Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature
More than a decade ago it was suggested that a cooling of stratospheric temperatures by 1 K or an increase of 1 ppmv of stratospheric water vapour could promote denitrification, the permanent removal of nitrogen species from the stratosphere by solid polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) particles. In fac...
Published in: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2016
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 https://doaj.org/article/67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 2023-05-15T15:03:50+02:00 Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature F. Khosrawi J. Urban S. Lossow G. Stiller K. Weigel P. Braesicke M. C. Pitts A. Rozanov J. P. Burrows D. Murtagh 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 https://doaj.org/article/67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/101/2016/acp-16-101-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7316 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7324 doi:10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 1680-7316 1680-7324 https://doaj.org/article/67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 16, Pp 101-121 (2016) Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 2022-12-31T13:44:20Z More than a decade ago it was suggested that a cooling of stratospheric temperatures by 1 K or an increase of 1 ppmv of stratospheric water vapour could promote denitrification, the permanent removal of nitrogen species from the stratosphere by solid polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) particles. In fact, during the two Arctic winters 2009/10 and 2010/11 the strongest denitrification in the recent decade was observed. Sensitivity studies along air parcel trajectories are performed to test how a future stratospheric water vapour (H 2 O) increase of 1 ppmv or a temperature decrease of 1 K would affect PSC formation. We perform our study based on measurements made during the Arctic winter 2010/11. Air parcel trajectories were calculated 6 days backward in time based on PSCs detected by CALIPSO (Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder satellite observations). The sensitivity study was performed on single trajectories as well as on a trajectory ensemble. The sensitivity study shows a clear prolongation of the potential for PSC formation and PSC existence when the temperature in the stratosphere is decreased by 1 K and water vapour is increased by 1 ppmv. Based on 15 years of satellite measurements (2000–2014) from UARS/HALOE, Envisat/MIPAS, Odin/SMR, Aura/MLS, Envisat/SCIAMACHY and SCISAT/ACE-FTS it is further investigated if there is a decrease in temperature and/or increase of water vapour (H 2 O) observed in the polar regions similar to that observed at midlatitudes and in the tropics. Performing linear regression analyses we derive from the Envisat/MIPAS (2002–2012) and Aura/MLS (2004–2014) observations predominantly positive changes in the potential temperature range 350 to 1000 K. The linear changes in water vapour derived from Envisat/MIPAS observations are largely insignificant, while those from Aura/MLS are mostly significant. For the temperature neither of the two instruments indicate any significant changes. Given the strong inter-annual variation observed in water vapour and particular temperature the ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 16 1 101 121 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 |
spellingShingle |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 F. Khosrawi J. Urban S. Lossow G. Stiller K. Weigel P. Braesicke M. C. Pitts A. Rozanov J. P. Burrows D. Murtagh Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
topic_facet |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 |
description |
More than a decade ago it was suggested that a cooling of stratospheric temperatures by 1 K or an increase of 1 ppmv of stratospheric water vapour could promote denitrification, the permanent removal of nitrogen species from the stratosphere by solid polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) particles. In fact, during the two Arctic winters 2009/10 and 2010/11 the strongest denitrification in the recent decade was observed. Sensitivity studies along air parcel trajectories are performed to test how a future stratospheric water vapour (H 2 O) increase of 1 ppmv or a temperature decrease of 1 K would affect PSC formation. We perform our study based on measurements made during the Arctic winter 2010/11. Air parcel trajectories were calculated 6 days backward in time based on PSCs detected by CALIPSO (Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder satellite observations). The sensitivity study was performed on single trajectories as well as on a trajectory ensemble. The sensitivity study shows a clear prolongation of the potential for PSC formation and PSC existence when the temperature in the stratosphere is decreased by 1 K and water vapour is increased by 1 ppmv. Based on 15 years of satellite measurements (2000–2014) from UARS/HALOE, Envisat/MIPAS, Odin/SMR, Aura/MLS, Envisat/SCIAMACHY and SCISAT/ACE-FTS it is further investigated if there is a decrease in temperature and/or increase of water vapour (H 2 O) observed in the polar regions similar to that observed at midlatitudes and in the tropics. Performing linear regression analyses we derive from the Envisat/MIPAS (2002–2012) and Aura/MLS (2004–2014) observations predominantly positive changes in the potential temperature range 350 to 1000 K. The linear changes in water vapour derived from Envisat/MIPAS observations are largely insignificant, while those from Aura/MLS are mostly significant. For the temperature neither of the two instruments indicate any significant changes. Given the strong inter-annual variation observed in water vapour and particular temperature the ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
F. Khosrawi J. Urban S. Lossow G. Stiller K. Weigel P. Braesicke M. C. Pitts A. Rozanov J. P. Burrows D. Murtagh |
author_facet |
F. Khosrawi J. Urban S. Lossow G. Stiller K. Weigel P. Braesicke M. C. Pitts A. Rozanov J. P. Burrows D. Murtagh |
author_sort |
F. Khosrawi |
title |
Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
title_short |
Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
title_full |
Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
title_fullStr |
Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
title_sort |
sensitivity of polar stratospheric cloud formation to changes in water vapour and temperature |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 https://doaj.org/article/67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 16, Pp 101-121 (2016) |
op_relation |
https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/16/101/2016/acp-16-101-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7316 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7324 doi:10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 1680-7316 1680-7324 https://doaj.org/article/67d1986e1dd44679b10b62ecc6b692a3 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-101-2016 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
101 |
op_container_end_page |
121 |
_version_ |
1766335681991278592 |