Atmospheric waveguide

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An atmospheric waveguide is a pattern of air flow that helps some waves travel farther in the atmosphere. How well a wave travels depends on the background wind—the direction and speed change the wave’s group velocity and vertical wavenumber. For example, strong westerly winds can guide eastward-moving waves, but can dampen westward-moving waves by altering their vertical structure. These changes also shift the wave’s north-south path, steering it toward the poles or toward the equator.