Effects of wave‐induced diffusion on thermospheric acoustic‐gravity waves

When wave‐induced diffusion is included in the equations governing acoustic‐gravity wave propagation in an atmosphere in diffusive equilibrium, it is found that phase and amplitude relationships between the density fluctuations of individual atmospheric constituents agree with AE‐C satellite observations of wavelike structure only over a narrow range of wave periods. For a 400 km horizontal wavelength, the observations are consistent with internal gravity waves of periods 11.5‐22 minutes propagating at phase speeds 300‐600 m/sec.