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Area W: Wave processes

Area W focuses on gravity waves in ocean and atmosphere. Gravity waves occur within a fluid or at the interface between two media of different density when the force of gravity or buoyancy tries to restore equilibrium. They exist for example at the surface of the ocean or even within the ocean or atmosphere if the fluid is stratified in density. These latter waves are called internal gravity waves. The projects in area W investigate internal wave processes the ocean and extend new ideas to the atmosphere.

Further investigate the ocean, new ideas for the atmosphere

In two projects our scientists will focus on the ocean, i.a. quantifying the generation and propagation of internal waves and extending as well as validating gravity wave closures for the ocean. A third project explores a new parameterisation concepts for gravity waves in the atmosphere.

Specific research questions in Area W are:

  • What are dominant mechanisms and processes for gravity waves in the atmosphere and how can we better parameterise them?
  • How do gravity waves propagate and dissipate in the ocean and how can we better parameterise the wave effects on the ocean circulation?

  • Brüggemann, N., Losch, M., Scholz, P., Pollmann, F., Danilov, S., Gutjahr, O., Jungclaus, J., Koldunov, N., Korn, P., Olbers, D., Eden, C. (2024). Parameterized Internal Wave Mixing in Three Ocean General Circulation Models. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 16, e2023MS003768. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023MS003768

  • Mahó, S. I., Žagar, N., Lunkeit, F. & Vasylkevych, S. (2024). The mechanism of scale selection for mixed Rossby-gravity waves in the upper troposphere and the upper stratosphere. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL110811. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110811