Observational constraints on the tropospheric and near-surface winter signature of the Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex

A composite analysis of Northern Hemisphere’s mid-winter tropospheric anomalies under the conditions of strong and weak stratospheric polar vortex was performed on NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data from 1948 to 2013 considering, as additional grouping criteria, the coincidental states of major seasonally relevant climate phenomena, such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Quasi Biennial Oscillation and strong volcanic eruptions. The analysis reveals that samples of strong polar vortex nearly exclusively occur during cold ENSO states, while a weak polar vortex is observed for both cold and warm ENSO. The strongest tropospheric and near-surface anomalies are found for warm ENSO and weak polar vortex conditions, suggesting that internal tropospheric circulation anomalies related to warm ENSO constructively superpose on dynamical effects from the stratosphere. Additionally, substantial differences are found between the continental winter warming patterns under strong polar vortex conditions in volcanically-disturbed and volcanically-undisturbed winters. However, the small-size samples obtained from the multi-compositing prevent conclusive statements about typical patterns, dominating effects and mechanisms of stratosphere-troposphere interaction on the seasonal time scale based on observational/reanalysis data alone. Hence, our analysis demonstrates that patterns derived from observational/reanalysis time series need to be taken with caution as they not always provide sufficiently robust constraints to the inferred mechanisms implicated with stratospheric polar vortex variability and its tropospheric and near-surface signature. Notwithstanding this argument, we propose a limited set of mechanisms that together may explain a relevant part of observed climate variability. These may serve to define future numerical model experiments minimizing the sample biases and, thus, improving process understanding.     

The photochemistry of synoptic-scale ozone synthesis: Implications for the global tropospheric ozone budget

The oxidation of nonmethane hydrocarbons represents a source of tropospheric ozone that is primarily confined to the boundary layers of several highly industrialized regions. (Each region has an area greater than one million km²). Using a photochemical model, the global tropospheric ozone budget is reexamined by including the in-situ production from these localized regimes. The results from these calculations suggest that the net source due to this photochemistry, which takes place on the synoptic scale, is approximately as large as the amount calculated for global scale photochemical processes which consider only the oxidation of methane and carbon monoxide. Such a finding may have a considerable impact on our understanding of the tropospheric ozone budget. The model results for ozone show reasonable agreement with the climatological summer distribution of ozone and the oxides of nitrogen at the surface and with the vertical distribution of ozone and nonmethane hydrocarbons obtained during a 1980 field program.     

On the origin of upper tropospheric cyclonic vortices in the South Atlantic ocean and adjoining Brazil during the summer

Summary The origin of upper tropospheric cyclonic vortices over the South Atlantic and adjoining Brazil is discussed. Calculations of the barotropic energy exchange term based on observations indicated that in the mean, and during some days, zonal kinetic energy gets converted into eddy kinetic energy. This suggests the occurrence of barotropic instability. Examination of zonal winds for barotropic instability, however, revealed weak growth rates. Thus other mechanisms such as condensation heating, the formation of cyclonic centers downstream of the Bolivian high, and middle latitude coupling might also be important.With 3 Figures     

Characteristics of the ozone decline in the northern polar and middle latitudes during the winter-spring

Summary The total ozone decline during the past twenty years, especially strong during the winter-spring season poleward from 50° N, is well established with known average trends of 5–7% per decade. This study presents a number of additional characteristics such as ozone-mass deficiency (O₃MD) from the pre- 1976 base average, and areal extent with negative deviations greater than2 and3. Gridded satellite data combined with ground-based total ozone maps, permit calculations of daily and regional ozone deficiencies from the anthropogenically undisturbed average ozone levels of the 1960s and early 1970s. Then the quantity of the O₃MD and the changes in surface area, with deficiencies larger than-10 and-15% are integrated for the 1 January to 15 April period for each of the last 20 years, and compared. In addition, the polar vortex extent during the last 10 years is determined using the PV at 475°K. The quantity of the O₃MD within the sunlit part of the vortex is shown to contribute from15 to 35% of the overall ozone deficiency within the-10% contours over the area 35–90°N. The ozone deficiency, integrated for the first 105 days of each year, has increased dramatically from 2,800Mt in the early 1980s to7,800Mt in the 1990s, exceeded 12,000Mt in the winter-springs of 1993 and 1995. The latter quantity is comparable with the average O₃MD over the same Southern latitudes in the last ten austral springs. During the 1990s over the 35–90° latitudes the average ozone deficiency in the Southern hemisphere belt is less than over the Northern hemisphere belt by40%. It is known that the main ozone decline is observed in the lower stratosphere and the ozone loss over the Arctic is very sensitive to decreasing stratospheric temperatures; negative 50hPa monthly anomalies greater than 4°C have occurred during 7 of the springs in the last decade, thus possibly facilitating doubling the area with negative ozone deviations greater than-10% in the 1990s to5,000.10⁶km² and nearly tripling the O₃MD as stated above. The changes in total eddy heat fluxes as a proxy indicator of the long wave perturbations are positively correlated with the ozone deficiency in the 45–75°N. The strong anticorrelation between the ozone deficiency in the region>55° N. versus the 35–50° N belt is discussed in relation to possible transport of air masses with low ozone from the sub-tropics, which in some years are the dominant reason for the observed ozone deficiency.With 11 Figures     

Lower/middle tropospheric ozone variability in Senegal during pre-monsoon and monsoon periods of summer 2008: observations and model results

During the summer (8 June through 3 September) of 2008, 9 ozone profiles are examined from Dakar, Senegal (14.75°N, 17.49°W) to investigate ozone (O₃) variability in the lower/middle troposphere during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods. Results during June 2008 (pre-monsoon period) show a reduction in O₃ concentrations, especially in the 850–700 hPa layer with Saharan Air Layer (SAL) events. However, O₃ concentrations are increased in the 950–900 hPa layer where the peak of the inversion is found and presumably the highest dust concentrations. We also use the WRF-CHEM model to gain greater insights for observations of reduced O₃ concentrations during the monsoon periods. In the transition period between 26 June and 2 July in the lower troposphere (925–600 hPa), a significant increase in O₃ concentrations (10–20 ppb) occur which we suggest is caused by enhanced biogenic NO_X emissions from Sahelian soils following rain events on 28 June and 1 July. The results suggest that during the pre-monsoon period ozone concentrations in the lower troposphere are controlled by the SAL, reducing ozone concentrations through heterogeneous chemical processes. At the base of the SAL we also find elevated levels of ozone, which we attribute to biogenic sources of NO_X from Saharan dust that are released in the presence of moist conditions. Once the monsoon period commences, lower ozone concentrations are observed and modeled which we attribute to the dry deposition of ozone and episodes of ozone poor air that is horizontally transported into the Sahel from low latitudes by African Easterly Waves (AEWs).     

Role of Triad Kinetic Energy Interactions for Maintenance of Upper Tropospheric Low Frequency Waves during Summer Monsoon 1988

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Changing trends in tropospheric methane and carbon monoxide: A sensitivity analysis of the OH-radical

A sensitivity analysis is performed in order to study recently observed changes in atmospheric methane and carbon monoxide trends. For the analysis we have adapted a one-dimensional transport/chemistry model in order to comply with changes in vertical transport, stratosphere-troposphere flux of ozone, the water vapour cycle and the short-wave radiative transfer. In addition we have formulated an improved relationship which expresses the steady state OH concentration in terms of longer lived compounds which has a fair agreement with the one-dimensional model results. An analysis of the observed changes and trends in methane and carbon monoxide shows that both emissions and changes in global OH concentrations can be main causes for the observed changes. Average methane emissions have slowed down, particularly in the NH, in the last five years, though perhaps not very significantly. Carbon monoxide emissions are decreasing faster in the last couple of years than in the period 1983–1990. The study suggests that climate fluctuations (tropospheric water vapour, temperature and convective activity) and the stratospheric ozone depletion (tropospheric UV radiation) have a significant influence on tropospheric composition and thus on trends in methane and carbon monoxide concentrations.The IMAU is partner in the Netherlands Centre for Climate Research (CCR).     

北极地区极昼气候突变现象及转型成因研究

基于1979-2018年的NCEP-DOE Reanalysis Ⅱ逐日再分析数据,采用模糊C均值聚类算法(Fuzzy C-Means Algorithm,FCMA)将北极地区极昼期间的气候分为寒干型、半寒干型、半暖湿型及暖湿型4种.在夏季北极海冰快速减少的气候背景下,这4种气候型控制的区域也相应发生了明显变化.其中,...     

Interaction of topography and tropospheric flow — A possible generator for the Red Sea Trough?

Summary Numerical investigation of the nature of one of the most typical Eastern Mediterranean atmospheric circulation phenomena — the Red Sea Trough is undertaken. The role of interaction of typical atmospheric flow systems with the local topography of the North African region is analyzed with the help of idealized numerical simulations employing the Penn State and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) MM4 modeling system. The simulations are designed, based on results of a climatological evaluation of the 250 hPa wind field. Idealized initial data sets corresponding to typical transient and winter period positions of the upper tropospheric westerly jet stream are constructed. The data for the analysis are from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) 25 y (1965–1989) objective analysis archive. It was found that the primary factor in the Red Sea trough generation is the interaction of the mid-tropospheric westerlies with the terrain in the area of the Red Sea.With 5 Figures     

Atmospheric boundary layer sources for upper tropospheric air over the Asian summer monsoon region

利用TRAJ3D模拟亚洲夏季风区空气的边界层来源。30天后向轨迹的统计结果显示,150hPa上,源于边界层的空气主要集中在亚洲夏季风反气旋南侧的深对流区及其下风向,而不是反气旋中心;将边界层源分为海洋(20°N以南的中国南海和西太平洋)和陆地(10–30°N之间的孟加拉湾、印度、环阿拉伯海地区)分别进行考察,携带高浓度污染物的陆地边界层空气在150hPa上的集中位置与卫星观测到的CO高值中心相对应,洁净的海洋边界层空气对反气旋东南侧的高浓度污染物起到稀释作用。     

Atmospheric circulation and the tropospheric ozone maximum over the tropical South Atlantic Ocean

Summary Ozone for a ten year period obtained from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) has been compared with velocity potential for the same period. It has been found that the global-scale circulation serves to modulate the ozone concentration over the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Examination of the low frequency modes reveal close correspondence between the two parameters, especially at the annual timescale. Descending motion over southern Africa reduces precipitation, thereby enhancing biomass burning and the subsequent release of trace gases and the possible photochemical production of ozone. Transport to the ozone maximum region over the tropical Atlantic Ocean occurs mainly from tropical Africa. Little evidence has been found on a climatological time-scale to support the theory of stratospheric infusion into the troposphere above the tropical Atlantic Ocean.     

回流暴雪过程的诊断分析和数值试验

利用常规观测资料及NCEP/NCAR 1°×1°逐6 h再分析资料,分析了2018年初豫南特大暴雪过程的特征与成因。结果表明：此次特大暴雪过程发生在500 hPa乌拉尔山以东地区阻塞高压稳定维持和中、高纬地区多支短波槽东移并同位相叠加的环流背景下,具有持续时间长、过程降雪量大、降雪强度大、积雪深等特征;强降雪阶段,对流层低层豫南地区同时存在两个水汽来源,一是700 hPa西南急流对孟加拉湾水汽的输送,二是850 hPa东南气流对东海南部水汽的输送;低层较强的水汽输送及辐合、贯穿整个对流层的湿层、维持较高的比湿和整层可降水量对暴雪的形成与持续有一定的指示意义;低空冷垫有利于逆温层之上西南暖湿气流在其上爬升,低空垂直风切变的变化对降雪强度变化有较好的指示意义;高空急流先于低空西南急流而建立,高空急流轴南压使得低空急流发展北上,高低空急流耦合激发次级环流圈上升支,为暴雪发生发展提供了强烈的上升运动;对流层低层700 hPa与850 hPa持续强烈锋生,有利于暴雪加强和持续。

     

Retrieval of tropospheric co profiles using correlation radiometer: I. retrieval experiments for a clear atmosphere

This paper discusses the retrieval scheme associated with the gas correlated radiometer- MOPITT which will be on board of EOS-AM1 to measure the global vertical profiles of car-bon monoxide. The vertical resolution and retrieval errors caused by errors in the temperature profiles and in the surface temperature have been assessed. The main results are: a. Assuming the noise equivalent radiance (NER) of 1.8 × 105 W m-2 sr-1, the surface tem?perature can be deduced from the wide band signals with uncertainly less than 1 K, and the atmospheric term of the modulated signal can be deduced with errors almost equal to the NER which does not significantly increase errors in the retrieved CO profiles. b. With typical uncertainty in temperature profiles, errors in the retrieved profiles at lati-? tudes lower than 70o are generally less than 20% with the first guess of 100 ppbv. (If a better first guess was used, the errors may decrease). c. By incorporating the total column CO amount derived from the reflected solar radiation in 2.3 μm spectral region into the retrieval, the accuracy of the retrieved CO profile below 6 km may be greatly improved. d. In the retrieval experiment with 10 CO profiles representing the typical CO profiles, the r.m.s. relative / absolute errors of the retrieved CO profiles are about 10% / 15-20 ppbv.     

Impact of cloud dynamics on tropospheric chemistry: Advances in modeling the interactions between microphysical and chemical processes

A chemical module describing the tropospheric photochemistry of ozone precursors in both gaseous and aqueous phases for a remote continental atmosphere has been developed within the framework of a two-dimensional cloud model. Dynamical, microphysical and chemical processes are fully interacting in order to study the influence of clouds on ozone chemistry and to quantify the relative importance of the different processes on the budget and evolution of 12 chemical species. Whereas the concentrations of highly soluble species are strongly affected by evaporation and sedimentation, less soluble species are affected primarily by accretion. The model reproduces previously observed chemical phenomena such as the enrichment of formic acid at the top of the cloud.     

Link between Arctic ozone and the stratospheric polar vortex

The stratospheric ozone layer protects life on earth by preventing solar ultraviolet radiation from reaching the surface. Owing to the large population in the Northern Hemisphere and extreme ozone loss in the Arctic, changes in Arctic stratospheric ozone (ASO) and their causes have attracted broad attention recently. Using monthly mean data during the period 1980–2020 from MERRA-2, the relationship between the stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) and ASO, along with the relative contributions of chemical and dynamic processes associated with the SPV to changes in ASO, were examined in this study. Results showed that the ASO in March has a strong out-of-phase link with the strength of the SPV in March, with no obvious lead–lag correlations, i.e., an increase (decrease) in ASO corresponds to a weakened (strengthened) SPV. Further analysis suggested that the strong out-of-phase link between the SPV and ASO is related to changes in Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC). Strong SPV events, accompanied by a low temperature condition and weakened upward propagation of planetary waves over the Arctic in the stratosphere, result in weakened BDC. The weakened downwelling at high latitudes tends to transport less ozone-rich air in the upper stratosphere at lower latitudes into the lower stratosphere at high latitudes, facilitating a decrease in ASO. The BDC's vertical velocity plays the dominant role in modulating ASO.摘要利用1980–2020年MERRA-2资料, 分析了平流层极涡 (Stratospheric polar vortex, SPV) 和北极臭氧 (Arctic stratospheric ozone, ASO) 的关系, 评估了与SPV相关的化学, 动力过程在其中的相对作用. 结果表明, 3月份ASO与同期SPV强度反相关最大. SPV-ASO二者反相关与平流层剩余环流 (Brewer-Dobson circulation, BDC) 变化密切相关. 强SPV伴随的北极平流层低温条件和行星波向上传播减弱, 导致BDC减弱, 减弱的BDC下沉支将低纬度平流层上层臭氧含量较低的空气输送到北极平流层低层, 从而导致ASO减少. BDC垂直速度在其中起主导作用.     

Retrieval of Upper Tropospheric Relative Humidity by the GMS-5 Water Vapor Channel： A Study of the Technique

This paper presents an analysis of a technique for retrieving upper tropospheric relative humidity through the GMS-5 satellite‘s 6.7-micron water vapor channel brightness temperature. NCEP analysis shows that a critical assumption of the retrieval theory, namely the constant temperature lapse rate,matches only in the tropical atmosphere. By statistical analyses of brightness temperature simulated by a radiative transfer model and of relative humidity, we examine the effect of lapse rate on this retrieval method and obtain retrieval parameters and error estimates applicable to the GMS-5 satellite over East Asia. If the retrieval parameters are properly chosen, the relative error of retrieving the upper tropospheric relative humidity in this region is less than 10%, and if applied to the low-latitude summer atmosphere, it is less than 5%.     

Effect of tropospheric temperature change on the zonal mean circulation and SH winter extratropical cyclones

This study aims to understand the mechanisms which cause an overall reduction of SH extratropical cyclone activity with a slight increase in the high latitudes in a warmer climate simulated in general circulation models (GCMs) with increasing CO₂. For this purpose, we conducted idealized model experiments by forcing warm temperature anomalies to the areas where climate change models exhibit local maximum warming—the tropics in the upper troposphere and the polar regions in the lower troposphere—simultaneously and separately. The Melbourne University atmospheric GCM (R21) coupled with prescribed SST was utilized for the experiments. Our results demonstrate that the reduction of SH extratropical cyclone frequency and depth in the midlatitudes but the slight increase in the high latitudes suggested in climate change models result essentially from the tropical upper tropospheric warming. With this tropical warming, the enhanced static stability which decreases baroclinicity in the low and midlatitudes turns out to be a major contributor to the decrease of cyclone activity equatorward of 45°S whereas the increased meridional temperature gradient in the high latitudes seems an important mechanism for the increase of cyclone activity over 50°–60°S.