HR: 09:45h
AN: GC11A-08    [Abstracts]
TI: A New Refractive Index for Vertically Propagating Planetary Waves: Implications for Climate Variability
AU: * Nathan, T
EM: trnathan@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Atmospheric Science Program One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616
AU: Cordero, E
EM: eugene_cordero@yahoo.com
AF: San Jose State University, Department of Meteorology, San Jose, CA 95192
AB: The notion that changes in the index of refraction of the planetary waves can affect the large-scale circulation and climate has been circulating in the scientific literature since Charney and Drazin's seminal work more than 40 years ago. In this study we derive a new refractive index for vertically propagating planetary waves that explicitly accounts for stratospheric ozone heating and Newtonian cooling. We use this refractive index as a diagnostic to assess how perturbations in stratospheric ozone, which may arise from human activities, volcanic sources and solar variability, can affect the vertical propagation, attenuation and downward reflection of the planetary waves.
DE: 0341 Middle atmosphere: constituent transport and chemistry (3334)
DE: 1616 Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513)
DE: 1620 Climate dynamics (0429, 3309)
DE: 1650 Solar variability (7537)
DE: 3334 Middle atmosphere dynamics (0341, 0342)
SC: Global Climate Change [GC]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005