The eddy transport of nonconserved trace species derived from satellite data

Using the approach of the Garcia and Solomon (1983) model and data obtained by the LIMS instrument on Nimbus 7, the chemical eddy transport matrix for planetary waves was calculated, and the chemical eddy contribution to the components of the matrix obtained from the LIMS satellite observations was computed using specified photochemical damping time scales. The dominant component of the transport matrices for several winter months were obtained for ozone, nitric acid, and quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity (PV), and the parameterized transports of these were compared with the 'exact' transports, computed directly from the eddy LIMS data. The results indicate that the chemical eddy effect can account for most of the observed ozone transport in early winter, decreasing to less than half in late winter. The agreement between the parameterized and observed nitric acid and PV was not as good. Reasons for this are discussed.