Troposphere-Stratosphere Coupling Processes

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

The project will investigate the extent and impact of tropospheric-stratospheric exchange associated with convective storms. The transfer of momentum, energy, and trace constituents between the troposphere and stratosphere profoundly influences the dynamical and chemical climatology and variability of the stratosphere and upper troposphere. Dynamical interaction between the two regions can moreover influence weather in the Northern winter. Drs. Holton and Durran (Univ. of Washington, Seattle) will use a cloud-resolving numerical model to analyze gravity wave generation and propagation, resulting from orographically generated convection. The project will also advance the 3-D modeling of tropical and extratropical storms to better understand the transport of trace chemicals from the boundary layer to the upper troposphere, and across the tropopause. The PIs expect to be able to distinguish between transport resulting from transient lifting of the tropopause and that resulting from irreversible transfer across the tropopause. Improved modeling of the mechanisms and distribution of troposphere-stratosphere coupling should lead to more accurate parameterizations of momentum and chemical transports in global weather and climate models, and advance the understanding of the stratospheric general circulation, ozone chemistry, and tropospheric weather and climate.