UARS Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric humidity measurement: Method and validation

Read, W. G.; Waters, J. W.; Wu, Dong L.; Stone, Elizabeth M.; Shippony, Z.; Smedley, A. C.; Smallcomb, C. C.; Oltmans, S. J.; Kley, D.; Smit, H. G. J.; Mergenthaler, J. L.; Karki, Monika

doi:10.1029/2000jd000122

Cited by 74 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…As has been reported in many previous studies (e.g. Rind et al, 1993;Bates et al, 1996;Read et al, 2001;Gettelman et al, 2006), the climatological mean RH in the subtropical upper troposphere is generally drier than in the tropics, see Fig. 1a.…”

Section: Climatological Distributionsupporting

confidence: 59%

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Variability of subtropical upper tropospheric humidity

2008

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Abstract.Analysis of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) measurements for five years shows significant longitudinal variations in the winter subtropical upper tropospheric relative humidity (RH), not only in the climatological mean values but also in the local distributions and temporal variability. The largest climatological mean values occur over the central-eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans, where there is also large day-to-day variability. In contrast, there are smaller mean values, and smaller variability that occurs at lower frequency, over the Indian and western Pacific oceans. These differences in the distribution and variability of subtropical RH are related to differences in the key transport processes in the different sectors. The large variability and intermittent high and low RH over the central-eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans are due to intrusions of high potential vorticity air into the subtropics. Intrusions seldom occur over the eastern Indian and western Pacific oceans, and here the subtropical RH is more closely linked to the location and strength of subtropical anticyclones. During northern winter there are eastward propagating features in the subtropical RH in this region that are out of phase with the tropical RH, and are caused by modulation of the subtropical anticyclones by the Madden-Julian Oscillation.

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Section: Climatological Distributionsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…Rind et al, 1993;Soden and Bretherton, 1993;Bates et al, 1996;Read et al, 2001;Gettelman et al, 2006). These measurements have also enabled examination of the processes causing variability in the water vapor distribution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability of subtropical upper tropospheric humidity

2008

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“…Given this scale, it is not unreasonable to see some of these regions from satellites, even given their broad weighting functions, despite inherent difficulties with retrieving supersaturation from remote sensing instruments (Buehler and Courcoux 2003). Jensen et al (1999) and Spichtinger et al (2003b) reported supersaturation in RHi data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), though cloud contamination may affect these retrievals (Read et al 2001). Gierens et al (2004) also found evidence of supersaturation in a reanalysis of Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) data over Europe despite the 3-5-km vertical weighting function.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Global Distribution of Supersaturation in the Upper Troposphere from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

et al. 2006

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Satellite data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is analyzed to examine regions of the upper troposphere that are supersaturated: where the relative humidity (RH) is greater than 100%. AIRS data compare well to other in situ and satellite observations of RH and provide daily global coverage up to 200 hPa, though satellite observations of supersaturation are highly uncertain. The climatology of supersaturation is analyzed statistically to understand where supersaturation occurs and how frequently. Supersaturation occurs in humid regions of the upper tropical tropopause near convection 10%-20% of the time at 200 hPa. Supersaturation is very frequent in the extratropical upper troposphere, occurring 20%-40% of the time, and over 50% of the time in storm track regions below the tropopause. The annual cycle of supersaturation is consistent for the ϳ2.5 yr of data analyzed. More supersaturation is seen in the Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes, which may be attributed to higher temperature variance.

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“…Aura MLS is based on UARS MLS, but uses more advanced technology to make additional constituent measurements. These new constituents play an important role in stratospheric chemistry (that is, HC1, N 2 0,OH, H0 2 ,and BrO).The UARS MLS was able to measure upper tropospheric water vapor [Read et al, 2001 ], which is essen tial for understanding climate variability. Aura MLS will improve this measurement.…”

Section: Aura's Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earth Observing System missions benefit atmospheric research

Schoeberl¹,

Douglass²,

Hilsenrath³

et al. 2004

EoS Transactions

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The Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura satellite mission is scheduled to launch in June 2004. The Aura mission wall make significantly improved measurements of atmospheric constituents. Aura is designed to tackle three science questions: Is the ozone layer recovering as expected? What are the sources and processes that control tropospheric pollutants? And, what is the quantitative impact of constituents on climate change? Aura will answer these questions by globally measuring a comprehensive set of trace gases and aerosols (Table 1) at high vertical and horizontal resolution. Figure 1 shows the Aura spacecraft and its four instruments.

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UARS Microwave Limb Sounder upper tropospheric humidity measurement: Method and validation

Cited by 74 publications

References 65 publications

Variability of subtropical upper tropospheric humidity

Variability of subtropical upper tropospheric humidity

The Global Distribution of Supersaturation in the Upper Troposphere from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

Earth Observing System missions benefit atmospheric research

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