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Gage, K. S.

Publications and source records attributed to Gage, K. S..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Combined flatland ST radar and digital-barometer network observations of mesoscale processes

The paper describes a six-station digital-barometer network centered on the Flatland ST radar to support observational studies of gravity waves and other mesoscale features at the Flatland Atmospheric Observatory in central Illinois. The network's current mode of operation is examined, and a preliminary example of an apparent group of waves evident throughout the network as well as throughout the troposphere is presented. Preliminary results demonstrate the capabilities of the current operational system to study wave convection, wave-front, and other coherent mesoscale interactions and processes throughout the troposphere. Unfiltered traces for the pressure and horizontal zonal wind, for days 351 to 353 UT, 1990, are illustrated.

Clark, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Enhanced frequency spectra of winds at the mesoscale based on radar profiler observations

Frequency spectra of horizontal winds in the troposphere and stratosphere, over a range of periods and frequencies, have been studied by means of two radar profilers, located at Plattenville, Colorado, and Poker Flat, Alaska, to determine if the spectra deviations from a consistent power law behavior can be verified in a statistical sense. At Plattenville, the spectrum of both zonal and meridional winds in the troposphere is found to obey a low-frequency regime at periods longer than a few hours and a high-frequency regime at periods less than 1/2 hour. The energy levels in the high-frequency regime are enhanced over those obtained by extrapolation of the low-frequency regime by a factor of 4. At Poker Flat, a similar pattern is found in the stratosphere, and the magnitude of the enhancement factor is 1.7. It is suggested that the enhanced amplitudes reflect the effects of upward-propagating gravity waves launched by the flow over a rough terrain, and that they influence the dynamics of the large-scale circulation to a great extent.

Nastrom, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Measurement of vertical velocity using clear-air Doppler radars

A new clear air Doppler radar was constructed, called the Flatland radar, in very flat terrain near Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. The radar wavelength is 6.02 m. The radar has been measuring vertical velocity every 153 s with a range resolution of 750 m almost continuously since March 2, 1987. The variance of vertical velocity at Flatland is usually quite small, comparable to the variance at radars located near rough terrain during periods of small background wind. The absence of orographic effects over very flat terrain suggests that clear air Doppler radars can be used to study vertical velocities due to other processes, including synoptic scale motions and propagating gravity waves. For example, near rough terrain the shape of frequency spectra changes drastically as the background wind increases. But at Flatland the shape at periods shorter than a few hours changes only slowly, consistent with the changes predicted by Doppler shifting of gravity wave spectra. Thus it appears that the short period fluctuations of vertical velocity at Flatland are alsmost entirely due to the propagating gravity waves.

Vanzandt, T. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Climatology of tropospheric vertical velocity spectra

Vertical velocity power spectra obtained from Poker Flat, Alaska; Platteville, Colorado; Rhone Delta, France; and Ponape, East Caroline Islands using 50-MHz clear-air radars with vertical beams are given. The spectra were obtained by analyzing the quietest periods from the one-minute-resolution time series for each site. The lengths of available vertical records ranged from as long as 6 months at Poker Flat to about 1 month at Platteville. The quiet-time vertical velocity spectra are shown. Spectral period ranging from 2 minutes to 4 hours is shown on the abscissa and power spectral density is given on the ordinate. The Brunt-Vaisala (B-V) periods (determined from nearby sounding balloons) are indicated. All spectra (except the one from Platteville) exhibit a peak at periods slightly longer than the B-V period, are flat at longer periods, and fall rapidly at periods less than the B-V period. This behavior is expected for a spectrum of internal waves and is very similar to what is observed in the ocean (Eriksen, 1978). The spectral amplitudes vary by only a factor of 2 or 3 about the mean, and show that under quiet conditions vertical velocity spectra from the troposphere are very similar at widely different locations.

Ecklund, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The proposed flatland radar

A flexible very high frequency (VHF) stratosphere-troposphere (ST) radar configured for meteorological research is to be constructed near Urbana, Illinois. Measurement of small vertical velocities associated with synoptic-scale meteorology can be performed. A large Doppler microwave radar (CHILL) is located a few km from the site of the proposed ST radar. Since the microwave radar can measure the location and velocity of hydrometeors and the VHF ST radar can measure clear (or cloudy) air velocities, simultaneous observations by these two radars of stratiform or convective weather systems would provide valuable meteorological information.

Green, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Archival of Poker Flat MST radar data

The Poker Flat MST (mesosphere stratosphere troposphere) radar has operated from early 1979 to 1985. The data recorded during that time resides on some 1100 magnetic tapes. A second set containing only the derived parameters of velocity, width and signal to noise of the primary echo at each height, plus the noise spectra, occupies another 250 tapes. While processing to generate the compressed data set does correct some known errors, no attempt has been made to identify or remove spurious echoes. Because the Poker Flat data set is such a unique and valuable resource, a proposal is made to archive the data in forms more useful for analysis. The archived data set would contain only the parameters for significant echoes with contamination from airplanes, unwanted ionospheric returns, frequently aliased Doppler signals and other sources removed. The archived set should be as good or better than the example shown and may occupy only 25 to 50 tapes.

Riddle, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Comparison of tropopause altitude determination by the Platteville Radar, Sunset Radar and the NWS Rawinsonde

During the month of March, 1981 the Sunset and Platteville Radar and Platteville Radar were operated primarily with vertical antenna beams. These radars are both VHF ST (Stratosphere-Troposphere) radars. The separation between them was 63 km, the Sunset site located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the Platteville site was in the plains, just east of the mountains. Both radars were operated continuously for about three weeks with a time resolution of a few minutes. Both made measurements in the 4 to 20 km altitude interval with an altitude sampling of 1.2 km. The purpose is to compare the estimation of the altitude of the tropopause by these two radars with the altitude of the tropopause derived from standard NWS rawinsondes.

Green, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A modified Fresnel scattering model for the parameterization of Fresnel returns, part 2.3A

A modified Fresnel scatter model is presented and the revised model is compared with observations from the Poker Flat, Alaska, radar, the SOUSY radar and the Jimcamarca radar. The modifications to the original model have been made to better account for the pulse width dependence and height dependence of backscattered power observed at vertical incidence at lower VHF. Vertical profiles of backscattered power calculated using the revised model and routine radiosonde data show good agreement with observed backscattered power profiles. Relative comparisons of backscattered power using climatological data for the model agree fairly well with observed backscattered power profiles from Poker Flat, Jicamarca, and SOUSY.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Spectral measurements of turbulence and gravity waves, part 4.2A

Recently, it has become widely recognized that gravity waves play an important role in determining the large-scale circulation of the middle atmosphere. This realization has come about, in large measure, from the realization that Rayleigh friction plays an important role in the dynamics of the middle atmosphere. Since Rayleigh friction is intimately related to the saturation of vertically propagating gravity waves, an understanding of the saturation process has become a focal point for theoretical studies. With the advent of MST radar studies of the middle atmosphere, it has become possible to determine the spectrum of horizontal atmospheric velocity fluctuations over the range of scales which comprise the gravity-wave spectrum. It has been suggested that these spectra are comprised of buoyancy waves. The controversial interpretation of these spectra is discussed.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

On the spectrum of atmospheric velocity fluctuations seen by MST/ST radar and their interpretation

The observations of the spectrum of atmospheric motions over the range of periods from a few minutes to many hours are considered that have been made with stratosphere-troposphere/mesosphere-stratosphere (ST/MST) radars in the past five years. This range of periods includes the periods associated with buoyancy waves and the scale of atmospheric motions often referred to by meteorologists as the mesoscale. The spectra of horizontal and vertical velocities are considered. Their interpretation is examined in terms of buoyancy wave theory and turbulence theory. To help in interpreting these spectra some recently determined aircraft wave number spectra are presented.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Jet stream related observations by MST radars

An overview of the jet stream and its observation by MST radar is presented. The climatology and synoptic and mesoscale structure of jet streams is briefly reviewed. MST radar observations of jet stream winds, and associated waves and turbulence are then considered. The possibility of using a network of ST radars to track jet stream winds in near real time is explored.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

On the morphology of the scattering medium as seen by MST/ST radars

Much is learned about the morphology of the small scale structures of the atmosphere from analysis of echoes observed by MST radars. The use of physical models enables a synthesis of diverse observations. Each model contains an implicit assumption about the nature of the irregularity structure of the medium. A comparison is made between the irregularity structure implicit in several models and what is known about the structure of the medium.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

On the measurement of vertical velocity by MST radar

An overview is presented of the measurement of atmospheric vertical motion utilizing the MST radar technique. Vertical motion in the atmosphere is briefly discussed as a function of scale. Vertical velocity measurement by MST radars is then considered from within the context of the expected magnitudes to be observed. Examples are drawn from published vertical velocity observations.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Diffusion coefficients estimated from turbulence data measured by the Metrac positioning system in Minneapolis field test

An analysis is presented of the tropospheric turbulence data obtained by the Metrac positioning system, a radio location system which employs the Doppler principle to track inexpensive expendable balloon-borne transmitters. A Minneapolis field test of the Metrac system provided one-second samples of transmitter frequency from balloons tracked by four ground stations for more than an hour. The derivation of diffusion coefficients from the turbulence data was conducted by two methods, yielding highly consistent results.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A feasibility study for measuring stratospheric turbulence using metrac positioning system

The feasibility of obtaining measurements of Lagrangian turbulence at stratospheric altitudes is demonstrated by using the METRAC System to track constant-level balloons. The basis for current estimates of diffusion coefficients are reviewed and it is pointed out that insufficient data is available upon which to base reliable estimates of vertical diffusion coefficients. It is concluded that diffusion coefficients could be directly obtained from Lagrangian turbulence measurements. The METRAC balloon tracking system is shown to possess the necessary precision in order to resolve the response of constant-level balloons to turbulence at stratospheric altitudes. A small sample of data recorded from a tropospheric tetroon flight tracked by the METRAC System is analyzed to obtain estimates of small-scale three-dimensional diffusion coefficients. It is recommended that this technique be employed to establish a climatology of diffusion coefficients and to ascertain the variation of these coefficients with altitude, season, and latitude.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Linear viscous stability analysis of the stratified Bickley jet

The stability of the stably stratified Bickley jet to small disturbances in a viscous, heat conducting fluid is explored by numerical integration of the governing differential equation. Curves of neutral stability are presented in the alpha-R plane and the parametric dependence of these curves upon Richardson number and Prandtl number is examined. The results show a curious bimodal behavior of the curve of neutral stability for small Richardson numbers. In addition, closed neutral curves are found for Richardson numbers in excess of the critical value for the inviscid flow. The unstable regions in the interior of these curves increase with decreasing Prandtl number. Energy balances are computed which show the relative magnitude of the Reynolds stress production, buoyancy dissipation, and viscous dissipation terms across the flow. As the thermal diffusivity becomes large compared with the kinematic viscosity, the buoyancy term is suppressed and the thermal stratification becomes irrelevant.

Gage, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Linear viscous stability theory for stably stratified shear flow - A review.

In this paper the linear viscous stability theory for stably stratified parallel shear flow is reviewed and some new results are presented. Attention is focused on recent work on unbounded flows with emphasis placed on results which demonstrate apparent destabilizing effects of diffusivity which lie beyond the scope of inviscid theory. In particular it is shown that self-excited disturbances may exist with phase speeds lying outside the range of basic flow speed and that with strong thermal diffusivity, instability may occur even though the local Richardson number exceeds 0.25 throughout the flow.

Gage, K. S.↗