2014 AGU Fall meeting
Date
15.12. – 19.12.2014
Location
San Francisco, USA
Description
A session at the Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union entitled "Polar Gravity Wave Dynamics and Effects" (ID#3632) will provide an Antarctic/polar focus for research into polar gravity waves.
Gravity waves have long been known as a key driver of the general circulation and temperature structure of the middle and upper atmosphere through their ability to transport significant energy and momentum upwards from multiple tropospheric sources. Recent understanding of their effects on the middle atmosphere and coupled thermosphere/ionosphere has been significantly improved by theoretical, observational, and modeling studies. However, the contributions of gravity waves at polar latitudes, including their interactions with the thermosphere and space weather environment, are not well understood, primarily due to a paucity of measurements. Recent satellite missions and ground-based instrument networks are contributing new data for studying polar gravity wave dynamics and their effects in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. We solicit papers focusing on new observational, theoretical, and modeling studies of polar gravity wave sources, propagation, instabilities, and effects on local, regional, and global scales.