The polar stratosphere and vertical coupling during International Polar Year

Northwest Research Associates, Incorporated, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Baldwin 0612289 This proposal is a request for funds to allow the PI's participation in the Canadian SPARC-IPY (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate -International Polar Year) project. The goal of the Canadian SPARC-IPY project is to provide a comprehensive picture of the chemical and dynamical state of the polar stratosphere and mesosphere during IPY through data assimilation, bringing together analyses from operational meteorological centres, research assimilation products, and results of chemical transport models driven by meteorological analyses; and to analyze the vertical coupling within the polar stratosphere and mesosphere, and its links to the troposphere as well as to the global circulation. The PI requests funding to investigate vertical and global coupling, andto perform process-oriented diagnostics and analysis. Because the polar stratosphere is closely coupled to surface weather and climate, understanding this vertical coupling is essential if we are to be able to predict the effects of climate variability. For example, ozone depletion in the Southern Hemisphere is linked to climate variations over Antarctica. We can anticipate that as the climate of the stratosphere varies, surface climate will be affected. But stratospheric climate variation is so poorly understood that we cannot predict with confidence even the sign of the polar variations. This project will contribute to the understanding needed to develop improved predictability of such variations.