The geospace response to variable inputs from the lower atmosphere: a review of the progress made by Task Group 4 of CAWSES-II

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Table 1 Basic characteristics of atmospheric waves

	Gravity (buoyancy) waves	Atmospheric tides	Planetary waves
Spatial scale	Local; 10 to 1,000 s of kilometers	Global; 10,000 s of kilometers	Global; 10,000 s of kilometers
Temporal scale	Minutes to hours	1 day or harmonics	Days to weeks
Excitation	Mechanical distortions, latent heating	Solar heating, latent heating	Mechanical distortions, baroclinic instabilities