Numerical Modeling of the Generation of Tertiary Gravity Waves in the Mesosphere and Thermosphere During Strong Mountain Wave Events Over the Southern Andes

We investigate the effects on the mesosphere and thermosphere from a strong mountain wave (MW) event over the wintertime Southern Andes using a gravity wave (GW)‐resolving global circulation model. During this event, MWs break and attenuate at z ∼50–80 km, thereby creating local body forces that generate large‐scale secondary GWs having concentric ring structure with horizontal wavelengths λ H =500–2,000 km, horizontal phase speeds c H =70–100...