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Laboratory Observations of Gravity Wave Critical-Layer Flows

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Middle Atmosphere

Part of the book series: Pageoph Topical Volumes ((PTV))

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Abstract

A new laboratory facility for studying gravity wave critical-layer interactions is described, and the results from one experiment are presented. In the experiment, a forced, monochromatic gravity wave is allowed to propagate into a stratified shear flow containing a critical level for the gravity wave. The early evolution of the flow is characterized by turbulent wavebreaking and mean flow modifications which are in qualitative agreement with previous numerical simulations. The late-time critical layer flow is characterized by internal mixing regions which are phase-locked to the incoming gravity wave.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwest Research Associates, Inc., P.O. Box 3027, Bellevue, WA, 98009, USA

    Donald P. Delisi & Timothy J. Dunkerton

Authors
  1. Donald P. Delisi
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  2. Timothy J. Dunkerton
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Meteorology and Physical Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 02139, Cambridge, MA, USA

    R. Alan Plumb

  2. Department of Physics, University of Adelaide, 5001, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Robert A. Vincent

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© 1989 Springer Basel AG

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Delisi, D.P., Dunkerton, T.J. (1989). Laboratory Observations of Gravity Wave Critical-Layer Flows. In: Plumb, R.A., Vincent, R.A. (eds) Middle Atmosphere. Pageoph Topical Volumes. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-5825-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-5825-0_18

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7643-2290-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-5825-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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