The Interaction of Two Internal Waves with the Mean Flow: Implications for the Theory of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation

Plumb, R. Alan

doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1977)034<1847:tiotiw>2.0.co;2

Cited by 223 publications

(251 citation statements)

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“…The dynamical consequences of wave-mean flow interactions have long been studied by atmospheric fluid dynamicists, for example, in the context of gravity-wave forcing of zonal winds in the equatorial stratosphere (e.g., Lindzen & Holton 1968;Jones & Houghton 1971;Holton & Lindzen 1972;Grimshaw 1975;Plumb 1977;Savaranan 1990). The results of numerous such investigations contradict the previously noted expectation that angular momentum transport by internal waves can eradicate nonuniform rotation in the radiative interior of the Sun.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…We remark that one of the main differences between the present paper (and also Paper I) and most of the earlier works in atmospheric sciences (e.g., Lindzen & Holton 1968;Jones & Houghton 1971;Holton & Lindzen 1972;Plumb 1977;Savaranan 1990) is that the momentum transport arises from the radiative damping in the diffusive limit. For instance, Lindzen & Holton (1968) invoked critical layers for wave absorption, and Plumb (1977) used Newtonian radiative cooling (which is valid in an optically thin medium).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

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Gravity Wave–driven Flows in the Solar Tachocline. II. Stationary Flows

Kim

MacGregor

2003

ApJ

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The effects of gravity waves on the mean radial differential rotation profile in the solar tachocline are studied, including the effect of a uniform, toroidal magnetic field. Vertical transport of horizontal momentum arises from the radiative damping of inwardly traveling waves that are generated by low-frequency, convective fluid motions. By considering two-wave and one-wave interactions, the radiatively damped gravity waves are shown to accentuate the shear in the mean radial differential rotation. In the presence of a strong horizontal magnetic field, internal gravity waves become nearly Alfvénic and cannot propagate downward through the tachocline. For a magnetic field that is weak enough to permit wave propagation, the mean shear profile is shown to be smoother than that obtained in the case of purely hydrodynamic waves. The implications of our results for gravity-wave forcing of the internal solar rotation are discussed.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Gravity Wave–driven Flows in the Solar Tachocline. II. Stationary Flows

Kim

MacGregor

2003

ApJ

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“…Catalytically inactive proteins have been converted into modestly catalytic ones for two different reactions, but the observed enhancements of rate 6,7 were only about a millionth of those produced by naturally occurring enzymes. It is also sometimes difficult to prove that designer enzymes are truly catalytic on the basis of biochemical observations, and some exciting claims have been found to be flawed.…”

Section: Giovanna Ghirlandamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When any of these waves drifts upwards and encounters a stratospheric jet going in the same direction, it deposits its momentum just shy of the jet maximum, which has the effect of coaxing the jet downwards in a slow but continuous manner; this led to the first complete description 6 of the QBO mechanism. Meanwhile, waves that travel in the opposite direction are not blocked but can scramble all the way to the top of the climbing frame, thereby starting a new jet in their direction, which then slowly descends.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Music of the stratospheres

Dowling¹

2008

Nature

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Fifteen-year oscillations in Saturn's equatorial stratosphere bear a striking resemblance to the shorter-term oscillations seen on Earth and Jupiter -akin to notes played on a cello, a violin and a viola.Planetary lower atmospheres -the tropospheres -are clamorous. If, in addition to sound waves, one could hear buoyancy waves, which have periods measured in minutes, and vorticity waves, which have periods measured in days, the effect would be a deafening cacophony of enormous range. Time series of atmospheric data reveal a surprising response to this tropospheric din: the overlying stratospheres are answering back, and playing the deepest notes of all.Studies by Orton et al. 1 and Fouchet et al. 2

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“…This upward effect has been well documented in observational and theoretical studies of stratospheric phenomena such as stratospheric sudden warming (e.g., Holton and Mass 1976;Labitzke 1982;Matsuno 1971) and quasi-biennial oscillation (e.g., Holton and Lindzen 1972;Lindzen and Holton 1968;Plumb 1977). However, studies in the recent decades have revealed that stratosphere can play an important role in the near surface climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%