Showing papers on "Atmospheric wave published in 2006"

Modulation of South Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones by the Madden–Julian Oscillation and Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves

Abstract: The subseasonal modulation of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis by large-scale atmospheric wave modes is studied using data from the south Indian Ocean region. The modes considered are the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), and the convectively coupled equatorial Rossby (ER), Kelvin, and mixed Rossby–gravity (MRG) waves. Analysis of all TCs west of 100°E reveals a large and statistically significant modulation by the MJO and ER waves, a small yet significant modulation by Kelvin waves, and a statistically insignificant modulation by MRG waves. Attribution of the observed TC modulation was made through examination of the wave-induced perturbations to the dynamical fields of low-level vorticity, vertical shear, and deep convection. Possible thermodynamic influences on TC genesis were neglected. Different combinations of the three dynamical fields were necessary for successful attribution for each of the large-scale wave modes. For example, for the MJO, the modulation was best attributable to its perturba...

The origin and dispersion characteristics of the observed tropical summertime synoptic-scale waves over the Western Pacific

Abstract: The origin, initiation, and dispersion behavior of the observed summertime synoptic-scale disturbances in the tropical western Pacific are studied. These westward-propagating disturbances have the strongest growth rate over the region of ∼130°–160°E off the equator. The three-dimensional wave activity flux associated with a wave packet in the vicinity of this region is computed. In general, wave activity is directed westward. There is accumulation of activity flux, which gives rise to the amplification of waves. In the low levels, such accumulation can be attributed to the convergence of both the mean flow and the intrinsic group velocity. Diabatic forcing also contributes to the growth of disturbances and is most important in the 500–600-hPa layer. Along the east–west-oriented “storm tracks” of the synoptic-scale disturbances, there are two different dynamical regimes. West of ∼150°E, enhanced convection is associated with increased specific humidity at the top of the planetary boundary layer an...

Macrostructure of collisionless bow shocks: 2. ULF waves in the foreshock and magnetosheath

Abstract: [1] We perform global hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electrons) simulations of the solar wind coupling with magnetic dipoles of different strength and study foreshock morphology and its influence on the bow shock and magnetosheath. The advantage of the hybrid code over fluid codes is that it treats ion-scale microphysics in the context of the global interaction. We study the characteristics of the ultralow-frequency (ULF) waves generated by kinetic instabilities and find two types of waves: (1) sinusoidal almost parallel propagating waves and (2) highly compressive obliquely propagating fluctuations. In contrast to suggestions made in the past, we show that compressive waves found near the shock do not evolve from the sinusoidal wave population but rather are generated by a different ion population. We find that the sinusoidal waves are generated by field-aligned backstreaming ions, while the compressive waves near the shock are generated by gyrating ion beams closer to the shock. Our results show that, for low dipole magnetization, noncompressive waves dominate the foreshock, while compressive waves grow just in a very small region and do not have time to evolve, so no quasi-parallel shock is formed. In contrast, when the system scale size is much larger than an ion inertial length, highly compressive waves convect into the quasi-parallel region, evolving into large steepened structures that eventually form the shock transition. These waves play an active role in shock dissipation processes and eventually form part of the wave spectra in the magnetosheath. Comparison of our results with observations shows that the characteristics of sinusoidal waves in our simulations resemble the properties of 30-s sinusoidal quasi-monochromatic waves in the Earth's foreshock, while compressive waves have similar properties to the observed right-handed steepened fluctuations. Downstream from the shock, the magnetosheath is permeated by a variety of waves that result from the convection of upstream waves and also from local generation. The wave characteristics are different in the quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular parts of the magnetosheath.

Signatures of 3-6 day planetary waves in the equatorial mesosphere and ionosphere

Abstract: . Common periodic oscillations have been observed in meteor radar measurements of the MLT winds at Cariri (7.4° S, 36.5° W) and Ascension Island (7.9° S, 14.4° W) and in the minimum ionospheric virtual height, h'F, measured at Fortaleza (3.9° S, 38.4° W) in 2004, all located in the near equatorial region. Wavelet analysis of these time series reveals that there are 3–4-day, 6–8-day and 12–16-day oscillations in the zonal winds and h'F. The 3–4 day oscillation appeared as a form of a wave packet from 7–17 August 2004. From the wave characteristics analyzed this might be a 3.5-day Ultra Fast Kelvin wave. The 6-day oscillation in the mesosphere was prominent during the period of August to November. In the ionosphere, however, it was apparent only in November. Spectral analysis suggests that this might be a 6.5-day wave previously identified. The 3.5-day and 6.5-day waves in the ionosphere could have important roles in the initiation of equatorial spread F (plasma bubble). These waves might modulate the post-sunset E×B uplifting of the base of the F-layer via the induced lower thermosphere zonal wind and/or the E-region conductivity.

Eastward traverse of equatorial plasma plumes observed with the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar in Indonesia

Abstract: . The zonal structure of radar backscatter plumes associated with Equatorial Spread F (ESF), probably modulated by atmospheric gravity waves, has been investigated with the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) in West Sumatra, Indonesia (0.20° S, 100.32° E; dip latitude 10.1° S) and the FM-CW ionospheric sounders on the same magnetic meridian as the EAR. The occurrence locations and zonal distances of the ESF plumes were determined with multi-beam observations with the EAR. The ESF plumes drifted eastward while keeping distances of several hundred to a thousand kilometers. Comparing the occurrence of the plumes and the F-layer uplift measured by the FM-CW sounders, plumes were initiated within the scanned area around sunset only, when the F-layer altitude rapidly increased. Therefore, the PreReversal Enhancement (PRE) is considered as having a zonal variation with the scales mentioned above, and this variation causes day-to-day variability, which has been studied for a long time. Modulation of the underlying E-region conductivity by gravity waves, which causes inhomogeneous sporadic-E layers, for example, is a likely mechanism to determine the scale of the PRE.

Simulation of Inertia–Gravity Waves in a Poleward-Breaking Rossby Wave

Abstract: Poleward-breaking Rossby waves often induce an upper-level jet streak over northern Europe. Dominant inertia–gravity wave packets are observed downstream of this jet. The physical processes of their generation and propagation, in such a configuration, are investigated with a mesoscale model. The study is focused on an observational campaign from 17 to 19 December 1999 over northern Germany. Different simulations with the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) have been performed. For a high-resolution process study, three domains were set up that encompass the evolution of Rossby waves and that of inertia–gravity waves. To minimize the impact of model damping, the horizontal and vertical resolution has been adjusted appropriately. With a novel statistical approach, the properties of inertia–gravity wave packets have been estimated. This method uses the horizontal divergence field and takes into account the spatial e...

Generation and Trapping of Gravity Waves from Convection with Comparison to Parameterization

Abstract: Some parameterizations of gravity wave mean flow forcing in global circulation models (GCMs) add realism by describing wave generation by tropospheric convection. Because the convection in GCMs is itself a parameterized process, these convectively generated wave parameterizations necessarily use many simplifying assumptions. In this work, the authors use a realistic simulation of wave generation by convection described in previous work, which was validated by observations from the Darwin Area Wave Experiment (DAWEX), to test these assumptions and to suggest some possible improvements to the parameterizations. In particular, the authors find that wave trapping in the troposphere significantly modifies the spectrum of vertically propagating waves entering the stratosphere above convective wave sources, and offer a linear method for computing wave transmission and reflection effects on the spectrum suitable for inclusion in the parameterizations. The wave fluxes originate from both a time-varying heating mechanism and an obstacle effect mechanism acting in the simulation. Methods for including both mechanisms in the parameterizations are described. Waves emanating from the obstacle effect remain very sensitive to the depth of penetration of latent heating cells into an overlying shear zone, which will continue to make it difficult to accurately parameterize in a GCM where the convective cells are not resolved.

Equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere. II: Annual and interannual variability

Abstract: The annual and interannual variability of idealized, linear, equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere is investigated using the temperature and velocity fields from the ECMWF 15-year re-analysis dataset Peak Kelvin wave activity occurs during solstice seasons at 100 hPa, during December-February at 70 hPa and in the easterly to westerly quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) phase transition at 50 hPa Peak Rossby-gravity wave activity occurs during equinox seasons at 100 hPa, during June-August/September-November at 70 hPa and in the westerly to easterly QBO phase transition at 50 hPa Although neglect of wind shear means that the results for inertio-gravity waves are likely to be less accurate, they are still qualitatively reasonable and an annual cycle is observed in these waves at 100 hPa and 70 hPa Inertio-gravity waves with n = 1 are correlated with the QBO at 50 hPa, but the eastward inertio-gravity n = 0 wave is not, due to its very fast vertical group velocity in all background winds The relative importance of different wave types in driving the QBO at 50 hPa is also discussed The strongest acceleration appears to be provided by the Kelvin wave while the acceleration provided by the Rossby-gravity wave is negligible Of the higher-frequency waves, the westward inertio-gravity n = 1 wave appears able to contribute more to the acceleration of the 50 hPa mean zonal wind than the eastward inertio-gravity n = 1 wave

Equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere. I: A novel detection method

Abstract: Wavenumber–frequency spectral analysis and linear wave theory are combined in a novel method to quantitatively estimate equatorial wave activity in the tropical lower stratosphere. The method requires temperature and velocity observations that are regularly spaced in latitude, longitude and time; it is therefore applied to the ECMWF 15-year re-analysis dataset (ERA-15). Signals consistent with idealized Kelvin and Rossby-gravity waves are found at wavenumbers and frequencies in agreement with previous studies. When averaged over 1981–93, the Kelvin wave explains approximately 1 K2 of temperature variance on the equator at 100 hPa, while the Rossby-gravity wave explains approximately 1 m2s−2 of meridional wind variance. Some inertio-gravity wave and equatorial Rossby wave signals are also found; however the resolution of ERA-15 is not sufficient for the method to provide an accurate climatology of waves with high meridional structure. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society

A low‐ozone episode during the European heatwave of August 2003

Abstract: Several physical mechanisms concerning the impact of Rossby waves on ozone distribution and circulation in the stratosphere and troposphere are studied in the thesis.Summertime total ozone variability over Middle Asia and Northern Scandinavia shows similar wave-like behaviour with typical periods of 10-20 days and amplitudes of 20-50 Dobson units. These variations are caused by eastward travelling Rossby waves in the lower stratosphere. The same mechanism plays the primary role in the formation of an intense low ozone episode over Scandinavia in August 2003. A strong anticyclone was formed in the troposphere over Europe as a part of a Rossby wave train. The anticyclone coincides with a displaced Artic pool of low-ozone air in the stratosphere aloft of the anticyclone. A combination of the two above-mentioned processes results in the total ozone minimum over Northern Europe for summer 2003.Interannual variability of the atmospheric circulation and total ozone during winter is strongly controlled by the diabatic (Brewer-Dobson) circulation which is driven by upward propagating waves from the troposphere. In the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes, wintertime total ozone shows antiphase behaviour with the Arctic Oscillation (AO) index on interannual and decadal time-scales. Weaker (stronger) wave activity leads to less (more) northward ozone transport and to a stronger (weaker) AO.Rossby wave activity occurs as episodic wave events and this wave forcing is not uniform during winter. The November-December stratospheric eddy heat flux is strongly anticorrelated with the January-February eddy heat flux in the midlatitude stratosphere and troposphere. Weaker upward wave fluxes in early winter lead to stronger upward wave fluxes from the troposphere as well as to a stronger polar night jet during midwinter and vice versa. Hence upward wave activity fluxes in early winter define, to a considerable extent, the subsequent evolution of the midwinter circulation in the stratosphere and troposphere.

Lidar observations of middle atmospheric gravity wave activity over a low-latitude site (Gadanki, 13.5° N, 79.2° E)

Abstract: . The low-latitude middle atmospheric gravity wave characteristics are presented using 310 nights of Rayleigh lidar observations made at Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E) over the period from March 1998 to December 2002. The gravity wave characteristics are presented in terms of vertical wave number and frequency spectra, along with the estimated potential energy for the four seasons, namely, spring, summer, autumn and winter. The computed wave number spectra for both the stratosphere and the mesosphere are found to differ significantly from a saturated model predicted spectrum. The spectra were found to be shallower at lower wave numbers and steeper at higher wave numbers with transition at ~8.85×10-4 cy/m. The computed frequency spectra seem to follow the model plot with a power law index of -5/3 above a frequency of ~2×10-4 Hz. The estimated potential energy per unit mass increases gradually up to ~60 km and then rather rapidly above this height to reach values of the order of 200J/kg at ~70 km.

Nonlinear waves in the solar atmosphere

Abstract: In this paper, we give a brief review of the contemporary theory of nonlinear waves in the solar atmosphere. The choice of topics reflects personal interests of the author. Historically the theory of nonlinear waves was first applied to the solar atmosphere to explain the chromospheric and coronal heating. It was assumed that the turbulent motion in the solar convective zone excites sound waves that propagate upwards. Due to nonlinearity these waves steepen and form shocks. The wave energy dissipates in these shocks thus heating the corona. We give a brief description of propagation and damping of nonlinear sound waves in the stratified solar atmosphere, and point out that, at present, the acoustic heating remains the most popular theory of heating the lower chromosphere. Then we extend the analysis to nonlinear slow magnetosonic waves in coronal plumes and loops, and discuss its implications for interpretation of observational results. The next topic of interest is the propagation of nonlinear waves in a magnetically structured atmosphere. Here, we restrict our analysis to slow sausage waves in magnetic tubes and discuss properties of solitary waves described by the Leibovich-Roberts equation. We conclude with the discussion of nonlinear theory of slow resonant layers, and its possible application to helioseismology.

Indo-Japanese Lidar Observations of the Tropical Middle Atmosphere During 1998 and 1999

Abstract: A state-of-the art Rayleigh and Mie backscattering lidar was set up at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E) in the Tropics in India. Using this system, regular observations of upper tropospheric clouds, aerosols at stratospheric heights and atmospheric temperatures in the range from 30 to 80 km were made. In this paper, the data collected during the period of 1998–99 were selected for systematic investigation and presentation. The Mie scattering lidar system is capable of measuring the degree of depolarization in the laser backscattering. Several tropical cirrus cloud structures have been identified with low to moderate ice content. Occasionally, thin sub-visible cirrus clouds in the vicinity of the tropical tropopause have also been detected. The aerosol measurements in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere show low aerosol content with a vertical distribution up to 35 km altitude. Rayleigh-scattering lidar observations reveal that at the tropical site, temperature inversion occurs at mesospheric heights. Atmospheric waves have induced perturbations in the temperatures for several times at the upper stratospheric heights. A significant warming in the lower mesosphere associated with a consistent cooling in the upper stratospheric heights is observed particularly in the winter season during the events of sudden stratospheric warming (SSW).

Dynamics of resonantly interacting equatorial waves

Abstract: In this paper we explore some dynamical features on the non-linear interactions among equatorial waves. The shallowwater equation model with the equatorial β-plane approximation is used for this purpose. The Galerkin method is applied to the governing equations with the basis functions given by the eigensolutions of the linear problem. From the phase space expansion of two particular integrals of motion of the system, quadratic to lowest order, some constraints are obtained which the coupling coefficients must satisfy in order to ensure the invariance of such integrals. From the numerical evaluation of the coupling coefficients, these constraints are used to determine the possible resonant triads among equatorial waves. Numerical integrations of the resonant three-wave problem show that the energy of the waves in a resonant triad evolves periodically in time, with the period and amplitude of the energy oscillations dependent on the magnitude of the initial amplitudes of the waves and the way in which the initial energy is distributed among the triad components. The high-frequency modes are found to be energetically more active than the low-frequency modes. The latter tend to act as ‘catalytic’ components in a resonant triad. Integrations of the problem of two resonant triads coupled by a single mode point out the importance of gravity waves in the intertriad energy exchanges, suggesting the significance of these modes in the redistribution of energy throughout the atmospheric motion spectrum. The results also show that the intertriad energy exchanges provided by the highest frequency mode of two triads occur in a longer time-scale than the intratriad interactions. Therefore, these results also suggest the importance of the high-frequency modes in the generation of the low-frequency variability (intraseasonal and even longer term) of the atmospheric flow.

Effects of high-latitude atmospheric gravity wave disturbances on artificial HF radar backscatter

Abstract: Observations of HF radar backscatter from artificial field-aligned irregularities in an ionosphere perturbed by travelling disturbances due to atmospheric gravity waves are presented. Some features of the spatio-temporal structure of the artificial radar backscatter can be explained in terms of the distortion of the ionosphere resulting from the travelling disturbances. The distorted ionosphere can allow the HF pump wave to access upper-hybrid resonance at larger distances from the transmitter than are normally observed and can also prevent the pump wave reaching this resonance at close distances. The variation in altitude of the irregularities sometimes results in a significant variation in the elevation angle of arrival of the backscattered signal at the radar implying that the radar "sees" a target moving in altitude. We suggest that this may be evidence of off-orthogonal scattering from the irregularities.

Waves in geophysical fluids : tsunamis, rogue waves, internal waves and internal tides

Abstract: Hydrodynamics of Tsunami Waves.- Weakly nonlinear and stochastic properties of ocean wave fields. Application to an extreme wave event.- Freak Waves Phenomenon: Physical Mechanisms and Modelling.- Rapid computations of steep surface waves in three dimensions, and comparisons with experiments.- Very large internal waves in the ocean - observations and nonlinear models.- Internal Tides. Global Field of Internal Tides and Mixing Caused by Internal Tides.

Seasonal variations of gravity waves revealed in rawinsonde data at Pohang, Korea

Abstract: Seasonal variations of gravity wave characteristics are investigated using rawinsonde data observed at Pohang observatory, Korea (36°2′N, 129°23′E) during the one-year period of 1998. Analysis is carried out for two atmospheric layers representing the troposphere (2–9 km) and stratosphere (17–30 km). There exist clear seasonal variations in amplitudes of temperature and wind perturbations and wave energy in the stratosphere, with their maxima in wintertime and minima in summertime. A strong correlation is found between the wave activity and the strength of the jet stream, but there is no clear correlation between the wave activity and the vertical gradient of static stability. The intrinsic frequency and vertical and horizontal wavelengths of gravity waves in the stratosphere are 2f–3f, where f is the Coriolis parameter, and 2–3 km and 300–500 km, respectively. The intrinsic phase velocity directs westward in January and northeastward in July. The vertical flux of the stratospheric zonal momentum is mostly negative except in summertime with a maximum magnitude in January. Topography seems to be a major source of stratospheric gravity waves in wintertime. Convection can be a source of gravity waves in summertime, but it is required to know convective sources at nearby stations, due to their intermittency and locations relative to floating balloons.

Probing of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances using HF-induced scatter targets

Abstract: . Experimental results from the Tromso and Sura heating experiments at high and mid-latitudes are examined. It is shown that the combination of HF-induced target and bi-static HF Doppler radio scatter observations is a profitable method for probing medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) at high and mid-latitudes. HF ionospheric modification experiments provide a way of producing the HF-induced scatter target in a controlled manner at altitudes where the sensitivity to TIDs is highest. Bi-static HF Doppler radio scatter observations were carried out on the London-Tromso-St. Petersburg path in the course of a Tromso heating experiment on 16 November 2004 when the pump wave was reflected from an auroral Es-layer. During Sura heating experiments on 19 and 20 August 2004, when the HF pump wave was reflected from the F2 ionospheric layer, multi-position bi-static HF Doppler radio scatter observations were simultaneously performed at three reception points including St. Petersburg, Kharkov, and Rostov-on-Don. Ray tracing and Doppler shift simulations were made for all experiments. A computational technique has been developed allowing the reconstruction of the TID phase velocities from multi-position bi-static HF Doppler scatters. Parameters of medium-scale TIDs were found. In all experiments they were observed in the evening and pre-midnight hours. TIDs in the auroral E-region with periods of about 23 min were traveling southward at speeds of 210 m/s. TIDs in the mid-latitudinal F-region with periods from 20 to 45 min travelled at speeds between 40 and 150 m/s. During quiet magnetic conditions the waves were traveling in the north-east direction. In disturbed conditions the waves were moving in the south-west direction with higher speeds as compared with quiet conditions. Possible sources for the atmospheric gravity waves at middle and high latitudes are discussed.

On the Self-Adjusted Description of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Wind Waves, and Sea Currents

Abstract: The problems of the self-adjusted description of the atmospheric boundary layer, wind waves, and sea currents are considered. The atmospheric and sea dynamics are calculated independently with models of different complexity. The models are coupled with the model of wind waves. The model of wind waves is based on a strictly directional approximation and a special procedure for selecting the wave perturbations in the atmospheric and sea boundary layers. The model was used for the calculation of the characteristics of the fluxes that appear in the boundary conditions at the sea surface. Two new results were obtained: the theoretical estimate of the contribution of the wind waves to the flux of the turbulent kinetic energy at the sea surface and the model estimate of the effect of wind waves on the marine dynamics. The latter was obtained from a numerical experiment with the use of a three-dimensional nonhydrostatic model of the thermohaline dynamics of the sea. The numerical experiment is carried out for a rectangular domain that simulates the middle part of the Baltic Sea. The numerical calculations show a pronounced contribution of the effect of wind waves to the dynamics of the upper sea layer.

Dynamical Processes of Equatorial Atmospheric Angular Momentum

Abstract: The dynamical processes that drive intraseasonal equatorial atmospheric angular momentum (EAAM) fluctuations are examined with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR) reanalysis data. The primary methodology involves the regression of relevant variables including the equatorial bulge, mountain, and friction torques, surface pressure, streamfunction, and outgoing longwave radiation, against the time derivative of the two components and the amplitude of the EAAM vector. The results indicate that the observed 10-day westward rotation of the EAAM vector corresponds to the propagation of a zonal wavenumber-1, antisymmetric, Rossby wave normal mode. Additional findings suggest that fluctuations in the amplitude of the EAAM vector are driven by poleward-propagating Rossby waves excited by the latent heating within equatorial mixed Rossby–gravity waves and also by wave–wave interaction among planetary waves. Both of these processes can induce surface pressure anomalies that amplify the EAAM vector via the equatorial bulge torque. The Antarctic and Greenland mountain torques were found to drive large fluctuations in the amplitude of the EAAM vector. Both the friction torque and wave–zonal-mean flow interaction were shown to dampen the EAAM amplitude fluctuations. A comparison of the EAAM dynamics in the atmosphere with that in an aquaplanet GCM suggests that the mountain torque also drives fluctuations in the phase speed of the atmospheric wave field associated with the EAAM vector, and it confines the wave–wave interaction to planetary scales.

Does kinematic advection by superimposed waves provide an explanation for quasi‐universal gravity‐wave spectra?

Abstract: [1] Earlier work has indicated that kinematic advection associated with a linear superposition of standing sinusoidal Lagrangian gravity waves generates, at sufficiently high amplitudes, nonsinusoidal Eulerian perturbations and broadened vertical wavenumber spectra. We find that those same Lagrangian waves also produce singularities in the Eulerian fields. Even at the lowest wave amplitudes consistent with observations of saturated atmospheric waves, we find that kinematic parcel compressions are still far too large compared to adiabatic constraints, while the spectral broadening is far weaker than that indicated by atmospheric measurements. These results demonstrate that kinematic advection by linear Lagrangian waves cannot provide a suitable basis for understanding at least some saturated wave spectra.

The atmospheric background situation in northern Scandinavia during January/February 2003 in the context of the MaCWAVE campaign

Abstract: . The atmosphere background wind field controls the propagation of gravity waves from the troposphere through the stratosphere into the mesosphere. During January 2003 the MaCWAVE campaign took place at Esrange, with the purpose of observing vertically ascending waves induced by orography. Temperature data from the U. Bonn lidar at Esrange (68° N/21° E) and the ALOMAR RMR lidar (69° N/16° E), wind data from Esrange MST radar ESRAD, as well as wind data from the ECMWF T106 model, are used to analyse the atmospheric background situation and its effect on mountain wave propagation during January/February 2003. Critical levels lead to dissipation of vertically ascending waves, thus mountain waves are not observable above those levels. In the first half of January a minor as well as a major stratospheric warming dominated the meteorological background situation. These warmings led to a wind reversal, thus to critical level filtering and consequently prevented gravity waves from propagating to high altitudes. While the troposphere was not transparent for stationary gravity waves most of the time, there was a period of eight days following the major warming with a transparent stratosphere, with conditions allowing gravity waves generated in the lower troposphere to penetrate the stratosphere up to the stratopause and sometimes even into the lower mesosphere. In the middle of February a minor stratospheric warming occurred, which again led to critical levels such that gravity waves were not able to ascend above the middle stratosphere. Due to the unfavourable troposphere and lower stratosphere conditions for gravity wave excitation and propagation, the source of the observed waves in the middle atmosphere is probably different from orography.