Gravity wave-mean flow interactions
By: by Nikolaos Bakas
Published: 2007
Place of publication: 2007
Language: eng
Number of pages: 206
Description: This dissertation reports an investigation of the interaction of transient gravity waves with mean flows, in order to shed light on related processes in the atmosphere and ocean. First, the scattering of gravity wave packets by a stratified shear layer is studied. For low Richardson numbers, an incident packet excites non-propagating perturbations within the shear which grow due to the Orr mechanism. These perturbations subsequently excite propagating waves leading to an overreflection of the incident wave packet. Interaction of gravity waves with a meridionally varying shear flow is subsequently studied. In the absence of potential vorticity perturbations, the interplay between downgradient Reynolds stresses and growth of zonal velocity due to advection leads to breaking of wave packets due to shear instability for low Richardson numbers and due to convective instability for larger Richardson numbers. Moreover, vorticity and gravity wave manifolds are coupled for oblique waves. Potential vorticity perturbations with phase lines tilted against the shear amplify due to the Orr mechanism and subsequently transfer the large growth attained to propagating gravity waves. This mechanism may play a significant role in the process of gravity wave emission during geostrophic adjustment.

Finally, interaction between the stochastically forced midlatitude jet and gravity waves is examined. Waves with short zonal wavelength are trapped inside the jet and deposit momentum and energy at jet interior critical levels, while longer waves trans port momentum and energy away from the jet. Non-normal interactions between the excited perturbations and the mean flow augment the source of wave action arising from the forcing and transfer kinetic energy from the mean flow to the perturbations, yielding enhanced radiated momentum and energy fluxes for stronger shear in agreement with observations linking middle atmosphere enhanced variance with regions of high tropospheric jet speeds. Wave radiation was found to influence the tropospheric and stratospheric flow due momentum flux divergence. The induced deceleration tendency is O(1) m/s/day for a forcing rate of 0.1 W/m 2 , leading to an equilibrated jet with reduced width and maximum wind speed.
Notes: Thesis (Ph.D., School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Applied Mathematics)--Harvard University, 2007.

Includes bibliographic references.