Open AccessAge of air in a “leaky pipe” model of stratospheric transport
Author(s) -
Neu Jessica L.,
Plumb R. Alan
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/1999jd900251
Subject(s) - advection , middle latitudes , mixing (physics) , tropics , mixing ratio , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , climatology , stratosphere , geology , meteorology , physics , quantum mechanics , fishery , biology , thermodynamics
We discuss the characteristics of analytical solutions for the mean age of air in a simple, one‐dimensional conceptual model of stratospheric transport. This “leaky pipe” model is a version of the “tropical pipe” model which has been modified to include detrainment of surf zone air into the tropics. We examine the dependence of the mean age on advection, diffusive mixing, and quasi‐horizontal mixing between the surf zones and the tropics. In the absence of vertical diffusion across tracer mixing ratio isopleths the age difference between the tropics and midlatitudes does not depend on mixing across the edge of the tropics, but only on advection. The age difference given by this nondiffusive limit is an upper bound on the tropical‐midlatitude age difference. This work provides some insight into the results of recent modeling studies that have used the mean age as a diagnostic of stratospheric transport.