Satellite imagery from NOAA-21 captured atmospheric gravity waves radiating outward into the stratosphere and mesosphere from Hurricane Simon. Intense updrafts near the storm eyewall, driven by the release of latent heat, displace the surrounding air and trigger ripples where gravity acts as the restoring force. The waves registered as subtle brightness fluctuations in airglow, a faint natural luminescence in the upper atmosphere picked up by the satellite's day-night band.
Direct observations like this are rare because high-altitude winds usually shear the ripples apart before they climb high enough, and stray moonlight easily washes out the faint airglow. It is a striking demonstration of how deeply a hurricane couples the ocean surface to the upper atmosphere, though capturing the phenomenon remains an observational stroke of luck rather than a reliable diagnostic tool.
more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261015073207.htm
Leave a Reply