WINTERTIME PLANETARY WAVE PROPAGATION IN THE LOWER STRATOSPHERE AND ITS OBSERVED EFFECT ON NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TEMPERATURE-OZONE CORRELATIONS

摘要

This study examines temporal and spatial correlations between TOMS total ozone and MSU4 brightness temperature data for the seven-years 1980-1986. These data sets are separated into monthly mean and transient time series, and a Monte Carlo method is used to determine the statistical significance of the observed correlations. Monthly mean data have large areas of positive correlations during NH summer months, and during SH springtime months. Both the NH and SH have smaller areas of monthly mean positive correlations during winter. The NH has large areas of transient correlations during October, November and April, and the SH during September, October and November. One result of this analysis is that monthly mean and transient total ozone and brightness temperature show little correlation in the NH during January and the SH during July. To examine the role that planetary waves play in these correlations during January, LIMS data are used to calculate the wave activity. It is found that the NH regions of significant total ozone-temperature positive correlations correspond to regions (corridors) in the stratosphere where large vertical planetary wave propagation takes place. Monthly mean correlations are found in the corridors over north central Asia, northeastern Pacific and northern Atlantic Oceans. Transient correlations are found over northern Canada. The northern Atlantic Ocean region is characterized by downward, and the remaining three regions are dominated by upward propagating wave activity. Trajectory calculations are used to examine the observed LIMS temperature and ozone trends. This analysis shows that as air parcels pass through the corridor over the northern Atlantic Ocean, they rise and cool. This unique region of downward wave activity and subsequent upward trajectory motion may be important when considering the processing of air by polar stratospheric clouds. [References: 38]