Upper Atmosphere Heating From Ocean-Generated Acoustic Wave Energy
We present that colliding sea surface waves generate the ocean microbarom, an acoustic signal that may transmit significant energy to the upper atmosphere. Previous estimates of acoustic energy flux from the ocean microbarom and mountain-wind interactions are on the order of 0.01 to 1 mW/m 2, heating the thermosphere by tens of Kelvins per day. We captured upgoing ocean microbarom waves with a balloon-borne infrasound microphone; the maximum acoustic energy flux was approximately 0.05 mW/m 2. This is about half the average value reported in previous ground-based microbarom observations spanning 8 years. The acoustic flux from the microbarom episode described here may have heated the thermosphere by several Kelvins per day while the source persisted. Lastly, we suggest that ocean wave models could be used to parameterize acoustically generated heating of the upper atmosphere based on sea state.
- Authors:
-
[1]
; [2]
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States). Department of Geological Sciences
- Publication Date:
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-2018-4089J
Journal ID: ISSN 0094-8276; 662763
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525
- Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters; Journal ID: ISSN 0094-8276
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union
- Research Org:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 58 GEOSCIENCES; acoustic wave energy; ocean microbarom; thermospheric heating; acoustic dissipation; infrasound ocean-atmosphere coupling
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1441465
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1438084