Quasi-biennial oscillation and tropical waves in total ozone

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94JD02149· OSTI ID:45820

Ziemke, J R; Stanford, J L ^[1]

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1. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

Westward and eastward propagating tropical waves in total ozone are investigated in 13 years (1979-1991) of version 6 total column ozone data from the Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) satellite instrument. A clear synchronization between the stratospheric quasi-biennial osciallation (QBO) zonal winds and the fast (periods less than 15 days) propagating waves in tropical TOMS data is detailed. Largest total ozone wave amplitudes (about 3-6 Dobson units) occur when their phase propagation direction is primarily opposite the Singapore QBO lower-stratospheric winds. This effect is most apparent in meridionally symmetric components. Examination of specific episodes, including cross-spectral calculations with Singapore rawinsonde wind data (10-70 hPa), reveals signatures of tropically confined eastward propagating Kelvin waves of zonal wavenumbers 1-2 during the descending eastward QBO phase, consistent with acceleration of that QBO phase by Kelvin waves. The TOMS results are also consistent with possible forcing of the westward QBO wind phase by episodes of both meridionally symmetric and asymmetric westward waves. However, in contrast to the case of eastward (Kelvin) waves the strongest westward events appear to be filtered by, rather than forcing, the westward phase of the stratospheric QBO wind. These dominant westward episodes are interpreted as meridionally symmetric westward global normal modes and tropically confined equatorial-Rossby waves 2-6. The events exhibit phase and group speeds characteristic of wave dynamics rather than simple wind advection. These results underscore the utility of the long time series and excellent horizontal coverage of TOMS data for dynamical investigations in the relatively observation-poor tropical stratosphere.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, MD (United States). Goddard Space Flight Center
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 45820
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: D11 Vol. 99; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
CLOUD COVER
MONITORING
OZONE
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION