Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
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10.5194/acpd-8-10153-2008
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/10153/2008/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/10153/2008/acpd-8-10153-2008.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/10153/2008/acpd-8-10153-2008.pdf
10153
10187
2008-05-30
Observations of the mesospheric semi-annual oscillation (MSAO) in water vapour by Odin/SMR
S. Lossow
stefan.lossow@misu.su.se
J. Urban
J. Gumbel
P. Eriksson
D. Murtagh
Stockholm University, Department of Meteorology, Svante-Arrhenius-väg 12, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Radio and Space Science, Hörsalsvägen 11, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
Mesospheric water vapour measurements taken by the SMR instrument onboard
the Odin satellite between 2002 and 2006 have been analysed with focus on
the mesospheric semi-annual circulation in the tropical and subtropical
region. This analysis provides the first complete picture of mesospheric SAO
in water vapour, covering altitudes above 80 km where the only previous
study based on UARS/HALOE data was limited. Our analysis shows a clear
semi-annual variation in the water vapour distribution in the entire
altitude range between 65 km and 100 km in the equatorial area. Maxima occur
near the equinoxes below 75 km and around the solstices above 80 km. The
phase reversal occurs in the small layer in-between, consistent with the
downward propagation of the mesospheric SAO in the zonal wind in this
altitude range. The SAO amplitude exhibits a double peak structure, with
maxima at about 75 km and 81 km. The observed amplitudes show higher values
than the UARS/HALOE amplitudes. The upper peak amplitude remains relatively
constant with latitude. The lower peak amplitude decreases towards higher
latitudes, but recovers in the Southern Hemisphere subtropics. On the other
hand, the annual variation is much more prominent in the northern
hemispheric subtropics. Furthermore, higher volume mixing ratios during
summer and lower values during winter are observed in the Northern
Hemisphere subtropics, as compared to the corresponding latitude range in
the Southern Hemisphere.
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