Abstract The generation of small-scale gravity waves associated with the breaking of mountain waves in the stratosphere has been simulated within a fully compressible, nonhydrostatic, two-dimensional numerical model. The model includes the mesosphere and offers sufficiently high spatial resolution to characterize the breaking and generation of gravity waves in the stratosphere. The mean flow is initialized by CIRA86 at 40°N in February. A bell-shaped mountain with 30-km half-width and 1.5-km height is located in the bottom of the modeled domain. The primary wave forced by the mountain propagates into the stratosphere with amplitude increasing with height and subsequently breaks in the lower stratosphere. After the primary wave breaking, significant wave activity is simulated in the stratosphere. These secondary waves are generated at both the upstream and the downstream edges of the breaking zone. Analysis is mostly focused on downstream small-scale waves. The horizontal and vertical wavelengths of the se...