The diurnal cycle of gravity waves in GNSS-RO data

Abstract

Gravity wave sources such as convection are known to have a diurnal cycle, so it is expected that gravity waves should also follow a diurnal cycle. However, although this cycle can be simulated in models and observed in ground based data at fixed locations, it is difficult to observe in global satellite observations, due to their low time resolution, particularly since most gravity wave resolving instruments have sun-synchronous orbits and therefore always observe the same local solar time. In this study, GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) data are used to investigate whether a diurnal cycle in gravity wave amplitudes can be seen in the stratosphere using these observations. Radio occultation uses GNSS signals received by a satellite that measures the bending angles and phase delay, due to these signals passing through the atmosphere. These measurements are randomly distributed in local solar time and have the high vertical resolution required to accurately resolve gravity waves. Specifically, in this work, GNSS-RO dry temperature data are used from multiple satellite missions, including COSMIC 1 and 2, Metop-A, -B and -C, and CHAMP. Wave amplitudes are found using the 1D S-Transform and the amplitudes are then binned in local solar time and averaged for each month, using all available data from the years 2001-2023. Consistent with theoretical observations, a diurnal cycle in gravity wave activity can be seen in the results and comparisons to convection data sets suggest this is strongly linked to convection. These results are also compared to wind data, which will affect the generation and filtering of the waves.