Other
Scientific paper
Jul 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001georl..28.2799h&link_type=abstract
Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 28, Issue 14, p. 2799-2802
Other
164
Atmospheric Composition And Structure: Middle Atmosphere-Constituent Transport And Chemistry, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Middle Atmosphere Dynamics, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Stratosphere/Troposphere Interactions
Scientific paper
The coldest tropopause temperatures occur over the equatorial West Pacific during Northern Hemisphere winter. Horizontal transport through this ``cold trap'' region causes air parcels that reach the tropopause at other longitudes to be dehydrated to the very low saturation mixing ratios characteristic of the cold trap, and hence can explain why observed tropical stratospheric water vapor mixing ratios are often lower than the saturation mixing ratio at the mean tropopause temperature. Horizontal transport of water vapor can also explain how a persistent layer of subvisible cirrus can exist near the tropopause in the cold trap even though observations suggest that there is diabatic cooling and subsidence, rather than diabatic heating and rising through the tropopause in this region. Thus, horizontal transport in the tropical transition layer in the vicinity of the tropopause plays an important role in the water balance of the stratosphere.
Gettelman Andrew
Holton James R.
No associations
LandOfFree
Horizontal transport and the dehydration of the stratosphere does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Horizontal transport and the dehydration of the stratosphere, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Horizontal transport and the dehydration of the stratosphere will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1200038