Inertio-gravity wave parameter estimation from cross-spectral analysis
We outline a method for extracting inertio-gravity wave parameters
using the auto- and cross-spectra of the horizontal perturbation
winds. In essence, we define a statistical hodograph for each
spectral bin, thus combining the advantages of the rotary spectrum and
hodograph methods. Furthermore, we include the effects of the
background vertical shear in the parameter estimation equations, a
step that had often been omitted in the past. Applying this technique
to a long-period data set taken with the Arecibo 430-MHz radar, we
explore its usefulness as well as its limitations. The results
support the interpretation of horizontal wind-perturbation rotation in
the lower stratosphere over Arecibo as inertio-gravity waves rather
than mountain waves imbedded within a background vertical shear.
Send e-mail to
j y n c @ m i t . e d u for a copy of
the complete article.
Return to publications list.