Practical Application of Two-Turning-Point Theory to Mountain-Wave Transmission through a Wind Jet

Abstract

A Fourier method is used to model mountain waves that have nearby turning points in a wind jet. In Fourier space, the propagation equations are solved by ray theory. To correct for the ray singularity at a turning point without time-consuming special-function evaluations, the ray solution is linearly interpolated across the breakdown region. The Fourier solutions for the spatial wavefield are compared with mesoscale model simulations in two cases: two-dimensional flow over idealized topography with uniform stratification and a sech-squared wind profile and three-dimensional flow over the island of Jan Mayen with stratification and wind profiles taken from radiosonde measurements. The latter case reveals the partial transmission of trapped mountain waves into the stratosphere.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA553233

Entities

People

  • Dave Broutman
  • James W. Rottman
  • Stephen D. Eckermann

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Dispersion Relations
  • Equations
  • Flow
  • Gravity Waves
  • Group Velocity
  • Layers
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Mountains
  • Numerical Integration
  • Phase Shift
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Space Sciences
  • Three Dimensional
  • Topography
  • Two Dimensional
  • Wave Propagation

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Wave Propagation and Nonlinear Chaotic Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Space