HR: 1340h
AN: A43A-0866    [Abstracts]
TI: A New Water Vapor Dataset From The Tropics To The Arctic Obtained By The Airborne Microwave Radiometer AMSOS
AU: * Müller, S C
EM: stefan.mueller@mw.iap.unibe.ch
AF: University of Bern, Sidlerstr.12, Bern, 3012, Switzerland
AU: Kämpfer, N
EM: niklaus.kaempfer@mw.iap.unibe.ch
AF: University of Bern, Sidlerstr.12, Bern, 3012, Switzerland
AU: Feist, D G
EM: dietrich.feist@bgc-jena.mpg.de
AF: Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knöll Str. 10, Jena, 07745, Germany
AU: Milz, M
EM: mathias.milz@ltu.se
AF: Luleå Technical University, PO Box 812, Kiruna, 981 28, Sweden
AU: Sitnikov, N
EM: sitnikov@caomsk.mipt.ru
AF: Central Aerological Observatory, Pervomajskaja street , 3, Dolgoprudny, Moscow, 141700, Russian Federation
AU: Schiller, C
EM: c.schiller@fz-juelich.de
AF: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Leo-Brandt-Str., Jülich, 52425, Germany
AU: Kiemle, C
EM: Christoph.Kiemle@dlr.de
AF: DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, Institut fuer Physik der Atmosphaere, Wessling, 82234, Germany
AU: Urban, J
EM: jo.urban@rss.chalmers.se
AF: Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Radio and Space Science, Göteborg, 412 96, Sweden
AB: Water vapor plays a key role in the earth atmosphere. Due to strong absorption of radiation it contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect and to changes in climate. Additionally it is involved in processes related to ozone depletion in the middle atmosphere. Further it is an excellent tracer for studies of atmospheric motion due to its long chemical lifetime. Data sets of water vapor can thus help to understand important atmospheric processes.
With the Airborne Microwave Stratospheric Observing System (AMSOS), a microwave radiometer carried by a Learjet of the Swiss Airforce, we measured the latitudinal distribution of water vapor from the tropics to the north pole during one week per year from 1998 to 2006. The instrument was flown in spring or autumn during active stratospheric periods. Measurements inside the polar vortex as well as in the tropics including one overflight of the equator were accomplished.
We present the water vapour dataset obtained by the AMSOS instrument. Vertical profiles are retrived from spectra by an optimal estimation method. The vertical range extends from the upper troposphere to the mesosphere. The width of the averaging kernels is between 8 and 16 km. The horizontal resolution is about 57 km. The obtained profiles show clearly the water vapour minimum and maximum in the stratosphere, an elevated hygropause in the tropics in contrast to the poles, and dehydration in the polar upper stratosphere in early spring related to sinking of air masses inside the polar vortex. Data are validated against a set of instruments comprising satellite, ground-based, airborne remote sensing and in-situ instruments.
DE: 0340 Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry
DE: 0341 Middle atmosphere: constituent transport and chemistry (3334)
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting