Articles | Volume 22, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9895-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9895-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Aug 2022
Research article |
| 03 Aug 2022
| 03 Aug 2022
How can Brewer–Dobson circulation trends be estimated from changes in stratospheric water vapour and methane?
Liubov Poshyvailo-Strube
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Stratosphere (IEK-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Institute of Bio- and Geosciences: Agrosphere (IBG-3) Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Centre for High-Performance Scientific Computing in Terrestrial Systems (HPSC TerrSys), Geoverbund ABC/J, Jülich, Germany
Rolf Müller
Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Stratosphere (IEK-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Stephan Fueglistaler
Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
Michaela I. Hegglin
Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Stratosphere (IEK-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, UK
Johannes C. Laube
Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Stratosphere (IEK-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
C. Michael Volk
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Felix Ploeger
Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Stratosphere (IEK-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Related authors
Liubov Poshyvailo-Strube, Niklas Wagner, Klaus Goergen, Carina Furusho-Percot, Carl Hartick, and Stefan Kollet
Earth Syst. Dynam., 15, 167–189, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-167-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-167-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater (GW) representation is simplified in most regional climate models. Here, we introduce a unique Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform (TSMP) dataset with an explicit representation of GW, in the context of dynamical downscaling of GCMs for climate change studies. We compare the heat events statistics of TSMP and the CORDEX ensemble. Our results show that TSMP systematically simulates fewer heat waves, and they are shorter and less intense.
Johannes C. Laube, Tanja J. Schuck, Sophie Baartman, Huilin Chen, Markus Geldenhuys, Steven van Heuven, Timo Keber, Maria Elena Popa, Elinor Tuffnell, Florian Voet, Bärbel Vogel, Thomas Wagenhäuser, Alessandro Zanchetta, and Andreas Engel
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4087–4102, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4087-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4087-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
A large balloon was launched in summer 2021 in the Arctic to carry instruments for trace gas measurements up to 32 km, above the reach of aircraft. The main aims were to evaluate different techniques and atmospheric processes. We focus on halogenated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. For this, air was collected with the AirCore technique and a cryogenic air sampler and measured after the flight. A companion paper reports observations of major greenhouse gases.
Markus Jesswein, Valentin Lauther, Nicolas Emig, Peter Hoor, Timo Keber, Hans-Christoph Lachnitt, Linda Ort, Tanja Schuck, Johannes Strobel, Ronja Van Luijt, C. Michael Volk, Franziska Weyland, and Andreas Engel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 8107–8126, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8107-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The study investigates transport within the Asian Summer Monsoon, focusing on how CH2Cl2 reaches the subarctic tropopause region. Using data from the PHILEAS campaign in 2023, events with increased mixing ratios were detected. Their origin, the transport paths to the tropopause region, and the potential entry into the stratosphere were analyzed. The East Asian Summer Monsoon was identified as the main transport pathway, with only a small contribution to the stratosphere in the following days.
Corinna Kloss, Gwenaël Berthet, Pasquale Sellitto, Irene Bartolome Garcia, Emmanuel Briaud, Rubel Chandra Das, Stéphane Chevrier, Nicolas Dumelié, Lilian Joly, Thomas Lecas, Pauline Marbach, Felix Ploeger, Jean-Baptiste Renard, Jean-Paul Vernier, Frank G. Wienhold, and Michaela I. Hegglin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2091, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2091, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
In October 2022, we detected volcanic particles in the stratosphere over France, linked to the January 2022 Hunga eruption in the South Pacific. Found between 17 and 23 km altitude, they were traced back to the tropics using trajectory simulations and satellite data. Their optical properties matched those in the Southern Hemisphere. The particles spread across the Northern Hemisphere, reflecting sunlight and slightly cooling the surface—a small but non-negligible effect.
Rolf Müller, Lennart Bengtsson, John Birks, John Burrows, Ruprecht Jaenicke, and Richard S. Stolarski
Hist. Geo Space. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-2025-2, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-2025-2, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for HGSS
Short summary
Short summary
This paper reports a few anecdotes from the life of Paul Crutzen, which were contributed by friends and colleagues. Taken together these anecdotes should shed some light on the person Paul Crutzen, which is perhaps less visible, when focusing only on his scientific achievements.
Frederik Harzer, Hella Garny, Felix Ploeger, J. Moritz Menken, and Thomas Birner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2195, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2195, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We study ozone transport in the extratropical lowermost stratosphere using potential temperature as vertical coordinate, thereby distinguishing adiabatic and diabatic processes. We find that on top of known dominant transport processes (quasi-horizontal mixing, slow diabatic descent) vertical mixing plays an important role near the tropopause. Our findings are relevant for understanding ozone's role in climate including its imprint on tropospheric ozone via stratosphere-troposphere air exchange.
Gerald Wetzel, Anne Kleinert, Sören Johansson, Felix Friedl-Vallon, Michael Höpfner, Jörn Ungermann, Tom Neubert, Valéry Catoire, Cyril Crevoisier, Andreas Engel, Thomas Gulde, Patrick Jacquet, Oliver Kirner, Erik Kretschmer, Thomas Kulessa, Johannes C. Laube, Guido Maucher, Hans Nordmeyer, Christof Piesch, Peter Preusse, Markus Retzlaff, Georg Schardt, Johan Schillings, Herbert Schneider, Axel Schönfeld, Tanja Schuck, Wolfgang Woiwode, Martin Riese, and Peter Braesicke
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1838, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1838, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present vertical trace gas profiles from the first balloon flight of the newly developed GLORIA-B limb-imaging Fourier-Transform spectrometer. Longer-lived gases are compared to external measurements to assess the quality of the GLORIA-B observations. Diurnal changes of photochemically active species are compared to model simulations. GLORIA-B demonstrates the capability of balloon-borne limb imaging to provide high-resolution vertical profiles of trace gases up to the middle stratosphere.
Oleh Kachula, Bärbel Vogel, Gebhard Günther, and Rolf Müller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1670, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1670, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a novel method to define the boundary of the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone (ASMA) and provide the inter-annual and intra-seasonal analyses based on 44 years (1980–2023) and highlight individual years – 2017, 2022 and 2023 during which aircraft campaigns StratoClim, ACCLIP and PHILEAS took place respectively. Our method shows consistent results with previous studies but also provide new information about possible bimodality of the ASMA and inter-annual decrease of the ASMA area.
Aaron Match, Edwin P. Gerber, and Stephan Fueglistaler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4349–4366, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4349-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4349-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The ozone concentration in the tropical stratosphere peaks at 26 km, protecting life from harmful ultraviolet light without poisoning it. Climate models reproduce this peak, but textbook explanations yield errors of 10 km. Simplifying the well-understood sources and sinks of ozone, we develop a theory explaining that tropical ozone peaks where its dominant sink transitions from damping of atomic oxygen aloft (mainly via catalytic chemistry) to damping of ozone below (mainly via transport).
Tanja J. Schuck, Johannes Degen, Timo Keber, Katharina Meixner, Thomas Wagenhäuser, Mélanie Ghysels, Georges Durry, Nadir Amarouche, Alessandro Zanchetta, Steven van Heuven, Huilin Chen, Johannes C. Laube, Sophie L. Baartman, Carina van der Veen, Maria Elena Popa, and Andreas Engel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4333–4348, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4333-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4333-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
A balloon was launched in 2021 in the Arctic to carry instruments for trace gas measurements up to 32 km. One purpose was to compare measurement techniques. We focus on the major greenhouse gases. To measure these, air was sampled with the AirCore technique and with flask sampling, and samples were analysed after the flight. In flight, observations were done with an optical method. In a companion paper, we report on observations of chlorine and bromine containing trace gases.
Laura N. Saunders, Kaley A. Walker, Gabriele P. Stiller, Thomas von Clarmann, Florian Haenel, Hella Garny, Harald Bönisch, Chris D. Boone, Ariana E. Castillo, Andreas Engel, Johannes C. Laube, Marianna Linz, Felix Ploeger, David A. Plummer, Eric A. Ray, and Patrick E. Sheese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4185–4209, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4185-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4185-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present a 17-year stratospheric age-of-air dataset derived from ACE-FTS satellite measurements of sulfur hexafluoride. This is the longest continuous, global, and vertically resolved age of air time series available to date. In this paper, we show that this dataset agrees well with age-of-air datasets based on measurements from other instruments. We also present trends in the midlatitude lower stratosphere that indicate changes in the global circulation that are predicted by climate models.
Shubhajyoti Roy, Satheesh P. R. Chandran, Suvarna Fadnavis, Vijay Sagar, Michaela I. Hegglin, and Rolf Müller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1098, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1098, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We show stratospheric ozone intrusions associated with sudden stratospheric warming events enhance ozone in the lower troposphere over the South Asia. The ozone enhancement increases ozone radiative forcing by 0.04±0.03 W.m-2 over South Asia. This increase in ozone radiative forcing potentially exacerbates regional climate warming.
Florian Voet, Felix Ploeger, Johannes Laube, Peter Preusse, Paul Konopka, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Jörn Ungermann, Björn-Martin Sinnhuber, Michael Höpfner, Bernd Funke, Gerald Wetzel, Sören Johansson, Gabriele Stiller, Eric Ray, and Michaela I. Hegglin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3541–3565, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3541-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3541-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study refines estimates of the stratospheric “age of air”, a measure of how long air circulates in the stratosphere. By analyzing correlations between trace gases measurable by satellites, the research introduces a method that reduces uncertainties and detects small-scale atmospheric features. This improved understanding of stratospheric circulation is crucial for better climate models and predictions, enhancing our ability to assess the impacts of climate change on the atmosphere.
Paul Konopka, Felix Ploeger, Francesco D'Amato, Teresa Campos, Marc von Hobe, Shawn B. Honomichl, Peter Hoor, Laura L. Pan, Michelle L. Santee, Silvia Viciani, Kaley A. Walker, and Michaela I. Hegglin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1155, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1155, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present an improved version of the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS-3.0), which better represents transport from the lower atmosphere to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. By refining grid resolution and improving convection representation, the model more accurately simulates carbon monoxide transport. Comparisons with satellite and in situ observations highlight its ability to capture seasonal variations and improve our understanding of atmospheric transport.
Prashant Chavan, Suvarna Fadnavis, Anton Laakso, Jean-Paul Vernier, Simone Tilmes, and Rolf Müller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3825, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3825, 2025
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Our simulations with volcanoes, when compared without volcanoes, show that volcanic aerosol precursors enter the tropical stratosphere, propagating upward and enhancing sulphate aerosol and heating. This stratospheric heating caused by the volcanoes reduces the amplitude of the QBO and disrupts its phases. Since QBO also modulates tropical convection and weather, we suggest including volcanic emissions and the QBO in the weather prediction model for a better forecast.
Kimberlee Dubé, Susann Tegtmeier, Felix Ploeger, and Kaley A. Walker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1433–1447, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1433-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1433-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The transport rate of air in the stratosphere has changed in response to human emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. This transport rate can be approximated using measurements of long-lived trace gases. We use observations and model results to derive anomalies and trends in the mean rate of stratospheric air transport. We find that air in the Northern Hemisphere aged by up to 0.3 years per decade relative to air in the Southern Hemisphere over 2004–2017.
Xiaolu Yan, Paul Konopka, Felix Ploeger, and Aurélien Podglajen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1289–1305, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1289-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1289-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study finds that the air mass fractions (AMFs) from the Asian boundary layer (ABL) to the polar regions are about 1.5 times larger than those from the same latitude band in the Southern Hemisphere. The transport of AMFs from the ABL to the polar vortex primarily occurs above 20 km and over timescales exceeding 2 years. Our analysis reveals a strong correlation between the polar pollutants and the AMFs from the ABL. About 20 % of SF6 in the polar stratosphere originates from the ABL.
Franziska Weyland, Peter Hoor, Daniel Kunkel, Thomas Birner, Felix Plöger, and Katharina Turhal
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1227–1252, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1227-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1227-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The lowermost stratosphere (LMS) plays an important role in the Earth's climate, containing strong gradients of ozone and water vapor. Our results indicate that the thermodynamic structure of the LMS was changing between 1979–2019 in response to anthropogenic climate change and the recovery of stratospheric ozone, also indicating large-scale circulation changes. We find that both the upper and the lower LMS boundaries show an (upward) trend, which has implications for the LMS mass.
Rasul Baikhadzhaev, Felix Ploeger, Peter Preusse, Manfred Ern, and Thomas Birner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4088, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4088, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Across four reanalyses, shallow branch of the stratospheric overturning circulation was found to be driven by the largest waves with wavenumbers 1 to 3, and deep branch of the circulation was found to be driven by smaller-scale waves. Yet, the height of the level separating the branches is depended on the reanalysis considered. Thus using the appropriate separation levels in model inter-comparisons could reduce the spread between models regarding climatology and trends in the circulation.
Katharina Turhal, Felix Plöger, Jan Clemens, Thomas Birner, Franziska Weyland, Paul Konopka, and Peter Hoor
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13653–13679, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13653-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13653-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The tropopause separates the troposphere, where many greenhouse gases originate, from the stratosphere. This study examines a tropopause defined by potential vorticity – an analogue for angular momentum that changes sharply in the subtropics, creating a transport barrier. Between 1980 and 2017, this tropopause shifted poleward at lower altitudes and equatorward above, suggesting height-dependent changes in atmospheric circulation that may affect greenhouse gas distribution and global warming.
Hongyue Wang, Mijeong Park, Mengchu Tao, Cristina Peña-Ortiz, Nuria Pilar Plaza, Felix Ploeger, and Paul Konopka
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3260, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3260, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated how stratospheric water vapor behaves over the Asian and North American monsoons. Using a method that tracks air movement, we recreated the moisture patterns. Our results show that the moisture in monsoon regions is primarily controlled by largescale air temperatures, while the North American monsoon is influenced by distant transport. These findings enhance our understanding of summertime stratospheric water vapor changes and offer insights into climate feedback mechanisms.
Yiran Zhang-Liu, Rolf Müller, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Sabine Robrecht, Bärbel Vogel, Abdul Mannan Zafar, and Ralph Lehmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12557–12574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12557-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12557-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
HCl null cycles in Antarctica are important for maintaining high values of ozone-destroying chlorine in Antarctic spring. These HCl null cycles are not affected by (1) using the most recent recommendations of chemical kinetics (compared to older recommendations), (2) accounting for dehydration in the Antarctic winter vortex, and (3) considering the observed (but unexplained) depletion of HCl in mid-winter in the Antarctic vortex throughout Antarctic winter.
Ling Zou, Reinhold Spang, Sabine Griessbach, Lars Hoffmann, Farahnaz Khosrawi, Rolf Müller, and Ines Tritscher
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11759–11774, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11759-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11759-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study provided estimates of the occurrence of ice polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) observed by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) and their connection with temperatures above the frost point (Tice) using a Lagrangian model derived from ERA5. We found that ice PSCs above Tice with temperature fluctuations along the backward trajectory are 33 % in the Arctic and 9 % in the Antarctic. This quantitative assessment enhances our understanding of ice PSCs.
Aaron Match, Edwin P. Gerber, and Stephan Fueglistaler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10305–10322, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10305-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10305-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Earth's ozone layer absorbs incoming UV light, protecting life. Removing ozone aloft allows UV light to penetrate deeper, where it is known to produce new ozone, leading to "self-healing" that partially stabilizes total ozone. However, a photochemistry model shows that, above 40 km in the tropics, deeper-penetrating UV destroys ozone, destabilizing the total ozone. Photochemical theory reveals that this destabilizing regime occurs where overhead ozone is below a key threshold.
Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath, Gopalakrishna Pillai Gopikrishnan, Rolf Müller, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, and Jerome Brioude
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6743–6756, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6743-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6743-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The current understanding and observational evidence do not provide any support for the possibility of an ozone hole occurring outside Antarctica today with respect to the present-day stratospheric halogen levels.
Cristina Peña-Ortiz, Nuria Pilar Plaza, David Gallego, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5457–5478, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5457-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5457-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Although water vapour (H2O) in the lower stratosphere is only a few molecules among 1 million air molecules, atmospheric radiative forcing and surface temperature are sensitive to changes in its concentration. Monsoon regions play a key role in H2O transport and its concentration in the lower stratosphere. We show how the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) has a major impact on H2O over the Asian monsoon during August through changes in temperature caused by QBO modulation of tropical clouds.
Martin Ebert, Ralf Weigel, Stephan Weinbruch, Lisa Schneider, Konrad Kandler, Stefan Lauterbach, Franziska Köllner, Felix Plöger, Gebhard Günther, Bärbel Vogel, and Stephan Borrmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4771–4788, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4771-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4771-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Particles were collected during the flight campaign StratoClim 2017 within the Asian tropopause aerosol layer (ATAL). Refractory particles from seven different flights were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). The most abundant refractory particles are silicates and non-volatile organics. The most important sources are combustion processes at the ground and the agitation of soil material. During one flight, small cinnabar particles (HgS) were also detected.
Hella Garny, Roland Eichinger, Johannes C. Laube, Eric A. Ray, Gabriele P. Stiller, Harald Bönisch, Laura Saunders, and Marianna Linz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4193–4215, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4193-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4193-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Transport circulation in the stratosphere is important for the distribution of tracers, but its strength is hard to measure. Mean transport times can be inferred from observations of trace gases with certain properties, such as sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). However, this gas has a chemical sink in the high atmosphere, which can lead to substantial biases in inferred transport times. In this paper we present a method to correct mean transport times derived from SF6 for the effects of chemical sinks.
Liubov Poshyvailo-Strube, Niklas Wagner, Klaus Goergen, Carina Furusho-Percot, Carl Hartick, and Stefan Kollet
Earth Syst. Dynam., 15, 167–189, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-167-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-167-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater (GW) representation is simplified in most regional climate models. Here, we introduce a unique Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform (TSMP) dataset with an explicit representation of GW, in the context of dynamical downscaling of GCMs for climate change studies. We compare the heat events statistics of TSMP and the CORDEX ensemble. Our results show that TSMP systematically simulates fewer heat waves, and they are shorter and less intense.
Felix Ploeger, Thomas Birner, Edward Charlesworth, Paul Konopka, and Rolf Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2033–2043, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2033-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2033-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present a novel mechanism of how regional anomalies in water vapour concentrations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere impact regional atmospheric circulation systems. These impacts include a displaced upper-level Asian monsoon circulation and strengthened prevailing westerlies in the Pacific region. Current climate models have biases in simulating these regional water vapour anomalies and circulation impacts, but the biases can be avoided by improving the model transport.
Ryan S. Williams, Michaela I. Hegglin, Patrick Jöckel, Hella Garny, and Keith P. Shine
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1389–1413, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1389-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1389-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
During winter, a brief but abrupt reversal of the mean stratospheric westerly flow (~30 km high) around the Arctic occurs ~6 times a decade. Using a chemistry–climate model, about half of these events are shown to induce large anomalies in Arctic ozone (>25 %) and water vapour (>±25 %) around ~8–12 km altitude for up to 2–3 months, important for weather forecasting. We also calculate a doubling to trebling of the risk in breaches of mid-latitude surface air quality (ozone) standards (~60 ppbv).
Reinhold Spang, Rolf Müller, and Alexandru Rap
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1213–1230, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1213-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1213-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Cirrus clouds play an important role in the radiation budget of the Earth. Despite recent progress in their observation, the radiative impact of ultra-thin cirrus clouds (UTC) in the tropopause region and in the lowermost stratosphere remains poorly constrained. Sensitivity model simulations with different ice parameters provide an uncertainty range for the radiative effect of UTCs. There is a need for better observed UTCs to enable the simulation of their potentially large effect on climate.
Jan Clemens, Bärbel Vogel, Lars Hoffmann, Sabine Griessbach, Nicole Thomas, Suvarna Fadnavis, Rolf Müller, Thomas Peter, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 763–787, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-763-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-763-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The source regions of the Asian tropopause aerosol layer (ATAL) are debated. We use balloon-borne measurements of the layer above Nainital (India) in August 2016 and atmospheric transport models to find ATAL source regions. Most air originated from the Tibetan plateau. However, the measured ATAL was stronger when more air originated from the Indo-Gangetic Plain and weaker when more air originated from the Pacific. Hence, the results indicate important anthropogenic contributions to the ATAL.
Bärbel Vogel, C. Michael Volk, Johannes Wintel, Valentin Lauther, Jan Clemens, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Gebhard Günther, Lars Hoffmann, Johannes C. Laube, Rolf Müller, Felix Ploeger, and Fred Stroh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 317–343, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-317-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-317-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Over the Indian subcontinent, polluted air is rapidly uplifted to higher altitudes during the Asian monsoon season. We present an assessment of vertical transport in this region using different wind data provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), as well as high-resolution aircraft measurements. In general, our findings confirm that the newest ECMWF reanalysis product, ERA5, yields a better representation of transport compared to the predecessor, ERA-Interim.
Rolf Müller, Ulrich Pöschl, Thomas Koop, Thomas Peter, and Ken Carslaw
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15445–15453, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15445-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15445-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Paul J. Crutzen was a pioneer in atmospheric sciences and a kind-hearted, humorous person with empathy for the private lives of his colleagues and students. He made fundamental scientific contributions to a wide range of scientific topics in all parts of the atmosphere. Paul was among the founders of the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. His work will continue to be a guide for generations of scientists and environmental policymakers to come.
Paul Konopka, Christian Rolf, Marc von Hobe, Sergey M. Khaykin, Benjamin Clouser, Elisabeth Moyer, Fabrizio Ravegnani, Francesco D'Amato, Silvia Viciani, Nicole Spelten, Armin Afchine, Martina Krämer, Fred Stroh, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12935–12947, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12935-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12935-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We studied water vapor in a critical region of the atmosphere, the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone, using rare in situ observations. Our study shows that extremely high water vapor values observed in the stratosphere within the Asian monsoon anticyclone still undergo significant freeze-drying and that water vapor concentrations set by the Lagrangian dry point are a better proxy for the stratospheric water vapor budget than rare observations of enhanced water mixing ratios.
Frederik Harzer, Hella Garny, Felix Ploeger, Harald Bönisch, Peter Hoor, and Thomas Birner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10661–10675, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10661-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10661-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We study the statistical relation between year-by-year fluctuations in winter-mean ozone and the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex. In the latitude–pressure plane, regression analysis shows that anomalously weak polar vortex years are associated with three pronounced local ozone maxima over the polar cap relative to the winter climatology. These response maxima primarily reflect the non-trivial combination of different ozone transport processes with varying relative contributions.
Suvarna Fadnavis, Bernd Heinold, T. P. Sabin, Anne Kubin, Katty Huang, Alexandru Rap, and Rolf Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10439–10449, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10439-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10439-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The influence of the COVID-19 lockdown on the Himalayas caused increases in snow cover and a decrease in runoff, ultimately leading to an enhanced snow water equivalent. Our findings highlight that, out of the two processes causing a retreat of Himalayan glaciers – (1) slow response to global climate change and (2) fast response to local air pollution – a policy action on the latter is more likely to be within the reach of possible policy action to help billions of people in southern Asia.
Luis F. Millán, Gloria L. Manney, Harald Boenisch, Michaela I. Hegglin, Peter Hoor, Daniel Kunkel, Thierry Leblanc, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Kaley Walker, Krzysztof Wargan, and Andreas Zahn
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2957–2988, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2957-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2957-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The determination of atmospheric composition trends in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) is still highly uncertain. We present the creation of dynamical diagnostics to map several ozone datasets (ozonesondes, lidars, aircraft, and satellite measurements) in geophysically based coordinate systems. The diagnostics can also be used to analyze other greenhouse gases relevant to surface climate and UTLS chemistry.
Yuanhong Zhao, Marielle Saunois, Philippe Bousquet, Xin Lin, Michaela I. Hegglin, Josep G. Canadell, Robert B. Jackson, and Bo Zheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 789–807, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-789-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-789-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The large uncertainties in OH simulated by atmospheric chemistry models hinder accurate estimates of CH4 chemical loss through the bottom-up method. This study presents a new approach based on OH precursor observations and a chemical box model to improve the tropospheric OH distributions simulated by atmospheric chemistry models. Through this approach, both the global OH burden and the corresponding methane chemical loss reach consistency with the top-down method based on MCF inversions.
Bernard Legras, Clair Duchamp, Pasquale Sellitto, Aurélien Podglajen, Elisa Carboni, Richard Siddans, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Sergey Khaykin, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14957–14970, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14957-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14957-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The long-duration atmospheric impact of the Tonga eruption in January 2022 is a plume of water and sulfate aerosols in the stratosphere that persisted for more than 6 months. We study this evolution using several satellite instruments and analyse the unusual behaviour of this plume as sulfates and water first moved down rapidly and then separated into two layers. We also report the self-organization in compact and long-lived patches.
Mohamadou A. Diallo, Felix Ploeger, Michaela I. Hegglin, Manfred Ern, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Sergey Khaykin, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14303–14321, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14303-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14303-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The quasi-biennial oacillation disruption events in both 2016 and 2020 decreased lower-stratospheric water vapour and ozone. Differences in the strength and depth of the anomalous lower-stratospheric circulation and ozone are due to differences in tropical upwelling and cold-point temperature induced by lower-stratospheric planetary and gravity wave breaking. The differences in water vapour are due to higher cold-point temperature in 2020 induced by Australian wildfire.
Paul Konopka, Mengchu Tao, Marc von Hobe, Lars Hoffmann, Corinna Kloss, Fabrizio Ravegnani, C. Michael Volk, Valentin Lauther, Andreas Zahn, Peter Hoor, and Felix Ploeger
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 7471–7487, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7471-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7471-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Pure trajectory-based transport models driven by meteorology derived from reanalysis products (ERA5) take into account only the resolved, advective part of transport. That means neither mixing processes nor unresolved subgrid-scale advective processes like convection are included. The Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS) includes these processes. We show that isentropic mixing dominates unresolved transport. The second most important transport process is unresolved convection.
Suvarna Fadnavis, Prashant Chavan, Akash Joshi, Sunil M. Sonbawne, Asutosh Acharya, Panuganti C. S. Devara, Alexandru Rap, Felix Ploeger, and Rolf Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7179–7191, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7179-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7179-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We show that large amounts of anthropogenic aerosols are transported from South Asia to the northern Indian Ocean. These aerosols are then lifted into the UTLS by the ascending branch of the Hadley circulation. They are further transported to the Southern Hemisphere and downward via westerly ducts over the tropical Atlantic and Pacific. These aerosols increase tropospheric heating, resulting in an increase in water vapor, which is then transported to the UTLS.
Felix Ploeger and Hella Garny
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5559–5576, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5559-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate hemispheric asymmetries in stratospheric circulation changes in the last 2 decades in model simulations and atmospheric observations. We find that observed trace gas changes can be explained by a structural circulation change related to a deepening circulation in the Northern Hemisphere relative to the Southern Hemisphere. As this asymmetric signal is small compared to internal variability observed circulation trends over the recent past are not in contradiction to climate models.
Jan Clemens, Felix Ploeger, Paul Konopka, Raphael Portmann, Michael Sprenger, and Heini Wernli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3841–3860, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3841-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3841-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Highly polluted air flows from the surface to higher levels of the atmosphere during the Asian summer monsoon. At high levels, the air is trapped within eddies. Here, we study how air masses can leave the eddy within its cutoff, how they distribute, and how their chemical composition changes. We found evidence for transport from the eddy to higher latitudes over the North Pacific and even Alaska. During transport, trace gas concentrations within cutoffs changed gradually, showing steady mixing.
Valentin Lauther, Bärbel Vogel, Johannes Wintel, Andrea Rau, Peter Hoor, Vera Bense, Rolf Müller, and C. Michael Volk
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2049–2077, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2049-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2049-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We show airborne in situ measurements of the very short-lived ozone-depleting substances CH2Cl2 and CHCl3, revealing particularly high concentrations of both species in the lower stratosphere. Back-trajectory calculations and 3D model simulations show that the air masses with high concentrations originated in the Asian boundary layer and were transported via the Asian summer monsoon. We also identify a fast transport pathway into the stratosphere via the North American monsoon and by hurricanes.
Dina Khordakova, Christian Rolf, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Rolf Müller, Paul Konopka, Andreas Wieser, Martina Krämer, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1059–1079, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1059-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1059-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Extreme storms transport humidity from the troposphere to the stratosphere. Here it has a strong impact on the climate. With ongoing global warming, we expect more storms and, hence, an enhancement of this effect. A case study was performed in order to measure the impact of the direct injection of water vapor into the lower stratosphere. The measurements displayed a significant transport of water vapor into the lower stratosphere, and this was supported by satellite and reanalysis data.
Christoph Mahnke, Ralf Weigel, Francesco Cairo, Jean-Paul Vernier, Armin Afchine, Martina Krämer, Valentin Mitev, Renaud Matthey, Silvia Viciani, Francesco D'Amato, Felix Ploeger, Terry Deshler, and Stephan Borrmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15259–15282, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15259-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15259-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In 2017, in situ aerosol measurements were conducted aboard the M55 Geophysica in the Asian monsoon region. The vertical particle mixing ratio profiles show a distinct layer (15–18.5 km), the Asian tropopause aerosol layer (ATAL). The backscatter ratio (BR) was calculated based on the aerosol size distributions and compared with the BRs detected by a backscatter probe and a lidar aboard M55, and by the CALIOP lidar. All four methods show enhanced BRs in the ATAL altitude range (max. at 17.5 km).
Prashant Chavan, Suvarna Fadnavis, Tanusri Chakroborty, Christopher E. Sioris, Sabine Griessbach, and Rolf Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14371–14384, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14371-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14371-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Biomass burning (BB) over Asia is a strong source of carbonaceous aerosols during spring. Here, we show an outflow of Asian BB carbonaceous aerosols into the UTLS. These aerosols enhance atmospheric heating and produce circulation changes that lead to the enhancement of water vapor in the UTLS over the tropics. In the stratosphere, water vapor is further transported to the South Pole by the Brewer–Dobson circulation. Enhancement of water vapor in the UTLS has implications for climate change.
Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath, Wuhu Feng, Rolf Müller, Pankaj Kumar, Sarath Raj, Gopalakrishna Pillai Gopikrishnan, and Raina Roy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14019–14037, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14019-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14019-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic winter/spring 2020 was one of the coldest with a strong and long-lasting vortex, high chlorine activation, severe denitrification, and unprecedented ozone loss. The loss was even equal to the levels of some of the warm Antarctic winters. Total column ozone values below 220 DU for several weeks and ozone loss saturation were observed during the period. These results show an unusual meteorology and warrant dedicated studies on the impact of climate change on ozone loss.
Ralf Weigel, Christoph Mahnke, Manuel Baumgartner, Antonis Dragoneas, Bärbel Vogel, Felix Ploeger, Silvia Viciani, Francesco D'Amato, Silvia Bucci, Bernard Legras, Beiping Luo, and Stephan Borrmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11689–11722, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11689-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11689-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In July and August 2017, eight StratoClim mission flights of the Geophysica reached up to 20 km in the Asian monsoon anticyclone. New particle formation (NPF) was identified in situ by abundant nucleation-mode aerosols (6–15 nm in diameter) with mixing ratios of up to 50 000 mg−1. NPF occurred most frequently at 12–16 km with fractions of non-volatile residues of down to 15 %. Abundance and productivity of observed NPF indicate its ability to promote the Asian tropopause aerosol layer.
Lukas Krasauskas, Jörn Ungermann, Peter Preusse, Felix Friedl-Vallon, Andreas Zahn, Helmut Ziereis, Christian Rolf, Felix Plöger, Paul Konopka, Bärbel Vogel, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10249–10272, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10249-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10249-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A Rossby wave (RW) breaking event was observed over the North Atlantic during the WISE measurement campaign in October 2017. Infrared limb sounding measurements of trace gases in the lower stratosphere, including high-resolution 3-D tomographic reconstruction, revealed complex spatial structures in stratospheric tracers near the polar jet related to previous RW breaking events. Backward-trajectory analysis and tracer correlations were used to study mixing and stratosphere–troposphere exchange.
Nuria Pilar Plaza, Aurélien Podglajen, Cristina Peña-Ortiz, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9585–9607, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9585-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9585-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We study the role of different processes in setting the lower stratospheric water vapour. We find that mechanisms involving ice microphysics and small-scale mixing produce the strongest increase in water vapour, in particular over the Asian Monsoon. Small-scale mixing has a special relevance as it improves the agreement with observations at seasonal and intra-seasonal timescales, contrary to the North American Monsoon case, in which large-scale temperatures still dominate its variability.
Felix Ploeger, Mohamadou Diallo, Edward Charlesworth, Paul Konopka, Bernard Legras, Johannes C. Laube, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Gebhard Günther, Andreas Engel, and Martin Riese
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8393–8412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8393-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8393-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the global stratospheric circulation (Brewer–Dobson circulation) in the new ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis based on age of air simulations, and we compare it to results from the preceding ERA-Interim reanalysis. Our results show a slower stratospheric circulation and higher age for ERA5. The age of air trend in ERA5 over the 1989–2018 period is negative throughout the stratosphere, related to multi-annual variability and a potential contribution from changes in the reanalysis system.
Mohamadou Diallo, Manfred Ern, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 7515–7544, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7515-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7515-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Despite good agreement in the spatial structure, there are substantial differences in the strength of the Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC) and its modulations in the UTLS and upper stratosphere. The tropical upwelling is generally weaker in ERA5 than in ERAI due to weaker planetary and gravity wave breaking in the UTLS. Analysis of the BDC trend shows an acceleration of the BDC of about 1.5 % decade-1 due to the long-term intensification in wave breaking, consistent with climate predictions.
Max Thomas, Johannes C. Laube, Jan Kaiser, Samuel Allin, Patricia Martinerie, Robert Mulvaney, Anna Ridley, Thomas Röckmann, William T. Sturges, and Emmanuel Witrant
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6857–6873, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6857-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6857-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
CFC gases are destroying the Earth's life-protecting ozone layer. We improve understanding of CFC destruction by measuring the isotopic fingerprint of the carbon in the three most abundant CFCs. These are the first such measurements in the main region where CFCs are destroyed – the stratosphere. We reconstruct the atmospheric isotope histories of these CFCs back to the 1950s by measuring air extracted from deep snow and using a model. The model and the measurements are generally consistent.
Michaela I. Hegglin, Susann Tegtmeier, John Anderson, Adam E. Bourassa, Samuel Brohede, Doug Degenstein, Lucien Froidevaux, Bernd Funke, John Gille, Yasuko Kasai, Erkki T. Kyrölä, Jerry Lumpe, Donal Murtagh, Jessica L. Neu, Kristell Pérot, Ellis E. Remsberg, Alexei Rozanov, Matthew Toohey, Joachim Urban, Thomas von Clarmann, Kaley A. Walker, Hsiang-Jui Wang, Carlo Arosio, Robert Damadeo, Ryan A. Fuller, Gretchen Lingenfelser, Christopher McLinden, Diane Pendlebury, Chris Roth, Niall J. Ryan, Christopher Sioris, Lesley Smith, and Katja Weigel
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 1855–1903, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-1855-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-1855-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
An overview of the SPARC Data Initiative is presented, to date the most comprehensive assessment of stratospheric composition measurements spanning 1979–2018. Measurements of 26 chemical constituents obtained from an international suite of space-based limb sounders were compiled into vertically resolved, zonal monthly mean time series. The quality and consistency of these gridded datasets are then evaluated using a climatological validation approach and a range of diagnostics.
Xiaolu Yan, Paul Konopka, Marius Hauck, Aurélien Podglajen, and Felix Ploeger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6627–6645, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6627-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6627-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Inter-hemispheric transport is important for understanding atmospheric tracers because of the asymmetry in emissions between the Southern Hemisphere (SH) and Northern Hemisphere (NH). This study finds that the air masses from the NH extratropics to the atmosphere are about 5 times larger than those from the SH extratropics. The interplay between the Asian summer monsoon and westerly ducts triggers the cross-Equator transport from the NH to the SH in boreal summer and fall.
Sabine Robrecht, Bärbel Vogel, Simone Tilmes, and Rolf Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2427–2455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2427-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2427-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Column ozone protects life on Earth from radiation damage. Stratospheric chlorine compounds cause immense ozone loss in polar winter. Whether similar loss processes can occur in the lower stratosphere above North America today or in future is a matter of debate. We show that these ozone loss processes are very unlikely today or in future independently of whether sulfate geoengineering is applied and that less than 0.1 % of column ozone would be destroyed by this process in any future scenario.
Marc von Hobe, Felix Ploeger, Paul Konopka, Corinna Kloss, Alexey Ulanowski, Vladimir Yushkov, Fabrizio Ravegnani, C. Michael Volk, Laura L. Pan, Shawn B. Honomichl, Simone Tilmes, Douglas E. Kinnison, Rolando R. Garcia, and Jonathon S. Wright
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1267–1285, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1267-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1267-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Asian summer monsoon (ASM) is known to foster transport of polluted tropospheric air into the stratosphere. To test and amend our picture of ASM vertical transport, we analyse distributions of airborne trace gas observations up to 20 km altitude near the main ASM vertical conduit south of the Himalayas. We also show that a new high-resolution version of the global chemistry climate model WACCM is able to reproduce the observations well.
Corinna Kloss, Gwenaël Berthet, Pasquale Sellitto, Felix Ploeger, Ghassan Taha, Mariam Tidiga, Maxim Eremenko, Adriana Bossolasco, Fabrice Jégou, Jean-Baptiste Renard, and Bernard Legras
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 535–560, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-535-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-535-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The year 2019 was particularly rich for the stratospheric aerosol layer due to two volcanic eruptions (at Raikoke and Ulawun) and wildfire events. With satellite observations and models, we describe the exceptionally complex situation following the Raikoke eruption. The respective plume overwhelmed the Northern Hemisphere stratosphere in terms of aerosol load and resulted in the highest climate impact throughout the past decade.
Manuel Baumgartner, Ralf Weigel, Allan H. Harvey, Felix Plöger, Ulrich Achatz, and Peter Spichtinger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15585–15616, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15585-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15585-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The potential temperature is routinely used in atmospheric science. We review its derivation and suggest a new potential temperature, based on a temperature-dependent parameterization of the dry air's specific heat capacity. Moreover, we compare the new potential temperature to the common one and discuss the differences which become more important at higher altitudes. Finally, we indicate some consequences of using the new potential temperature in typical applications.
Edward J. Charlesworth, Ann-Kristin Dugstad, Frauke Fritsch, Patrick Jöckel, and Felix Plöger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 15227–15245, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15227-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-15227-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Modeling the stratosphere requires models with good representations of chemical transport. To do this, nearly all models divide the atmosphere into boxes. This creates some unwanted problems. However, the only other option is to divide the atmosphere into balloons, and this method is very complicated. Here, we use a model which uses this balloon-like method to estimate the impacts of this method on chemical transport. We find significant differences in sensitive regions of the stratosphere.
Sreeharsha Hanumanthu, Bärbel Vogel, Rolf Müller, Simone Brunamonti, Suvarna Fadnavis, Dan Li, Peter Ölsner, Manish Naja, Bhupendra Bahadur Singh, Kunchala Ravi Kumar, Sunil Sonbawne, Hannu Jauhiainen, Holger Vömel, Beiping Luo, Teresa Jorge, Frank G. Wienhold, Ruud Dirkson, and Thomas Peter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14273–14302, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14273-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14273-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
During boreal summer, anthropogenic sources yield the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL), found in Asia between about 13 and 18 km altitude. Balloon-borne measurements of the ATAL conducted in northern India in 2016 show the strong variability of the ATAL. To explain its observed variability, model simulations are performed to deduce the origin of air masses on the Earth's surface, which is important to develop recommendations for regulations of anthropogenic surface emissions of the ATAL.
Joram J. D. Hooghiem, Maria Elena Popa, Thomas Röckmann, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Ines Tritscher, Rolf Müller, Rigel Kivi, and Huilin Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 13985–14003, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13985-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13985-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Wildfires release a large quantity of pollutants that can reach the stratosphere through pyro-convection events. In September 2017, a stratospheric plume was accidentally sampled during balloon soundings in northern Finland. The source of the plume was identified to be wildfire smoke based on in situ measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) and stable isotope analysis of CO. Furthermore, the age of the plume was estimated using backwards transport modelling to be ~24 d, with its origin in Canada.
Yuanhong Zhao, Marielle Saunois, Philippe Bousquet, Xin Lin, Antoine Berchet, Michaela I. Hegglin, Josep G. Canadell, Robert B. Jackson, Makoto Deushi, Patrick Jöckel, Douglas Kinnison, Ole Kirner, Sarah Strode, Simone Tilmes, Edward J. Dlugokencky, and Bo Zheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 13011–13022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13011-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13011-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Decadal trends and variations in OH are critical for understanding atmospheric CH4 evolution. We quantify the impacts of OH trends and variations on the CH4 budget by conducting CH4 inversions on a decadal scale with an ensemble of OH fields. We find the negative OH anomalies due to enhanced fires can reduce the optimized CH4 emissions by up to 10 Tg yr−1 during El Niño years and the positive OH trend from 1986 to 2010 results in a ∼ 23 Tg yr−1 additional increase in optimized CH4 emissions.
Cited articles
Austin, J. and Li, F.: On the relationship between the strength of the
Brower-Dobson circulation and the age of stratospheric air, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 33, L17807, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026867, 2006. a
Bernath, P.: The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE), J. Quant. Spectrosc.
Ra., 186, 3–16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2016.04.006, 2017. a, b
Bernath, P. F., McElroy, C. T., Abrams, M. C., Boone, C. D., Butler, M.,
Camy-Peyret, C., Carleer, M., Clerbaux, C., Coheur, P.-F., Colin, R., DeCola,
P., DeMazière, M., Drummond, J. R., Dufour, D., Evans, W. F. J., Fast, H.,
Fussen, D., Gilbert, K., Jennings, D. E., Llewellyn, E. J., Lowe, R. P.,
Mahieu, E., McConnell, J. C., McHugh, M., McLeod, S. D., Michaud, R.,
Midwinter, C., Nassar, R., Nichitiu, F., Nowlan, C., Rinsland, C. P., Rochon,
Y. J., Rowlands, N., Semeniuk, K., Simon, P., Skelton, R., Sloan, J. J.,
Soucy, M.-A., Strong, K., Tremblay, P., Turnbull, D., Walker, K. A., Walkty,
I., Wardle, D. A., Wehrle, V., Zander, R., and Zou, J.: Atmospheric
Chemistry Experiment (ACE): Mission overview, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
32, L15S01, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022386, 2005. a
Bönisch, H., Engel, A., Curtius, J., Birner, T., and Hoor, P.: Quantifying
transport into the lowermost stratosphere using simultaneous in-situ
measurements of SF6 and CO2, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 5905–5919,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-5905-2009, 2009. a, b
Bönisch, H., Engel, A., Birner, T., Hoor, P., Tarasick, D. W., and Ray,
E. A.: On the structural changes in the Brewer-Dobson circulation after
2000, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 3937–3948, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-3937-2011,
2011. a
Butchart, N.: The Brewer-Dobson circulation, Rev. Geophys., 52, 157–184,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2013RG000448, 2014. a, b, c
Chu, W. P., Chiou, E. W., Larsen, J. C., Thomason, L. W., Rind, D., Buglia,
J. J., Oltmans, S., McCormick, M. P., and McMaster, L. M.: Algorithms and
sensitivity analyses for Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II water
vapor retrieval, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 98,
4857–4866, https://doi.org/10.1029/92JD01628, 1993. a
Davis, S. M., Hegglin, M. I., Fujiwara, M., Dragani, R., Harada, Y., Kobayashi,
C., Long, C., Manney, G. L., Nash, E. R., Potter, G. L., Tegtmeier, S., Wang,
T., Wargan, K., and Wright, J. S.: Assessment of upper tropospheric and
stratospheric water vapor and ozone in reanalyses as part of S-RIP,
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12743–12778,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12743-2017, 2017. a
Dee, D. P., Uppala, S. M., Simmons, A. J., Berrisford, P., Poli, P., Kobayashi,
S., Andrae, U., Balmaseda, M. A., Balsamo, G., Bauer, P., Bechtold, P.,
Beljaars, A. C. M., van de Berg, L., Bidlot, J., Bormann, N., Delsol, C.,
Dragani, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A. J., Haimberger, L., Healy, S. B.,
Hersbach, H., Hólm, E. V., Isaksen, L., Kallberg, P., Koehler, M.,
Matricardi, M., McNally, A. P., Monge-Sanz, B. M., Morcrette, J.-J., Park,
B.-K., Peubey, C., de Rosnay, P., Tavolato, C., Thépaut, J.-N., and Vitart,
F.: The ERA-Interim reanalysis: configuration and performance of the data
assimilation system, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 137, 553–597,
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.828, 2011 (data available at: https://apps.ecmwf.int/archive-catalogue/?class=ei, last access: 15 May 2022). a
Dessler, A. E., Weinstock, E. M., Hintsa, E. J., Anderson, J. G., Webster,
C. R., May, R. D., Elkins, J. W., and Dutton, G. S.: An examination of the
total hydrogen budget of the lower stratosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 21,
2563–2566, https://doi.org/10.1029/94GL02283, 1994. a, b, c
Ehhalt, D. H., Rohrer, F., Blake, D. R., Kinnison, D. E., and Konopka, P.: On
the use of nonmethane hydrocarbons for the determination of age spectra in
the lower stratosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D12208,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007686, 2007. a
Engel, A., Strunk, M., Müller, M., Haase, H., Poss, C., Levin, I., and
Schmidt, U.: Temporal development of total chlorine in the high-latitude
stratosphere based on reference distributions of mean age derived from CO2
and SF6, J. Geophys. Res., 107, D12, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000584, 2002. a
Engel, A., Möbius, T., Bönisch, H., Schmidt, U., Heinz, R., Levin, I.,
Atlas, E., Aoki, S., Nakazawa, T., Sugawara, S., Moore, F., Hurst, D.,
Elkins, J., Schauffler, S., Andrews, A., and Boering, K.: Age of
stratospheric air unchanged within uncertainties over the past 30 years,
Nat. Geosci., 2, 28–31, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo388, 2009. a, b, c
Engel, A., Bönisch, H., Ullrich, M., Sitals, R., Membrive, O., Danis, F., and
Crevoisier, C.: Mean age of stratospheric air derived from AirCore
observations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 6825–6838,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-6825-2017, 2017. a, b
Fischer, H., Birk, M., Blom, C., Carli, B., Carlotti, M., von Clarmann, T., Delbouille, L., Dudhia, A., Ehhalt, D., Endemann, M., Flaud, J. M., Gessner, R., Kleinert, A., Koopman, R., Langen, J., López-Puertas, M., Mosner, P., Nett, H., Oelhaf, H., Perron, G., Remedios, J., Ridolfi, M., Stiller, G., and Zander, R.: MIPAS: an instrument for atmospheric and climate research, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 2151–2188, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-8-2151-2008, 2008. a
Frank, F., Jöckel, P., Gromov, S., and Dameris, M.: Investigating the yield
of H2O and H2 from methane oxidation in the stratosphere,
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 9955–9973,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9955-2018, 2018. a
Fritsch, F., Garny, H., Engel, A., Bönisch, H., and Eichinger, R.:
Sensitivity of age of air trends to the derivation method for non-linear
increasing inert SF6, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 8709–8725,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8709-2020, 2020. a, b, c
Fueglistaler, S. and Haynes, P. H.: Control of interannual and longer-term
variability of stratospheric water vapor, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D24108,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006019, 2005. a
Garcia, R. R. and Randel, W. J.: Acceleration of Brewer-Dobson circulation
due to increase in greenhouse gases, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 2731–2739,
https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JAS2712.1, 2008. a
Garcia, R. R., Randel, W. J., and Kinnison, D. E.: On the Determination of Age
of Air Trends from Atmospheric Trace Species, J. Atmos. Sci., 68, 139–154,
https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAS3527.1, 2011. a
Hall, T. M. and Plumb, R. A.: Age as a diagnostic of stratospheric transport,
J. Geophys. Res., 99, 1059–1070, https://doi.org/10.1029/93JD03192, 1994. a, b, c
Harries, J.: Stratospheric chemistry topics, Hydrogen Budget, in: Encyclopedia
of Atmospheric Sciences, edited by: North, G. R., Pyle, J.,
and Zhang, F., Academic Press, Oxford, 2nd Edn., 238–241,
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-382225-3.00388-1, 2015. a
Hauck, M., Fritsch, F., Garny, H., and Engel, A.: Deriving stratospheric age of
air spectra using an idealized set of chemically active trace gases,
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5269–5291,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5269-2019, 2019. a, b, c, d
Haynes, P. and Anglade, J.: The vertical scale cascade in atmospheric tracers
due to large-scale differential advection, J. Atmos. Sci., 54, 1121–1136,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1997)054<1121:TVSCIA>2.0.CO;2, 1997. a
Hegglin, M. I., Plummer, D. A., Shepherd, T. G., Scinocca, J. F., Anderson, J.,
Froidevaux, L., Funke, B., Hurst, D., Rozanov, A., Urban, J., von Clarmann,
T., A.Walker, K., Wang, H. J., Tegtmeier, S., and Weigel, K.: Vertical
structure of stratospheric water vapour trends derived from merged satellite
data, Nat. Geosci., 7, 768–776, https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO2236, 2014. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n
Holton, J. R., Haynes, P., McIntyre, M. E., Douglass, A. R., Rood,
R. B., and Pfister, L.: Stratosphere-troposphere exchange, Rev. Geophys.,
33, 403–439, https://doi.org/10.1029/95RG02097, 1995. a
Konopka, P., Steinhorst, H.-M., Grooß, J.-U., Günther, G., Müller, R.,
Elkins, J. W., Jost, H.-J., Richard, E., Schmidt, U., Toon, G., and McKenna,
D. S.: Mixing and Ozone Loss in the 1999–2000 Arctic Vortex: Simulations
with the 3-dimensional Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere
(CLaMS), J. Geophys. Res., 109, D02315, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD003792, 2004. a, b
Konopka, P., Günther, G., McKenna, D. S., Müller, R., Offermann, D.,
Spang, R., and Riese, M.: How homogeneous and isotropic is stratospheric
mixing? Comparison of CRISTA-1 observations with transport studies based
on the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS),
Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 131, 565–579, https://doi.org/10.1256/qj.04.47, 2005. a
Konopka, P., Ploeger, F., Tao, M., Birner, T., and Riese, M.: Hemispheric
asymmetries and seasonality of mean age of air in the lower stratosphere:
Deep versus shallow branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation, J. Geophys.
Res., 120, 2053–2066, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022429, 2015. a
Le Texier, H., Solomon, S., and Garcia, R. R.: The role of molecular hydrogen
and methane oxidation in the water vapour budget of the stratosphere,
Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 114, 281–295,
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.49711448002, 1988. a
Leedham Elvidge, E., Bönisch, H., Brenninkmeijer, C. A. M., Engel, A.,
Fraser, P. J., Gallacher, E., Langenfelds, R., Mühle, J., Oram, D. E., Ray,
E. A., Ridley, A. R., Röckmann, T., Sturges, W. T., Weiss, R. F., and
Laube, J. C.: Evaluation of stratospheric age of air from CF4,
C2F6, C3F8, CHF3, HFC-125, HFC-227ea and SF6;
implications for the calculations of halocarbon lifetimes, fractional release
factors and ozone depletion potentials, Atmo. Chem. Phys.,
18, 3369–3385, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3369-2018, 2018. a
Li, F., Austin, J., and Wilson, J.: The Strength of the Brewer–Dobson
Circulation in a Changing Climate: Coupled Chemistry–Climate Model
Simulations, J. Clim., 21, 40–57, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI1663.1,
2008. a
Li, F., Waugh, D. W., Douglass, A. R., Newman, P. A., Pawson, S., Stolarski,
R. S., Strahan, S. E., and Nielsen, J. E.: Seasonal variations in
stratospheric age spectra in GEOSCCM, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D05134,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JD016877, 2012. a
Linz, M., Plumb, R. A., Gerber, E. P., Haenel, F. J., Stiller, G., Kinnison,
D., Ming, A., and Neu, J. L.: The strength of the meridional overturning
circulation of the stratosphere, Nat. Geosci., 10, 663–667,
https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo3013, 2017. a
Lossow, S., Khosrawi, F., Nedoluha, G. E., Azam, F., Bramstedt, K., Burrows,
Dinelli, B. M., Eriksson, P., Espy, P. J., García-Comas, M., Gille,
J. C., Kiefer, M., Noël, S., Raspollini, P., Read, W. G., Rosenlof, K. H.,
Rozanov, A., Sioris, C. E., Stiller, G. P., Walker, K. A., and Weigel, K.:
The SPARC water vapour assessment II: comparison of annual, semi-annual and
quasi-biennial variations in stratospheric and lower mesospheric water vapour
observed from satellites, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 1111–1137,
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-1111-2017, 2017. a
Masarie, K. A., Steele, L. P., and Lang, P. M.: A rule-based expert system for evaluating the quality of long-term, in situ, gas chromatographic measurements of atmospheric methane, NOAA Tech. Memo. ERL CMDL-3, Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/21246, 1991. a
Maycock, A. C., Shine, K. P., and Joshi, M. M.: The temperature response to
stratospheric water vapour changes, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 137, 1070–1082,
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.822, 2011. a
McCormick, M. P.: Sage II: An overview, Adv. Space Res., 7,
219–226, https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-1177(87)90151-7, 1987. a
McKenna, D. S., Konopka, P., Grooß, J.-U., Günther, G., Müller, R.,
Spang, R., Offermann, D., and Orsolini, Y.: A new Chemical Lagrangian
Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS): 1. Formulation of advection and
mixing, J. Geophys. Res., 107, D16, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JD000114, 2002a (data available at: https://jugit.fz-juelich.de/clams/CLaMS, last access: 1 July 2021). a, b, c
McKenna, D. S., Grooß, J.-U., Günther, G., Konopka, P., Müller, R.,
Carver, G., and Sasano, Y.: A new Chemical Lagrangian Model of the
Stratosphere (CLaMS): 2. Formulation of chemistry scheme and
initialization, J. Geophys. Res., 107, D15, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JD000113,
2002b (data available at: https://jugit.fz-juelich.de/clams/CLaMS, last access: 1 July 2021). a
Müller, R., Kunz, A., Hurst, D. F., Rolf, C., Krämer, M., and Riese, M.:
The need for accurate long-term water vapor measurements in the upper
troposphere and lower stratosphere with global coverage, Earth's Future, 4,
25–32, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015EF000321, 2016. a
Nassar, R., Bernath, P. F., Boone, C. D., Manney, G. L., McLeod, S. D.,
Rinsland, C. P., Skelton, R., and Walker, K. A.: Stratospheric abundances of
water and methane based on ACE-FTS measurements, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L15S04,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022383,
2005. a
Newman, P. A., Daniel, J. S., Waugh, D. W., and Nash, E. R.: A new formulation
of equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine (EESC), Atmos.
Chem. Phys., 7, 4537–4552, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-4537-2007, 2007. a
Noël, S., Weigel, K., Bramstedt, K., Rozanov, A., Weber, M., Bovensmann, H.,
and Burrows, J. P.: Water vapour and methane coupling in the stratosphere
observed using SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements, Atmos.
Chem. Phys., 18, 4463–4476, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-4463-2018, 2018. a
Ostermöller, J., Bönisch, H., Jöckel, P., and Engel, A.: A new
time-independent formulation of fractional release, Atmos. Chem.
Phys., 17, 3785–3797, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3785-2017, 2017. a
Ploeger, F. and Birner, T.: Seasonal and inter-annual variability of lower
stratospheric age of air spectra, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16,
10195–10213, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-10195-2016, 2016. a, b
Ploeger, F., Abalos, M., Birner, T., Konopka, P., Legras, B., Müller, R., and
Riese, M.: Quantifying the effects of mixing and residual circulation on
trends of stratospheric mean age of air, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 2047–2054,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062927, 2015. a
Pommrich, R., Müller, R., Grooß, J.-U., Konopka, P., Ploeger, F., Vogel,
B., Tao, M., Hoppe, C. M., Günther, G., Spelten, N., Hoffmann, L.,
Pumphrey, H.-C., Viciani, S., D'Amato, F., Volk, C. M., Hoor, P., Schlager,
H., and Riese, M.: Tropical troposphere to stratosphere transport of carbon
monoxide and long-lived trace species in the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the
Stratosphere (CLaMS), Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 2895–2916,
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2895-2014, 2014. a, b, c
Poshyvailo, L.: Lagrangian Simulation of Stratospheric Water Vapour: Impact of Large-Scale Circulation and Small-Scale Transport Processes, Vol. 503, Schriften des Forschungszentrums Jülich Reihe Energie & Umwelt/Energy & Environment, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Zentralbibliothek, ISBN 978-3-95806-488-1, 2020. a
Poshyvailo, L., Müller, R., Konopka, P., Günther, G., Riese, M., Podglajen,
A., and Ploeger, F.: Sensitivities of modelled water vapour in the lower
stratosphere: temperature uncertainty, effects of horizontal transport and
small-scale mixing, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 8505–8527,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8505-2018, 2018. a, b
Raspollini, P., Belotti, C., Burgess, A., Carli, B., Carlotti, M., Ceccherini,
S., Dinelli, B. M., Dudhia, A., Flaud, J.-M., Funke, B., Höpfner, M.,
López-Puertas, M., Payne, V., Piccolo, C., Remedios, J. J., Ridolfi, M.,
and Spang, R.: MIPAS level 2 operational analysis, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6,
5605–5630, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-5605-2006, 2006. a, b
Remsberg, E. E.: Methane as a diagnostic tracer of changes in the
Brewer–Dobson circulation of the stratosphere, Atmos. Chem.
Phys., 15, 3739–3754, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-3739-2015, 2015. a
Riese, M., Ploeger, F., Rap, A., Vogel, B., Konopka, P., Dameris, M., and
Forster, P.: Impact of uncertainties in atmospheric mixing on simulated UTLS
composition and related radiative effects, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D16305,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2012JD017751, 2012. a
Rind, D., Chiou, E.-W., Chu, W., Oltmans, S., Lerner, J., Larsen, J.,
McCormick, M. P., and McMaster, L.: Overview of the Stratospheric Aerosol and
Gas Experiment II water vapor observations: Method, validation, and data
characteristics, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 98,
4835–4856, https://doi.org/10.1029/92JD01174, 1993. a
Röckmann, T., Grooß, J.-U., and Müller, R.: The impact of anthropogenic
chlorine emissions, stratospheric ozone change and chemical feedbacks on
stratospheric water, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 4, 693–699,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-4-693-2004, 2004. a
Rosenlof, K. H.: Seasonal cycle of the residual mean meridional circulation in
the stratosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 5173–5191, https://doi.org/10.1029/94JD03122,
1995. a
Rosenlof, K. H., Tuck, A. F., Kelly, K. K., Russell III, J. M., and
McCormick, M. P.: Hemispheric asymmetries in the water vapor and inferences
about transport in the lower stratosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 102,
13213–13234, https://doi.org/10.1029/97JD00873, 1997. a
Russell III, J. M., Gordley, L. L., Park, J. H., Drayson, S. R., Hesketh,
W. D., Cicerone, R. J., Tuck, A. F., Frederick, J. E., Harries, J. E., and
Crutzen, P. J.: The Halogen Occultation Experiment, J. Geophys. Res.,
98, 10777–10797, https://doi.org/10.1029/93JD00799, 1993. a, b
Scherer, M., Vömel, H., Fueglistaler, S., Oltmans, S. J., and Staehelin, J.:
Trends and variability of midlatitude stratospheric water vapour deduced from
the re-evaluated Boulder balloon series and HALOE, Atmos. Chem.
Phys., 8, 1391–1402, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-8-1391-2008, 2008. a
Schoeberl, M. R., Sparling, L. C., Jackman, C. H., and Fleming, E. L.: A
Lagrangian view of stratospheric trace gas distributions, J. Geophys. Res.,
105, 1537–1552, https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JD900787, 2000. a, b
Schoeberl, M. R., Douglass, A. R., Polansky, B., Boone, C., Walker, K. A., and
Bernath, P.: Estimation of stratospheric age spectrum from chemical tracers,
J. Geophys. Re.-Atmos., 110, D21303,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006125, 2005. a, b, c
Solomon, S. and Albritton, D. L.: Time-dependent ozone depletion potentials for
short- and long-term forecasts, Nature, 357, 33–37, https://doi.org/10.1038/357033a0,
1992. a
Solomon, S., Rosenlof, K., Portmann, R., Daniel, J., Davis, S., Sanford, T.,
and Plattner, G.-K.: Contributions of stratospheric water vapor to decadal
changes in the rate of global warming, Science, 327, 1219–1223,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1182488, 2010. a
Stiller, G. P., Fierli, F., Ploeger, F., Cagnazzo, C., Funke, B., Haenel,
F. J., Reddmann, T., Riese, M., and von Clarmann, T.: Shift of subtropical
transport barriers explains observed hemispheric asymmetry of decadal trends
of age of air, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 11177–11192,
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-11177-2017, 2017. a, b
Strunk, M., Engel, A., Schmidt, U., Volk, C. M., Wetter, T., Levin, I., and
Glatzel-Mattheier, H.: CO2 and SF6 as sratospheric age tracers:
consistency and the effect of mesospheric SF6 – loss, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, 341–344,
https://doi.org/10.1029/1999GL011044, 2000. a
Thomason, L. W., Poole, L. R., and Deshler, T.: A global climatoloy of
stratospheric aerosol surface area density deduced from Stratospheric
Aerosol and Gas Experiment II measurements: 1984–1994, J. Geophys.
Res., 102, 8967–8976, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JD02962, 1997. a
Vogel, B., Feck, T., Grooß, J.-U., and Riese, M.: Impact of a possible
future global hydrogen economy on Arctic stratospheric ozone loss, Energy
Environ. Sci., 5, 6445–6452, https://doi.org/10.1039/C2EE03181G, minireview, 2012. a
von Clarmann, T. and Stiller, G.: Das Michelson Interferometer für Passive Atmosphärische Sondierung (MIPAS) auf dem Umweltforschungssarelliten ENVISAT, Nachrichten – Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, 35, 41–45, https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/120054527, 2003. a
Waters, J. W., Read, W. G., Froidevaux, L., Jarnot, R. F., Cofield, R. E.,
Flower, D. A., Lau, G. K., Pickett, H. M., Santee, M. L., Wu, D. L., Boyles,
M. A., Burke, J. R., Lay, R. R., Loo, M. S., Livesey, N. J., Lungu, T. A.,
Manney, G. L., Nakamura, L. L., Perun, V. S., Ridenoure, B. P., Shippony, Z.,
Siegel, P. H., Thurstans, R. P., Harwood, R. S., Pumphrey, H. C., and
Filipiak, M. J.: The UARS and EOS Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) Experiments,
J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 194–218,
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1999)056<0194:TUAEML>2.0.CO;2, 1999.
a
Waters, J. W., Froidevaux, L., Harwood, R. S., Jarnot, R. F., Pickett, H. M.,
Read, W. G., Siegel, P. H., Cofield, R. E., Filipiak, M. J., Flower, D. A.,
Holden, J. R., Lau, G. K., Livesey, N. J., Manney, G. L., Pumphrey, H. C.,
Santee, M. L., Wu, D. L., Cuddy, D. T., Lay, R. R., Loo, M. S., Perun, V. S.,
Schwartz, M. J., Stek, P. C., Thurstans, R. P., Boyles, M. A., Chandra, S.,
Chavez, M. C., Chen, G.-S., Chudasama, B. V., Dodge, R., Fuller, R. A.,
Girard, M. A., Jiang, J. H., Jiang, Y., Knosp, B. W., LaBelle, R. C., Lam,
J. C., Lee, K. A., Miller, D., Oswald, J. E., Patel, N. C., Pukala, D. M.,
Quintero, O., Scaff, D. M., Snyder, W. V., Tope, M. C., Wagner, P. A., and
Walch, M. J.: The Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder
(EOS MLS) on the Aura satellite, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 44,
1075–1092, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2006.873771, 2006. a
Waugh, D. W. and Hall, T. M.: Age of stratospheric air: theory, observations,
and models, Rev. Geophys., 40, 1–27, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000RG000101,
2002. a, b
WMO: Meteorology – a three-dimensional science, WMO Bull., VI, 134–138, https://library.wmo.int/doc_num.php?explnum_id=6960, 1957. a
Xiong, X., Barnet, C., Maddy, E., Sweeney, C., Liu, X., Zhou, L., and Goldberg,
M.: Characterization and validation of methane products from the Atmospheric
Infrared Sounder (AIRS), J. Geophys. Res.-Biogeo.,
113, G00A01, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JG000500, 2008. a
Xiong, X., Barnet, C., Maddy, E., Wofsy, S., Chen, L., Karion, A., and Sweeney,
C.: Detection of methane depletion associated with stratospheric intrusion by
atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS), Geophys. Res. Lett., 40,
2455–2459, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50476, 2013. a
Short summary
Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC) controls the composition of the stratosphere, which in turn affects radiation and climate. As the BDC cannot be measured directly, it is necessary to infer its strength and trends indirectly. In this study, we test in the
model worlddifferent methods for estimating the mean age of air trends based on a combination of stratospheric water vapour and methane data. We also provide simple practical advice of a more reliable estimation of the mean age of air trends.
Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC) controls the composition of the stratosphere, which in turn...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint