Wind Observations from the U.S.N.S. Vanguard during GATE Phase I

Abstract

The U.S.N.S. Vanguard provided a set of high quality upper-air wind data during GATE which should he uniquely valuable to researchers. The figures in this note are intended to illustrate the excellent vertical resolution and apparent accuracy of these observations, which were obtained by a high precision tracking radar. The examples have been chosen from Phase I when the ship was positioned at the center of the B army (8.5°N, 23.5°W). The natural evolution of some jet and ?wave? features is portrayed in detail as a function of height over periods of a few hours and a few days, respectively. In addition to possible stratosphere ?waves? identified in previous studies, the data show that features with 1 km vertical wavelengths are present which may be associated with planetary inertia-gravity waves.