Practical Application of Two-Turning-Point Theory to Mountain-Wave Transmission through a Wind Jet

Abstract

Abstract A Fourier method is used to model mountain waves that have nearby turning points in a wind jet. In Fourier space, the propagation equations are solved by ray theory. To correct for the ray singularity at a turning point without time-consuming special-function evaluations, the ray solution is linearly interpolated across the breakdown region. The Fourier solutions for the spatial wavefield are compared with mesoscale model simulations in two cases: two-dimensional flow over idealized topography with uniform stratification and a sech-squared wind profile and three-dimensional flow over the island of Jan Mayen with stratification and wind profiles taken from radiosonde measurements. The latter case reveals the partial transmission of trapped mountain waves into the stratosphere.