Evidence for long-lived polar vortex air in the mid-latitude summer stratosphere from in situ laser diode CH4 and H2O measurements

A balloon borne diode laser spectrometer was launched in southern France in June 2000 to yield in situ stratospheric CH4 and H2O measurements. In the altitude region ranging from 20km to 25km, striking large spatial structures were observed in the vertical concentration profiles of both species. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Main Authors: Durry, G., Hauchecorne, A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-5-1467-2005
https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00049089
https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00048709/acp-5-1467-2005.pdf
https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/5/1467/2005/acp-5-1467-2005.pdf
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Summary:A balloon borne diode laser spectrometer was launched in southern France in June 2000 to yield in situ stratospheric CH4 and H2O measurements. In the altitude region ranging from 20km to 25km, striking large spatial structures were observed in the vertical concentration profiles of both species. We suggest these patterns are due to the presence of long-lived remnants of the wintertime polar vortex in the mid-latitude summer stratosphere. To support this interpretation, a high resolution advection model for potential vorticity is used to investigate the evolution of the Arctic vortex after its breakdown phase in spring 2000.