The LISA Project – Atmospheric Waves in Aeolus wind data
- Project by: Science Hub Team
- December 14, 2024
Dr. Lisa Küchelbacher, German Aerospace Center (DLR) : Lidar measurements to Identify Streamers and analyse Atmospheric waves
German Aerospace Center (DLR)  | Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP)  |
Aeolus enables the derivation of atmospheric wave structures on different temporal and spatial scales based on global wind measurements for the first time. These measurements help us to better understand atmospheric dynamics, more specific: streamer events as they are crucial for mixing of energy and air masses between the poles and the equator.
Streamers are large-scale, tongue-like structures of meridionally deflected air masses primarily formed by strong planetary waves. These structures are primarily observed above the North Atlantic to Europe in the upper troposphere / lower stratosphere. Streamer events can highly increase the mass flux density by one to two orders of magnitude within a few days. In turn, they lead to an irreversible exchange between polar and equatorial air masses due to planetary wave breaking. Strong vertical gradients at their boundaries (shear effects) make streamer events a potential source of gravity waves which then propagate up to the mesopause and impact the circulation system there.
In the project we derived the activity of planetary and gravity waves by Aeolus wind measurements and compared the planetary wave activity with ERA-5 data. Supplementary measurements are used to further study acoustic gravity activity at the ground and the upper atmosphere. This allows a cross-check of the temporal evolution of the kinetic wave energy density.
Based on Aeolus wind measurements we were able to characterize the planetary wave activity with a high correlation to ERA5 wind data and the kinetic energy density of gravity waves. On the basis of a few case studies over the Northern Atlantic / Europe we found a relation of high planetary wave activity to the selected streamer events. The temporal evolution of gravity waves also shows a relation to the streamer events, particularly in the lower stratosphere, though not consistently in the troposphere. The additional Doppler sounding and microbarograph measurements did not show a clear relationship of acoustic gravity waves to streamer events.
Preprint publications:
Wüst, S., Küchelbacher, L., Trinkl, F., & Bittner, M. (2024). Gravity waves above the Northern Atlantic and Europe during streamer events using ADM-Aeolus. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions, 2024, 1-33.
Kozubek, M., Kuchelbacher, L., Chum, J., Sindelarova, T., Trinkl, F., & Podolska, K. (2023). Testing ground based observations of wave activity in the (lower and upper) atmosphere as possible (complementary) indicators of streamer events. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions, 2023, 1-27.