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Water Vapor and its Isotopic Composition in the Upper Troposphere and StratosphereAny theory of water vapor in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) must explain both the abundance and isotopic composition of water there. We have previously presented a model of the TTL that simulated the abundance of water vapor as well as the details of the vertical profile. That model included the effects of 'overshooting convection', which injects dry air directly into the TTL. Here, we present results for the model after modifying it to include water's stable isotope HDO. The model is capable of accurately simulating the recently observed, nearly uniform HDO depletion (delta D) in the TTL. We find that lofted ice is necessary to accurately simulate the profile of delta D in the TTL, as has been suggested previously. We also find that vertical mixing due to overshooting convection plays an important role in maintaining the observed profile. Finally, any theory of lofted ice requires a complementary source of dry air in the TTL; without that, the TTL will rapidly saturate and the lofted ice will not evaporate.
Document ID
20040008302
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Dessler, A. E.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Sherwood, S. C.
(Yale Univ. New Haven, CT, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: EGS-AGU-EUG Joint Assembly 2003
Location: Nice
Country: France
Start Date: April 6, 2003
End Date: April 11, 2003
Sponsors: American Geophysical Union, European Union of Geosciences, European Geophysical Society
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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