Dynamical response of the tropical total ozone to sea surface temperature changes
- State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook (United States)
Interannual variations of total ozone in the equatorial region are discussed in terms of the lower-stratospheric dynamical processes associated with sea surface temperature (SST) changes on an El Nino-Southern Oscillation time scale. Tropospheric diabatic heating by the latent heat release in convective systems drives the interannual variations of tropopause height and atmospheric vertical motions. The adiabatic cooling associated with the dynamically forced ascending motion is subject to radiative heating, which further extends the upwelling motion into the stratosphere. SST variations can thus influence total ozone amounts by changing the tropopause height and vertical advection through modulation of tropospheric diabatic heating. Mechanistic relationships that describe total ozone fluctuations through the advection effect and the tropopause effect of SST variations are derived using the equivalent potential temperature. Total ozone fluctuations are estimated using a quantitative formulation of these mechanistic equations together with the observed SST data. These results indicate that the interannual variations of the zonal wave component of equatorial total ozone are governed by the tropopause effect of SST variations. Preliminary investigation suggests that the annual cycle of tropical total ozone is coupled to the tropopause height changes under the influence of the planetary wave-induced lower-stratospheric temperature rather than local SST. 56 refs., 7 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6701372
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences; (United States) Vol. 50:3; ISSN 0022-4928; ISSN JAHSAK
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ADVECTION
ANNUAL VARIATIONS
COOLING
DATA
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EQUATOR
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HEATING
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
NUMERICAL DATA
OZONE
SEAS
SOUTHERN OSCILLATION
STRATOSPHERE
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TROPICAL REGIONS
TROPOPAUSE
TROPOSPHERE
UPWELLING
VARIATIONS