When I haven't been working on new radiative transfer schemes for a general circulation model or preparing for storm chasing in 2011 (yes I have already started), I've been working on a new project involving gravity waves. On Earth a 'signature' of gravity waves (buoyancy waves) can be observed by noticing horizontally repeating clouds for example in the wake of a mountain. Often gravity waves are produced by the influence of terrain. While we typically think of them as horizontal waves, their 'signature' can also be noticed vertically in temperature profiles. Like on Earth, the Martian atmosphere exhibits gravity waves too. My project this summer has been to develop software that retrieves and analyzes the 'signature' of gravity waves in temperature profiles.
Above in the left most plot are model temperature profiles. The profiles have long and short wavelength perturbations. The software I have developed is designed to remove the overall temperature structure and longer wavelength features. The software has worked fairly well, notice how the retrieved temperature perturbations match fairly closely with the original wave. The software has since been run on temperature data from the Mars Climate Sounder. I will be presenting this work in October at the American Astronomical Society, Division of Planetary Science meeting in Pasadena, CA.While this work has been with Mars, Earth exhibits similar physical processes. It's again a reminder of how terrain can have an important influence on the atmosphere (and storms).
