A Global Survey of Static Stability in the Stratosphere and Upper Troposphere

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 2275-2292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Grise ◽  
David W. J. Thompson ◽  
Thomas Birner
Keyword(s):  
Inversion Layer ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Static Stability ◽  
Stability Field ◽  
Vertical Resolution ◽  
Quasi Biennial Oscillation ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Global Survey ◽  
High Vertical Resolution

Abstract Static stability is a fundamental dynamical quantity that measures the vertical temperature stratification of the atmosphere. However, the magnitude and structure of finescale features in this field are difficult to discern in temperature data with low vertical resolution. In this study, the authors apply more than six years of high vertical resolution global positioning system radio occultation temperature profiles to document the long-term mean structure and variability of the global static stability field in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. The most pronounced feature in the long-term mean static stability field is the well-known transition from low values in the troposphere to high values in the stratosphere. Superposed on this general structure are a series of finer-scale features: a minimum in static stability in the tropical upper troposphere, a broad band of high static stability in the tropical stratosphere, increases in static stability within the core of the stratospheric polar vortices, and a shallow but pronounced maximum in static stability just above the tropopause at all latitudes [i.e., the “tropopause inversion layer” (TIL)]. The results shown here provide the first global survey of static stability using high vertical resolution data and also uncover two novel aspects of the static stability field. In the tropical lower stratosphere, the results reveal a unique vertically and horizontally varying static stability structure, with maxima located at ∼17 and ∼19 km. The upper feature peaks during the NH cold season and has its largest magnitude between 10° and 15° latitude in both hemispheres; the lower feature exhibits a weaker seasonal cycle and is centered at the equator. The results also demonstrate that the strength of the TIL is closely tied to stratospheric dynamic variability. The magnitude of the TIL is enhanced following sudden stratospheric warmings in the polar regions and the easterly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation in the tropics.

scholarly journals Composite analysis of the tropopause inversion layer in extratropical baroclinic waves

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 6621-6636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Kaluza ◽  
Daniel Kunkel ◽  
Peter Hoor
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Inversion Layer ◽  
Static Stability ◽  
Composite Analysis ◽  
Sea Level Pressure ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic

Abstract. The evolution of the tropopause inversion layer (TIL) during cyclogenesis in the North Atlantic storm track is investigated using operational meteorological analysis data (Integrated Forecast System from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). For this a total of 130 cyclones have been analysed during the months August through October between 2010 and 2014 over the North Atlantic. Their paths of migration along with associated flow features in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) have been tracked based on the mean sea level pressure field. Subsets of the 130 cyclones have been used for composite analysis using minimum sea level pressure to filter the cyclones based on their strength. The composite structure of the TIL strength distribution in connection with the overall UTLS flow strongly resembles the structure of the individual cyclones. Key results are that a strong dipole in TIL strength forms in regions of cyclonic wrap-up of UTLS air masses of different origin and isentropic potential vorticity. These air masses are associated with the cyclonic rotation of the underlying cyclones. The maximum values of enhanced static stability above the tropopause occur north and northeast of the cyclone centre, vertically aligned with outflow regions of strong updraft and cloud formation up to the tropopause, which are situated in anticyclonic flow patterns in the upper troposphere. These regions are co-located with a maximum of vertical shear of the horizontal wind. The strong wind shear within the TIL results in a local minimum of Richardson numbers, representing the possibility for turbulent instability and potential mixing (or air mass exchange) within regions of enhanced static stability in the lowermost stratosphere.

Development of Microwave Limb Sounder

2012 ◽  
Vol 500 ◽  
pp. 204-211
Author(s):  
Yue Feng Zhao ◽  
Jing Li
Keyword(s):  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Vertical Resolution ◽  
Jet Propulsion ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
The Past ◽  
High Vertical Resolution ◽  
Temperature And Pressure ◽  
Jet Propulsion Laboratory ◽  
Lower Noise ◽  
Higher Sensitivity

Microwave limb sounding is powerful to measure atmospheric compositions, temperature and pressure with high vertical resolution. During the past few decades many countries have developed several Microwave limb sounders to improve our understanding of stratospheric ozone chemistry and dynamics, the interaction of composition and climate and pollution in the upper troposphere. This issue will outline five existed MLS instrument and analyze their adopted techniques for lower noise and higher sensitivity as well as their capabilities comparisons. In American, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has already developed three MLS instruments: the UARS-MLS, EOS-MLS and CAMEO-SMLS which is ready for launch in 2011. In Japan, its JEM/SMILES is the first MLS instrument to use superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixers with a mechanical 4-K refrigerator in space. In Sweden, the millimeter and sub millimeter limb-emission sounder on Odin uses actively cooled Schottky receivers with auto-correlators and wide hand AOS.

scholarly journals Composite analysis of the tropopause inversion layer in extratropical baroclinic waves

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Kaluza ◽  
Daniel Kunkel ◽  
Peter Hoor
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Inversion Layer ◽  
Static Stability ◽  
Composite Analysis ◽  
Sea Level Pressure ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic

Abstract. The variability and similarities in the evolution of the tropopause inversion (TIL) layer during cyclongenesis in the North Atlantic storm track are investigated using operational meteorological analysis data (Integrated Forecast System from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). For this a total amount of 130 cyclones have been analysed which evolved during the months August through October between 2010–2014 over the North Atlantic. Their paths of migration along with associated flow features in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UTLS) have been tracked using the mean sea level pressure. Subsets of the 130 cyclones have been used for composite analysis using minimum sea level pressure to filter the cyclones based on their strength. The composite structure of the TIL strength distribution in connection with the overall UTLS flow strongly resembles the structure of the individual cyclones. Key results are that a strong dipole in tropopause inversion layer strength forms in regions of cyclonic wrap-up of UTLS air masses of different origin and isentropic potential vorticity. These air masses are associated with the cyclonic rotation of the underlaying cyclones. The maximum values of enhanced static stability above the tropopause occur north and northeast of the cyclone centre, vertically aligned with outflow regions of strong updraft and cloud formation up to the tropopause, which are situated in anticyclonic flow patterns in the upper troposphere. These regions are colocated with a maximum of vertical shear of the horizontal wind. The strong wind shear within the TIL results in a local minimum of Richardson numbers, representing the possibility for turbulent instability and potential mixing (or air mass exchange) within regions of enhanced static stability in the lowermost stratosphere.

scholarly journals Hydrological tracers for assessing transport and dissipation processes of pesticides in a model constructed wetland system

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Fernández-Pascual ◽  
Marcus Bork ◽  
Birte Hensen ◽  
Jens Lange
Keyword(s):  
Constructed Wetland ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Free Water ◽  
Vertical Resolution ◽  
Term Basis ◽  
High Vertical Resolution ◽  
Wetland System ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Dissipation Processes

Abstract. Hydrological tracers have been recently used as a low-cost approach to study the fate and transport of pesticides in constructed wetlands. Yet, internal temporal and spatial mechanisms that dominate their transport and dissipation in such environments are still not fully understood. We have applied three tracers with different sorptive and reactive properties: bromide (Br), uranine (UR) and sulforhodamine B (SRB) to investigate dominant temporal and spatial transport and dissipation processes of three selected pesticides: boscalid, penconazole and metazachlor in a model constructed wetland system designed to perform high vertical-resolution sampling and monitoring on a long-term basis. The experimental observations revealed that two different preferential flow paths developed, one due to the constructional design of the inflow and the other one due to the influence of the free water at the surface along with the plants. Transport of solutes was driven by the injections and dominated for Br, UR and metazachlor. The final mass balance highlighted that the main dissipation pathways were sorption, transformation and plant uptake. Sorption was detected immediately after the injection of solutes, while transformation was enhanced by the presence of plants and the promotion of aerobic conditions. The detection of metazachlor transformation products confirmed the contribution of transformation to metazachlor dissipation, whereas boscalid and penconazole mainly experienced sorption processes. The use of hydrological tracers together with selected pesticides and coupled with high vertical-resolution sampling and monitoring proved to provide valuable information about transport vectors and dissipation processes of pesticides in a vegetated redox-dynamic environment on a long-term basis and detailed spatial scale.

A Long-Term, High-Quality, High-Vertical-Resolution GPS Dropsonde Dataset for Hurricane and Other Studies

2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 961-973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junhong (June) Wang ◽  
Kate Young ◽  
Terry Hock ◽  
Dean Lauritsen ◽  
Dalton Behringer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Scientific Instrument ◽  
Vertical Resolution ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Environmental Interactions ◽  
High Vertical Resolution ◽  
Flight Level ◽  
The Impact

Abstract A GPS dropsonde is a scientific instrument deployed from research and operational aircraft that descends through the atmosphere by a parachute. The dropsonde provides high-quality, high-vertical-resolution profiles of atmospheric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and direction from the aircraft flight level to the surface over oceans and remote areas. Since 1996, GPS dropsondes have been routinely dropped during hurricane reconnaissance and surveillance flights to help predict hurricane track and intensity. From 1996 to 2012, NOAA has dropped 13,681 dropsondes inside hurricane eye walls or in the surrounding environment for 120 tropical cyclones (TCs). All NOAA dropsonde data have been collected, reformatted to one format, and consistently and carefully quality controlled using state-of-the-art quality-control (QC) tools. Three value-added products, the vertical air velocity and the radius and azimuth angle of each dropsonde location, are generated and added to the dataset. As a result, a long-term (1996–2012), high-quality, high-vertical-resolution (∼5–15 m) GPS dropsonde dataset is created and made readily available for public access. The dropsonde data collected during hurricane reconnaissance and surveillance flights have improved TC-track and TC-intensity forecasts significantly. The impact of dropsonde data on hurricane studies is summarized. The scientific applications of this long-term dropsonde dataset are highlighted, including characterizing TC structures, studying TC environmental interactions, identifying surface-based ducts in the hurricane environment that affect electromagnetic wave propagation, and validating satellite temperature and humidity profiling products.

scholarly journals Two decades of in-situ temperature measurements in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere from IAGOS long-term routine observation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Berkes ◽  
Patrick Neis ◽  
Martin G. Schultz ◽  
Ulrich Bundke ◽  
Susanne Rohs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weather Forecast ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Temperature Trend ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Medium Range Weather Forecast ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Temperature Trends ◽  
Geographical Regions

Abstract. Despite several studies on temperature trends in the tropopause region, a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of temperatures in this climate-sensitive region of the atmosphere remains elusive. Here we present a unique global-scale, long-term data set of high-resolution in-situ temperature data measured aboard passenger aircraft within the European Research Infrastructure IAGOS (In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System, www.iagos.org). This data set is used to investigate temperature trends within the global upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere (UTLS) for the period 1995 to 2012 in different geographical regions and vertical layers of the UTLS. The largest amount of observations is available over the North Atlantic. Here, a neutral temperature trend is found within the lowermost stratosphere. This contradicts the temperature trend in the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) ERA-Interim reanalysis, where a significant (95 % confidence) temperature increase of +0.56 K/decade is obtained. Differences between trends derived from observations and reanalysis data can be traced back to changes in the temperature bias between observation and model data over the studied period. This study demonstrates the value of the IAGOS temperature observations as anchor point for the evaluation of reanalyses and its suitability for independent trend analyses.

A Hybrid Broad-Band EEG Frequency Analyzer for Use in Long-Term Experiments

1973 ◽  
Vol BME-20 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Silverman ◽  
Donald J. Jenden ◽  
M. David Fairchild
Keyword(s):  
Broad Band ◽  
Long Term Experiments

scholarly journals First results of the PML monitor of atmospheric turbulence profile with high vertical resolution

2013 ◽  
Vol 559 ◽  
pp. L6 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ziad ◽  
F. Blary ◽  
J. Borgnino ◽  
Y. Fanteï-Caujolle ◽  
E. Aristidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Turbulence ◽  
Vertical Resolution ◽  
First Results ◽  
High Vertical Resolution

scholarly journals The Fast Response of the Tropical Circulation to CO2 Forcing

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (24) ◽  
pp. 9903-9920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina Plesca ◽  
Stefan A. Buehler ◽  
Verena Grützun
Keyword(s):  
Fast Response ◽  
Static Stability ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Tropical Circulation ◽  
Total Change ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Surface Warming ◽  
Considerable Impact ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Impact

Atmosphere-only CMIP5 idealized climate experiments with quadrupling of atmospheric CO2 are analyzed to understand the fast response of the tropical overturning circulation to this forcing and the main mechanism of this response. A new metric for the circulation, based on pressure velocity in the subsidence regions, is defined, taking advantage of the dynamical stability of these regions and their reduced sensitivity to the GCM’s cloud and precipitation parameterization schemes. This definition permits us to decompose the circulation change into a sum of relative changes in subsidence area, static stability, and heating rate. A comparative analysis of aqua- and Earth-like planet experiments reveals the effect of the land–sea contrast on the total change in circulation. On average, under the influence of CO2 increase without surface warming, the atmosphere radiatively cools less, and this drives the 3%–4% slowdown of the tropical circulation. Even in an Earth-like planet setup, the circulation weakening is dominated by the radiatively driven changes in the subsidence regions over the oceans. However, the land–sea differential heating contributes to the vertical pattern of the circulation weakening by driving the vertical expansion of the tropics. It is further found that the surface warming would, independently of the CO2 effect, lead to up to a 12% slowdown in circulation, dominated by the enhancement of the static stability in the upper troposphere. The two mechanisms identified above combine in the coupled experiment with abrupt quadrupling, causing a circulation slowdown (focused in the upper troposphere) of up to 18%. Here, the independent effect of CO2 has a considerable impact only at time scales less than one year, being overtaken quickly by the impact of surface warming.

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