Abstract. The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) dominates the variability of the equatorial stratosphere (---16-50 km) and is easily seen as downward propagating easterly and westerly wind regimes, with a variable period averaging approximately 28 months. From a fluid dynamical perspective, the QBO is a fascinating example of a coherent, oscillating mean flow that is driven by propagating waves with periods unrelated to that of the resulting oscillation. Although the QBO is a tropical phenomenon, it affects the stratospheric flow from pole to pole by modulating the effects of extratropical waves. Indeed, study of the QBO is inseparable from the study of atmospheric wave motions that drive it and are modulated by it. The QBO affects variability in the mesosphere near 85 km by selectively filtering waves that propagate upward through the equatorial stratosphere, and may also affect the strength of Atlantic hurricanes.

Abstract.The

The solubility and redox reactions of Pu(IV) hydrous oxide were analyzed by comparing total Pu concentrations, oxidation state distributions and simultaneously measured redox potentials under air and under Ar containing only traces of oxygen. At pH>3 the aqueous Pu concentration is dominated by Pu(V) for both solubility studies under air and argon. Combining all information strongly indicates that PuO

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[1] To examine the claim that Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) data are useful as a benchmark data set for climate monitoring, the structural uncertainties of retrieved profiles that result from different processing methods are quantified. Profile-to-profile comparisons of CHAMP (CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload) data from January 2002 to August 2008 retrieved by six RO processing centers are presented. Differences and standard deviations of the individual centers relative to the inter-center mean are used to quantify the structural uncertainty. Uncertainties accumulate in derived variables due to propagation through the RO retrieval chain. This is reflected in the inter-center differences, which are small for bending angle and refractivity increasing to dry temperature, dry pressure, and dry geopotential height. The mean differences of the time series in the 8 km to 30 km layer range from À0.08% to 0.12% for bending angle, À0.03% to 0.02% for refractivity, À0.27 K to 0.15 K for dry temperature, À0.04% to 0.04% for dry pressure, and À7.6 m to 6.8 m for dry geopotential height. The corresponding standard deviations are within 0.02%, 0.01%, 0.06 K, 0.02%, and 2.0 m, respectively. The mean trend differences from 8 km to 30 km for bending angle, refractivity, dry temperature, dry pressure, and dry geopotential height are within AE0.02%/5 yrs, AE0.02%/5 yrs, AE0.06 K/5 yrs, AE0.02%/5 yrs, and AE2.3 m/5 yrs, respectively. Although the RO-derived variables are not readily traceable to the international system of units, the high precision nature of the raw RO observables is preserved in the inversion chain.

Mild thermolysis of Lewis base stabilized phosphinoborane monomers R1R2P–BH2⋅NMe3 (R1,R2=H, Ph, or tBu/H) at room temperature to 100 °C provides a convenient new route to oligo- and polyphosphinoboranes [R1R2P-BH2]n. The polymerization appears to proceed via the addition/head-to-tail polymerization of short-lived free phosphinoborane monomers, R1R2P-BH2. This method offers access to high molar mass materials, as exemplified by poly(tert-butylphosphinoborane), that are currently inaccessible using other routes (e.g. catalytic dehydrocoupling).

Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) has provided continuous observations of the Earth's atmosphere since 2001 with global coverage, all-weather capability, and high accuracy and vertical resolution in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). Precise time measurements enable long-term stability but careful processing is needed. Here we provide climate-oriented atmospheric scientists with multicenter-based results on the long-term stability of RO climatological fields for trend studies. We quantify the structural uncertainty of atmospheric trends estimated from the RO record, which arises from current processing schemes of six international RO processing centers, DMI Copenhagen, EUM Darmstadt, GFZ Potsdam, JPL Pasadena, UCAR Boulder, and WEGC Graz. Monthly-mean zonal-mean fields of bending angle, refractivity, dry pressure, dry geopotential height, and dry temperature from the CHAMP mission are compared for September 2001 to September 2008. We find that structural uncertainty is lowest in the tropics and mid-latitudes (50° S to 50° N) from 8 km to 25 km for all inspected RO variables. In this region, the structural uncertainty in trends over 7 yr is <0.03% for bending angle, refractivity, and pressure, <3 m for geopotential height of pressure levels, and <0.06 K for temperature; low enough for detecting a climate change signal within about a decade. Larger structural uncertainty above about 25 km and at high latitudes is attributable to differences in the processing schemes, which undergo continuous improvements. Though current use of RO for reliable climate trend assessment is bound to 50° S to 50° N, our results show that quality, consistency, and reproducibility are favorable in the UTLS for the establishment of a climate benchmark record

[1] Refractivity profiles from CHAMP GPS radio occultation measurements have been assimilated into the Met Office numerical weather prediction (NWP) system. A forecast impact experiment was run using 16 days of CHAMP data from May/June 2001, in addition to conventional and satellite observations which are used in operational forecasts. Although typically only 160 CHAMP profiles are assimilated daily, it is demonstrated that they reduce NWP temperature analysis and forecast mean and root mean square (RMS) differences against radiosondes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. A significant impact is found in the Southern Hemisphere where 24 to 96 hour forecast 250 hPa temperature RMS differences are reduced by $0.1 K. No improvement in humidity forecasts is found because refractivity values below 4 km are not used in the experiment. These results are encouraging and would support the case for using CHAMP measurements in NWP if they were available in near real time. Citation: Healy, S. B., A. M. Jupp, and C. Marquardt (2005), Forecast impact experiment with GPS radio occultation measurements, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L03804,