Pylypenko S. Using satellite observations to determine the physical properties of the Earth's atmosphere over hurricanes

In this work physical properties of the upper atmosphere over hurricanes were studied. The behavior of temperature and the horizontal component of the wind speed in the upper atmosphere at 80-300 km height was studied. Measurements from UARS and TIMED satellites over hurricanes were analyzed. The temperature and the zonal and meridinal velocity components distributions with height were constructed for places, where the hurricanes have the most intense development before, during and after their passage. The temperature increase and the dynamic intensification were discovered up to 110 km heights over strong tropospheric perturbations. Spreading and damping of acoustic gravity waves (AGWs) from hurricanes were considered in non-isothermal wind-free atmosphere including viscosity and thermal conductivity in order to explain the observational measurements at mesopause levels. It is shown, that for the considered characteristics the maximum amplitude of the AGWs occures at about 90 km height (mesopause level). The temperatue gradient with height is the main source of the AGWs damping. Changes of temperature and pressure at the mesopause level due to AGWs damping were found.