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