Seasonal variation of gravity waves in the Equatorial Middle Atmosphere: results from ISRO's Middle Atmospheric Dynamics (MIDAS) program

Abstract. Altitude profiles of temperature in the stratospheric and mesopheric region from lidar observations at NARL, Gadanki, India, during December 2002–April 2005, as part of ISRO's Middle Atmospheric Dynamics – "MIDAS (2002–2005)" program are used to study the characteristics of gravity waves and their seasonal variation. Month-to-month variation of the gravity wave activity observed during the period of December 2002–April 2005 show maximum wave activity, with primary peaks in May 2003, August 2004 and March 2005 and secondary peaks in February 2003 and November 2004. This month-to-month variation in gravity wave activity is linked to the variation in the strength of the sources, viz. convection and wind shear, down below at the tropospheric region, estimated from MST radar measurements at the same location. Horizontal wind shear is found to be mostly correlated with wave activity than convection, and sometimes both sources are found to contribute towards the wave activity.