A Study of Cyclone Mesoscale Structure with Emphasis on a Large-Amplitude Inertia–Gravity Wave

Bosart, Lance F.; Bracken, W. Edward; Seimon, Anton

doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1998)126<1497:asocms>2.0.co;2

Cited by 47 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Bosart et al, 1998). Often, they have been associated with deep convection, but Uccellini and Koch (1987) who presented a summary of 13 published case studies of such waves, decided that convection was not their main source of energy.…”

Section: Sources Of Gravity Wave Energy In October 2008mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Uccellini and Koch were not able to explain the precise mechanism for wave emission, but they suggested shear instability and geostrophic adjustment as the two most likely mechanisms: in the exit region of the jet streak strong departures from nonlinear balance are found, which can cause the emission of gravity waves by geostrophic adjustment. Zhang et al (2001Zhang et al ( , 2003 examined this hypothesis in detail for a gravity wave case reported by Bosart et al (1998), using a simulation of the event with the MM5 mesoscale model. In this case wave initiation occurred just downstream from a region of nonlinear imbalance, itself downstream of an upper-level trough over the eastern USA.…”

Section: Sources Of Gravity Wave Energy In October 2008mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gravity‐wave‐induced perturbations in marine stratocumulus

Allen

Vaughan

Toniazzo

et al. 2012

Quart J Royal Meteoro Soc

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We discuss the role of atmospheric gravity waves in modulating cloud radiative and dynamical properties over the southeast Pacific. Satellite imagery and satelliteretrieved cloud properties during October 2008 illustrate three distinct episodes of horizontal propagation of gravity wave trains across the large-scale stratocumulus (Sc) cloud deck capping the local marine boundary layer. In one period, 7-9 October 2008, the waves modulated cloud-top-height by up to 400 m peak-to-trough, propagating perpendicular to the synoptic boundary layer flow with phase speed 15.3 m s −1 , period ∼1 h and horizontal wavelength 55 km. The gravity waves were observed to be non-dispersive. These waves were first evident in the cloud deck near 30• S, 85• W during a 24 h period beginning at midday on 7 October 2008, and propagated northeastward toward the Peruvian coast for the following 48 h. During this time they induced both reversible and non-reversible changes in cloud-radiative and cloud-dynamic properties, such that areas of clear sky developed in the troughs of passing wave-fronts. These pockets of open cells persisted long after the passage of the gravity waves, advecting northwestward with the background wind. Using the analysis fields of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in conjunction with infrared and microwave satellite imagery, we show that these gravity waves emerged from a disturbed subtropical jet stream. The radiant of the waves was coincident in all cases with centres of large negative residuals in nonlinear balance, suggesting that geostrophic readjustment of sharply divergent flows associated with the disturbed jet provided a source for the wave energy. Conversely, gravity waves were not observed in more quiescent jet conditions. This case study highlights the important and irreversible effects that gravity waves propagating in the troposphere can have on cloud radiative properties (and hence surface radiation budgets) over a very wide area. It also highlights the importance of synoptic influence on Sc-covered marine boundary layers.

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Section: Sources Of Gravity Wave Energy In October 2008mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sources Of Gravity Wave Energy In October 2008mentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity‐wave‐induced perturbations in marine stratocumulus

Allen

Vaughan

Toniazzo

et al. 2012

Quart J Royal Meteoro Soc

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“…For example, various types of precipitation bands have been observed within extratropical cyclones (e.g., Hobbs 1978;Houze and Hobbs 1982;Novak et al 2004Novak et al , 2006Novak et al , 2008Novak et al , 2009Novak et al , 2010Rauber et al 2014). Snowbands have been observed in association with mesoscale gravity waves (e.g., Bosart et al 1998;Koch and Siedlarz 1999). Lake-effect and sea-effect snowbands (e.g., Passarelli and Braham 1981;Niziol et al 1995;Norris et al 2013) can form in the boundary layer associated with horizontal convective rolls, even over land (e.g., Schultz et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Terrain Resolution on Banded Convection in the Lee of the Rocky Mountains

Schumacher

Schultz

Knox

2015

Monthly Weather Review

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On 16-17 February 2007, snowbands formed in the lee of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska on the anticyclonic-shear side of a midlevel jet streak. Two types of bands were prevalent: a longer, wider band associated with frontogenesis along an equatorward-moving cold front (major band) and multiple shorter, narrower bands farther poleward (minor bands). To understand how the upstream terrain affected the occurrence and intensity of the bands, multiple mesoscale model simulations were performed in which the terrain was incrementally smoothed. The evolutions of the synoptic patterns were similar in all simulations that included topography, but the synoptic pattern differed and no bands developed in a simulation with a flat land surface. These results allowed a focus on the changes to the banded precipitation due to the terrain resolution. Remarkably, although the exact location of the bands differed from run to run, the bands in all simulations with topography were in roughly the same region where they occurred on 16-17 February 2007. The major band was associated with frontogenesis along an equatorward-moving cold front that became stalled against the terrain. The minor bands formed from the release of conditional, symmetric, and inertial instabilities by ascent up the large-scale topography, rather than by ascent up specific small-scale topographic features. Because the bands were not tied to specific terrain features, these results suggest that the precise location of the minor bands is unpredictable.

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“…Previous studies (Uccellini and Koch 1987, hereinafter UK87;O'Sullivan and Dunkerton 1995, hereinafter OD95;Bosart et al 1998;Zhang 2004, hereinafter Z04) have shown that inertia-gravity waves can be generated in the vicinity of upper level jet streaks during life cycles of baroclinic waves. These past studies have identified geostrophic adjustment as a principal mechanism for gravity wave generation in the upper-level jet streaks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comprehensive studies such as Bosart et al (1998) benefit from a wide array of data sources such as surface observations, radar and satellite images, and radiosondes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%