MECHANISMS CONTROLLING WATER-VAPOR IN THE LOWER STRATOSPHERE - A TALE OF 2 STRATOSPHERES Academic Article

abstract

• We present an analysis of the mechanisms controlling stratospheric water vapor based on in situ profiles made at 36.4N and at altitudes up to 20 km. The stratosphere can be conveniently divided into two air masses: the overworld (potential temperature <380). Our data support the canonical theory that air primarily enters the overworld by passing through the tropical tropopause. Air parcels crossing the extratropical tropopause experience higher temperatures, allowing higher water vapor in the lowermost stratosphere (tens of ppmv) than in the overworld. Our data are consistent with the pathway for air crossing the extratropical tropopause being isentropic advection from lower latitudes. -from Authors

authors

• Dessler, Andrew

published proceedings

• JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES

altmetric score

• 11.544

author list (cited authors)

• DESSLER, A. E., HINTSA, E. J., WEINSTOCK, E. M., ANDERSON, J. G., & CHAN, K. R.

citation count

• 104

complete list of authors

• DESSLER, AE||HINTSA, EJ||WEINSTOCK, EM||ANDERSON, JG||CHAN, KR

publication date

• November 1995

publisher

• American Geophysical Union (AGU)  Publisher

published in

• Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR): Atmospheres  Journal

keywords

• 37 Earth Sciences
• 3701 Atmospheric Sciences

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1029/95JD02455

start page

• 23167

end page

• 23172

volume

• 100

issue

• D11

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1029%2F95jd02455