Gravity Waves Within and Above a Subalpine Forest in Complex Terrain

As part of the 2004 Carbon in the Mountains Experiment (CME04), three towers were deployed by the NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) in a subalpine forest near the long-term University of Colorado (CU) AmeriFlux tower. The towers were located in complex mountainous terrain approximately 10 km east of the Continental Divide below Niwot Ridge, Colorado. One tower is in a relatively open area while the other three towers are in a mixed-conifer subalpine forest. The topography at the site has a slope angle that ranges from 4-7 degrees. Nocturnal gravity waves are common at this site. In our study we explore: (1) the seasonal and diurnal timing of the gravity wave occurrence, (2) the conditions that are most conducive to the formation of the gravity waves, (3) how the wave characteristics differ between the forested site(s) and open site, and (4) how scalar fluxes (primarily sensible heat) are affected by the gravity waves.