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Title: Spectra of gravity wave density and wind perturbations observed during ALOHA-90 on the 25 March flight between Maui and Christmas Island

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL01150· OSTI ID:5566317
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (United States)
  2. Univ. of Adelaide (Australia)

The airborne Na lidar and Christmas Island MF radar were used to measure the spectra of gravity wave density and wind perturbations during ALOHA-90 on the 25 March mission. Wave activity was especially strong near Christmas Island with measured wind variances between 1,000 and 1,400 (m/s){sup 2}. The vertical and meridional wave number spectra of horizontal wind perturbations exhibited power law shapes with slopes of {minus}3.17 and {minus}2.22, respectively. The temporal frequency spectrum appeared to be influenced by strong Doppler effects and had a shallow slope near {minus}1. The magnitudes of the spectra were 4.9 {times} 10{sup 5} (m/s){sup 2}/(cyc/m) at the vertical wave number 2{pi}/(4 km), 8.4 {times} 10{sup 6} (m/s){sup 2}/(cyc/m) at the meridional wave number 2{pi}/(200 km) and 7 {times} 10{sup 5} (m/s){sup 2}/(cyc/m) at the temporal frequency 2{pi}/(1 h).

OSTI ID:
5566317
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 18:7; ISSN 0094-8276
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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