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EOS MLS observations of dehydration in the 2004–2005 polar winters
Author(s) -
Jiménez C.,
Pumphrey H. C.,
MacKenzie I. A.,
Manney G. L.,
Santee M. L.,
Schwartz M. J.,
Harwood R. S.,
Waters J. W.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2006gl025926
Subject(s) - microwave limb sounder , dehydration , water vapor , polar vortex , atmospheric sciences , polar , arctic , environmental science , ice formation , the arctic , climatology , geology , meteorology , stratosphere , oceanography , chemistry , physics , biochemistry , astronomy
Observations of water vapour and temperature from the Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder are used to study dehydration in the 2004 and 2005 polar vortices. Significant differences were found for the Antarctic winters, with the 2005 vortex colder and more extensively dehydrated. For the 2005 winter water vapour reductions were observed from mid‐June, coincident with a decrease in temperatures, extending vertically between ∼12–21 km. Reductions of up to ∼3 ppmv in water vapour were recorded a month later. Permanent dehydration was apparent between ∼15–20 km, where 3 months later the temperature recovery was not followed by a recovery in water vapour. The 2004–2005 Arctic winter was unusually cold, but only one single event of depleted water vapour at the end of January was linked to ice formation. For this event, a reduction of up to ∼0.5 ppmv was observed over Spitsbergen between ∼12–20 km.