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Numerical modeling of tracer transport within and out of the lower tropospheric Arctic region
Author(s) -
Kao C.Y. J.,
Barr S.,
Quintanar A.,
Langley D.,
Glatzmaier G. A.,
Malone R. C.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.1029/95gl00797
Subject(s) - stratosphere , troposphere , potential vorticity , tracer , atmospheric sciences , advection , arctic , rossby wave , climatology , latitude , environmental science , vorticity , geology , meteorology , physics , vortex , oceanography , geodesy , nuclear physics , thermodynamics
The dispersion of passive tracer within and out of the Arctic region is studied using a three‐dimensional general circulation model with a Lagrangian particle module. Emphasis is placed on the lower troposphere by releasing numerical tracer particles in a layer near the surface within the Arctic circle to mimic the potential release of aerosol particles from the Arctic Ocean and the observed variability of Arctic haze. This study is also intended to investigate the characteristics of the quasi‐horizontal mixing in transporting the air from high latitudes to mid‐ and low latitudes; a process which has extensively been studied mostly for the stratospheric regime. The model calculation shows that the Lagrangian passive tracer contours can correlate well with the isentropic potential vorticity field. This indicates that the identified large‐scale mixing processes due to Rossby wave breaking and chaotic advection in the stratosphere may also occur in the lower troposphere.