Recent Developments in Gravity Wave Effects in Climate Models, and the Global Distribution of Gravity Wave Momentum Flux from Observations and Models

M. J. ALEXANDER1, M. GELLER2, C. MCLANDRESS3, S. POLAVARAPU4, P. PREUSSE5, F. SASSI6, K. SATO7, S.ECKERMANN6, M. ERN5, A. HERTZOG8, Y. KAWATANI9, M. PULIDO3, T. SHAW10, M. SIGMOND3, R.VINCENT11, S. WATANABE9

QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: Reading UK; Año: 2010 vol. 136 p. 1103 - 1124

0035-9009

Recent observational and theoretical studies of the global properties of small-scale atmospheric gravity waves havehighlighted the global effects of these waves on the circulation from the surface to the middle atmosphere. The effects of gravitywaves on the large-scale circulation have long been treated via parametrizations in both climate and weather forecasting applications.In these parametrizations, key parameters describe the global distributions of gravity wave momentum flux, wavelengths, andfrequencies of the waves. Until recently, global observations could not define the needed parameters because the waves are smallin scale and intermittent in occurrence. Recent satellite and other global data sets with improved resolution along with innovativeanalysis methods are now providing constraints for the parametrizations that can improve the treatment of these waves in climateprediction models. Research using very high resolution global models has also recently demonstrated the capability of resolvinggravity waves and their circulation effects, and when tested against observations, these models are showing some very realisticproperties. Here we review recent studies on gravity wave effects in stratosphere-resolving climate models, recent observations andanalysis methods that reveal global patterns in gravity wave momentum fluxes, and results of the very high resolution model studies,and we outline some future research needs to improve the treatment of these waves in climate simulations.