Mixing processes in a tropopause folding observed by a network of ST radar and lidar

Abstract

Abstract.A campaign devoted to stratosphere-troposphere exchange mechanisms studies has been held on 4-5 March 1995, during a tropopause folding passage over western Europe. The observational network included 1 UHF and 3 VHF radar, 1 temperature lidar, and 1 ozone lidar, deployed in the south of France. The fold is associated with a strong quasi meridional jet stream running along the west side of an upper level trough forming a potential vorticity (PV ) anomaly. During this campaign, the PV anomaly is advected eastwards without major deformations, with an average velocity of about 30 km per hour. Therefore, a frozen field hypothesis has been used in order to compare the results obtained in the different sites of the network. Under this hypothesis, the same structures associated with the anomaly are observed by each radar or lidar, at the same time relative to this anomaly. The fold is put into evidence by the ozone lidar of the network and by the VHF radars when computing the aspect ratio. The turbulent activity observed by the OHP VHF radar and by the high resolution UHF PROUST radar (30 m altitude resolution) is concentrated in the wind shear regions generated by the jet stream above and below its axis. In the lower level wind shear, turbulent layers are detected within the fold and across its anticyclonic boundary, thus allowing turbulent exchanges with the tropospheric air masses. A large area of aspect ratio greater than 3 is observed in the troposphere during more than ten hours after the passage of the fold by the VHF radars. This particular signature is tentatively analyzed as the progressive dilution of air masses of stratospheric origin extruded from the fold by the turbulent processes. In the upper level wind shears, turbulent layers parallel to the wind isotachs are observed, whose thickness is often smaller than 100 m and are separated by non turbulent regions. A good correlation is found between the spatiotemporal evolution of these turbulent structures observed by the PROUST radar, and the stability structures observed at the same relative time by the temperature lidar. In addition the same turbulent structures are observed to be parallel to Correspondence to: F. Bertin (francois.bertin2@wanadoo.fr) the iso-phase lines of the wind fluctuations, observed at the same relative time by the Lannemezan radar. These characteristics are compatible with the presence of unstable inertiagravity waves, generated by the jet stream while the turbulent layers could be the signature of their saturation processes.

Analysis of water vapor LIDAR measurements during the MAP campaign: evidence of sub-structures of stratospheric intrusions

“…This appears in agreement with that found in previous observational studies of ozone filaments persisting in the free troposphere Bertin et al, 2001), that also indicates different behavior in the dissipation of chemical and dynamical tracers.…”

“…This is due to the high spatial and temporal resolution of data and the capability of a continuous sounding (over several hours) of ozone and water vapor profiles (Ancellet et al, 1991;Langford and Reid, 1998;Eisele et al, 1999;Ravetta and Ancelett, 2000;Bertin et al, 2001).…”

Comparisons of refractive index gradient and stability profiles measured by balloons and the MU radar at a high vertical resolution in the lower stratosphere

“…Gage and Green, 1979;and recently Yamamoto et al, 2003), tropopause folds and meteorological fronts (e.g. Röttger, 1979;Larsen and Röttger, 1983;Fukao et al, 1989;Bertin et al, 2001). More generally speaking, the proportionality between the echo power P (corrected for the range (z) attenuation effects, i.e.…”

Prospective IS-MST radar. Potential and diagnostic capabilities

“…Если σ ср /σ мин >1, то проведение измерений на данной высоте возможно. Параметр σ мин находится из основного радиолокационного уравнения для случая объемного рассеяния [Bowles et al, 1962]:…”

“…Нацио-нальный гелиогеофизический комплекс включает ряд оптических инструментов, которые будут раз-мещаться рядом с радаром НР-МСТ и позволят расширить его диагностические возможности. Так, наблюдения нижней и средней атмосферы совместно с лидарными измерениями позволяют исследовать процессы переноса [Bertin et al, 2001].…”