Topographical and Local Time Dependence of Large Stationary Gravity Waves Observed at the Cloud Top of Venus.

Kouyama, T.; Imamura, T.; Taguchi, M.; Fukuhara, T.; Sato, T. M.; Yamazaki, A.; Futaguchi, M.; Murakami, S.; Hashimoto, G. L.; Ueno, M.; Iwagami, N.; Takagi, S.; Takagi, M.; Ogohara, K.; Kashimura, H.; Horinouchi, T.; Sato, N.; Yamada, M.; Yamamoto, Y.; Ohtsuki, S.

Abstract: The existence of large stationary gravity waves was discovered during Akatsuki's first observation sequence in 2015. In this study, the further detection of large stationary gravity waves in brightness temperature images over a 1.5 year period is reported. The waves periodically appeared mostly above four specific highland regions in the low latitudes when these regions were in the local afternoon. The wave amplitudes attenuated after the wave locations passed beyond the evening terminator, and the locations of the waves tended to slowly drift eastward over their lifetimes. The appearances of stationary waves depend not only on surface topography but also on latitude and local time, suggesting that solar heating during the daytime and atmospheric structure affected by solar heating may control the excitation and propagation of stationary waves.

Geophysical Research Letters, 2017, Vol 44, Issue 24, p12,098

0094-8276

Academic Journal

10.1002/2017GL075792