Identification

Title

Record of tropical interannual variability of temperature and water vapor from a combined AIRS-MLS data set

Abstract

We utilize a merged AIRS and MLS temperature and water vapor record (August 2004 to March 2010) to study the atmospheric variability of these quantities. The seasonal and spatial distribution of temperature and humidity shows the tropical western Pacific (TWP, 8°S–8°N, 120°E–170°E) to be a location with persistent deep convection and the tropical central Pacific (TCP, 8°S–8°N, 120°W–170°W) to be a region of subsidence, consistent with previous work. Furthermore, our estimates of 3.9 ± 0.3 ppmv and 4.9 ± 0.9 ppmv for the tropical mean stratospheric entry water vapor concentration and saturation mixing ratio, respectively, are well within previous estimates from a wide variety of observations. We also find that the interannual variability modes of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) both impact the tropopause region. The TWP (TCP) experiences enhancements (cancellation) of temperature anomalies when the ENSO and QBO are in phase. When these interannual modes fall out of phase the additive behavior of the anomalies migrate to the TCP with the TWP experiencing weaker anomalies. In both cases a change in the water vapor distribution is also observed. Our results are consistent with previous results, showing that this migration of anomaly enhancement and cancellation is a result of the ENSO impact on the Walker Circulation and the period when this occurs relative to the phase of the QBO. Our findings suggest that when the ENSO and QBO are out of phase, the TCP water vapor distribution may have a substantial impact on the tropical zonal water vapor distribution.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7tx3fvm

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011-04-23T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact