Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 4 1 2004 10.5194/acpd-4-969-2004 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/4/969/2004/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/4/969/2004/acpd-4-969-2004.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/4/969/2004/acpd-4-969-2004.pdf 969 989 2004-02-11 Simultaneous lidar observations of temperatures and waves in the polar middle atmosphere on both sides of the Scandinavian mountains: a case study on 19/20 January 2003 U. Blum blum@physik.uni-bonn.de K. H. Fricke G. Baumgarten A. Schöch Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn, D-53115 Bonn, Germany Leibniz-Institut für Atmosphärenphysik e.V., D-18225 Kühlungsborn, Germany Atmospheric gravity waves have been the subject of intense research for several decades because of their extensive effects on the atmospheric circulation and the temperature structure. The U. Bonn lidar at the Esrange and the ALOMAR RMR lidar at the Andøya Rocket Range are located in northern Scandinavia 250 km apart on either side of the Scandinavian mountain ridge. During January and February 2003 both lidar systems conducted measurements and retrieved atmospheric temperatures. On 19/20 January 2003 simultaneous measurements for more than 7 h were possible. Although during most of the campaign time the atmosphere was not transparent for the propagation of orographically induced gravity waves, they could propagate and were observed at both lidar stations during these simultaneous measurements. The wave patterns at ALOMAR show a random distribution with time whereas at the Esrange a persistency in the wave patterns is observable. This persistency can also be found in the distribution of the most powerful vertical wavelengths. The mode values are both at about 5 km vertical wavelength, however the distributions are quite different, narrow at the Esrange containing values from λ_z=2–6 km and broad at ALOMAR, covering λ_z=1–12 km vertical wavelength. At both stations the waves deposit energy in the atmosphere with increasing altitude, which leads to a decrease of the observed gravity wave potential energy density with altitude. These measurements show unambigiously orographically induced gravity waves on both sides of the mountains as well as a clear difference of the characteristics of these waves, which might be caused by different excitation and propagation conditions on either side of the Scandinavian mountain ridge.