RADAR ANGELS IN THE LOWER TROPOSPHERE

1962 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Hay ◽  
W. M. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Reflection Coefficient ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Physical Origin ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Air Mass ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Power Reflection Coefficient ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
Air Temperatures

A study of radar angels at 6800 Mc/s has been carried out at London, Canada, over a period of 1 year. Examination of the clear-air reflections from heights between 300 and 1500 meters above the vertically directed radar has shown that persistent angels occur for surface air temperatures between 30° and 50° F, and that transitory angels are present for surface temperatures above 20° F that are outside of this range. The maximum incidence of angels increases with type of air mass in the order cA, mA, mP, mT, although the most common duration is approximately the same in these air masses. If the angel is due to reflection at a horizontal flat stratum, the power reflection coefficient of the stratum lies between 10−16 and 10−14 for transitory angels and is as large as 10−11 for persistent angels. It is shown that transitory angels may arise through eddy mixing in the lower troposphere when refractivity contrasts of about one part per million occur, but that the reflecting stratum must be no more than a few centimeters in depth. It appears that persistent angels are associated with a high concentration of moisture at the ground, but their physical origin is not clear.

scholarly journals Air mass origins influencing TTL chemical composition over West Africa during 2006 summer monsoon

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 10753-10770 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Law ◽  
F. Fierli ◽  
F. Cairo ◽  
H. Schlager ◽  
S. Borrmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Air Mass ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
Air Masses

Abstract. Trace gas and aerosol data collected in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) between 12–18.5 km by the M55 Geophysica aircraft as part of the SCOUT-AMMA campaign over West Africa during the summer monsoon in August 2006 have been analysed in terms of their air mass origins. Analysis of domain filling back trajectories arriving over West Africa, and in the specific region of the flights, showed that the M55 flights were generally representative of air masses arriving over West Africa during the first 2 weeks of August, 2006. Air originating from the mid-latitude lower stratosphere was under-sampled (in the mid-upper TTL) whilst air masses uplifted from central Africa (into the lower TTL) were over-sampled in the latter part of the campaign. Signatures of recent (previous 10 days) origins were superimposed on the large-scale westward flow over West Africa. In the lower TTL, air masses were impacted by recent local deep convection over Africa at the level of main convective outflow (350 K, 200 hPa) and on certain days up to 370 K (100 hPa). Estimates of the fraction of air masses influenced by local convection vary from 10 to 50% depending on the method applied and from day to day during the campaign. The analysis shows that flights on 7, 8 and 11 August were more influenced by local convection than on 4 and 13 August allowing separation of trace gas and aerosol measurements into "convective" and "non-convective" flights. Strong signatures, particularly in species with short lifetimes (relative to CO2) like CO, NO and fine-mode aerosols were seen during flights most influenced by convection up to 350–365 K. Observed profiles were also constantly perturbed by uplift (as high as 39%) of air masses from the mid to lower troposphere over Asia, India, and oceanic regions resulting in import of clean oceanic (e.g. O3-poor) or polluted air masses from Asia (high O3, CO, CO2) into West Africa. Thus, recent uplift of CO2 over Asia may contribute to the observed positive CO2 gradients in the TTL over West Africa. This suggests a more significant fraction of younger air masses in the TTL and needs to taken into consideration in derivations of mean age of air. Transport of air masses from the mid-latitude lower stratosphere had an impact from the mid-TTL upwards (20–40% above 370 K) during the campaign period importing air masses with high O3 and NOy. Ozone profiles show a less pronounced lower TTL minimum than observed previously by regular ozonesondes at other tropical locations. Concentrations are less than 100 ppbv in the lower TTL and vertical gradients less steep than in the upper TTL. The air mass origin analysis and simulations of in-situ net photochemical O3 production, initialised with observations, suggest that the lower TTL is significantly impacted by uplift of O3 precursors (over Africa and Asia) leading to positive production rates (up to 2 ppbv per day) in the lower and mid TTL even at moderate NOx levels. Photochemical O3 production increases with higher NOx and H2O in air masses with O3 less than 150 ppbv.

scholarly journals Air mass origins influencing TTL chemical composition over West Africa during 2006 summer monsoon

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 15485-15536 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Law ◽  
F. Fierli ◽  
F. Cairo ◽  
H. Schlager ◽  
S. Borrmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Air Mass ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
Air Masses

Abstract. Trace gas and aerosol data collected in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) between 12–18.5 km by the M55 Geophysica aircraft as part of the SCOUT-AMMA campaign over West Africa during the summer monsoon in August 2006 have been analysed in terms of their air mass origins. Analysis of domain filling back trajectories arriving over West Africa, and in the specific region of the flights, showed that the M55 flights were generally representative of air masses arriving over West Africa during the first 2 weeks of August, 2006. Air originating from the mid-latitude lower stratosphere was under-sampled (in the mid-upper TTL) whilst air masses uplifted from central Africa (into the lower TTL) were over-sampled in the latter part of the campaign. Signatures of recent (previous 10 days) origins were superimposed on the large-scale westerly flow over West Africa. In the lower TTL, air masses were impacted by recent local deep convection over Africa at the level of main convective outflow (350 K, 200 hPa) and on certain days up to 370 K (100 hPa). Estimates of the fraction of air masses influenced by local convection vary from 10 to 50% depending on the method applied and from day to day during the campaign. The analysis shows that flights on 7, 8 and 11 August were more influenced by local convection than on 4 and 13 August allowing separation of trace gas and aerosol measurements into ''convective'' and ''non-convective'' flights. Strong signatures, particularly in short-lived species like CO, NO and fine-mode aerosols were seen during flights most influenced by convection up to 350–365 K. Observed profiles were also constantly perturbed by uplift (as high as 39%) of air masses from the mid to lower troposphere over Asia, India, and oceanic regions resulting in import of clean oceanic (e.g., O3-poor) or polluted air masses from Asia (high O3, CO, CO2) into West Africa. Thus, recent uplift of CO2 over Asia may contribute to the observed positive CO2 gradients in the TTL over West Africa. This suggests a more significant fraction of younger air masses in the TTL making it difficult to derive mean age of air from average gradients. Transport of air masses from the mid-latitude lower stratosphere had an impact from the mid-TTL upwards (20–40% above 370 K) during the campaign period importing air masses with high O3 and NOy. Ozone profiles show a less pronounced lower TTL minimum than observed previously by regular ozonesondes at other tropical locations. Concentrations are less than 100 ppbv in the lower TTL and vertical gradients less steep than in the upper TTL. The air mass origin analysis and simulations of in-situ net photochemical O3 production, initialised with observations, suggest that the lower TTL is significantly impacted by uplift of O3 precursors (over Africa and Asia) leading to positive production rates (up to 2 ppbv per day) in the lower and mid TTL even at moderate NOx levels. Photochemical O3 production increases with higher NOx and H2O in air masses with O3 less than 150 ppbv.

Lagrangian Analysis of the Dynamical and Thermodynamic Drivers of Greenland Melt Events during 1979-2017

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Hermann ◽  
Lukas Papritz ◽  
Heini Wernli
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Greenland Ice Sheet ◽  
Surface Energy Budget ◽  
Simultaneous Occurrence ◽  
Temperature Pattern ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Air Mass ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Warm Anomaly

<p><span>Specific atmospheric circulation patterns can lead to strongly positive near-surface temperature anomalies over Greenland, fostering the occurrence of extensive surface melt events. In this study, we objectively identify 77 Greenland melt events in June-August 1979-2017, which also affect high-elevated regions of the Greenland ice sheet </span><span>(GrIS)</span><span>, from ERA-Interim reanalysis data. Eight-day backward trajectories from the lowermost 500 m above the </span><span>GrI</span><span>S</span><span> are used to investigate the air mass history and the synoptic, dynamical, and thermodynamic drivers of Greenland melt events. The key synoptic feature is a high-pressure system, in 65% of the events classified as atmospheric blocking, southeast of the </span><span>GrI</span><span>S. It</span><span> is </span><span>favorably</span><span> located to induce rapid and long-range poleward transport of anomalously warm air masses (compared to climatology) from the lower troposphere to the </span><span>GrI</span><span>S.</span><span> Due to orographic and dynamical lifting, latent heating from condensation of water vapor contributes additionally to the air mass’ warm anomaly - most important for melt events on top of the </span><span>GrI</span><span>S</span><span>. Adiabatic warming by subsidence, however, is insignificant, in contrast to warm events in the central Arctic. Exemplarily, the warm anomaly of air masses arriving in the Summit area during the most extensive melt event in early July 2012 arose due to strong meridional transport, mainly from the western North Atlantic, and latent heat release during ascent to Greenland. The simultaneous occurrence of a North American record heat wave did not play any direct role for the Greenland melt event. Further, regionally varying short- and longwave radiative effects induced by the warm-moist air masses enhance melt all over the GrIS. The identified mechanisms that cause Greenland melt events imply that the understanding of the formation of high-pressure systems and their representation in climate models is crucial in determining future </span><span>GrI</span><span>S</span><span> melt. More generally, we highlight the importance of atmospheric dynamics and air flow patterns for Greenland melt events as they eventually determine the temperature pattern and surface energy budget over the </span><span>GrI</span><span>S with consequences for global sea-level rise</span><span>. </span></p>

scholarly journals Spatial variations of local climate at Taylor Dome, Antarctica: implications for paleoclimate from ice cores

1994 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 219-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.D. Waddington ◽  
D.L. Morse
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Temperature Inversion ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Inversion Strength

10m firn temperatures are commonly used on the Antarctic plateau to estimate mean annual air temperatures. 10m firn temperatures measured at Taylor Dome (also referred to as McMurdo Dome in the literature), Antarctica, are influenced by a factor other than altitude and latitude that varies systematically across Taylor Dome. Some inter-related factors possibly contributing to the modern temperature variability are differences in sensible heat from warm or cold air masses, differences in wind strength and source region, differences in temperature inversion strength and differences in cloudiness. Our preliminary data are compatible with spatially variable katabatic winds that could control the winter temperature inversion strength to provide a large part of the signal. This has implications for paleoclimate studies.(1) Variations of the stable isotopes δ18O and δD from ice cores are a proxy for paleotemperature. The isotope thermometer is calibrated by comparing local isotope ratios with corresponding measured temperatures. In order to derive a useful isotope-temperature calibration, we must understand the processes that control the modern spatial variability of temperature. (2) In order to quantify past changes in local climate, we must understand processes that influence local spatial variability. If those processes differed in the past, ice-core climate reconstruction would be affected in two ways: through alteration of the geochemical record and through alteration of deep ice and firn temperatures.

scholarly journals Characterization of Transport Regimes and the Polar Dome during Arctic Spring and Summer using in-situ Aircraft Measurements

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Bozem ◽  
Peter Hoor ◽  
Daniel Kunkel ◽  
Franziska Köllner ◽  
Johannes Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
High Arctic ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Aerosol Formation ◽  
Transport Barrier ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Mixing Ratios

Abstract. The springtime composition of the Arctic lower troposphere is to a large extent controlled by transport of mid-latitude air masses into the Arctic, whereas during the summer precipitation and natural sources play the most important role. Within the Arctic region, there exists a transport barrier, known as the polar dome, which results from sloping isentropes. The polar dome, which varies in space and time, exhibits a strong influence on the transport of air masses from mid-latitudes, enhancing it during winter and inhibiting it during summer. Furthermore, a definition for the location of the polar dome boundary itself is quite sparse in the literature. We analyzed aircraft based trace gas measurements in the Arctic during two NETCARE airborne field camapigns (July 2014 and April 2015) with the Polar 6 aircraft of Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany, covering an area from Spitsbergen to Alaska (134° W to 17° W and 68° N to 83° N). For the spring (April 2015) and summer (July 2014) season we analyzed transport regimes of mid-latitude air masses travelling to the high Arctic based on CO and CO2 measurements as well as kinematic 10-day back trajectories. The dynamical isolation of the high Arctic lower troposphere caused by the transport barrier leads to gradients of chemical tracers reflecting different local chemical life times and sources and sinks. Particularly gradients of CO and CO2 allowed for a trace gas based definition of the polar dome boundary for the two measurement periods with pronounced seasonal differences. For both campaigns a transition zone rather than a sharp boundary was derived. For July 2014 the polar dome boundary was determined to be 73.5° N latitude and 299–303.5 K potential temperature, respectively. During April 2015 the polar dome boundary was on average located at 66–68.5° N and 283.5–287.5 K. Tracer-tracer scatter plots and probability density functions confirm different air mass properties inside and outside of the polar dome for the July 2014 and April 2015 data set. Using the tracer derived polar dome boundaries the analysis of aerosol data indicates secondary aerosol formation events in the clean summertime polar dome. Synoptic-scale weather systems frequently disturb this transport barrier and foster exchange between air masses from midlatitudes and polar regions. During the second phase of the NETCARE 2014 measurements a pronounced low pressure system south of Resolute Bay brought inflow from southern latitudes that pushed the polar dome northward and significantly affected trace gas mixing ratios in the measurement region. Mean CO mixing ratios increased from 77.9 ± 2.5 ppbv to 84.9 ± 4.7 ppbv from the first period to the second period. At the same time CO2 mixing ratios significantly dropped from 398.16 ± 1.01 ppmv to 393.81 ± 2.25 ppmv. We further analysed processes controlling the recent transport history of air masses within and outside the polar dome. Air masses within the spring time polar dome mainly experienced diabatic cooling while travelling over cold surfaces. In contrast air masses in the summertime polar dome were diabatically heated due to insolation. During both seasons air masses outside the polar dome slowly descended into the Arctic lower troposphere from above caused by radiative cooling. The ascent to the middle and upper troposphere mainly took place outside the Arctic, followed by a northward motion. Our results demonstrate the successful application of a tracer based diagnostic to determine the location of the polar dome boundary.

scholarly journals Multivariate statistical air mass classification for the high-alpine observatory at the Zugspitze Mountain, Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (19) ◽  
pp. 12477-12494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Sigmund ◽  
Korbinian Freier ◽  
Till Rehm ◽  
Ludwig Ries ◽  
Christian Schunk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Statistical Approach ◽  
Free Troposphere ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Detection Scheme ◽  
Air Mass ◽  
Thermally Induced ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Mechanistic Approach

Abstract. To assist atmospheric monitoring at high-alpine sites, a statistical approach for distinguishing between the dominant air masses was developed. This approach was based on a principal component analysis using five gas-phase and two meteorological variables. The analysis focused on the Schneefernerhaus site at Zugspitze Mountain, Germany. The investigated year was divided into 2-month periods, for which the analysis was repeated. Using the 33.3 % and 66.6 % percentiles of the first two principal components, nine air mass regimes were defined. These regimes were interpreted with respect to vertical transport and assigned to the BL (recent contact with the boundary layer), UFT/SIN (undisturbed free troposphere or stratospheric intrusion), and HYBRID (influences of both the boundary layer and the free troposphere or ambiguous) air mass classes. The input data were available for 78 % of the investigated year. BL accounted for 31 % of the cases with similar frequencies in all seasons. UFT/SIN comprised 14 % of the cases but was not found from April to July. HYBRID (55 %) mostly exhibited intermediate characteristics, whereby 17 % of the HYBRID class suggested an influence from the marine boundary layer or the lower free troposphere. The statistical approach was compared to a mechanistic approach using the ceilometer-based mixing layer height from a nearby valley site and a detection scheme for thermally induced mountain winds. Due to data gaps, only 25 % of the cases could be classified using the mechanistic approach. Both approaches agreed well, except in the rare cases of thermally induced uplift. The statistical approach is a promising step towards a real-time classification of air masses. Future work is necessary to assess the uncertainty arising from the standardization of real-time data.

scholarly journals Identification of the Aerosol Types over Athens, Greece: The Influence of Air-Mass Transport

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Kaskaoutis ◽  
P. G. Kosmopoulos ◽  
H. D. Kambezidis ◽  
P. T. Nastos
Keyword(s):  
Winter Season ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Hysplit Model ◽  
Air Mass ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Local Pollution ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Aerosol Types

Aerosol optical depth at 550 nm () and fine-mode (FM) fraction data from Terra-MODIS were obtained over the Greater Athens Area covering the period February 2000–December 2005. Based on both and FM values three main aerosol types have been discriminated corresponding to urban/industrial aerosols, clean maritime conditions, and coarse-mode, probably desert dust, particles. Five main sectors were identified for the classification of the air-mass trajectories, which were further used in the analysis of the ( and FM data for the three aerosol types). The HYSPLIT model was used to compute back trajectories at three altitudes to investigate the relation between -FM and wind sector depending on the altitude. The accumulation of local pollution is favored in spring and corresponds to air masses at lower altitudes originating from Eastern Europe and the Balkan. Clean maritime conditions are rare over Athens, limited in the winter season and associated with air masses from the Western or Northwestern sector. The coarse-mode particles origin seems to be more complicated proportionally to the season. Thus, in summer the Northern sector dominates, while in the other seasons, and especially in spring, the air masses belong to the Southern sector enriched with Saharan dust aerosols.

scholarly journals Air pollution during the 2003 European heat wave as seen by MOZAIC airliners

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 15911-15954 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Tressol ◽  
C. Ordonez ◽  
R. Zbinden ◽  
V. Thouret ◽  
C. Mari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Wave ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Dispersion Model ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Lagrangian Model ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Vertical Extension ◽  
Lagrangian Dispersion

Abstract. This study presents an analysis of both MOZAIC profiles above Frankfurt and Lagrangian dispersion model simulations for the 2003 European heat wave. The comparison of MOZAIC measurements in summer 2003 with the 11-year MOZAIC climatology reflects strong temperature anomalies (exceeding 4°C) throughout the lower troposphere. Higher positive anomalies of temperature and negative anomalies of both wind speed and relative humidity are found for the period defined here as the heat wave (2–14 August 2003), compared to the periods before (16–31 July 2003) and after (16–31 August 2003) the heat wave. In addition, Lagrangian model simulations in backward mode indicate the suppressed long-range transport in the mid- to lower troposphere and the enhanced southern origin of air masses for all tropospheric levels during the heat wave. Ozone and carbon monoxide also present strong anomalies (both ~ +40 ppbv) during the heat wave, with a maximum vertical extension reaching 6 km altitude around 11 August 2003. Pollution in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) is enhanced during the day, with ozone mixing ratios two times higher than climatological values. This is due to a combination of factors, such as high temperature and radiation, stagnation of air masses and weak dry deposition, which favour the accumulation of ozone precursors and the build-up of ozone. A negligible role of a stratospheric-origin ozone tracer has been found for the lower troposphere in this study. From 29 July to 15 August 2003 forest fires burned around 0.3×106 ha) in Portugal and added to atmospheric pollution in Europe. Layers with enhanced CO and NOy mixing ratios, probably advected from Portugal, were crossed by the MOZAIC aircraft in the free troposphere over Frankfurt. A series of forward and backward Lagrangian model simulations have been performed to investigate the origin of these anomalies. During the whole heat wave, European anthropogenic emissions present the strongest contribution to the measured CO levels in the lower troposphere (near 30%). This source is followed by Portuguese forest fires which affect the lower troposphere after 6 August 2003 and even the PBL around 10 August 2003. The averaged biomass burning contribution reaches 35% during the affected period. Anthropogenic CO of North American origin only marginally influences CO levels over Europe during that period.

scholarly journals Climatic influence on the composition of snow cover at Austre Okstindbreen, Norway, 1989 and 1990

1994 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
He Yuanqing ◽  
Wilfred H. Theakstone
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Crustal Material ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
The North ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Winter Snow ◽  
Marine Source

Winter snow cover at Austre Okstindbreen is influenced strongly by patterns of atmospheric circulation, and by air temperatures during precipitation. Differences of circulation over the North Atlantic and Scandinavia during the winters of 1988–89 and 1989–90 were reflected in the ionic and isotopic composition of snow that accumulated at the glacier. Early summer ablation did not remove, or smooth out, all the initial stratigraphic differences. In the first half of the 1988–89 winter, most air masses took a relatively short route between a marine source and Okstindan; late winter snowfalls were from air masses which had taken a longer continental route. The snow that accumulated in the first half of the 1989–90 winter was associated with air masses which had followed longer continental routes, and so brought higher concentrations of impurities from forests, lakes and crustal material. The ablation season began earlier in 1990 than in 1989, and summer winds and rain supplied more impurities to the snowpack surface.

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