Abstract
Ten day air parcel trajectories are computed from an approximate material line (a potential vorticity contour) close to the edge of the circumpolar vortex on the 850K potential temperature surface for 27 January 1979. Back trajectories are also calculated from the Aleutian high present on this day. The results show varied behaviour and along selected trajectories a photochemical model is integrated. For those parcels just peeling from the vortex the model calculations agree reasonably well with near coincident measurements of 03, H20, HNO3 and N02 from the LIMS instrument. In contrast, for those parcels transported to the tropics, model 03 values are lower than observed while model HNO3 values are higher than observed. For those parcels ending in the Aleutian high the model HNO3 discrepancy has the opposite sign. It is suggested that the model discrepancies are due to irreversible mixing taking place in preferred regions, consistent with the concept of planetary wave breaking.
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© 1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holand.
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Austin, J. (1987). Evidence of Planetary Wave Breaking in the Stratosphere Using a Photochemical Model Along Air Parcel Trajectories. In: Visconti, G., Garcia, R. (eds) Transport Processes in the Middle Atmosphere. NATO ASI Series, vol 213. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3973-8_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3973-8_19
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