Talk:Lee waves
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I just want to comment on the figure displayed to illustrate this topic, which fails to portray an important feature of lee waves.
The figures shows an air flow that is pressed up over a montain, and then, further up, by a rotor.
This is incorrect. Actually, the airflow, moves down behind the mountain and beyond its original altitude. In a stable atmosphere, this will cause the air to 'bounce' up again, and then oscillate about its original altitude, creating a sequence of standing waves. The rotor will usually form under the top of each wave. If the conditions are 'right', such waves may propagate upwards to the tropospause (and even beyond). In fact, glider pilots have used the upward moving part of lee waves to climb to altitudes of 50.000 feet/15.000m above sea level.
