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Water vapour measurements inside cirrus clouds in Northern and Southern hemispheres during INCA
Author(s) -
Ovarlez Joëlle,
Gayet JeanFrançois,
Gierens Klaus,
Ström Johan,
Ovarlez Henri,
Auriol Frédérique,
Busen Reinhold,
Schumann Ulrich
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2001gl014440
Subject(s) - cirrus , hygrometer , water vapor , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , northern hemisphere , southern hemisphere , frost (temperature) , relative humidity , humidity , latitude , climatology , geology , meteorology , geography , geodesy
Water vapour data inside cirrus clouds from in‐situ measurements with an aircraft‐borne frost‐point hygrometer are analysed. These data have been obtained during two field campaigns, performed in the Southern and Northern hemisphere mid latitudes. There were many occurrences of ice supersaturation inside the investigated cirrus, with a higher frequency of occurrences in the Southern Hemisphere. The source of the differences in the humidity data from the two hemispheres is not clear, and it is speculated that these differences may be related to different levels of pollution. A distribution law for the relative humidity inside cirrus clouds is inferred.