research
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
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Abstract
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