Large‐amplitude mesospheric response to an orographic wave generated over the Southern Ocean Auckland Islands (50.7°S) during the DEEPWAVE project

A significant mesospheric response to orographic waves was observed over the Auckland Islands (50.7°S) during the DEEPWAVE project, revealing deep atmospheric wave propagation with large amplitudes and momentum flux. The study, conducted using a suite of ground-based and airborne instruments, including the NSF Gulfstream V research aircraft, documented a mountain wave with a temperature amplitude of ~10 K and a horizontal wavelength of ~40 km, which exhibited instability and breaking at the OH layer (~83.5 km). The findings suggest that strong mesospheric responses can arise from small sources under suitable conditions, challenging previous assumptions about their rarity.

Pautet, P.-D., Taylor, M. J., Fritts, D. C., Bossert, K., Williams, B. P., Broutman, D., Ma, J., Eckermann, S. D., & Doyle, J. D. (2016). Large‐amplitude mesospheric response to an orographic wave generated over the Southern Ocean Auckland Islands (50.7°S) during the DEEPWAVE project. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 121(4), 1431–1441. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015jd024336