Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements
The springtime composition of the Arctic lower troposphere is to a large extent controlled by the transport of midlatitude air masses into the Arctic. In contrast, precipitation and natural sources play the most important role during summer. Within the Arctic region sloping isentropes create a barri...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:68338ad1645843c4b73e4254f498dc34 2023-05-15T13:15:38+02:00 Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements H. Bozem P. Hoor D. Kunkel F. Köllner J. Schneider A. Herber H. Schulz W. R. Leaitch A. A. Aliabadi M. D. Willis J. Burkart J. P. D. Abbatt 2019-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-15049-2019 https://doaj.org/article/68338ad1645843c4b73e4254f498dc34 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/19/15049/2019/acp-19-15049-2019.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7316 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7324 doi:10.5194/acp-19-15049-2019 1680-7316 1680-7324 https://doaj.org/article/68338ad1645843c4b73e4254f498dc34 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 19, Pp 15049-15071 (2019) Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 article 2019 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-15049-2019 2022-12-31T01:06:53Z The springtime composition of the Arctic lower troposphere is to a large extent controlled by the transport of midlatitude air masses into the Arctic. In contrast, precipitation and natural sources play the most important role during summer. Within the Arctic region sloping isentropes create a barrier to horizontal transport, known as the polar dome. The polar dome varies in space and time and exhibits a strong influence on the transport of air masses from midlatitudes, enhancing transport during winter and inhibiting transport during summer. We analyzed aircraft-based trace gas measurements in the Arctic from two NETCARE airborne field campaigns (July 2014 and April 2015) with the Alfred Wegener Institute Polar 6 aircraft, covering an area from Spitsbergen to Alaska (134 to 17 ∘ W and 68 to 83 ∘ N). Using these data we characterized the transport regimes of midlatitude air masses traveling to the high Arctic based on CO and CO 2 measurements as well as kinematic 10 d back trajectories. We found that dynamical isolation of the high Arctic lower troposphere leads to gradients of chemical tracers reflecting different local chemical lifetimes, sources, and sinks. In particular, gradients of CO and CO 2 allowed for a trace-gas-based definition of the polar dome boundary for the two measurement periods, which showed pronounced seasonal differences. Rather than a sharp boundary, we derived a transition zone from both campaigns. In July 2014 the polar dome boundary was at 73.5 ∘ N latitude and 299–303.5 K potential temperature. During April 2015 the polar dome boundary was on average located at 66–68.5 ∘ N and 283.5–287.5 K. Tracer–tracer scatter plots confirm different air mass properties inside and outside the polar dome in both spring and summer. Further, we explored the processes controlling the recent transport history of air masses within and outside the polar dome. Air masses within the springtime polar dome mainly experienced diabatic cooling while traveling over cold surfaces. In contrast, air masses in the ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Alfred Wegener Institute Arctic Alaska Spitsbergen Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Dome The ENVELOPE(166.000,166.000,-85.367,-85.367) Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 19 23 15049 15071 |
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 H. Bozem P. Hoor D. Kunkel F. Köllner J. Schneider A. Herber H. Schulz W. R. Leaitch A. A. Aliabadi M. D. Willis J. Burkart J. P. D. Abbatt Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
topic_facet |
Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 |
description |
The springtime composition of the Arctic lower troposphere is to a large extent controlled by the transport of midlatitude air masses into the Arctic. In contrast, precipitation and natural sources play the most important role during summer. Within the Arctic region sloping isentropes create a barrier to horizontal transport, known as the polar dome. The polar dome varies in space and time and exhibits a strong influence on the transport of air masses from midlatitudes, enhancing transport during winter and inhibiting transport during summer. We analyzed aircraft-based trace gas measurements in the Arctic from two NETCARE airborne field campaigns (July 2014 and April 2015) with the Alfred Wegener Institute Polar 6 aircraft, covering an area from Spitsbergen to Alaska (134 to 17 ∘ W and 68 to 83 ∘ N). Using these data we characterized the transport regimes of midlatitude air masses traveling to the high Arctic based on CO and CO 2 measurements as well as kinematic 10 d back trajectories. We found that dynamical isolation of the high Arctic lower troposphere leads to gradients of chemical tracers reflecting different local chemical lifetimes, sources, and sinks. In particular, gradients of CO and CO 2 allowed for a trace-gas-based definition of the polar dome boundary for the two measurement periods, which showed pronounced seasonal differences. Rather than a sharp boundary, we derived a transition zone from both campaigns. In July 2014 the polar dome boundary was at 73.5 ∘ N latitude and 299–303.5 K potential temperature. During April 2015 the polar dome boundary was on average located at 66–68.5 ∘ N and 283.5–287.5 K. Tracer–tracer scatter plots confirm different air mass properties inside and outside the polar dome in both spring and summer. Further, we explored the processes controlling the recent transport history of air masses within and outside the polar dome. Air masses within the springtime polar dome mainly experienced diabatic cooling while traveling over cold surfaces. In contrast, air masses in the ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
H. Bozem P. Hoor D. Kunkel F. Köllner J. Schneider A. Herber H. Schulz W. R. Leaitch A. A. Aliabadi M. D. Willis J. Burkart J. P. D. Abbatt |
author_facet |
H. Bozem P. Hoor D. Kunkel F. Köllner J. Schneider A. Herber H. Schulz W. R. Leaitch A. A. Aliabadi M. D. Willis J. Burkart J. P. D. Abbatt |
author_sort |
H. Bozem |
title |
Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
title_short |
Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
title_full |
Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
title_fullStr |
Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
title_full_unstemmed |
Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
title_sort |
characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-15049-2019 https://doaj.org/article/68338ad1645843c4b73e4254f498dc34 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(166.000,166.000,-85.367,-85.367) |
geographic |
Arctic Dome The |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Dome The |
genre |
Alfred Wegener Institute Arctic Alaska Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Alfred Wegener Institute Arctic Alaska Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 19, Pp 15049-15071 (2019) |
op_relation |
https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/19/15049/2019/acp-19-15049-2019.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7316 https://doaj.org/toc/1680-7324 doi:10.5194/acp-19-15049-2019 1680-7316 1680-7324 https://doaj.org/article/68338ad1645843c4b73e4254f498dc34 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-15049-2019 |
container_title |
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
23 |
container_start_page |
15049 |
op_container_end_page |
15071 |
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1766270033470685184 |