Large‐Amplitude Mountain Waves in the Mesosphere Observed on 21 June 2014 During DEEPWAVE: 2. Nonlinear Dynamics, Wave Breaking, and Instabilities

Weak cross‐mountain flow over the New Zealand South Island on 21 June 2014 during the Deep Propagating Gravity Wave Experiment (DEEPWAVE) led to large‐amplitude mountain waves in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The mesosphere and lower thermosphere responses were observed by ground‐based instruments in the lee of the Southern Alps supporting DEEPWAVE, including an Advanced Mesosphere Temperature Mapper, a Rayleigh lidar, an All‐Sky Imager, and a Fabry‐Perot Interferometer. The character of the mountain wave responses at horizontal scales of ~30–90 km reveals strong “sawtooth” variations in the temperature field suggesting large vertical and horizontal displacements leading to mountain wave overturning. The observations also reveal multiple examples of apparent instability structures within the mountain wave field that arose accompanying large amplitudes and exhibited various forms, scales, and evolutions. This paper employs detailed data analyses and results of numerical modeling of gravity wave instability dynamics to interpret these mountain wave dynamics, their instability forms, scales, and expected environmental influences. Results demonstrate apparently general instability pathways for breaking of large‐amplitude gravity waves in environments without and with mean shear. A close link is also found between large‐amplitude gravity waves and the dominant instability scales that may yield additional abilities to quantify gravity wave characteristics and effects

Effects of a novel, brief psychological therapy (Managing Unusual Sensory Experiences) for hallucinations in first episode psychosis (MUSE FEP): findings from an exploratory randomised controlled trial.

Hallucinations are a common feature of psychosis, yet access to effective psychological treatment is limited. The Managing Unusual Sensory Experiences for First-Episode-Psychosis (MUSE-FEP) trial aimed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of a brief, hallucination-specific, digitally provided treatment, delivered by a non-specialist workforce for people with psychosis. MUSE uses psychoeducation about the causal mechanisms of hallucinations and tailored interventions to help a person understand and manage their experiences. We undertook a two-site, single-blind (rater) Randomised Controlled Trial and recruited 82 participants who were allocated 1:1 to MUSE and treatment as usual (TAU) (n=40) or TAU alone (n=42). Participants completed assessments before and after treatment (2 months), and at follow up (3-4 months). Information on recruitment rates, adherence, and completion of outcome assessments was collected. Analyses focussed on feasibility outcomes and initial estimates of intervention effects to inform a future trial. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry 16793301. Criteria for the feasibility of trial methodology and intervention delivery were met. The trial exceeded the recruitment target, had high retention rates (87.8%) at end of treatment, and at follow up (86.6%), with good acceptability of treatment. There were 3 serious adverse events in the therapy group, and 5 in the TAU group. Improvements were evident in both groups at the end of treatment and follow up, with a particular benefit in perceived recovery in the MUSE group. We showed it was feasible to increase access to psychological intervention but a definitive trial requires further changes to the trial design or treatment

Ozone, DNA-active UV radiation, and cloud changes for the near-global mean and at high latitudes due to enhanced greenhouse gas concentrations

This study analyses the variability and trends of ultraviolet-B (UV-B, wavelength 280–320 nm) radiation that can cause DNA damage. The variability and trends caused by climate change due to enhanced greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. The analysis is based on DNA-active irradiance, total ozone, total cloud cover, and surface albedo calculations with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts – Hamburg (ECHAM)/Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) chemistry–climate model (CCM) free-running simulations following the RCP 6.0 climate scenario for the period 1960–2100. The model output is evaluated with DNA-active irradiance ground-based measurements, satellite SBUV (v8.7) total-ozone measurements, and satellite MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra cloud cover data. The results show that the model reproduces the observed variability and change in total ozone, DNA-active irradiance, and cloud cover for the period 2000–2018 quite well according to the statistical comparisons. Between 50∘ N–50∘ S, the DNA-damaging UV radiation is expected to decrease until 2050 and to increase thereafter, as was shown previously by Eleftheratos et al. (2020). This change is associated with decreases in the model total cloud cover and negative trends in total ozone after about 2050 due to increasing GHGs. The new study confirms the previous work by adding more stations over low latitudes and mid-latitudes (13 instead of 5 stations). In addition, we include estimates from high-latitude stations with long-term measurements of UV irradiance (three stations in the northern high latitudes and four stations in the southern high latitudes greater than 55∘). In contrast to the predictions for 50∘ N–50∘ S, it is shown that DNA-active irradiance will continue to decrease after the year 2050 over high latitudes because of upward ozone trends. At latitudes poleward of 55∘ N, we estimate that DNA-active irradiance will decrease by 8.2 %±3.8 % from 2050 to 2100. Similarly, at latitudes poleward of 55∘ S, DNA-active irradiance will decrease by 4.8 % ± 2.9 % after 2050. The results for the high latitudes refer to the summer period and not to the seasons when ozone depletion occurs, i.e. in late winter and spring. The contributions of ozone, cloud, and albedo trends to the DNA-active irradiance trends are estimated and discussed.</p

Large‐Amplitude Mountain Waves in the Mesosphere Observed on 21 June 2014 During DEEPWAVE: 1.Wave Development, Scales, Momentum Fluxes, and Environmental Sensitivity

A remarkable, large‐amplitude, mountain wave (MW) breaking event was observed on the night of 21 June 2014 by ground‐based optical instruments operated on the New Zealand South Island during the Deep Propagating Gravity Wave Experiment (DEEPWAVE). Concurrent measurements of the MW structures, amplitudes, and background environment were made using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper, a Rayleigh Lidar, an All‐Sky Imager, and a Fabry‐Perot Interferometer. The MW event was observed primarily in the OH airglow emission layer at an altitude of ~82 km, over an ~2‐hr interval (~10:30–12:30 UT), during strong eastward winds at the OH altitude and above, which weakened with time. The MWs displayed dominant horizontal wavelengths ranging from ~40 to 70 km and temperature perturbation amplitudes as large as ~35 K. The waves were characterized by an unusual, “saw‐tooth” pattern in the larger‐scale temperature field exhibiting narrow cold phases separating much broader warm phases with increasing temperatures toward the east, indicative of strong overturning and instability development. Estimates of the momentum fluxes during this event revealed a distinct periodicity (~25 min) with three well‐defined peaks ranging from ~600 to 800 m2/s2, among the largest ever inferred at these altitudes. These results suggest that MW forcing at small horizontal scales (km) can play large roles in the momentum budget of the mesopause region when forcing and propagation conditions allow them to reach mesospheric altitudes with large amplitudes. A detailed analysis of the instability dynamics accompanying this breaking MW event is presented in a companion paper, Fritts et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd030899)

Global perturbation of stratospheric water and aerosol burden by Hunga eruption

The eruption of the submarine Hunga volcano in January 2022 was associated with a powerful blast that injected volcanic material to altitudes up to 58 km. From a combination of various types of satellite and ground-based observations supported by transport modeling, we show evidence for an unprecedented increase in the global stratospheric water mass by 13% relative to climatological levels, and a 5-fold increase of stratospheric aerosol load, the highest in the last three decades. Owing to the extreme injection altitude, the volcanic plume circumnavigated the Earth in only 1 week and dispersed nearly pole-to-pole in three months. The unique nature and magnitude of the global stratospheric perturbation by the Hunga eruption ranks it among the most remarkable climatic events in the modern observation era, with a range of potential long-lasting repercussions for stratospheric composition and climate

Correlation of aerosol and carbon monoxide at 45 S: Evidence of biomass burning emissions

Altitude profiles of Carbon Monoxide (CO) and aerosols have been compared from the Network for Stratospheric Change (NDSC) mid-latitude southern hemisphere site at Lauder, New Zealand. The CO mixing ratio profile was derived from infrared spectra recorded with a very high resolution Fourier Transform interferometer using three lines of the (1–0) band between 2057 and 2160 cm−1. The aerosol surface area was derived from balloon-borne backscatter radiation at 940 nm. Both datasets show significant enhancements occurring over the observation site in the austral spring. When displayed together their combined effect illustrates the close correlation between CO and aerosols. Peak concentrations are consistently recorded between September and October over a five year time frame (1994–1999), with the enhancements typically occurring at heights of between 3 to 8 km. The temporal and spatial correlation between the aerosol plumes and enhanced CO concentrations are interpreted in terms of the effect of long range transport of biomass burning plumes in combination with the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles influence on southern hemisphere climate dynamics