This page describes a numerical simulation of waves generated by winds
blowing over a section of the Southern Andes. The mean winds and temperature
profile are taken from one of Han Li's runs for wintertime at 50 S. These
profiles extend to only an altitude slightly less than 140 km. The winds
were extended above this altitude by assuming a plausible tidal structure,
whereas the temperature profile was smoothly extended to a maximum temperature
of 800 degrees K. The wind, temperature, and N^2 profiles are shown below.
Mean wind evolution
Here the winds are initially set to zero from the surface to an altitude of
about 20 km. At this point the wind transitions to the profiles shown in the
plots above. The following plot shows the initial condition.
The mean winds near the surface are increased in time according to the profile
shown below. A hyperbolic tangent function is used in order to produce gentle
acelleration of the wind near the begininning and end of the forcing period.
The maximum forcing rate is equal to that of a linear ramp with duration
4 hours.
Animation in the xz plane at the position of maximum mountain height