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A 3D simulation of the early winter distribution of reactive chlorine in the north polar vortexEarly in December 1991, high values of ClO are seen by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite at latitudes south of areas of temperatures cold enough to form polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). A 3D simulation shows that the heterogeneous conversion of chlorine reservoirs to reactive chlorine on the surfaces of PSCs (processing) takes place at high latitudes. Often the processed air must be transported to lower latitudes, where the reactive chlorine is photochemically converted to ClO, to be observed by MLS. In this simulation, one incidence of cold temperatures is associated with an anticyclone, and a second with a cyclone. The transport of processed air associated with the anticyclone is marked by shearing; a decrease in the maximum of the processed air is accompanied by growth of the area influenced by the processing. In contrast, the air processed in the cyclonic event spreads more slowly. This shows that transport and shearing is a crucial element to the evolution of reactive chlorine associated with a processing event. In particular, transport and shearing, as well as photochemical processes, can cause variations in observed ClO.
Document ID
19930062169
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Douglass, A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Rood, R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Waters, J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Froidevaux, L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Read, W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Elson, L.
(JPL Pasadena, CA, United States)
Geller, M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chi, Y.
(New York State Univ. Stony Brook, United States)
Cerniglia, M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Steenrod, S.
(Applied Research Corp. Landover, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
June 18, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 20
Issue: 12
ISSN: 0094-8276
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
93A46166
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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