ALBERT

Description: [1]  In our recent paper [6], the sensitivity of infrasound to the upper atmosphere is investigated using impulsive signals from the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador. We reported on the coherent variability of thermospheric travel times, with periods equal to those of the tidal harmonics. Moreover, it was shown that the error in predicted thermospheric travel time is in accord with typical uncertainties in the upper atmospheric wind speed models. Given the observed response of the infrasound celerities to upper atmospheric tidal variability, it was suggested that infrasound observations may be used to reduce uncertainty in the knowledge of the atmospheric specifications in the upper atmosphere. In this paper, we discuss the estimation of upper atmospheric wind model updates from the infrasound data described in the aforementioned paper. The parameterization of the model space by empirical orthogonal functions is described; it is found that the wind model in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere can be described by a four-parameter model. Due to the small dimensionality of the model space, a grid search method can be used to solve the inverse problem. A Bayesian method is used to assess the uncertainty in the inverse solution given the a priori uncertainty in the data and model spaces and the non-linearity of the inverse problem at hand. We believe that this is the first study in which such methods are applied to real infrasound data, allowing for a rigorous analysis of this inverse problem. It is found that the complexity of the a posteriori model distribution increases for a larger dimensional model space and larger uncertainties in the data. A case study is presented in which the non-linear propagation from source to receiver is simulated using an updated wind model and non-linear ray theory. As non-linear propagation effects further constrain the propagation path, this is a way to check the physical self-consistency of the travel time inversion approach. We obtain excellent agreement between the simulated and observed waveforms.

Description: A simple scheme is developed to represent Sea Surface Diurnal Cycling (SSDC) in Coupled General Circulation Models (CGCM). It follows Zeng and Beljaars [2005], but in addition to a night-time deep well mixed ocean boundary layer and a deep day-time stable layer, a shallow sub-grid-scale stable diurnal boundary layer is allowed to develop during the day, followed by a deepening convective layer. These four regimes have empirical property profiles and their governing parameters are determined by comparison of idealized experiments with published in situ and satellite observations. Mixing across the base of the shallow stable layer is governed by a gradient Richardson number, so prognostic equations are solved for salinity and current, as well as temperature. A conclusion is that the timing of peak warming depends on diurnal shear. The SSDC is implemented in the Community Earth System Model (CESM) for multiple purposes: the maximum diurnal amplitude of warming is found to exceed 5 ∘ C and to be more than 2 ∘ C over most of the ocean; the global distribution of average daytime minus night-time SST is used to validate the SSDC against a satellite SST product; and the mean seasonal surface heat flux and precipitation from an uncoupled CESM atmosphere are used to show the climate impacts that might be expected in a CGCM. Two major conclusions are that these impacts are not negligible and that much of the observed signals of diurnal cycling are captured by SSDC without the computational expense of resolving the relevant ocean processes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description: We present a case study based on balloon-borne ozone measurements during SEACIONS (SouthEast American Consortium for Intensive Ozonesonde Network Study) in August-September 2013. Data from Socorro, NM (34 o N, 107 o W) show a layer of anomalously low ozone in the upper troposphere (UT) during 8-14 August. Back trajectories, UT jet analyses, and data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Aura satellite indicate that this feature originated from the marine boundary layer in the eastern/central tropical Pacific, where several disturbances and one hurricane (Henriette) formed within an active region of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in early August 2013. The hurricane and nearby convection pumped boundary layer air with low ozone (20-30 ppbv) into the UT. This outflow was advected to North America 3-5 days later by a strong subtropical jet, forming a tongue of low ozone observed in MLS fields and a corresponding layer of low ozone in Socorro vertical profiles.

Description: [1]  Due, in part, to the challenging environment of Earth's high-latitude regions, available information on cold climate effects on aeolian processes in these areas remains limited. Data from these areas, however, provide insight into the physics of sediment transport by wind and the controls on erosive winds in proximity to ice caps and topographic influences. This study presents a 2 year record of meteorological, saltation activity, horizontal saltation flux, and particle size distribution data from four sites in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, 2008 to 2010. Saltation measurements revealed daily and seasonal patterns with spring and summer sediment transport events occurring between 09:00 and 24:00 hours due to thermally generated winds. Fall and winter events occur at any time of day with the strongest associated with foehn winds. Threshold wind speed at 4.2 m in all seasons for all locations was ≈10 m s −1 . Saltation occurred in the temperature range −40°C to +5°C. Westerly winds in the fall/winter and easterly winds in spring/summer are associated with the majority of transport events. The sand in transport is mainly 250 to 500 μ m in diameter and poorly sorted. The integrated saltation flux varies over three orders of magnitude among the sites, with the lowest mean flux recorded in the Taylor Valley (2.9 kg m −1 day −1 ) and the highest in the eastern Victoria Valley (2271 kg m −1 day −1 ) for 24 hours of continuous saltation. The percentage of time saltation active at these locations annually is ≈2%, ≈4%, and ≈13%, respectively, for the Victoria, Taylor, and Wright Valleys.

Description: We describe a global atmospheric data assimilation scheme that has been adapted for use with a Martian General Circulation Model (GCM), with the ultimate goal of creating globally and temporally interpolated “reanalysis” data sets from planetary atmospheric observations. The system uses the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) software to apply an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to the MarsWRF GCM. Specific application to Mars also required the development of a radiance forward model for near-nadir Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) observations. Preliminary results from an assimilation of 40 sols of TES radiance data, taken around Ls = 150° (August 1999, Mars Year 24), are provided. 1.3 million TES observations are ingested and used to improve the state prediction by the GCM, with bias and error reductions obtained throughout the state vector. Results from the assimilation suggest steepening of the latitudinal and vertical thermal gradients with concurrent strengthening of the mid-latitude zonal jets, and a slower recession of the southern polar ice edge than predicted by the unaided GCM. Limitations of the prescribed dust model are highlighted by the presence of an atmospheric radiance bias. Preliminary results suggest the prescribed dust vertical profile might not be suitable for all seasons, in accordance with more recent observations of the vertical distribution of dust by the Mars Climate Sounder. The tools developed using this DA system are available at http://www.marsclimatecenter.com. A tutorial and example TES radiance assimilation are also provided.

Description: The response of the second-generation Canadian earth system model (CanESM2) to historical (1850–2005) and future (2006–2100) natural and anthropogenic forcing is assessed using the newly-developed representative concentration pathways (RCPs) of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols. Allowable emissions required to achieve the future atmospheric CO2 concentration pathways, are reported for the RCP 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. For the historical 1850–2005 period, cumulative land plus ocean carbon uptake and, consequently, cumulative diagnosed emissions compare well with observation-based estimates. The simulated historical carbon uptake is somewhat weaker for the ocean and stronger for the land relative to their observation-based estimates. The simulated historical warming of 0.9°C compares well with the observation-based estimate of 0.76 ± 0.19°C. The RCP 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios respectively yield warmings of 1.4, 2.3, and 4.9°C and cumulative diagnosed fossil fuel emissions of 182, 643 and 1617 Pg C over the 2006–2100 period. The simulated warming of 2.3°C over the 1850–2100 period in the RCP 2.6 scenario, with the lowest concentration of GHGs, is slightly larger than the 2°C warming target set to avoid dangerous climate change by the 2009 UN Copenhagen Accord. The results of this study suggest that limiting warming to roughly 2°C by the end of this century is unlikely since it requires an immediate ramp down of emissions followed by ongoing carbon sequestration in the second half of this century.

Description: A series of de novo symmetric heterocyclic azomethine dyads and triads consisting uniquely of furans, thiophenes, pyrroles and methyl-pyrroles were prepared. These were prepared to investigate the effect of various heterocycles and the degree of conjugation on the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties. The crystallographic structures of the symmetric azomethines were also compared with their unsymmetric and heterocyclic and homoaryl counterparts. It was found that for a similar series, bathochromic absorbance and fluorescence shifts occurred when progressing in the order of furan 〈 thiophene 〈 pyrrole ≈ methyl-pyrrole. The spectroscopic properties of the heterocyclic azomethines were also bathochromically shifted relative to their homoaryl analogues as a result of increased degree of conjugation and electronic effects. The former was in part confirmed by crystallographic studies showing the heterocycles adopted co-planar and antiparallel arrangements. Although all the compounds studied showed weak fluorescence at room temperature, their fluorescence could be restored at low temperatures, implying deactivation of the singlet excited manifold by bond rotation. Meanwhile, irreversible oxidation was observed for all the azomethines studied and their oxidation potentials were contingent on the heterocycle and number of azomethines, ranging between 0.8 and 1.4 V versus Ag + . The irreversible oxidation was due to radical cation cross-coupling resulting in products with higher degrees of conjugation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Conjugated azomethines consisting of furans, thiophenes, pyrroles, benzene were prepared. The absorbance and fluorescence could be tailored contingent on the number of azomethines and the heterocycles. The fluorescence of the azomethines was quenched at room temperature, but was rived at 77 K. All the compounds exhibited irreversible oxidation as a result of the reactive radical cation undergoing anodic polymerization. This was confirmed by ESI-MS of an electropolymerized unsymmetric azomethine triad that showed homo- and hetero-coupled products.

Description: [1]  Methyl chloride (CH 3 Cl) is by far the largest natural carrier of chlorine to the stratosphere. Its importance in stratospheric ozone chemistry is expected to increase in the coming decades as emission controls alter the relative contributions from natural and anthropogenic halogen sources. The Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on NASA's Aura satellite provides the first daily global observations of CH 3 Cl. Here we quantify the quality of the MLS version 3 CH 3 Cl data (single-profile precision of ±100 pptv; accuracy of 30–45%; vertical and horizontal resolution of 4–5 km and 450–600 km, respectively) and demonstrate their utility for scientific studies over the vertical range from 147 to 4.6 hPa. We exploit the unmatched scope of the 8-year MLS data set to investigate the spatial, seasonal, and interannual variations in the distribution of CH 3 Cl in the upper troposphere / lower stratosphere (UTLS). Like carbon monoxide, CH 3 Cl is a marker of pollution from biomass burning that can be lofted to the UTLS very rapidly by deep convection. The climatological seasonal cycle in CH 3 Cl reflects variability in regional fire activity and other surface sources as well as convection, and anomalous CH 3 Cl enhancements in the tropical upper troposphere are linked to specific episodes of intense burning. Methyl chloride is shown to be very useful as a tracer of large-scale dynamical processes, such as diabatic descent inside the stratospheric winter polar vortices, quasi-isentropic cross-tropopause transport associated with the summer monsoon circulations, and effects related to the quasi-biennial oscillation and the tropical “tape recorder”.