Recent results from studies of the energetics of the atmosphere show bimodal peaks in the vertical energy spectrum of large-scale motions. However, few details are known of the physical processes responsible for the vertical energy spectrum or of energy transformations. The principal investigator will examine the energy spectrum, its maintenance, and energy transformation in the vertical spectral domain using the analyzed fields of data from the 1979 Global Weather Experiment (the so-called FGGE III-b data) and a three-dimensional spectral model. The research will employ a numerical framework known as normal modes for the analysis. The results will show how energy is redistributed vertically to motion at many scales. Ultimately, the research could serve as a basis for improvements for global numerical models.
