Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere
This study evaluates the stratospheric water vapour distribution and variability in the Arctic. A FinROSE chemistry transport model simulation covering the years 1990–2014 is compared to observations (satellite and frost point hygrometer soundings), and the sources of stratospheric water vapour are...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:acp30883 2023-05-15T14:38:15+02:00 Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere Thölix, Laura Backman, Leif Kivi, Rigel Karpechko, Alexey Yu. 2018-10-05 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4307-2016 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/4307/2016/ eng eng doi:10.5194/acp-16-4307-2016 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/4307/2016/ eISSN: 1680-7324 Text 2018 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4307-2016 2019-12-24T09:52:38Z This study evaluates the stratospheric water vapour distribution and variability in the Arctic. A FinROSE chemistry transport model simulation covering the years 1990–2014 is compared to observations (satellite and frost point hygrometer soundings), and the sources of stratospheric water vapour are studied. In the simulations, the Arctic water vapour shows decadal variability with a magnitude of 0.8 ppm. Both observations and the simulations show an increase in the water vapour concentration in the Arctic stratosphere after the year 2006, but around 2012 the concentration started to decrease. Model calculations suggest that this increase in water vapour is mostly explained by transport-related processes, while the photochemically produced water vapour plays a relatively smaller role. The increase in water vapour in the presence of the low winter temperatures in the Arctic stratosphere led to more frequent occurrence of ice polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in the Arctic vortex. We perform a case study of ice PSC formation focusing on January 2010 when the polar vortex was unusually cold and allowed large-scale formation of PSCs. At the same time a large-scale persistent dehydration was observed. Ice PSCs and dehydration observed at Sodankylä with accurate water vapour soundings in January and February 2010 during the LAPBIAT (Lapland Atmosphere–Biosphere facility) atmospheric measurement campaign were well reproduced by the model. In particular, both the observed and simulated decrease in water vapour in the dehydration layer was up to 1.5 ppm. Text Arctic Sodankylä Lapland Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Arctic Sodankylä ENVELOPE(26.600,26.600,67.417,67.417) Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 16 7 4307 4321 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
This study evaluates the stratospheric water vapour distribution and variability in the Arctic. A FinROSE chemistry transport model simulation covering the years 1990–2014 is compared to observations (satellite and frost point hygrometer soundings), and the sources of stratospheric water vapour are studied. In the simulations, the Arctic water vapour shows decadal variability with a magnitude of 0.8 ppm. Both observations and the simulations show an increase in the water vapour concentration in the Arctic stratosphere after the year 2006, but around 2012 the concentration started to decrease. Model calculations suggest that this increase in water vapour is mostly explained by transport-related processes, while the photochemically produced water vapour plays a relatively smaller role. The increase in water vapour in the presence of the low winter temperatures in the Arctic stratosphere led to more frequent occurrence of ice polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in the Arctic vortex. We perform a case study of ice PSC formation focusing on January 2010 when the polar vortex was unusually cold and allowed large-scale formation of PSCs. At the same time a large-scale persistent dehydration was observed. Ice PSCs and dehydration observed at Sodankylä with accurate water vapour soundings in January and February 2010 during the LAPBIAT (Lapland Atmosphere–Biosphere facility) atmospheric measurement campaign were well reproduced by the model. In particular, both the observed and simulated decrease in water vapour in the dehydration layer was up to 1.5 ppm. |
format |
Text |
author |
Thölix, Laura Backman, Leif Kivi, Rigel Karpechko, Alexey Yu. |
spellingShingle |
Thölix, Laura Backman, Leif Kivi, Rigel Karpechko, Alexey Yu. Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere |
author_facet |
Thölix, Laura Backman, Leif Kivi, Rigel Karpechko, Alexey Yu. |
author_sort |
Thölix, Laura |
title |
Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere |
title_short |
Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere |
title_full |
Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere |
title_fullStr |
Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere |
title_full_unstemmed |
Variability of water vapour in the Arctic stratosphere |
title_sort |
variability of water vapour in the arctic stratosphere |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4307-2016 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/4307/2016/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(26.600,26.600,67.417,67.417) |
geographic |
Arctic Sodankylä |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Sodankylä |
genre |
Arctic Sodankylä Lapland |
genre_facet |
Arctic Sodankylä Lapland |
op_source |
eISSN: 1680-7324 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/acp-16-4307-2016 https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/4307/2016/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-4307-2016 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
4307 |
op_container_end_page |
4321 |
_version_ |
1766310365853908992 |