A global analysis of stratospheric-tropospheric exchange during northern winter

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Monthly Weather Review; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1993)121<0162:AGAOSE>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6946532

Hoerling, M P ^[1]; Schaack, T K; Lenzen, A J ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)
2. Space Science and Engineering Center, Madison, WI (United States)

A mathematical formulation of stratospheric-tropospheric exchange was used to globally diagnose the cross-tropopause mass flux for January 1979. Contributions by physical mechanisms were evaluated. Two regions of zonally integrated mass flux into the stratosphere were found, one over tropical latitudes associated with diabatic transports, and a second over subpolar latitude associated with abiabatic transports. The ingress to the stratosphere in each of the latitude bands 50[degrees]-70[degrees]N and 40[degrees]-70[degrees]S was as intense as that occurring over the tropics, a feature of the global budget not previously documented. Compensating mass outflow from the stratosphere occured mainly over midlatitudes near axes of strong upper-level westerlies. Large zonal asymmetries were found in the regional patterns of the stratospheric-tropospheric exchange. Tropical inflow to the statosphere was maximized over the Australasian monsoon. The midlatitude mass outflow was concentrated along stationary wave troughs. Mass transport into the stratosphere occurred downstream and poleward relative to the troughs. The extratropical pattern of time-averaged cross-tropopause mass flux was interpretable within the context of physical models of three-dimensional airmass trajectories in baroclinic disturbances. The findings of mass inflow to the stratosphere at subpolar latitudes were consistent with satellite and aircraft measurements of high water vapor mixing ratios in the low stratosphere over these regions. 25 refs., 7 figs.

• OSTI ID: 6946532
• Journal Information: Monthly Weather Review; (United States), Journal Name: Monthly Weather Review; (United States) Vol. 121:1; ISSN MWREAB; ISSN 0027-0644
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
AIRCRAFT
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH PLANET
EQUATIONS
EVALUATION
FLUIDS
GASES
GLOBAL ANALYSIS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PLANETS
POLAR REGIONS
STRATOSPHERE
TRACE AMOUNTS
TROPICAL REGIONS
TROPOPAUSE
TROPOSPHERE
VAPORS
WATER VAPOR