Evidence of global-scale waves with zonal wave number zero in the stratosphere

Coherency spectra derived from time series of stratospheric quantities indicate oscillations in the frequency range below 0.5 d^–1 which are correlated on a global scale. Satellite observations of total ozone and stratospheric radiance (BUV and SIRS, Nimbus4, April–November 1970) have been used to derive phase relationships of such oscillations. As an example, an oscillation of total ozone with a period of 7.5 d and zonal wave number zero is analyzed in detail. The basic assumption is made and tested, that the oscillation reflects stratospheric planetary waves as obtained from Laplace's tidal equations. The observed latitudinal phase shifts for the total ozone oscillation are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. It is concluded from the observations of ozone and radiance that mainly divergence effects related to global-scale waves are responsible for the 7.5 d oscillations of total ozone at high and middle latitudes and at the equator whereas in the latitude range 10°S–20°S predominantly temperature effects are important. Meridional wind amplitudes of some 10 cm/s are sufficient to explain the high and mid-latitude ozone oscillations. At low latitudes vertical wind amplitudes of about 0.2 mm/s corresponding to height changes of the ozone layer of roughly ±20 m are obtained.     

Simulations of stratospheric sudden warmings in the Berlin troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere GCM

Stratospheric sudden warming events in the Northern Hemisphere of the Berlin TSM GCM are investigated. In about 50% of the simulated years (13 out of 28), major midwinter warmings occur. This agrees well with observations but, whereas real events tend to occur approximately every second season, those in the model are clustered, most of them occur in the period between years 15/16 and years 24/25. In most other years, minor warming events take place. The warming events are found earlier in the winter than in reality. Many of the observed characteristics of warming events are well captured by the model: pulses of wave activity propagate out of the troposphere; these transient events force the zonal-mean zonal wind in the stratosphere and coincide with increases of the temperature at the North Pole and cooling at low levels in the tropics; temperature changes of opposite sign are modelled at higher levels. Synoptically, the modelled stratosphere evolves quite realistically before the warmings: the cyclonic vortex is displaced from the Pole by an amplifying anticyclone. After minor warmings, the stratosphere remains too disturbed as the cyclonic centre does not return to the North Pole as quickly as in reality. In the aftermath of major warmings the cyclonic vortex is not fully eroded and the anticyclonic circulation does not develop properly over the Pole; furthermore, the wintertime circulation is not properly restored after the event.     

Influence of strong sudden stratospheric warmings on ozone in the middle stratosphere according to millimeter wave observations

This paper reports the study data on variations in the ozone content in the middle stratosphere over Moscow based on millimeter wavelength observations during a range of midwinter sudden stratospheric warmings that occurred in the past two decades. The relation of ozone with planetary waves and the intensity of the polar stratospheric vortex has been established. The ozone vertical distribution has been monitored with a highly sensitive spectrometer with a two-millimeter wave band. The discovered phenomena of a relatively long-term lower ozone content in December in the considered cold half-year periods are related to the higher amplitude of the planetary wave with n = 1. Such phenomena preceded the development of strong midwinter stratospheric warmings, which, in turn, were accompanied by a significant increase in the ozone content in January. This ozone enrichment was related to the lower amplitude of the wave with n = 1 and higher amplitude of the wave with n = 2 and was accompanied by geopotential H _c.v. growth in the polar vortex center. Specific features of variations in the ozone content under the influence of the major atmospheric processes are observed not only in certain cold half-year periods but are also well seen in the general averaged pattern for winters with strong stratospheric warmings.     

Resonant interaction between two planetary waves as a precursor for stratospheric warmings?

Stratospheric warmings are attributed to an enhanced planetary wave activity, occurring nearly each winter – at least in the northern hemisphere – with different strengths. The generation of stratospheric warmings is not totally understood. One of the most promising explanations is the interaction of planetary waves: in many cases, the amplitude of the quasi-stationary planetary wave 1 builds up, until it transmits its momentum and energy to the background wind field. The role of wave 2 is usually considered to be less important.Based on ERA-40 and DYANA temperature data (January–February 1990), we found evidence that a resonant wave–wave interaction between a travelling and a stationary wave 2 was responsible for a minor stratospheric warming in February 1990. The interaction being observed during four weeks can eventually be used as an indication for an upcoming stratospheric warming.     

Latitudinal and longitudinal variability of mesospheric winds and temperatures during stratospheric warming events

Continuous MF and meteor radar observations allow detailed studies of winds in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) as well as temperatures around the mesopause. This height region is characterized by a strong variability in winter due to enhanced planetary wave activity and related stratospheric warming events, which are distinct coupling processes between lower, middle and upper atmosphere. Here the variability of mesospheric winds and temperatures is discussed in relation with major and minor stratospheric warmings as observed during winter 2005/06 in comparison with results during winter 1998/99.Our studies are based on MF radar wind measurements at Andenes (69°N, 16°E), Poker Flat (65°N, 147°W) and Juliusruh (55°N, 13°E) as well as on meteor radar observations of winds and temperatures at Resolute Bay (75°N, 95°W), Andenes (69°N, 16°E) and Kühlungsborn (54°N, 12°E). Additionally, energy dissipation rates have been estimated from spectral width measurements using a 3 MHz Doppler radar near Andenes. Particular attention is directed to the changes of winds, turbulence and the gravity wave activity in the mesosphere in relation to the planetary wave activity in the stratosphere.Observations indicate an enhancement of planetary wave 1 activity in the mesosphere at high latitudes during major stratospheric warmings. Daily mean temperatures derived from meteor decay times indicate that strong warming events are connected with a cooling of the 90 km region by about 10–20 K. The onset of these cooling processes and the reversals of the mesospheric circulation to easterly winds occur some days before the changes of the zonal circulation in the stratosphere start indicating a downward propagation of the circulation disturbances from the MLT region to the stratosphere and troposphere during the stratospheric warming events. The short-term reversal of the mesospheric winds is followed by a period of strong westerly winds connected with enhanced turbulence rates and an increase of gravity wave activity in the altitude range 70–85 km.     

冬季太阳11年周期活动对大气环流的影响

利用气象场的再分析资料和太阳辐射活动资料,对太阳11年周期活动影响北半球冬季(11月~3月)大气环流的过程进行了统计分析和动力学诊断.根据赤道平流层纬向风准两年振荡(QBO)的东、西风状态对太阳活动效应进行了分类讨论,结果表明：东风态QBO时,太阳活动效应主要集中在赤道平流层中、高层和南半球平流层,强太阳活动时增强的紫外辐射加热了赤道地区的臭氧层,造成平流层低纬明显增温,同时加强了南半球的Brewer-Dobson(B-D)环流,引起南极高纬平流层温度增加;而北半球中高纬的环流主要受行星波的影响,太阳活动影响很小.西风态QBO时,太阳活动效应在北半球更为重要,初冬时强太阳活动除了加热赤道地区臭氧层外,还抑制了北半球的B-D环流,造成赤道平流层温度增加和纬向风梯度在垂直方向的变化,从而改变了对流层两支行星波波导的强度;冬末时在太阳活动调制下,行星波向极波导增强,B-D环流逐渐恢复,造成北半球极地平流层明显增温,同时伴随着赤道区域温度的下降.     

Preconditioning and ozone hole filling in the Antarctic Spring

The temporal variations in mean zonal wind, horizontal temperature gradient at 30 mb and Total Ozone in Antarctic Spring (1 Sept.–30 Nov.) for nine seasons (1979–1987) were examined. The ozone hole filling commenced when the zonal flow decelerated to 50–58 m.sec^–1 at 30 mb. Our calculation of Rossby critical wave number with vertical shear suited for Antarctic Spring indicated that flow is preconditioned for vertical propagation of Rossby critical wave number two at this range of zonal flow. This preconditioning can be attributed to the diabatic heating in the Antarctic Spring since no sudden minor warmings/coolings have occurred during the period.     

Variability of the mesospheric wind field at middle and Arctic latitudes in winter and its relation to stratospheric circulation disturbances

Continuous wind observations allow detailed investigations of the upper mesosphere circulation in winter and its coupling with the lower atmosphere. During winter the mesospheric/lower thermospheric wind field is characterized by a strong variability. Causes of this behaviour are planetary wave activity and related stratospheric warming events. Reversals of the dominating eastward directed mean zonal winds in winter to summerly westward directed winds are often observed in connection with stratospheric warmings. In particular, the amplitude and duration of these wind reversals are closely related to disturbances of the dynamical regime of the upper stratosphere.The occurrence of long-period wind oscillations and wind reversals in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere in relation to planetary wave activity and circulation disturbances in the stratosphere has been studied for 12 winters covering the years 1989–2000 on the basis of MF radar wind observations at Juliusruh (55°N, since 1989) and Andenes (69°N, since 1998). Mesospheric wind oscillations with long-periods between 10 and 18 days are observed during the presence of enhanced planetary wave activity in the stratosphere and are combined with a reversal of the meridional temperature gradient of the stratosphere or with upper stratospheric warmings.     

Sensitivity experiments with a quasi-geostrophic model of stratospheric sudden warming

We describe a series of sensitivity experiments with a quasi-geostrophic model of the interaction of stationary planetary waves with the mean zonal flow in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The model is of the Matsuno type, which neglects wave-wave interaction and includes only a single zonal harmonic of the planetary wave spectrum in each simulation. We employed the model to investigate the source of the double-layer structure previously obtained by several authors for the stratospheric sudden warming with wavenumber one. Our results suggest that this characteristic of the model-produced warming is a property only of models without damping. When reasonable dissipation is included in the model, the double-layer structure disappears. This implies the importance of the drag parameterization in properly simulating warming events and, since the actual drag very probably is effected by breaking internal waves, it suggests that future analysis should include a specific representation of this effect. We also investigated the dependence of stratospheric warming on the structure of the zonal wind field. Our analyses show in particular that substantial reduction of the height of the polar night jet mitigates strongly against the occurrence of a sudden warming event.     

Global distribution,seasonal, and inter-annual variations of mesospheric semidiurnal tide observed by TIMED TIDI

Based on TIDI mesospheric wind observations, we analyzed the semidiurnal tide westward zonal wavenumber 1 and 2 (SW1 and SW2) component seasonal, inter-annual variations, and possible sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) related changes. Major findings are as follows: (1) The SW1 has a peak near the South Pole during the December solstice and near the North Pole during the March equinox. (2) The SW2 peaks at 60S and 60N mostly during winter solstices. The SW2 also peaks during late summer and early fall in the northern hemisphere. (3) The QBO effect on the semidiurnal tide is much weaker than that on the diurnal tide. The March equinox northern SW1 zonal amplitude appears to be stronger during the westward phase of the QBO, which is opposite of migrating diurnal tide QBO response. (4) Possible SSW event related changes in the semidiurnal tide are significant but not always consistent. Enhancements in the mid-latitude SW2 component during SSWs are observed, which may be related to the increase of total ozone at mid and high latitudes during SSW events. TIDI observations also show a decrease in the SW2 in the opposite hemisphere during a southern SSW event in 2002. Small increases in the high latitude SW1 in both hemispheres during the 2002 southern SSW event were recorded.     

对流层强迫与平流层暴发性增温

采用平流层准地转－β通道近似下的波流相互作用模型，考虑大气行星波１和波２与流的相互作用，以平流层底部边界强迫波波１和波２的振幅作为参数，对该模型的分岔特性进行了研究．结果表明，系统具有稳态解支Ａ，Ｂ，Ｃ，在某些参数范围内，多种稳态解同时存在．解支Ａ对应于平流层冷冬状态，解支Ｃ对应于平流层增温状态．由于参数变化系统在稳态解Ａ和Ｃ之间发生灾变是冬季平流层暴发性增温的原因．文中给出了二维参数空间中的分岔集，它表明了对流层顶的波动对平流层暴发性增温的控制作用，能很好地解释观测事实．     

Quasi-geostrophic simulations of the 1979 stratospheric major warming: The importance of middle-atmospheric drag

A detailed test of a simple nonlinear quasi-geostrophic model of stratospheric sudden warming has been performed. The model is of Matsuno's type, which includes only the interaction between a single planetary wave and the zonal mean flow. Given this limitation, the 1979 major stratospheric sudden warming has been employed to test the ability of the model to simulate an actual warming event. This event proved to be an especially appropriate testing ground for the model, since its main assumptions were reasonably well satisfied by the observational evidence. Results from the model simulations demonstrate (a) that such simple quasi-geostrophic dynamics are completely capable of providing a rather detailed simulation of the 1979 major warming event and (b) that the ability of the model to simulate successfully the observed evolution of the warming is extremely sensitive to the magnitude and form of the dissipation mechanism that is assumed to operate in the middle atmosphere.     

Satellite data analysis of ozone differences in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Four years of SBUV ozone data and NOAA/NMC temperature data are analyzed for the relations between the annual total ozone behaviour in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the transport of ozone by planetary waves. It is found that the interhemispheric differences in the annual variation of total ozone are well explained by the interhemispheric differences in the planetary waves and the resulting ozone transports. The annual variation of the ozone transports by the stationary waves is found to control the ozone behavior in both hemispheres. Both the day-to-day and the interannual variation in total ozone are found to be strongly related to the corresponding variability of the planetary waves.Contribution Number 46 of the Stratospheric General Circulation with Chemistry Project at NASA/GSFC.     

Trends in total ozone and the effect of the equatorial zonal wind QBO

Trends in total column ozone have been analyzed in terms of the equatorial zonal wind. We used zonal monthly mean total ozone from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and monthly mean zonal wind in the equatorial stratosphere at 30 hPa to define the phases of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). Total column ozone trends have been assessed during the period 1979–2004, for both Hemispheres, and for each month, under three conditions considering, all the ozone dataset, ozone values during easterly phase and ozone values during westerly phase of the QBO. When the whole dataset is considered, negative trends are observed. From low to midlatitudes a zonal pattern is noticed with increasing negative values toward higher latitudes. When the data is filtered according to the QBO phase, statistically significant positive trends appear in the westerly case during January to May at low latitudes .The trend pattern in the case of the easterly phase presents more negative values.     

Influence of the vertical motion field on ozone concentration in the stratosphere

Computations of the mean meridional motion field in the stratosphere are applied to ozone distributions to evaluate the associated ozone concentration changes. These changes are compared with those produced by photochemical and quasi-horizontal eddy processes. For the period January–April 1964 there is a cooperative action between the mean and eddy motions with mean subsidence in middle latitudes supplying ozone to be carried polawards and equatorwards by quasi-horizontal eddy processes. At low latitudes mean horizontal motions offset the eddy transport while at high latitudes mean rising motion is the offsetting term. The mean ozone flux through 50 mb, 3.5×10²⁹ molecules sec^–1, is comparable with the fluxes evaluated by other techniques.The spring maximum is thought to be due to a modulation of the energy supply to the stratospheric eddies which, in turn, force the mean motions. Longer-term changes are to be expected; for example during Ice Ages when increased tropospheric eddy activity is anticipated there should be higher total ozone.     

Representativeness of total ozone trends as derived from satellite BUV and ground-based measurements

The information content of the 7-year BUV data set has been reexamined by a comparison with a fairly large set of ground Dobson and M-83 instruments. The satellite-ground intercomparison of total ozone was done under different types of ground observation techniques (observation code) and different instrument exposure (exposure code) and for various distances of the subsatellite point from the station. Because of the existing latitudinal gradient in total ozone, at a given station the bias ground-BUV tends to be smaller when the subsatellite point is at a latitude higher than the station's latitude. Knowing the total ozone gradient at a given station, the BUV total ozone has been corrected to account for the ozone gradient and the correlation was calculated with the corresponding ground observations. These correlations seem to offer no improvement when compared with the correlations between the ground ozone and the actual BUV ozone at distances of the subsatellite point from the station within 200 km from the station used in previous studies. The seasonal variation of the BUV-ground correlation reveals information on the noise level of the measurements and the geographical distribution of the percentage mean bias: (Ground-BUV)×100/(Ground) is discussed. Both on short and on longer time scales it appears that the BUV derived recommended total ozone data set is reasonably good and possible instrumental drifts are not large. The analysis includes an extension through April 1977 of the BUV and contour-derived total ozone trends byLondon andLing (1980). Over the northern hemisphere both data sets (contour and BUV) show comparable trends over middle and high latitudes which range from –3 D.U./year to –5 D.U./year during the 7-year period April 1970–April 1977. In the southern hemisphere, however, long-term variation in total ozone cannot be determined from ground observations alone. It is concluded that for unknown reasons during the 7-year period of study, total ozone has been decreasing over most of the globe. The negative growth rates at high latitudes of the northern hemisphere are highly significant.     

Major and minor stratospheric warmings and their interactions on the troposphere

Analyses of evolutions of the kinetic and thermal energy associated with the major and minor stratospheric warmings in the winters of 1976–77 and 1975–76 respectively indicate that the predominant ultra-long waves in the stratosphere oscillated at periods of 10–20 days, whereas in the troposphere the predominant long waves oscillated at periods of 8 to 12 days. These tropospheric long waves are almost out-of-phase with the stratospheric ultra-long waves for the minor warming, but in-phase for the major warming. The kinetic energy of the zonal mean flow in the stratosphere for the minor warming is much greater than that for the major warming, indicating that the occurrence of a major warming depends on the magnitude of the kinetic energy of the zonal mean flow relative to that of the meridional convergence of the poleward flux of sensible heat. In both the major and minor warmings, most of the stratospheric eddy kinetic energy is contained in waves of wavenumbers 1 and 2, whereas the stratospheric available potential energy is primarily contained in waves of wavenumber 1. The kinetic energy associated with waves of wavenumber 1 appeared to be 180° out-of-phase with those of wavenumber 2, indicating that nonlinear transfer of kinetic energy occurred between waves of wavenumbers 1 and 2. The occurrences of wind reversals were accompanied by decouplings of the stratospheric and tropospheric motions, and blockings in the troposphere.     

Numerical studies of transient planetary circulations in a wind-driven ocean

Summary The time-dependent primitive equations for a shallow homogeneous ocean with a free surface are solved for a bounded basin on the sphere, driven by a steady zonal wind stress and subject to lateral viscous dissipation. These are the vertically integrated equations for a free-surface model, and are integrated to 60 days from an initial state of rest by an explicit centered-difference method with zero-slip lateral boundary conditions. In a series of comparative numerical solutions it is shown that at least a 2-deg resolution is needed to resolve the western boundary currents adequately and to avoid undue distortion of the transient (Rossby waves. The -plane formulation is shown to be an adequate approximation for the mean circulation in the lower and middle latitudes, but noticeably intensifies the transports poleward of about 50 deg and both slows and distorts the transients in the central basin. The influence of the (southern) zonal boundary on the transport solutions is confined to the southernmost gyre, except in the region of the western boundary currents where its influence spreads to the northern edge of the basin by 30 days. The total boundary current transport is shown to be approximately proportional to the zonal width of the basin and independent of the basin's (uniform) depth, while the elevation of the free water surface is inversely proportional to the basin depth, in accordance with linear theory. The introduction of bottom friction has a marked damping effect on the transient Rossby waves, and also reduces the maximum boundary-current transport. The solutions throughout are approximately geostrophic and are only slightly nonlinear.The root-mean-square (rms) transport variability during the period 30 to 60 days is concentrated in the southwest portion of the basin through the reflection of the transient Rossby waves from the western shore and has a maximum corresponding to an rms current variability of about 3 cm sec^–1. The transport variabilities are about 10 percent of the mean zonal transport and more than 100 percent of the mean meridional transport over a considerable region of the western basin (outside the western boundary current regime). Some 99 percent of the total kinetic energy is associated with the zonal mean and standing zonal waves, which are also responsible for the bulk of the meridional transport of zonal angular momentum. Although the transient Rossby waves systematically produce a momentum flux convergence at the latitude of the maximum eastward current, much in the manner of their atmospheric counterparts, this is only a relatively small contribution to the zonal oceanic momentum balance; the bulk of the mean zonal stress is here balanced by a nearly stationary net pressure torque exerted against the meridional boundaries by the wind-raised water. In an ocean without such boundaries the role of the transient circulations may be somewhat more important.     

Properties of QBO and SAO generated by gravity waves

In this paper we present an extension for the 2D (zonal mean) version of our numerical spectral mode (NSM) that incorporates Hines’ Doppler spread parameterization (DSP) for small-scale gravity waves (GW). This model is applied to describe the seasonal variations and the semi-annual and quasi-biennial oscillations (SAO and QBO). Our earlier model reproduced the salient features of the mean zonal circulation in the middle atmosphere, including the QBO extension into the upper mesosphere inferred from UARS measurements. The model is extended to reproduce the upwelling at equatorial latitudes that is associated with the Brewer–Dobson circulation — which affects significantly the dynamics of the stratosphere as Dunkerton had pointed out. In the presence of GW, this upwelling is produced in our model with tropospheric heating, which generates also zonal jets outside the tropics similar to those observed. The resulting upward vertical winds increase the period of the QBO. To compensate for that, one needs to increase the eddy diffusivity and the GW momentum flux, bringing the latter closer to values recommended in the DSP. The QBO period in the model is 30 months (mo), which is conducive to synchronize this oscillation with the seasonal cycle of solar forcing. Associated with this QBO are interannual and interseasonal variations that become increasingly more important at higher altitudes — and this variability is interpreted in terms of GW filtering that effectively couples the dynamical components of the mesosphere. The computed temperature amplitudes for the SAO and QBO are in substantial agreement with observations at equatorial and extra-tropical latitudes. At high latitudes, however, the observed QBO amplitudes are significantly larger, which may be a signature of propagating planetary waves not included in the present model. The assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium not being imposed, we find that the effects from the vertical Coriolis force associated with the equatorial oscillations are large for the vertical winds and significant for the temperature variations even outside the tropics, but the effects are small for the zonal winds.     

Midlatitude mesopause region winds and waves and comparison with stratospheric variability

We present time series of January–May mean mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) mean winds and planetary wave (PW) proxies over Europe together with stratospheric stationary planetary waves (SPW) at 50°N and time series of European ozone laminae occurrence. The MLT winds are connected with stratospheric PW and laminae at time scales of several years to decades. There is a tendency for increased wave activity after 1990, together with more ozone laminae and stronger MLT zonal winds. However, possible coupling processes are not straightforward. While mean MLT winds before the 1990s show similar interannual variations than stratospheric PW at 100 hPa, later a tendency towards a connection of the MLT with the middle stratosphere SPW is registered. There is also a tendency for a change in the correlation between lower and middle stratosphere SPW, indicating that coupling processes involving the European middle atmosphere from the lower stratosphere to the mesopause region have changed.