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Variations of stratospheric water vapor over the past three decades
Author(s) -
Dessler A. E.,
Schoeberl M. R.,
Wang T.,
Davis S. M.,
Rosenlof K. H.,
Vernier J.P.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1002/2014jd021712
Subject(s) - stratosphere , quasi biennial oscillation , troposphere , environmental science , water vapor , tropopause , climatology , atmospheric sciences , volcano , meteorology , geology , geography , seismology
We examine variations in water vapor in air entering the stratosphere through the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) over the past three decades in satellite data and in a trajectory model. Most of the variance can be explained by three processes that affect the TTL: the quasi‐biennial oscillation, the strength of the Brewer‐Dobson circulation, and the temperature of the tropical troposphere. When these factors act in phase, significant variations in water entering the stratosphere are possible. We also find that volcanic eruptions, which inject aerosol into the TTL, affect the amount of water entering the stratosphere. While there is clear decadal variability in the data and models, we find little evidence for a long‐term trend in water entering the stratosphere through the TTL over the past 3 decades.