Outstanding Publication Award | Research Applications Laboratory

Recipient(s)

Bob Sharman (AAP/RAL). Co-nominees and co-authors included Todd Lane (ASP/CMS), Terry Clark (MMM/CSM), and Hsiao-Ming Hsu (MMM)

Award Year

2004

Award Type

internal

Awarding Organization or Entity

UCAR

The article addresses two fundamental issues in atmospheric science that can affect aviation: the processes underlying the generation of gravity waves by cumulus convection (which can induce strong turbulence close to the tops of clouds), and the effect of lower-stratospheric gravity wave breaking on mixing and stratosphere-troposphere exchange. The work that builds on this research will help the Federal Aviation Administration develop new safety guidelines for specifying the distance between aircraft and the tops of convective clouds.