The stratospheric circulation Alan Plumb M. I. T..

The stratospheric circulationThe stratospheric circulation

Alan Plumb

M. I. T.

Global Meridional Circulation

UARS (HALOE) observationsUARS (HALOE) observations

UARS (HALOE) observations

UARS (HALOE) observations

50hPa analysis 28 Jan 1992

10-day integrated tracer field

vortex

entrained tropical air

midlatitude “surf zone”

12-day contour advection at 480K

(Waugh & Plumb, JAS, 1994.)

50hPa analysis

Gyroscopic stabilityand “wave pumping” of the circulation

v a F vq

vq 0

Global Meridional Circulation

polar descent

Global Meridional Circulation

Arena Arctica, Kiruna, Mar 2000

NASA ER2 at Kiruna, Mar 2000

NASA DC8 in Arena Arctica, Jan 2000

OMS balloon launch, Esrange, Mar 2000

50 100

150

200 250

300 350

400 450 500

550 600

650

650

650

700

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

z(km

)

-90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90latitude

01 Jan 2000

-90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90latitude

25

50 75 100

125 150

150

150

175

175

200

200

225 225

250

250

275

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

z(km

)

31 Mar 2000

0 100 200 300

N2O, CO, mesotracer (ppbv)

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

pot t

emp

(K)

Model vs. Mark IV data

16 March 2000

CO

mesotracer

N2O

(obs) N2O

(model)

Polar Descent

(Plumb et al., JGR, 2002.)

The “gravity wave pump”

polar descent