Large-scale atmospheric conditions during DEEPWAVE-NZ

Abstract:

The field phase of DEEPWAVE-NZ (DEEP propagating gravity WAVE experiment
over New Zealand) was conducted in June and July 2014. Key instruments
were the NSF/NCAR GV and the DLR Falcon research aircraft, a suite of
ground-based instruments provided by various international partners
(e.g. NCAR's Integrated Sounding Station, DLR's Raman lidar, University
of Utah's Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper and Airglow Imager, ..)
and satellite sensors as the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS).

During DEEPWAVE-NZ operational forecasts of the ECMWF's integrated
forecast system (IFS) were used to provide guidance for planning the
research flights of NSF/NCAR GV and the DLR Falcon during intense
observing periods (IOPs). The IFS has 137 vertical hybrid levels,
a model top at 0.01 hPa and a horizontal resolution of about 16 km
globally. For certain cases, an astonishing agreement was noticed between
the forecasted wave events in the upper atmosphere and observations.
Here, operational ECMWF analyses and forecasts are used to characterize
the atmospheric state from the Earth's surface to the mesosphere during the
DEEPWAVE field campaign. Special focus of the presentations is put on the
atmospheric conditions conducive to deep gravity wave propagation from
various sources as the flow across the Southern Alps, coupled jet-front
systems and the polar night jet. Furthermore, resolved gravity waves will
be analysed and compared with observations as aircraft flight level data,
radiosondes and ground-based lidar measurements.