Enhanced Lidar Signal Interpretation of Gravity Waves Using Multiresolution Analysis

Atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) are a key area of research due to their significant impact on atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, as well as the ongoing challenges in resolving small-scale structures in weather prediction and climate models. Over the past four decades, lidars have proven to be invaluable observational instruments for providing detailed insights into vertically propagating GWs in the middle atmosphere.

To advance the characterization of GWs, various signal processing techniques have been developed to extract GW-induced perturbations and calculate their associated potential and kinetic energy densities. In this study, we introduce a multiresolution analysis (MRA) method that enhances the interpretation of lidar signals by decomposing GWs into successive vertical wavelength bands, enabling a more refined understanding of their structure and dynamics. The MRA method is compared to conventional approaches by extracting perturbations and computing energy density profiles from temperature (from 30 to  80 km) and wind (from 7 to 60 km) lidar profiles observed on the night of November 20, 2023, over La Réunion (21.0°S, 55.5°E). 

The results highlight the MRA method's superior efficiency in analyzing GWs embedded within lidar vertical profiles of temperature and horizontal wind, offering a powerful tool for advancing the study of atmospheric wave processes in the middle atmosphere.