Vertical and off-diagonal eddy diffusivities in the Northern Hemispheric stratosphere and lower mesosphere

Meteorological rocket soundings, launched between 1968–74 at six locations representative of low, middle, and high latitudes in the northern hemisphere, are employed to determine the vertical, meridional and off-diagonal components of the eddy diffusivity in the northern hemispheric statosphere and lower mesosphere.It is shown that the distribution of the vertical and meridional components of the eddy diffusivity are similar in the northern hemisphere, although the magnitude of the former is 10⁷ smaller than that of the latter; the magnitude of the off-diagonal eddy diffusivity is about 10³ smaller than that of the meridional eddy diffusivity. In the troposphere, a maximum eddy diffusivity occurs in the mid-latitude at about 7 km above the mean sea level for both the summer and winter seasons. In the stratosphere, a maximum eddy diffusivity occurs in the mid-latitude at about 33 km in the winter, but no maximum in the summer.Paper presented at the World Meterological Organization Technical Conference on Global Observations of Atmospheric Pollution Relative to Climate, Boulder, Colorado, 20–24 August 1979.     

Structure and dynamics of the stratosphere and mesosphere revealed by VHF radar investigations

Powerful VHF radars are capable of almost continuously monitoring the threedimensional velocity vector and the distribution of turbulence in the middle atmosphere, i.e. the stratosphere and mesosphere. Methods of radar investigations of the middle atmosphere are outlined and the basic parameters, mean and fluctuating velocities as well as reflectivity and persistency of atmospheric structures, are defined. Results of radar investigations are described which show that the tropopause level as well as a criterion on the stability of the lower stratosphere can be deduced. Besides mean wind velocities, VHF radars can measure instantaneous velocities due to acoustic gravity waves. The interaction of gravity waves with the background wind is discussed, and it is shown that cumulus convection is an effective source of gravity waves in the lower stratosphere. The vertical microstructure of the stratosphere, manifesting itself in thin stratified sheets in which temperature steps occur, is investigated by applying knowledge from investigations of the oceanic thermocline. Possible origins, like shear generation and lateral convection of the microstructure of the stratosphere, are discussed. Observations of gravity waves in the mesosphere are reviewed and their connection with turbulence structures is pointed out. Finally, some open questions which could be answered by further VHF radar investigations are summarized.     

Radar observations of prevailing winds and waves in the Southern Hemisphere mesosphere and lower thermosphere

HF radar stations (utilizing the spaced-antenna partial-reflection technique) located at Adelaide (35°S, 138°E) and Mawson Station (67°S, 63°E) have observed horizontal mesospheric winds continuously since mid-1984. Observations in the period 1984–87 are compared with the Northern Hemisphere [latitude conjugate] stations of Kyoto (35°N, 136°E) and Poker Flat (65°N, 147°W), and with satellite-derived circulation models. Particular reference is made to the equinoctial changeovers in zonal flow and to the temporal and altitude variations in the planetary wave activity at Mawson and Adelaide.     

新疆库尔勒地区秋季下平流层重力波特性

利用2011年秋季无线电探空数据,采用矢端曲线法首次分析了新疆库尔勒地区下平流层重力波特征参量,得到36组准单色重力波的结果.结果统计显示：库尔勒秋季下平流层重力波垂直波长、水平波长平均值分别为2.8 km和580 km,固有频率平均值为1.74f.垂直传播方向以上传为主,约占78%,其中下传重力波水平波长较短,固有频率较高.水平传播方向以西北和东南为主,各占1/3,其中上传（下传）重力波水平传播方向以西北（东南）居多,这与热带低纬站点和其他中纬站点观测结果不同.与其他站点比较,库尔勒地区最小,中高纬地区水平波长、垂直波长随纬度增加大致有减小的趋势,库尔勒地区偏离这一趋势,波长偏大.     

A note on some early radiosonde temperature observations in the Antarctic lower stratosphere

The behaviour of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere has attracted considerable interest, and been compared with the Northern Hemisphere, since the International Geophysical Year (1957–58) when the sudden (explosive or accelerated) springtime warming phenomenon in the Antarctic was first observed. Over the years studies of upper air temperature and wind observations have been made, principally through the spring months when the polar vortex breakdown occurs, utilising both ground-based (rawinsonde, rocket) and more recently, satellite-derived data. Although the radiosonde-derived temperature data are limited both by the number of reporting stations, and the practical difficulty of securing observations much above the 100 hPa level, useful records exist from 1956 or 1957. These have shown that in the 1959 southern spring, the lower stratosphere was relatively colder, and the warming rate through the season was essentially more regular, with little evidence of the marked but short-lived temperature fluctuations usually found. Similar, but not quite such wide-spread conditions occurred again in the 1961 spring. In another study, 30 hPa temperature fields over the Antarctic continent, which could be drawn for the 1967 spring, showed the complexity of the polar vortex breakdown. These features are recalled because extension of the 100 hPa springtime temperature series for the Australian Antarctic station at Casey (66.3°S, 110.5°E) shows that in 1985 and part of 1986, the temperature behaviour there was similar to, but not quite so extreme as that which occurred at Mirny (66.5°S, 93.0°E) in 1959.     

北极地区低平流层惯性重力波的观测研究

南极地区重力波活动有大量报道,相对而言,北极地区重力波的研究还很少.本文利用极区Ny-Alesund站点（78.9°N,11.9°E）无线电探空仪从2012年4月1日到2017年3月31日共5年的观测数据,统计分析了北极地区低平流层惯性重力波的特征.观测显示,月平均纬向风在20 km以下盛行东向风,再随着高度增加,逐渐呈现出半年振荡现象.对流层顶高度在5~13 km范围内变化,其月平均高度显示出年循环,最高出现在夏季,约为10 km,最低出现在冬季,约为8.5 km.对流层和低平流层月平均温度都显示出明显的年周期变化,这与中低纬度观测结果有所不同.结合Lomb-Scargle谱分析和矢端曲线方法,估算了准单色惯性重力波参数.个例研究表明,低平流层惯性重力波呈现出远离源区的自由传播性质.统计结果显示,惯性重力波的水平和垂直波长分别集中在50~450 km和1~4 km范围内,本征频率集中在1~2.5倍惯性频率间,这些值都比中低纬度观测值稍小.垂直方向本征相速度主要集中在-0.3~0 m·s^-1,而纬向和经向本征相速度集中在-40~40 m·s^-1之间.在5年的观测中,大约91.5%的惯性重力波向上传播.在冬季和早春,由于极地平流层极涡活动,激发出向下传播的惯性重力波,因此,向下传播的比例上升到相应月份的20%左右.由于低层大气盛行的东向风的滤波效应,低平流层大部分惯性重力波向西传播.波能量呈现出明显的年周期变化,最大值在冬季、最小值在夏季,与北半球中低纬度观测结果一致,表明北半球重力波活动普遍冬季强、夏季弱.

     

火山活动对北半球平流层气候异常变化的影响

文中利用逐次滤波法滤除北半球平流层70 hPa约15~22 km高空大气温度异常变化中太阳活动的影响之后,进一步分析了火山活动的气候效应,分析结果表明,火山活动能引起平流层较大幅度增温,对于北半球70hPa高空气候异常变化的影响超过了总方差的30%;火山活动影响最显著的高度是平流层70 hPa约15~22 km高空,由此高度向上或向下,火山活动的影响都逐渐减小;火山活动引起平流层大气升温的同时还将引起对流层大气降温,其分界线大致位于对流层顶300 hPa附近;强火山爆发如皮纳图博火山爆发、阿贡火山爆发和堪察加北楮缅奴等火山爆发是引起未来两年左右平流层中下层温度异常变化最重要的因素,其方差贡献率超过百分之五十三！;火山喷发高度越高,引起平流层增温效应的层次也越高;北半球大气温度异常变化对南半球火山活动响应的滞后时间比北半球火山活动长. 平流层高空气候异常变化还具有显著的22年变化周期,分析认为是大气温度场对太阳磁场磁性周期22年异常变化的响应,其方差贡献率超过9%.     

Solar UV radiation and its absorption in the mesosphere and stratosphere

Solar radiation of >175 nm and of Lyman-alpha at 121.6 nm is absorbed in the mesosphere and stratosphere by molecular oxygen (<242 nm) and also by ozone molecules at >200 nm. This paper describes the photodissociation processes resulting from absorption in the Schumann-Runge bands and Herzberg continuum of molecular oxygen and also in the Hartley, Huggins and Chappuis bands of ozone. Special consideration is given to differences between the stratospheric and mesospheric problems.     

Statistics of gravity waves in the lower stratosphere over Beijing based on high vertical resolution radiosonde

Atmospheric gravity waves, with small to medium scales, prevail in the atmosphere and have global ef- fects. Many researches show that gravity waves are the main source that causes the variation of wind and temperature field in the stratosphere, and that the break-up of upward propagating gravity waves is the dominant sources of small scale turbulent and mixing processes in the middle atmosphere. Theories and ob- servations indicate that the redistribution of momen- tum, caused by the generati…     

利用COSMIC掩星资料研究对流层/下平流层大气比湿对ONI指数的响应

本文利用2006年6月至2014年6月COSMIC掩星观测的水汽廓线, 分析了对流层/下平流层(TLS)比湿信号对ENSO的响应.在数据处理中, 将COSMIC掩星水汽廓线计算得到的全球比湿数据内插为1000~30 hPa区间水平分辨率为5°×5°的三维格网, 在各等压面上求取各格网点去除年/月际信号后的比湿月异常值.然后在对比湿月异常时间序列低通滤波的基础上, 进行经验正交分解(EOF)得到比湿主成分, 并对该主成分信号进行二项式平滑; 接下来将平滑后的主成分信号与反映ENSO活动的ONI指数进行相关处理, 得到各等压面主成分信号相对于ONI指数的相关系数及对应的时间延迟.论文分析了包括Niño-3.4的5个代表性区域的TLS比湿异常主成分信号, 结果表明:在各区域, 采用本文先低通滤波再EOF分解的处理方法获得的TLS比湿异常主成分信号与ONI指数均有很强相关性, 对流层相关系数绝对值达0.8以上, 低平流层高于0.7, 在300~200 hPa的上对流层达到峰值; 各等压面上比湿异常主成分信号相对于ONI指数的时间延迟不尽相同, 在对流层中比湿异常主成分信号普遍滞后于ONI指数1~6个月; 在各区域, 比湿异常主成分与ONI指数相关系数绝对值达到最大的等压面都接近250 hPa, 最大相关系数绝对值均达到0.9以上.进一步对全球250 hPa等压面比湿异常主成分与ONI指数相关性的分析表明:两者强相关的区域主要集中在热带; 在这些强相关区域, 比湿异常主成分相对于ONI主要表现为滞后, 且相关系数越大, 相应的时间延迟越短.

     

高空大气涛动现象与太阳活动的联系

本文根据全球高空10 hPa位势高度距平场EOF分析得知,存在于地面层大气中的南北向涛动现象~北极高空大气涛动和南极涛动,在高空大气中更为清楚,而且这种高空南北向涛动现象是波及全球的;存在于地面层大气中著名的纬向涛动现象~南方涛动(Southern Oscillation,SO)和北方涛动(North Oscillation,NO),在高空大气中则变得不甚清楚.表征北极高空大气涛动的第一模态与表征南极涛动的第二模态的方差贡献率分别为41.47%和27.04%,二者累积方差贡献率达到68.51%,构成了平流层高空大气年代际振荡的主要形式;另外还存在两半球对称性中高纬度南极涛动模态和两半球不对称性中高纬度南极涛动模态,是高空大气中出现概率比较小的振荡形式.谱分析表明,无论北极高空大气涛动模态、南极涛动模态还是中高纬度纬向涛动模态,都存在与太阳磁场磁性指数相一致的22年准周期变化以及与太阳黑子相对数相一致的11年准周期变化;采用逐次滤波法的滤波分析和对比分析表明,高空大气涛动现象的重要影响因子乃太阳活动,其中太阳磁场的大幅度涨落及其磁性变化是主要因素,太阳黑子相对数的变化为次要因素.     

The influence of asymmetries in overlying stratification on near-bed turbulence and sediment suspension in a partially mixed estuary

Data collected from the York River estuary demonstrate the importance of asymmetries in stratification to the suspension and transport of fine sediment. Observations collected during two 24-h deployments reveal greater concentrations of total suspended solids during the flood phase of the tide despite nearly symmetric near-bed tidal current magnitude. In both cases, tidally averaged net up-estuary sediment transport near the bed was clearly observed despite the fact that tidally averaged residual near-bed currents were near zero. Tidal straining of the along-channel salinity gradient resulted in a stronger pycnocline lower in the water column during the ebb phase of the tide and appeared to limit sediment suspension. Indirect measurements suggest that the lower, more intense, pycnocline on the ebb acted as a barrier, limiting turbulent length scales and reducing eddy diffusivity well below the pycnocline, even though the lower water column was locally well mixed. In order to more conclusively link changes in stratification to properties of near-bed eddy viscosity and diffusivity, longer duration tripod and mooring data from an additional experiment are examined, that included direct measurement of turbulent velocities. These additional data demonstrate how slight increases in stratification can limit vertical mixing near the bed and impact the structure of the eddy viscosity below the pycnocline. We present evidence that the overlying pycnocline can remotely constrain the vertical turbulent length scale of the underlying flow, limiting sediment resuspension. As a result, the relatively small changes in stratification caused by tidal straining of the pycnocline allow sediment to be resuspended higher in the water column during the flood phase of the tide, resulting in preferential up-estuary transport of sediment.Responsible Editor: Iris Grabemann     

Large-scale thermodynamics of the stratosphere and mesosphere during the major stratospheric warming in 2003/2004

The stratosphere–mesosphere response to the major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the winter of 2003/2004 has been studied. The UKMO (UK Meteorological Office) data set was used to examine the features of the large-scale thermodynamic anomalies present in the stratosphere of the Northern Hemisphere. The vertical and latitudinal structure of the genuine anomalies, emphasized by removing the UKMO climatology, has been investigated as well. The features of the stratospheric anomalies have been related to the mesospheric ones in measured neutral winds from radars and temperatures from meteor radars (90 km). It was found that the stratospheric warming spread to the lower mesosphere, while cooling occurred in the upper mesosphere, a feature that may be related to the large vertical scales of the stationary planetary waves (SPWs). It was shown also that the beginning of the eastward wind deceleration in the stratosphere–mesosphere system coincided with the maximum amplification of the SPW1 accompanied by short-lived bursts of waves 2 and 3.     

The lunar tides in the Antarctic mesosphere and lower thermosphere

Horizontal winds in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere over the Antarctic have been measured by a meteor radar at Rothera (67.5°S, 68.0°W) and MF radar at Davis (68.6°S, 78.0°E). Data from Rothera recorded over a 20-month interval in 2005–2006 and data from Davis recorded over the 13-year interval 1994–2006 are examined to investigate the monthly mean behaviour of the lunar semidiurnal tide. Both data sets show a clear signal of the 12.42-h lunar semidiurnal (M₂) tide. The amplitude reaches values as large as 8 m s⁻¹. The vertical wavelengths of the tide vary seasonally from 10 to 65 km. Comparisons of the phase of the tide measured over the two sites reveals that it does not purely consist of a migrating wavenumber 2 mode. This suggests that other, non-migrating, modes are likely to be present.     

The 16-day planetary wave in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

A meteor radar located at Sheffield in the UK has been used to measure wind oscillations with periods in the range 10–28 days in the mesosphere/lower-thermosphere region at 53.5°N, 3.9°W from January 1990 to August 1994. The data reveal a motion field in which wave activity occurs over a range of frequencies and in episodes generally lasting for less than two months. A seasonal cycle is apparent in which the largest observed amplitudes are as high as 14 ms⁻¹ and are observed from January to mid-April. A minimum in activity occurs in late June to early July. A second, smaller, maximum follows in late summer/autumn where amplitudes reach up to 7–10 ms⁻¹. Considerable interannual variability is apparent but wave activity is observed in the summers of all the years examined, albeit at very small amplitudes near mid summer. This behaviour suggests that the equatorial winds in the mesopause region do not completely prevent inter-hemispheric ducting of the wave from the winter hemisphere, or that it is generated in situ.     

Vertical distribution of chlorofluoromethanes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

Vertical profiles of CCl₄, CFCl₃, and CF₂Cl₂ mixing ratios in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere have been measured on four flights with chartered aircraft, type HS 125. The flights were carried out in November and December 1976 over Europe at latitudes between 50 and 60°N. At least eight air samples were taken during each ascent and descent of the aircraft at altitudes between 7 and 12.5 km. The samples were analysed in the laboratory using gaschromatographic procedures. The results indicate a decrease of the CCl₄, CFCl₃, and CF₂Cl₂ mixing ratios above the tropopause. The observed average gradients in the stratosphere are 14 pptv/km for CCl₄, 12 pptv/km for CFCl₃ and 27.8 pptv/km for CF₂Cl₂. With exception of CFCl₃ these gradients are higher than those predicted by model calculations. Apparently, further sink mechanisms for CCl₄ and CF₂Cl₂ exist in the lower stratosphere not yet included in the models.     

The 11-year solar cycle, the Sun's rotation, and the middle stratosphere in winter. Part II: Response of planetary waves

The effect of the 11-year solar cycle on the response of planetary wavenumbers 1 and 2 at 10 and 30 hPa in winter to solar activity oscillations on the time scale of the Sun's rotation (27.2 day) is discussed in terms of statistical spectral analysis. The three oscillations studied are the 27.2 d (period of the Sun's rotation), 25.3 d (periodicity caused by modulation of the 27.2 d stratospheric response by annual atmospheric variation), and 54.4 d (doubled period of the solar rotation). A significant effect of the 11-year solar cycle is found for the 54.4 d periodicity in planetary wavenumber 1, and for the 27.2 and 25.3 d periodicities in planetary wavenumber 2. The effect of the 11-year solar cycle is expressed in the evident differences between the amplitudes of responses of planetary waves at maximum and minimum of the solar cycle: the amplitudes are much larger at high than at low solar activity. The 11-year modulation of planetary wave activity is most pronounced at mid-latitudes, mainly at 40–60°N, where the observed variability of planetary waves is large. The results obtained are in good agreement with results of the recent modeling study by Shindell et al. (Science 284 (1999) 305).     

Long-period planetary waves in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere above Davis, Antarctica

The accumulation of MF radar wind and hydroxyl temperature measurements at Davis from 1997 to 2005 has enabled the compilation of a climatology of long-period (period >1 day) wave activity. A time domain filtering technique that makes allowance for the differing sampling characteristics of the measurements is described and wave amplitudes are presented for 1.7–4, 4–8 and 8–16 day period bands. Product averages of the time series yield horizontal heat and momentum fluxes for the height of the hydroxyl layer (approximately 86 km). The climatology is then discussed in terms of current knowledge of planetary wave characteristics and forcing. Heat and momentum fluxes during the year of the southern hemisphere stratospheric warming (2002) are also presented.     

Aerosol concentrations and size distribution in the troposphere and lower stratosphere over Thumba

Rocket-borne ultraviolet photometers operating at =0.31 m have been used at Thumba (8°33N, 76°52E) to make measurements of atmospheric scattering at tropospheric and lower stratospheric altitudes. Measurements could be made of the amplitude of the scattered fluxes and the angular distribution up to an altitude of about 24 km on three rocket flights conducted as part of the 16 February 1980 solar eclipse campaign. These measurements have been used to study the size distribution as well as the number densities of aerosols in the troposphere and lower stratosphere over Thumba.     

Statistics of gravity wave spectra in the troposphere and lower stratosphere over Beijing

We utilize the temperature profiles with a height resolution of 50-m obtained over the Beijing Observatory in the period between January of 2002 and December of 2002 to study vertical wavenumber spectra of normalized temperature fluctuations in the 1.67-8.02 km and 13.57-19.92 km altitude ranges and compare them with linear saturation model.Results indicate that individual vertical wavenumber spectra reveal a considerable variability in both slope and amplitude.The observed variability is not consistent wit...