Interhemispheric comparison of atmospheric circulation features as evaluated from Nimbus satellite data. A comparison of the structure and flow characteristics of the upper troposphere and stratosphere of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

• Main Authors: Fields, A., Adler, R., Reiter, E. R.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1974
• Subjects: GEOPHYSICS; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19740025769

The general circulations of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are compared with regard to the upper troposphere and stratosphere, using atmospheric structure obtained from multi-channel radiance data from the satellite infrared spectrometer instrument aboard the Nimbus 3 spacecraft. The inter-hemispheric comparisons are based on two months of data (one summer month and one winter month) in each hemisphere. Topics studied include: (1) mean meridional circulation in the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere; (2) magnitude and distribution of tropospheric eddy heat flux; (3) relative importance of standing and transient eddies in the two hemispheres; (4) magnitudes of energy cycle components; and (5) the relation of vortex structure to the breakdown climatology of the Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex.