Applied Physics @ CCU Project: Gravity Waves

Home | Projects | Results & Progress | Data Archive | Personnel | Acknowledgement

Why Atmospheric Gravity Waves?

Gravity waves are oscillations of air parcels maintained by forcing of buoyancy and the restoring force of gravity. Propagate vertically and horizontally, these ubiquitous waves actively transport energy and momentum from the troposphere (below 12 km) to the middle atmosphere (above 12 km). They are excited by sources like strong near-surface wind blowing across topography, variations in the polar jet stream, and convection.

Fig. 1: Circumpolar Flow. Click on image or here to see animation.

      Gravity waves have profound effects on our atmosphere. In the middle atmosphere, they help maintain the thermal and wind structures and can promote/suppress the formation of Polar Stratospheric Clouds. In the troposphere, they can enhance weather and cause clear air turbulence.

      The effort at CCU is led by Prof. Var Limpasuvan. Parts of this project are funded by NSF and NASA. We use numerical models and observations to study these waves. We are interested in their characteristics and their roles in perturbing the polar vortex and the formation of ice clouds.

APPLIED PHYSICS | COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
P.O. Box 261954 | Conway, South Carolina 29528-6054 | phone 843-347-3161

Privacy Policies | Site Policies | Contact Coastal | Contact Author

Disclaimer: Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or endorsement of Coastal Carolina University. Though the authors strive to provide an accurate and current website, they can not guarantee that all content is complete, current and accurate.