'Wave over' Phenomenon

  
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Home > Contents > 'Wave over' Phenomenon - Description


"Convective Cells"
"Wave over" Phenomenon (WOP)


The wavelike convective close cells structures were tentatively defined as "Wave over" structures.
The "gravity waves" can appear when the relatively stable and stratified air masses are disturbed by a vertical trigger from the overlying (or underlying) environment.

The inversion layer (sudden increase of the temperature with the height), which lies a little bit higher than convective close cells field, and is affected by gravity waves, has an effect on the underlying calm layer of convective clouds in such a way that those reflect the wave picture.

The wave front shows often arc-like or nearly straight-line structures.

The "Wave over" structures are not seen frequently.
They can be observed mostly over Southeast Atlantic close to the West Africa coast, around the sound coast of South America, over North Atlantic and Northwest of Indian Ocean.

Links

NASA Earth Observatory
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16416

Notes on Gravity Waves
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/akq/GWave.htm

What causes wave clouds?
http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_causes_wave_clouds.htm