Spectra of Acoustic-Gravity Waves in the Atmosphere with a Quasi-Isothermal Upper Layer

Abstract

In this paper, we study, in theoretical terms, the structure of the spectrum of acoustic-gravity waves (AGWs) in the nonisothermal atmosphere having asymptotically constant temperature at high altitudes. A mathematical problem of wave propagation from arbitrary initial perturbations in the half-infinite nonisothermal atmosphere is formulated and analyzed for a system of linearized hydrodynamic equations for small-amplitude waves. Besides initial and lower boundary conditions at the ground, wave energy conservation requirements are applied. In this paper, we show that this mathematical problem belongs to the class of wave problems having self-adjoint evolution operators, which ensures the correctness and existence of solutions for a wide range of atmospheric temperature stratifications. A general solution of the problem can be built in the form of basic eigenfunction expansions of the evolution operator. The paper shows that wave frequencies considered as eigenvalues of the self-adjoint evolution operator are real and form two global branches corresponding to high- and low-frequency AGW modes. These two branches are separated since the Brunt–Vaisala frequency is smaller than the acoustic cutoff frequency at the upper boundary of the model. Wave modes belonging to the low-frequency global spectral branch have properties of internal gravity waves (IGWs) at all altitudes. Wave modes of the high-frequency spectral branch at different altitudes may have properties of IGWs or acoustic waves depending on local stratification. The results of simulations using a high-resolution nonlinear numerical model confirm possible changes of AGW properties at different altitudes in the nonisothermal atmosphere.

Keywords

• acoustic-gravity waves
• internal gravity waves
• acoustic waves
• upper atmosphere
• wave frequency spectrum