Investigation of vertical mixing during mountain wave activity from trace gas analysis

Trace gas measurements of ozone, carbon monoxide, and water vapor will be used to investigate vertical transport and atmospheric mixing during times of mountain wave activity in the lee of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The trace gas data is compiled from several research flights that were conducted over the Owens Valley, located between the Sierra Nevada and Inyo Mountains, during the T-REX field campaign in spring 2006. Instances of mountain waves with amplitudes up to +/- 10 m/s were sampled during these flights at altitudes between 30 and 43 kft, however very few instances of turbulence were observed as evident from casual inspection of thermodynamic and wind measurements. We will compare tracer measurements from upstream and downstream vertical soundings with horizontal flight tracks to determine if vertical mixing is significant during periods of wave activity.