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ATMOS/ATLAS-3 Observations of Long-Lived Tracers and Descent in the Antarctic Vortex in November 1994Observations of the long-lived tracers N2O, CH4 and HF obtained by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument in early November 1994 are used to estimate average descent rates during winter in the Antarctic polar vortex of 0.5 to 1.5 km/month in the lower stratosphere, and 2.5 to 3.5 km/month in the middle and upper stratosphere. Descent rates inferred from ATMOS tracer observations agree well with theoretical estimates obtained using radiative heating calculations. Air of mesospheric origin (N2O less than 5 ppbV) was observed at altitudes above about 25 km within the vortex. Strong horizontal gradients of tracer mixing ratios, the presence of mesospheric air in the vortex in early spring, and the variation with altitude of inferred descent rates indicate that the Antarctic vortex is highly isolated from midlatitudes throughout the winter from approximately 20 km to the stratopause. The 1994 Antarctic vortex remained well isolated between 20 and 30 km through at least mid-November.
Document ID
19970023216
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Abrams, M. C.
(Science Applications International Corp. Hampton, VA United States)
Manney, G. L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Gunson, M. R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Abbas, M. M.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Chang, A. Y.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Goldman, A.
(Denver Univ. Denver, CO United States)
Irion, F. W.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Michelsen, H. A.
(Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA United States)
Newchurch, M. J.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL United States)
Rinsland, C. P.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA United States)
Salawitch, R. J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Stiller, G. P.
(Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe G.m.b.H. Karlsruhe, Germany)
Zander, R.
(Liege Univ. Belgium)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
August 15, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: ATLAS Series of Shuttle Missions
Volume: 23
Issue: 17
ISSN: 0094-8534
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Report/Patent Number
Paper-96GL00704
Accession Number
97N23604
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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