Abstract
During the 1999/2000 Arctic winter SAGE III-Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) campaign, high-resolution, in situ tracer data measured aboard the NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft revealed anomalous mixing events within the polar vortex. From January to March 2000 in the 350-500 K potential temperature range, we found mixing events during 15% of the flight time on average with significant maxima at potential temperatures of 450, 410, and 380 K. The events were spread throughout the vortex but showed a distinct minimum at 73° N and a peak at 85°N equivalent latitude. About 60% of the observed mixing events were less than 13 km wide. Based on a case study of tracer-tracer relationships, an objective simple method is introduced to detect such events using the linear nitrous oxide (N2O):potential temperature relationship observed deep in the vortex. Rigorous analysis and supporting evidence from total water data corroborated the validity of the method. These results suggest mixing across the polar vortex edge occurred preferentially in layers at select altitudes in the Arctic winter 19997 2000.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue number | 24 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- 0341 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere-constituent transport and chemistry (3334)
- 3334 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Middle atmosphere dynamics (0341, 0342)
- 3384 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Waves and tides
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geochemistry and Petrology
- Geophysics
- Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Space and Planetary Science
- Atmospheric Science
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Oceanography
Cite this
Mixing events revealed by anomalous tracer relationships in the Arctic vortex during winter 1999/2000. / Jost, Hans Jürg; Loewenstein, Max; Greenblatt, Jeffery B.; Podolske, Jarries R.; Bui, T. Paul; Hurst, Dale F.; Elkins, James W.; Herman, Robert L.; Webster, Christopher R.; Schauffler, Sue M.; Atlas, Elliot L; Newman, Paul A.; Lait, Leslie R.; Wofsy, Steven C.
In: Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans, Vol. 107, No. 24, 2002.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mixing events revealed by anomalous tracer relationships in the Arctic vortex during winter 1999/2000
AU - Jost, Hans Jürg
AU - Loewenstein, Max
AU - Greenblatt, Jeffery B.
AU - Podolske, Jarries R.
AU - Bui, T. Paul
AU - Hurst, Dale F.
AU - Elkins, James W.
AU - Herman, Robert L.
AU - Webster, Christopher R.
AU - Schauffler, Sue M.
AU - Atlas, Elliot L
AU - Newman, Paul A.
AU - Lait, Leslie R.
AU - Wofsy, Steven C.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - During the 1999/2000 Arctic winter SAGE III-Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) campaign, high-resolution, in situ tracer data measured aboard the NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft revealed anomalous mixing events within the polar vortex. From January to March 2000 in the 350-500 K potential temperature range, we found mixing events during 15% of the flight time on average with significant maxima at potential temperatures of 450, 410, and 380 K. The events were spread throughout the vortex but showed a distinct minimum at 73° N and a peak at 85°N equivalent latitude. About 60% of the observed mixing events were less than 13 km wide. Based on a case study of tracer-tracer relationships, an objective simple method is introduced to detect such events using the linear nitrous oxide (N2O):potential temperature relationship observed deep in the vortex. Rigorous analysis and supporting evidence from total water data corroborated the validity of the method. These results suggest mixing across the polar vortex edge occurred preferentially in layers at select altitudes in the Arctic winter 19997 2000.
AB - During the 1999/2000 Arctic winter SAGE III-Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) campaign, high-resolution, in situ tracer data measured aboard the NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft revealed anomalous mixing events within the polar vortex. From January to March 2000 in the 350-500 K potential temperature range, we found mixing events during 15% of the flight time on average with significant maxima at potential temperatures of 450, 410, and 380 K. The events were spread throughout the vortex but showed a distinct minimum at 73° N and a peak at 85°N equivalent latitude. About 60% of the observed mixing events were less than 13 km wide. Based on a case study of tracer-tracer relationships, an objective simple method is introduced to detect such events using the linear nitrous oxide (N2O):potential temperature relationship observed deep in the vortex. Rigorous analysis and supporting evidence from total water data corroborated the validity of the method. These results suggest mixing across the polar vortex edge occurred preferentially in layers at select altitudes in the Arctic winter 19997 2000.
KW - 0341 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere-constituent transport and chemistry (3334)
KW - 3334 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Middle atmosphere dynamics (0341, 0342)
KW - 3384 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Waves and tides
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36448978519&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=36448978519&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1029/2002JD002380
DO - 10.1029/2002JD002380
M3 - Article
VL - 107
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
SN - 2169-9275
IS - 24
ER -