Journal Article

FZJ-2018-06864

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Large Midlatitude Stratospheric Temperature Variability Caused by Inertial Instability: A Potential Source of Bias for Gravity Wave Climatologies

Rapp, M. (Corresponding author) ; Dörnbrack, A. ; Preusse, P.FZJ*

2018
Wiley Hoboken, NJ

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/20213  doi:10.1029/2018GL079142

Abstract: Stratospheric temperature perturbations (TP) that have previously been misinterpreted as due to gravity waves are revisited. The perturbations observed by radio occultations during December 2015 had peak‐to‐peak amplitudes of 10 K extending from the equator to midlatitudes. The vertically stacked and horizontally flat structures had a vertical wavelength of 12 km. The signs of the TP were 180∘ phase shifted between equatorial and midlatitudes at fixed altitude levels. High‐resolution operational analyses reveal that these shallow temperature structures were caused by inertial instability due to the large meridional shear of the polar night jet at its equatorward flank in combination with Rossby wave breaking. Large stratospheric TP owing to inertial instability do frequently occur in the Northern Hemisphere (Southern Hemisphere) from October to April (April to October) in the 39 years of ECMWF Re‐Analysis‐Interim data. During 10% of the days, TP exceed 5 K (peak to peak).

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Stratosphäre (IEK-7)

Research Program(s):

1. 244 - Composition and dynamics of the upper troposphere and middle atmosphere (POF3-244) (POF3-244)

Appears in the scientific report 2018

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Database coverage:
; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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