COSMIC GPS observations of topographic gravity waves in the stratosphere around the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

Temperature profiles provided by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) global positioning system (GPS) satellite constellation were used to study an eight-year series (2007 to 2015) of gravity wave (GW) potential energy in the stratosphere (18–30 km) around the Tibetan Plateau (TP). We found that with increasing altitude, the GW potential energy ( E p ) values in the stratosphere caused by convection decreases. The importance of GWs that are stimulated by topography is enhanced in this area. In the TP, which was considered to lack strong topographical GW activity, clear activity existed in the spring and winter of all studied years. Based on the latitudinal zone of the TP, the distribution of GW potential energy is highly consistent with the elevation of the local topography. The activities of topographical GWs are strongly filtered as they propagate upward to the area of zero speed wind. The analysis indicates that in the TP, clear orographic GW excitation exists and propagates upward to the upper stratosphere, where it is greatly influenced by the wind.