Balloon-borne ozonesonde and rocket temperature and wind data gathered during the July 1977 intertropical convergence zone experiment

In middle latitudes, it is possible for large concentrations of stratospheric air to be brought down to the tropopause through folds or breaks in the tropopause. The exchange of air from the tropopause into higher altitudes is not well understood. Thus, the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) experiment, conducted from July 16 through July 31, 1977, included a series of balloon-borne ozone soundings. The results of these soundings are presented and explain in the vertical exchange of air and provide information on the short vertical scales-of-motion. Rocketsonde data was also gathered in the ITCZ experiment in support of a stratospheric scales-of-motion study. The investigation was to determine whether rocketsonde and satellite information currently used yield information on the stratospheric horizontal wave spectrum and its importance with respect to tropospheric and mesospheric interaction and transport.