Articles | Volume 33, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-547-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-547-2015
Regular paper
 | 
18 May 2015
Regular paper |  | 18 May 2015

An investigation of long-distance propagation of gravity waves under CAWSES India Phase II Programme

N. Parihar and A. Taori

Abstract. Coordinated measurements of airglow features from the mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT) region were performed at Allahabad (25.5° N, 81.9° E) and Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E), India to study the propagation of gravity waves in 13–27° N latitude range during the period June 2009 to May 2010 under CAWSES (Climate And Weather of Sun Earth System) India Phase II Programme. At Allahabad, imaging observations of OH broadband emissions and OI 557.7 nm emission were made using an all-sky imager, while at Gadanki photometric measurements of OH (6, 2) Meinel band and O2 (0, 1) Atmospheric band emissions were carried out. On many occasions, the nightly observations reveal the presence of similar waves at both locations. Typically, the period of observed similar waves lay in the 2.2–4.5 h range, had large phase speeds (~ 77–331 m s−1) and large wavelengths (~ 1194–2746 km). The images of outgoing long-wave radiation activity of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the high-resolution infrared images of KALPANA-1 satellite suggest that such waves possibly originated from some nearby convective sources. An analysis of their propagation characteristics in conjunction with SABER/TIMED temperature profiles and Horizontal Wind Model (HWM 2007) wind estimates suggest that the waves propagated over long distances (~ 1200–2000 km) in atmospheric ducts.

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Short summary
This study investigates the long-distance propagation (~ 1200–2000km) of gravity waves in the Indian subcontinent using coordinated nightglow measurements at Allahabad and Gadanki (separated by ~ 12º latitude). On few occasions, an identical wave (period in range ~ 2.2–4.5h) was seen at both sites that shared a common source. Waves had large horizontal wavelength (~ 1194–2746km) and phase speed (77–331m/s). The m2 profile analysis suggests the ducted propagation of the common waves.