Properties of polar mesospheric clouds measured by Odin/OSIRIS in the northern hemisphere in 2002–2005

Interseasonal variations in the properties of Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC) measured by the Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS) on the Odin satellite during the northern hemisphere (NH) summers of 2002–2005 are described in this work. The lowest PMC latitudes were about 50°N for every season with the number of detections smallest in 2002 and largest in 2004. In 2004 and 2005, the detection of PMCs at lower latitudes was asymmetric with the larger number of clouds observed during the first half and fewer at during the second half of the season. PMC occurrence frequency in 2002 was 25–30% lower than in 2003–2005, and the season duration was shortest in 2002 and longest in 2004. For all NH seasons except 2002, PMC occurrence frequency was systematically 20–50% higher than the Solar Mesosphere Explorer climatology. Similar to PMC occurrence frequency, cloud brightness was lowest in 2002 and highest in 2004 at all latitudes. The daily mean brightness maximum at 50°–60°N was less than 8% of that at highest latitudes. This contrasts with the maximum PMC occurrence frequency that reached nearly 30% at these latitudes in 2004 and 2005. PMC brightness showed no apparent seasonal asymmetry at lower latitudes in 2004 and 2005 that was seen in the occurrence frequency. Significant, by about a factor of 2, oscillations observed in the daily mean cloud brightness at high latitudes were also not seen in the corresponding occurrence frequency. These results suggest that the occurrence frequency alone does not provide detailed information on the cloud population and ice mass in the mesosphere. There is no significant interannual variability in the seasonal mean OSIRIS PMC altitude. Its value was very close to 8350 km for all seasons except 2004 when it was 83.42 km. The mean PMC altitudes for each season increased by 0.3–0.6 when the minimum altitude in the database was increased from 80 to 82 km. PACS Nos.: 92.05.Fg, 92.60.hc, 92.60.Jq, 92.60.Mt, 92.60.Nv, 92.60.Vb

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Effect of Madden–Julian Oscillation Occurrence Frequency on the Interannual Variability of Northern Hemisphere Stratospheric Wave Activity in Winter

Journal of Climate ◽

10.1175/jcli-d-17-0476.1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (13) ◽

pp. 5031-5049 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Feiyang Wang ◽

Wenshou Tian ◽

Fei Xie ◽

Jiankai Zhang ◽

Yuanyuan Han

Keyword(s):

Interannual Variability ◽

Northern Hemisphere ◽

Wave Train ◽

Wave Activity ◽

Occurrence Frequency ◽

Boreal Winter ◽

High Latitudes ◽

Madden Julian Oscillation ◽

Flux Divergence ◽

P Flux

This study uses reanalysis datasets and numerical experiments to investigate the influence of the occurrence frequency of the individual phases of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on the interannual variability of stratospheric wave activity in the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during boreal winter [November–February (NDJF)]. Our analysis reveals that the occurrence frequency of MJO phase 4 in winter is significantly positively correlated with the interannual variability of the Eliassen–Palm (E–P) flux divergence anomalies in the northern extratropical stratosphere; that is, higher (lower) occurrence frequency of MJO phase 4 corresponds to weaker (stronger) upward wave fluxes and increased (decreased) E–P flux divergence anomalies in the middle and upper stratosphere at mid-to-high latitudes, which implies depressed (enhanced) wave activity accompanied by a stronger (weaker) polar vortex in that region. The convection anomalies over the Maritime Continent related to MJO phase 4 excite a Rossby wave train that propagates poleward to middle and high latitudes, and is in antiphase with the climatological stationary waves of wavenumber 1 at middle and high latitudes. As the spatial distribution of the convection anomalies during MJO phase 7 has an almost opposite, but weaker, pattern to that during MJO phase 4, the occurrence frequency of MJO phase 7 has an opposite and weaker effect on the northern extratropical stratosphere to MJO phase 4. However, the other MJO phases (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) cannot significantly influence the northern extratropical stratosphere because the wave responses in these phases are neither totally in nor out of phase with the background stationary wavenumber 1.

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Interannual variability of precipitable water

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.1007/s00585-996-0464-1 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 464-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. P. Kane

Keyword(s):

Interannual Variability ◽

Southern Hemisphere ◽

Northern Hemisphere ◽

Precipitable Water ◽

Radiosonde Data ◽

High Latitudes ◽

Zonal Winds ◽

Low Latitudes ◽

Linear Trends

Abstract. The 12-month running means of the surface-to-500 mb precipitable water obtained from analysis of radiosonde data at seven selected locations showed three types of variability viz: (1) quasi-biennial oscillations; these were different in nature at different latitudes and also different from the QBO of the stratospheric tropical zonal winds; (2) decadal effects; these were prominent at middle and high latitudes and (3) linear trends; these were prominent at low latitudes, up trends in the Northern Hemisphere and downtrends in the Southern Hemisphere.

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Simultaneous Retrievals of Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs) with Ozone from OMI UV measurements

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-15-25907-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (18) ◽

pp. 25907-25932

Author(s):

J. Bak ◽

X. Liu ◽

J. H. Kim ◽

M. T. Deland ◽

K. Chance

Keyword(s):

Optimal Estimation ◽

High Latitudes ◽

Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Ozone Profile ◽

Back Scattering ◽

Sensitivity Studies ◽

Systematic Biases ◽

Retrieval Errors ◽

Mesospheric Clouds

Abstract. The presence of polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) at high latitudes could affect the retrieval of ozone profiles using backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) measurements. PMC-induced errors in ozone profile retrievals from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) BUV measurements are investigated through comparisons with Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) ozone measurements. This comparison demonstrates that the presence of PMCs leads to systematic biases at altitudes above 6 hPa in summer high latitudes; the biases increase from ~ −2 % at 2 hPa to ~ −20 % at 0.5 hPa on average, and are significantly correlated with brightness of PMCs. Sensitivity studies show that the radiance sensitivity to PMCs strongly depends on wavelengths, increasing by a factor of ~ 4 from 300 to 265 nm. It also strongly depends on the PMC scattering, thus depending on viewing geometry. The optimal estimation-based retrieval sensitivity analysis shows that PMCs located at 80–85 km have the greatest effect on ozone retrievals at ~ 0.2 hPa (~ 60 km), where the retrieval errors range from −2.5 % with PMC optical depth (POD) of 10−4 to −20 % with 10−3 at back scattering angles, and the impacts increase by a factor of ~ 5 at forward scattering angles due to stronger PMC sensitivities. To reduce the interference of PMCs on ozone retrievals, we perform simultaneous retrievals of POD and ozone with a loose constraint of 10−3 for POD, which results in retrieval errors of 1–4 × 10−4. It is demonstrated that the negative bias of OMI ozone retrievals relative to MLS could be improved by including the PMC in the forward model calculation and retrieval.

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Local and Remote Planetary Wave Effects on Polar Mesospheric Clouds in the Northern Hemisphere in 2014

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres ◽

10.1029/2017jd028224 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 123 (10) ◽

pp. 5149-5162 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

J. A. France ◽

C. E. Randall ◽

R. S. Lieberman ◽

V. L. Harvey ◽

S. D. Eckermann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Northern Hemisphere ◽

Planetary Wave ◽

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Wave Effects ◽

Mesospheric Clouds

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On the mean particle size and water content of polar mesospheric clouds

Planetary and Space Science ◽

10.1016/0032-0633(85)90077-7 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 33 (10) ◽

pp. 1209-1224 ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

Gary E. Thomas ◽

Christopher P. McKay

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Water Content ◽

Mean Particle Size ◽

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

The Mean ◽

Mesospheric Clouds

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Climatology of Polar Mesospheric Clouds: Interannual Variability and Implications for Long-Term Trends

The Upper Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere: A Review of Experiment and Theory - Geophysical Monograph Series ◽

10.1029/gm087p0185 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 185-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Gary E. Thomas

Keyword(s):

Interannual Variability ◽

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Long Term Trends ◽

Mesospheric Clouds

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Improvement of OMI ozone profile retrievals by simultaneously fitting polar mesospheric clouds

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques ◽

10.5194/amt-9-4521-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 4521-4531 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Juseon Bak ◽

Xiong Liu ◽

Jae H. Kim ◽

Matthew T. Deland ◽

Kelly Chance

Keyword(s):

Optimal Estimation ◽

High Latitudes ◽

Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Ozone Profile ◽

Sensitivity Studies ◽

Systematic Biases ◽

Ozone Monitoring ◽

Retrieval Errors ◽

Mesospheric Clouds

Abstract. The presence of polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) at summer high latitudes could affect the retrieval of ozone profiles using backscattered ultraviolet (UV) measurements. PMC-induced errors in ozone profile retrievals from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) backscattered UV measurements are investigated through comparisons with Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) ozone measurements. This comparison demonstrates that the presence of PMCs leads to systematic biases for pressures smaller than 6 hPa; the biases increase from ∼ −2 % at 2 hPa to ∼ −20 % at 0.5 hPa on average and are significantly correlated with brightness of PMCs. Sensitivity studies show that the radiance sensitivity to PMCs strongly depends on wavelength, increasing by a factor of ∼  4 from 300 to 265 nm. It also strongly depends on the PMC scattering, thus depending on viewing geometry. The optimal estimation-based retrieval sensitivity analysis shows that PMCs located at 80–85 km have the greatest effect on ozone retrievals at ∼  0.2 hPa ( ∼  60 km), where the retrieval errors range from −2.5 % with PMC vertical optical depth (POD) of 10−4 to −20 % with 10−3 POD at backscattering angles. The impacts increase by a factor of ∼  5 at forward-scattering angles due to stronger PMC sensitivities. To reduce the interference of PMCs on ozone retrievals, we perform simultaneous retrievals of POD and ozone with a loose constraint of 10−3 for POD, which results in retrieval errors of 1–4 × 10−4. It is demonstrated that the negative bias of OMI ozone retrievals relative to MLS can be improved by including the PMC in the forward-model calculation and retrieval.

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Application of tomographic algorithms to Polar Mesospheric Cloud observations by Odin/OSIRIS

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions ◽

10.5194/amtd-5-3693-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 3693-3716 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

K. Hultgren ◽

J. Gumbel ◽

D. A. Degenstein ◽

A. E. Bourassa ◽

N. D. Lloyd

Keyword(s):

Vertical Structure ◽

Line Of Sight ◽

Multiple Views ◽

Maximum Probability ◽

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Short Limb ◽

Infrared Imager ◽

Long Line ◽

Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Tomographic Analysis

Abstract. Limb-scanning satellites can provide global information about the vertical structure of Polar Mesospheric Clouds. However, information about horizontal structures usually remains limited. This is due to both a long line of sight and a long scan duration. On eighteen days during the Northern Hemisphere summers 2010–2011 and the Southern Hemisphere summer 2011/2012, the Swedish-led Odin satellite was operated in a special mesospheric mode with short limb scans limited to the altitude range of Polar Mesospheric Clouds. For Odin's Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS) this provides multiple views through a given cloud volume and, thus, a basis for tomographic analysis of the vertical/horizontal cloud structure. Here we present algorithms for tomographic analysis of mesospheric clouds based on maximum probability techniques. We also present results of simulating OSIRIS tomography and retrieved cloud structures from the special tomographic periods.

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Measurements of Global Distributions of Polar Mesospheric Clouds during 2005–2012 by MIPAS/Envisat

10.5194/acp-2016-116 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Maya García-Comas ◽

Manuel López-Puertas ◽

Bernd Funke ◽

Á. Aythami Jurado-Navarro ◽

Angela Gardini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polar Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Ice Volume ◽

Ice Concentration ◽

Ice Water Content ◽

The Mean ◽

The Difference ◽

Mesospheric Clouds ◽

Ice Water ◽

First Time ◽

Northern And Southern Hemispheres

Abstract. We have analysed the MIPAS IR measurements of PMCs for the summer seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres from 2005 to 2012. Measurements of PMCs using this technique are very useful because they are sensitive to the total ice volume independent of particle size. For the first time, MIPAS has provided coverage of the PMCs total ice volume from mid-latitudes to the poles. MIPAS measurements indicate the existence of a continuous layer of mesospheric ice, extending from about ~ 81 km up to about 88–89 km on average and from the poles to about 50–60º in each hemisphere, increasing in concentration with proximity to the poles. We have found that the ice concentration is larger in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. The ratio between the ice water content (IWC) in both hemispheres is also latitude-dependent, varying from a NH / SH ratio of 1.4 close to the poles to a factor of 2.1 around 60º. This also implies that PMCs extend to lower latitudes in the NH. A very clear feature of the MIPAS observations is that PMCs tend to be at higher altitudes with increasing distance from the polar region (in both hemispheres), particularly equator-wards of 70º, and that they are about 1 km higher in the SH than in the NH. The difference between the mean altitude of the PMC layer and the mesopause altitude increases towards the poles and is larger in the NH than in the SH. The PMC layers are denser and wider when the frost point temperature occurs at lower altitudes. The layered water vapour structure caused by sequestration and by sublimation of PMCs is more pronounced at latitudes northernmost of 70 degrees. Finally, MIPAS observations have also shown a clear impact of the migrating diurnal tide on the diurnal variation of the PMCs ice concentration.

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