Airborne observations of turbulence, mixing, and gravity waves in the tropopause region

Edward Pavelin; James A. Whiteway; Reinhold Busen; Jörg Hacker

doi:10.1029/2001jd000775

Airborne observations of turbulence, mixing, and gravity waves in the tropopause region

Edward Pavelin, James A. Whiteway, Reinhold Busen, Jörg Hacker

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Abstract

In situ observations of small-scale dynamics and compositional structure in the tropopause region are presented. The measurements were made aboard the Grob "Egrett" high-altitude research aircraft above Aberystwyth, Wales, in the summer of 2000. The observations presented here show evidence of mixing of ozone and water vapor in a patch of intense turbulence just above the tropopause. This turbulence is shown to be the result of wind shear above a tropospheric jet stream. The value of the vertical eddy diffusion coefficient in this turbulence is estimated to be 0.9 m² s^-1. It is also shown that wavelike perturbations superimposed on the overall tracer structure can be accounted for by a gravity wave.

Original language	English
Article number	4084
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Volume	107
Issue number	D10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2001jd000775
Publication status	Published - 27 May 2002

Keywords

Aircraft measurements
Atmospheric chemistry
Jet stream
Kelvin-Helmholtz instability
Tropopausal turbulence
Wave breaking

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title = "Airborne observations of turbulence, mixing, and gravity waves in the tropopause region",

abstract = "In situ observations of small-scale dynamics and compositional structure in the tropopause region are presented. The measurements were made aboard the Grob {"}Egrett{"} high-altitude research aircraft above Aberystwyth, Wales, in the summer of 2000. The observations presented here show evidence of mixing of ozone and water vapor in a patch of intense turbulence just above the tropopause. This turbulence is shown to be the result of wind shear above a tropospheric jet stream. The value of the vertical eddy diffusion coefficient in this turbulence is estimated to be 0.9 m2 s-1. It is also shown that wavelike perturbations superimposed on the overall tracer structure can be accounted for by a gravity wave.",

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T1 - Airborne observations of turbulence, mixing, and gravity waves in the tropopause region

AU - Pavelin, Edward

AU - Whiteway, James A.

AU - Busen, Reinhold

AU - Hacker, Jörg

PY - 2002/5/27

Y1 - 2002/5/27

N2 - In situ observations of small-scale dynamics and compositional structure in the tropopause region are presented. The measurements were made aboard the Grob "Egrett" high-altitude research aircraft above Aberystwyth, Wales, in the summer of 2000. The observations presented here show evidence of mixing of ozone and water vapor in a patch of intense turbulence just above the tropopause. This turbulence is shown to be the result of wind shear above a tropospheric jet stream. The value of the vertical eddy diffusion coefficient in this turbulence is estimated to be 0.9 m2 s-1. It is also shown that wavelike perturbations superimposed on the overall tracer structure can be accounted for by a gravity wave.

AB - In situ observations of small-scale dynamics and compositional structure in the tropopause region are presented. The measurements were made aboard the Grob "Egrett" high-altitude research aircraft above Aberystwyth, Wales, in the summer of 2000. The observations presented here show evidence of mixing of ozone and water vapor in a patch of intense turbulence just above the tropopause. This turbulence is shown to be the result of wind shear above a tropospheric jet stream. The value of the vertical eddy diffusion coefficient in this turbulence is estimated to be 0.9 m2 s-1. It is also shown that wavelike perturbations superimposed on the overall tracer structure can be accounted for by a gravity wave.

KW - Aircraft measurements

KW - Atmospheric chemistry

KW - Jet stream

KW - Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

KW - Tropopausal turbulence

KW - Wave breaking

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DO - 10.1029/2001jd000775

M3 - Article

SN - 2169-897X

VL - 107

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

IS - D10

M1 - 4084

ER -

Airborne observations of turbulence, mixing, and gravity waves in the tropopause region

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