Atmospheric Waves in MGS TES Limb-Scan Temperatures

Abstract:

We have quantified the expression of the lowest zonal wavenumber forced and traveling waves evident in the MGS TES Limb-scan temperature retrievals. The results were found to be broadly consistent with the vertically limited and vertically smoothed (although better spatially and temporally resolved) results from the more numerous MGS TES nadir temperature retrievals (e.g., Wilson et al., 2002, Banfield et al., 2003, Banfield et al. 2004).

The MGS TES Limb-scan retrievals were used to compute a measure of the Diurnal Kelvin Waves (DK1 And DK2). The structures revealed are consistent with theory, and indicative of the importance of these wave modes at aerobraking altitudes (e.g., Wilson 2000, Forbes & Hagan, 2000, Wilson, 2002). The stationary wave structures revealed in the limb retrievals show the winter polar waves in both hemispheres continue to have their maximum amplitude aligned along the polar vortices, even for altitudes above 4 scale heights. The phase structures in and above the stationary waves revealed by the limb retrievals are consistent with the nadir results and the heat fluxes computed in those analyses (Banfield et al., 2003).

The winter polar vortex zonal wavenumber 1 traveling waves continue along the edge of the polar vortex, reaching to 6 or more scale heights altitude in the northern winter and extending between 60N and the north pole. The peak amplitudes for these zonal wavenumber 1 traveling waves were found to lie at about 4 scale heights altitude. The limb retrievals revealed more clear evidence of a northern fall equinoctial global traveling wave mode having expression not only in the mid-latitudes in both hemispheres, but also out of phase above the tropics at altitudes above 4 scale heights. Zonal wavenumber 2 & 3 traveling waves could not be reliably retrieved from the limb retrievals.