Providing real time constituent data analysis and potential vorticity computations in support of the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Experiment (AASE) is discussed. National Meteorological Center (NMC) meteorological data and potential vorticity computations derived from NMC data are projected onto aircraft coordinates and provided to the investigators in real time. Balloon and satellite constituent data are composited into modified Lagrangian mean coordinates. Various measurements are intercompared, trends deduced and reconstructions of constituent fields performed

Newman, Paul A.

Rosenfield, Joan E.

Schoeberl, Mark R.

Stolarski, Richard S.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

N92-14542 J,
Theoretical Modelling and Meteorological Analysis for the AASE Mission
Mark R. Schoeberl, PI
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Paul A. Newman, CoI
Universities Space Research Association
Goddard Space Flight Center
Joan E. Rosenfield, CoI
Universities Space Research Association
Goddard Space Flight Center
Richard Stolarski, CoI
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Abstract:
Objective is to provide real time constituent data analysis and potential
vorticity computations in support of the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric
Experiment (AASE). NMC meteorological data and potential vorticity
computations derived from NMC data are projected onto aircraft coordinates and
provided to the investigators in real time. ER-2, balloon and satellite
constituent data is composited into modified Lagrangian-mean coordinates.
Various measurements are Intercompared, trends deduced and reconstructions of
constituent field performed.
Summary of Progress and Results:
The real time data objectives were met during the Norway AASE mission and
meteorological data files were provided to the investigators in Norway.
Improvements in the analysis were made after the mission, and updated files
have been provided to the archive at NASA Ames. Demand for the data sets has
been high as the meteorological data has been crucial in determining the
location of the polar vortex and interpreting the DC-8 column constituent
data. Meteorological data analysis is now being extended to cover the
previous AAOE mission period (August-September, 1987) so that potential
vorticity data sets will be available for both missions.
The reconstruction and modified Lagrangian mean transformation procedure has
proven to be a powerful tool for the extension and intercomparison of
constituent data sets. Recently the DIAL lidar, ER-2 insitu and ozonesonde
measurements taken at different locations have been directly compared with
suprisingly good agreement.
In addition to this work, analysis of meteorological and total ozone data
projects have continued. This analysis includes characterizing the effect of
the QBO in modulating the Antarctic ozone depletion, comparison between the
1988 and 1987 southern hemisphere depletions, and analysis of long term trends
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in ozone and temperature from NMCdata. Additional research on gravity wave
propagation and breakdownhas also been performed.
Publications:
Antarctic springtime ozone depletion computedfrom temperature observations,
J. E. Rosenfield, M. R. Schoeberl, and P. A. Newman,J. Geophys. Res., 9_33,
3833-3849, 1988.
The morphology and meteorology of southern hemisphere spring total ozone mini-
holes, P. A. Newman, L. R. Lait, and M. R. Schoeberl, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
15, 923-926, 1988.
Effect of self-consistent horizontal diffusion coefficients on 2-dimensional
N20 model distributions, C. H. Jackman, P. A. Newman, P. D. Guthrie, and
MI R. Schoeberl, J. Geophys. Res., 93, 5213, 1988.
The role of gravity wave generated advection and diffusion in transport of
tracers in the mesosphere, J. R. Holton and M. R. Schoeberl, in press, J___.
Geophys. Res., 1988.
Mixing rates calculated from potential vorticity, P. A. Newman, M. R.
Schoeberl, R. A. Plumb, and J. E. Rosenfield, J. Geophys. Res., 93, 5221,
1988.
Reply to Elliot and Rowland, M. R. Schoeberl and R. S. Stolarski,
Res. Lett., 15, 198-199, 1988.
Breakdown of vertically propagating gravity waves forced by orography, J. T.
Bacmeister and M. R. Schoeberl, J. Atmos. Sci., 46, 2109-2134, 1989.
The 1988 Antarctic ozone depletion: Comparison with previous year depletions,
M. R. Schoeberl, R. S. Stolarski, and A. J. Krueger, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
16, 377-380, 1989.
Quasi-biennial modulation of the Antarctic ozone depletion, L. R. Lait, M. R.
Schoeberl, and P. A. Newman, J. Geophys. Res., 1989.
Reconstruction of the constituent distribution and trends in the Antarctic
polar vortex from ER-2 flight observation, M. R. Schoeberl, L. R. Lait, M.
Proffitt, P. A. Newman, R. L. Martin, D. L. Hartmann, M. Loewenstein, J.
Podolske, S. E. Strahan, J. Anderson, K. R. Chan, B. Gary, J. Geophys.
Res., in press, 1989.
Potential vorticity estimates in the south polar vortex from ER-2 flight data,
D. L. Hartmann, K. R. Chan, B. L. Gary, M. R. Schoeberl, P. A. Newman, R.
L. Martin, M. Loewenstein, J. R. Podolske, S. E. Strahan, J. Geophys.
Res., 1989.
Evidence of the mid-latitude impact of Antarctic ozone depletion, R. J.
Atkinson, W. A. Mathews, P. A. Newman, R. A. Plumb, Nature, 340, 290-294,
1989.
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THE INTERACTION OF SOLAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION (280-400 NM)
WITH THE TERRESTRIAL SYSTEM
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: John E. Frederick
Dept. of the Geophysical Sciences
The University of Chicago
5734 South Ellis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:
This research is devoted to examining the role of the
stratosphere, and to a lesser extent the troposphere, in
determining the ultraviolet radiation levels incident on the
biosphere. The approach combines radiative transfer
calculations (which include multiple Rayleigh scattering,
absorption by an arbitrary number of gases, scattering
within clouds, and reflection from a lower boundary) with
measurements of atmospheric composition.
PROGRESS AND RESULTS (1988-89):
Results published in 1988 showed that variations in local
cloudiness of plus or minus 10% at middle latitudes could
lead to changes in surface ultraviolet radiation as great as
those predicted from trends in ozone since 1970. Analyses
performed for the Scientific Assessment of Stratospheric
Ozone: 1989 demonstrate that trends in ozone of the
magnitude derived from Dobson measurements would not appear
in a straightforward manner in the data record acquired by
the Robertson-Berger (RB) meter network. There is therefore
no inconsistency between the derived decline in ozone over
middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and the failure
of the RB meters to observe increased ultraviolet irradiance
at the ground. Effects of local cloudiness and of localized
sources of air pollution can be major factors in determining
trends in the RB meter output.
In other research supported under this grant we examined the
impact of the springtime Antarctic ozone depletion on the
surface ultraviolet radiation environment of the region. As
one proceeds from September through December surface
radiation level increase in response to the natural change
in solar elevation. However, the presence of a large ozone
depletion in October leads to ultraviolet irradiances
similar to or greater than those at summer solstice. The
246
effect of the ozone hole is therefore to extend the duration
of summerlike ultraviolet radiation levels. Any persistence
of the ozone depletion as summer approaches would be
especially significant here.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS (1988-89):
Frederick, J. E., and D. Lubin, The budget of biologically
active ultraviolet radiation in the earth-atmosphere
system, _. Geophys. Res., 9__3, 3925-3832, 1988.
Frederick, J. E., and H. E. Snell, Ultraviolet radiation
levels during the Antarctic spring, Science, 24___I, 438-
440, 1988.
Lubin, D., J. E. Frederick, and A. J. Krueger, The
ultraviolet radiation environment of Antarctica: McMurdo
Station during September-October 1987, J. Geophys. Res.,
9_44, 8491-8496, 1989.
247
Research Summary (1988)
A. Title of Research Task:
A Correlative Study of SME Ozone Observations and Ground-based Microwave
Water Vapor Measurements
B. Invest_Katgrs and Institutions:
Principal Investigator: Richard M. Bevilacqua
E. O. Hulburt Center for Space Research
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington, DC
Co-Investlgators:
Michael E. Summers
E. O. Hulburt Center for Space Research
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington, DC
John J. Olivero
Department of Meteorology
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park PA
Darrell F. Strobe1
Department of Earth and
Planetary Sciences and
Department of Physics and Astron0my
The Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
C. Abstract of Research Ob_ectlves:
Mark Allen
Earth and Space Sciences Division
Jet Propulsion Laboratory and
Division of Geologlcal and
Planetary Sciences
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
The major objective of the study is to employ Solar Mesosphere Explorer
(SME) ozone and solar flux measurements, along with ground-based microwave
water vapor measurements, in order to study the photochemistry of the
mesosphere. Water vapor is the climatological variable most important in
controlling ozone concentrations in the mesosphere because it is the
predominant source of odd hydrogen which (through the odd hydrogen catalytic
cycle) dominates ozone loss in the mesosphere. By analysis of the water vapor
and ozone data, and interpretation with a I-D photochemical model, we intend
to provide a more complete understanding of the vertical distribution of ozone
in the mesosphere. In addition, the measured water vapor profiles will be
used with the I-D model to investigate vertical transport processes and time-
scales in the mesosphere.
D. Summary of Progress and Results:
We have analyzed three years of ground-based microwave water vapor
measurements obtained at Penn State. The observations indicate that the
seasonal variation of water vapor in the upper mesosphere is dominated by an
annual variation with low abundances in winter and high abundances in summer.
This suggests that advection dominates diffusion in establlshlng the vertical
distribution of water vapor in the mesosphere, and is consistent with the
steep vertical gradient in the water vapor mixing ratio profile persistently
observed in the upper mesosphere. However, it is very difficult to reconcile
the annual water vapor variation with the predominantly semiannual variation
of ozone in the upper mesosphere observed by SME. In fact, we have performed
248
a series of I-D photochemical model calculations which verify that (within the
context of the hydrogen/oxygen chemistry considered in the model), the
seasonal variation of water vapor cannot be the mechanism for the semiannual
ozone variation. This variation is either a manifestation of some heretofore
unknown photochemical mechanism; or, it could be driven by a seasonal
variation in the vertical transport of atomic oxygen from the thermosphere.
We have also modeled the diurnal variation of ozone in the mesosphere and
compared this to measurements made by ground-based microwave techniques at
Bern Switzerland in the winter and spring of 1987. We find that the I-D model
calculations accurately reproduce the relative diurnal ozone variation at
equinox, suggesting that the ozone photolysls rate coefficient is accurate to
better than 10%. However, in winter the model underpredlcts the observed
relative diurnal variation by a factor of 2, with the major part of this
discrepancy resultlng from the observed post midnight increase in ozone which
is not obtained in the model.
Finally, we have used our 1-D photochemical model, along with a time-
dependent heat equation, to study the response of mesospheric ozone
concentrations to short-term uv solar flux variations. The model results have
been compared with the observed ozone response obtained from a statistical
analysis of SME ozone measurements. We find that the model with slnusoldal
forcing of mesospherlc chemistry by solar uv flux variations with a period of
27 days, combined with temperature-chemlstry feedback and time dependent
atmospheric temperature effects, reproduces the major characteristics of the
observed ozone response. However, we also find that the magnitude of the
computed ozone response in the upper mesosphere (above 70 km) to increased
solar uv flux is strongly coupled to the water vapor abundance through the odd
hydrogen catalytic cycle which removes ozone. Therefore, as a consequence of
the observed seasonal variation of water vapor in the upper mesosphere, we
predict a significant seasonal variation of the magnitude of the ozone
response to solar uv flux variations.
E. Journ#l Publlcatlons:
1) Bevilacqua, R. M., J. J. Olivero, and C. L. Croskey, Mesospheric water
vapor measurements from Penn State: monthly mean observations (1984-1987), J.
Geophys. Res., i_ press, 1989.
2) Zommerfelds, W. C., K. F. Kunzl, M. E. Summers, R. M. Bevilacqua, D. F.
Strobel, M. Allen, and _. J. Sawchuck, Diurnal variations of mesospherlc ozone
obtained by ground-based microwave radiometry, J. Geophys. Ees., in press,
1989.
3) Bevilacqua E. M., D. F. Strobel, M. E. Summers, J. J. Ollvero, and M.
Allen, The seasonal variation of water vapor and ozone in the upper
mesosphere: implications for vertical transport and ozone photochemistry, J.
_eophys_ R_s., submitted, 1989.
4) Summers, M. E., R. M. Bevilacqua, D. F. Strobe1, M. T. DeLand, M. Allen,
and G. H. Keatlng, A model study of the response of mesospherlc ozone to
short-term solar ultravlolet flux variations, _, Geophys. Res., submitted,
1989.
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