Impact of Stratospheric Warmings on Ozone Depletion and PSC Generation at Mid Latitudes

Other

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

0340 Middle Atmosphere: Composition And Chemistry, 0341 Middle Atmosphere: Constituent Transport And Chemistry (3334), 0342 Middle Atmosphere: Energy Deposition (3334), 3334 Middle Atmosphere Dynamics (0341, 0342), 3360 Remote Sensing

Scientific paper

The polar stratosphere in the winters 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 was greatly disturbed by several stratospheric sudden warmings (SSW). The major stratospheric warming of February 2008 had a deep impact on the whole middle atmosphere: The warming was accompanied by updrafts and cooling of the upper troposphere, lower stratosphere and mesosphere. The strong cooling led to polar stratospheric clouds over England. These results demonstrate the vertical coupling of the whole atmosphere by a SSW, even at mid latitudes. During the same period our microwave radiometers in Bern (Switzerland) measured a more than 30% depletion in volume mixing ratio (VMR) of stratoshperic ozone and water vapor VMR enhancements of 20%. This ozone depletion is explained by the temperature increase of 50 K and more in the upper stratosphere and by transport of cold, ozone-poor air from the polar vortex, which was shifted to Switzerland in the lower stratosphere. The large temperature increase affects the catalytic NOx cycle, which more efficiently destructs ozone at higher temperatures. The increase of water vapor was a consequence of different transport processes depending on altitude. Air in the lower stratosphere was of polar origin whilst higher up air was transported to Switzerland from subtropical regions. At the end of January 2009 another SSW occurred and resulted in a splitting of the polar vortex. The troposphere was directly affected as the two vortices entrained heavy snow falls over Oklahoma and Kentucky as well as over France and England. Our radiometers again observed a significant decrease in ozone as well as changes in water vapor in the stratosphere. Hence SSW's are very suitable to demonstrate the coupling of lower and upper atmosphere. Latest results will be presented at the assembly.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Impact of Stratospheric Warmings on Ozone Depletion and PSC Generation at Mid Latitudes 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 Impact of Stratospheric Warmings on Ozone Depletion and PSC Generation at Mid Latitudes, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Impact of Stratospheric Warmings on Ozone Depletion and PSC Generation at Mid Latitudes will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1108294

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.