Radioisotopes demonstrate changes in global atmospheric circulation possibly caused by global warming

Abstract

In this paper, we present a new method to study global atmospheric processes and their changes during the last decade. A cosmogenic radionuclide measured at ground-level, beryllium-7, is utilized as a proxy to study atmospheric dynamics. Beryllium-7 has two advantages: First, this radionuclide, primarily created in the lower stratosphere, attaches to aerosols that are transported downwards to the troposphere and travel around the globe with the general atmospheric circulation. By monitoring these particles, we can provide a global, simple, and sustainable way to track processes such as multi-annual variation of the troposphere, tropopause heightening, position and speed of atmospheric interface zones, as well as the poleward movement and stalling patterns of jet streams. Second, beryllium-7 is a product of cosmic rays which are themselves directly linked to solar activity and the earth magnetic field. This study shows whether beryllium-7 observed concentration changes are correlated with such natural processes or independent of them. Our work confirms that major changes in the atmospheric circulation are currently ongoing, even though timeseries are too short to make climatological assessments. We provide solid evidence of significant and progressive changes of the global atmospheric circulation as well as modifications of tropopause heights over the past decade. As the last decade happened to be the warmest on record, this analysis also indicates that the observed changes are, at least to some extent, attributable to global warming.

Analyzing Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Using Mass Fluxes Calculated from Weather Balloon Measurements: North Atlantic Region as a Case Study

“…However, these measurements are mostly confined to the first 2 km of the atmosphere-although microwave radiometers can provide some measurements for the first 5 km [133]. Some groups have also proposed the use of atmospheric radioisotopes as combined proxies for several atmospheric circulation characteristics [136].…”

Hyper-accumulation of legacy fallout radionuclides in cryoconite on Isfallsglaciären (Arctic Sweden) and their downstream distribution

“…Potential 7 Be-rich air masses in late winter/spring with corresponding deposition, coupled with summer meltwater production and the concentrating effect of radionuclide exchange at the water-sediment interface described above, may help to explain the relatively high activities found in these cryoconite samples from Arctic Sweden. In this regard 7 Be may be a useful proxy for transfer of contaminants to the cryosphere in the context of changing dynamics of atmospheric circulation (Terzi et al, 2020).…”

Variability of Cosmogenic 35S in Rain—Resulting Implications for the Use of Radiosulfur as Natural Groundwater Residence Time Tracer

“…(i) The tropopause, i.e., the boundary layer between the stratosphere and troposphere rises during the warm season. This upward shift increases the import of 7 Be from the UTLS zone to the lower atmosphere [13,31]. (ii) The zone between the two latitudinal circulation features the Hadley Cell (in the northern hemisphere in the south) and the Ferrel Cell (in the north) is called the Hadley Ferrel Divergence Zone (HFDZ).…”

“…In 2020 the approach had already occurred in April [38]. This earlier arrival of the HFDZ in 2020 was due to an early northward extension of the Hadley Cell and a corresponding stalling of the jet streams, an effect that is thought to be due to decadal climate variability or/and global warming [13].…”

“…However, 7 Be has a high tendency to sorb not only to aerosols in the upper atmosphere but also to the soil matrix. Thus, a substantial and nonquantifiable share of the dissolved beryllium is retarded by the soil matrix [11,12], which (in contrast to its applicability as a tracer for atmospheric dynamics, [10,13]) impedes its applicability as a quantitative aqueous tracer in groundwater.…”