REGIONAL ATMOSPHERIC GRAVITY WAVE PROPAGATION MODEL

Abstract

Based on the ray tracing technique developed in this institute during the graduate course, a model for gravity waves propagation in the atmosphere has been proposed. The model is going to use wind measurements by meteor radars and Fabry-Perot interferometers, and temperature data from the TIMED/SABER satellite. In order to validate the model, gravity waves parameters, which were observed in Brazil from airglow images, are going to be used. Model database is going to be complemented by wind (HWM and TIE-GCM) and temperature (NRLMSISE-00 and TIE-GCM) models. Wind and temperature profiles are going to cover altitudes from the surface until 400 km, with a step of 2 km. During a monthly representative day, 12 profiles are going to be calculated, and solar activity effects are going to be considered at high, moderate and low conditions. Historical measurements of small-scale gravity waves observed by our group will be used. Medium-scale gravity wave observed either 2005 or 2009 will be used as well. Expected results will be able to give us a better understanding about gravity wave sources, propagations conditions, and effects in the thermosphere-ionosphere. Finally, this model will provide a software in which, giving parameters of a gravity wave, the output will be the gravity wave path in the atmosphere.