataset used includes over 2000 medium resolution Envisat ASAR and ERS-2 SAR images obtained in 2009–2010 in the different parts of the seas mentioned. As a result of the analysis performed ∼14,000 vortical structures were detected. 71% of them were visualized due to surfactant films (“black” eddies), while 29% due to wave/current interactions (“white” eddies). Practically all the eddies detected were cyclonically rotating. Their diameter was within 1–20 km. Characteristic size of the “black” eddies in all the basins was discovered to be less than that of the “white” eddies. Characteristic eddy size for the Baltic, Black and Caspian seas proved to be strictly proportional to the values of the baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation typical for these basins. The “black” eddies did not demonstrate a significant connection with the basin- and meso-scale surface circulation of the seas. Most of the “white” eddies detected were attributed to the zones with the most intense drift currents, i.e. those along the western boundaries and (in the Baltic Sea only) in the elongated parts of the basin.     

Remote upgrading of a space-borne instrument

The main purposes of experiment “Obstanovka” (“Environment” in Russian) consisting of several instruments are to measure a set of electromagnetic and plasma phenomena characterizing the space weather conditions, and to evaluate how such a big and highly energy consuming body as the International Space Station disturbs the surrounding plasma, and how the station itself is charged due to the operation of so many instruments, solar batteries, life supporting devices, etc. Two identical Langmuir electrostatic probes are included in the experiment “Obstanovka”. In this paper the Langmuir probes for “Obstanovka” experiment are described, including the choice of geometry (spherical or cylindrical), a more reliable method for the sweep voltage generation, an adaptive algorithm for the probe’s operation. Special attention is paid to the possibility for remote upgrading of the instrument from the ground using the standard communication channels.     

Aura/MLS与TIMED/SABER观测全球重力波特性

大气重力波是临近空间环境主要大气波动之一,对全球环流具有重要影响。卫星上搭载的临边探测器能够探测临近空间大气温度,可用于临近空间大气重力波研究。利用2012－2014年Aura的微波临边探测器（MLS）和TIMED的红外临边探测器（SABER）的探测数据,对20~50 km高度的大气重力波扰动分布特征开展了分析研究,两种观测重力波活动基本一致,重力波随季节、纬度及高度的变化显著。冬季半球高纬度重力波扰动较强,赤道和夏季半球近赤道地区上空也存在明显重力波活动区域,夏季半球高纬度重力波扰动最弱。重力波扰动强度随高度增加。TIMED/SABER重力波扰动强度数值比 Aura/MLS略强。      

Solar activity variations of ionosonde measurements and modeling results

The time series of hourly electron density profiles N(h) obtained at several mid-latitude stations in Europe have been used to obtain N(h) profiles on a monthly basis and to extract both the expected bottomside parameters and a proxy of the ionospheric variability as functions of time and height. With these data we present advances on a “Local Model” technique for the parameters B0 and B1, its applicability to other ionospheric stations, to other bottomside ionospheric parameters, and to modeling the time/height variability of the profile. The Local Model (LM) is an empirical model based on the experimental results of the solar activity dependence of the daily and seasonal behavior of the above parameters. The LM improves the IRI-2001 prediction of the B0 and B1 by factor of two at mid-latitudes. Moreover, the LM can be used to simulate other ionospheric parameters and to build mean N(h) profiles and the deviations from them. The modeling of both the average N(h) profiles and their deviations is an useful tool for ionospheric model users who want to know both the expected patterns and their deviations.     

Planet temperatures with surface cooling parameterized

A semigray (shortwave and longwave) surface temperature model is developed from conditions on Venus, Earth and Mars, where the greenhouse effect is mostly due to carbon dioxide and water vapor. In addition to estimating longwave optical depths, parameterizations are developed for surface cooling due to shortwave absorption in the atmosphere, and for convective (sensible and latent) heat transfer. An approximation to the Clausius–Clapeyron relation provides water–vapor feedback. The resulting iterative algorithm is applied to three “super-Earths” in the Gliese 581 system, including the “Goldilocks” planet g (Vogt et al., 2010). Surprisingly, none of the three appear habitable. One cannot accurately locate a star’s habitable zone without data or assumptions about a planet’s atmosphere.     

重力波波包在非等温和可压大气中的非线性传播

本文采用二维全隐欧拉格式对具有高斯分布的重力波波包在非等温,可压大气中的非线性传播过程进行数值模拟。