Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the polar middle atmosphere: Dynamics and transport of CO and H2O

Lee, Jae N.; Wu, Dong L.; Manney, G. L.; Schwartz, M.; Lambert, A.; Livesey, N. J.; Minschwaner, K.; Pumphrey, Hugh C.; Read, W. G.

doi:10.1029/2010jd014608

Cited by 60 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These are the years of strong sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events (Lee et al, 2009). Lee et al (2011) observed enhanced planetary wave activities during the SSW events from Aura MLS observations, and they believe the planetary waves serve as an efficient filter to prevent upward propagation of GWs. More explanations can be found in Dunkerton and Butchart (1984).…”

Section: Temporal Variationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances

Gong

Eckermann

2012

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. As the first gravity wave (GW) climatology study using nadir-viewing infrared sounders, 50 Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) radiance channels are selected to estimate GW variances at pressure levels between 2-100 hPa. The GW variance for each scan in the cross-track direction is derived from radiance perturbations in the scan, independently of adjacent scans along the orbit. Since the scanning swaths are perpendicular to the satellite orbits, which are inclined meridionally at most latitudes, the zonal component of GW propagation can be inferred by differencing the variances derived between the westmost and the eastmost viewing angles.Consistent with previous GW studies using various satellite instruments, monthly mean AIRS variance shows large enhancements over meridionally oriented mountain ranges as well as some islands at winter hemisphere high latitudes. Enhanced wave activities are also found above tropical deep convective regions. GWs prefer to propagate westward above mountain ranges, and eastward above deep convection. AIRS 90 field-of-views (FOVs), ranging from +48 • to −48 • off nadir, can detect large-amplitude GWs with a phase velocity propagating preferentially at steep angles (e.g., those from orographic and convective sources). The annual cycle dominates the GW variances and the preferred propagation directions for all latitudes. Indication of a weak two-year variation in the tropics is found, which is presumably related to the Quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO).AIRS geometry makes its out-tracks capable of detecting GWs with vertical wavelengths substantially shorter than the thickness of instrument weighting functions. The novel discovery of AIRS capability of observing shallow inertia GWs will expand the potential of satellite GW remote sensing and provide further constraints on the GW drag parameterization schemes in the general circulation models (GCMs).

show abstract

Section: Temporal Variationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances

Gong

Eckermann

2012

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…H 2 O is a good tracer in the mesosphere and the stratosphere, because the subsidence inside the vortex in combination with vertical H 2 O gradients leads to different H 2 O mixing ratios inside and outside of the vortex (e.g. Lee et al, 2011, and references therein). H 2 O cannot be used as a tracer in the altitude region of the H 2 O volume mixing ratio (VMR) peak.…”

Section: The Edge Of the Polar Vortexmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observations of middle atmospheric H2O and O3 during the 2010 major sudden stratospheric warming by a network of microwave radiometers

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. In this study, we present middle atmospheric water vapor (H 2 O) and ozone (O 3 ) measurements obtained by ground-based microwave radiometers at three European locations in Bern (47 • N), Onsala (57 • N) and Sodankylä (67 • N) during Northern winter 2009/2010. In January 2010, a major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) occurred in the Northern Hemisphere whose signatures are evident in the ground-based observations of H 2 O and O 3 . The observed anomalies in H 2 O and O 3 are mostly explained by the relative location of the polar vortex with respect to the measurement locations. The SSW started on 26 January 2010 and was most pronounced by the end of January. The zonal mean temperature in the middle stratosphere (10 hPa) increased by approximately 25 Kelvin within a few days. The stratospheric vortex weakened during the SSW and shifted towards Europe. In the mesosphere, the vortex broke down, which lead to large scale mixing of polar and midlatitudinal air. After the warming, the polar vortex in the stratosphere split into two weaker vortices and in the mesosphere, a new, pole-centered vortex formed with maximum wind speed of 70 m s −1 at approximately 40 • N. The shift of the stratospheric vortex towards Europe was observed in Bern as an increase in stratospheric H 2 O and a decrease in O 3 . The breakdown of the mesospheric vortex during the SSW was observed at Onsala and Sodankylä as a sudden increase in mesospheric H 2 O. The following large-scale descent inside the newly formed mesospheric vortex was well captured by the H 2 O observations in Sodankylä. In order to combine the H 2 O observations from the three different locations, we applied the trajectory mapping technique on our H 2 O observations to derive synoptic scale maps of the H 2 O distribution. Based on our observations and the 3-D wind field, this method allows determining the approximate development of the stratospheric and mesospheric polar vortex and demonstrates the potential of a network of ground-based instruments.

show abstract

“…in the course of stratospheric sudden warmings. Around the stratopause H 2 O is not a good tracer due to its local maximum in the upper stratosphere (Lee et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using observations of Aura/MLS and Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis Lee et al (2011) There have been previous studies using data of ground based microwave radiometers to investigate the stratospheric and mesospheric response to SSWs. Seele and Hartogh (2000) demonstrated that ground based measurements of mesospheric water vapor can be used to monitor transport processes during dynamical events such as SSWs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport of mesospheric H2O during and after the stratospheric sudden warming of January 2010: observation and simulation

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The transportable ground based microwave radiometer MIAWARA-C monitored the upper stratospheric and lower mesospheric (USLM) water vapor distribution over Sodankylä, Finland (67.4 • N, 26.6 • E) from January to June 2010. At the end of January, approximately 2 weeks after MIAWARA-C's start of operation in Finland, a stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) disturbed the circulation of the middle atmosphere. Shortly after the onset of the SSW water vapor rapidly increased at pressures between 1 and 0.01 hPa. Backward trajectory calculations show that this strong increase is due to the breakdown of the polar vortex and meridional advection of subtropical air to the Arctic USLM region. In addition, mesospheric upwelling in the course of the SSW led to an increase in observed water vapor between 0.1 and 0.03 hPa.After the SSW MIAWARA-C observed a decrease in mesospheric water vapor volume mixing ratio (VMR) due to the subsidence of H 2 O poor air masses in the polar region. Backward trajectory analysis and the zonal mean water vapor distribution from the Microwave Limb Sounder on the Aura satellite (Aura/MLS) indicate the occurrence of two regimes of circulation from 50 • N to the North Pole:(1) regime of enhanced meridional mixing throughout February and (2) regime of an eastward circulation in the USLM region reestablished between early March and the equinox.

show abstract

Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the polar middle atmosphere: Dynamics and transport of CO and H₂O

Cited by 60 publications

References 64 publications

Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances

Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances

Observations of middle atmospheric H<sub>2</sub>O and O<sub>3</sub> during the 2010 major sudden stratospheric warming by a network of microwave radiometers

Transport of mesospheric H<sub>2</sub>O during and after the stratospheric sudden warming of January 2010: observation and simulation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the polar middle atmosphere: Dynamics and transport of CO and H2O

Cited by 60 publications

References 64 publications

Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances

Gravity wave variances and propagation derived from AIRS radiances

Observations of middle atmospheric H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; during the 2010 major sudden stratospheric warming by a network of microwave radiometers

Transport of mesospheric H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O during and after the stratospheric sudden warming of January 2010: observation and simulation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the polar middle atmosphere: Dynamics and transport of CO and H₂O

Observations of middle atmospheric H<sub>2</sub>O and O<sub>3</sub> during the 2010 major sudden stratospheric warming by a network of microwave radiometers

Transport of mesospheric H<sub>2</sub>O during and after the stratospheric sudden warming of January 2010: observation and simulation