Gravity Wave Fluxes in the Mesopause Region

Lidar observations of wind and temperature profiles between 85 and 100 km, conducted at the Starfire Optical Range, NM, Maui, HI are used to characterize the seasonal variations of gravity wave fluxes and their relationships to gravity wave activity in this region. At SOR, the gravity wave variance and heat flux all exhibit strong semi-annual oscillations with maxima during the summer and winter and minima during the spring and fall. At Maui, annual variation is dominant. The heat flux is also related to the stability of the background atmosphere.