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Coherent annual and interannual variations in temperature and height fields in the tropical troposphere and lower stratosphere
Author(s) -
Gage K. S.,
Reid G. C.
Publication year - 1982
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/gl009i010p01199
Subject(s) - troposphere , stratosphere , radiosonde , climatology , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , annual cycle , hadley cell , quasi biennial oscillation , tropics , geology , climate change , general circulation model , oceanography , fishery , biology
Radiosonde observations of temperature and height fields for 1953‐1969 have been analyzed for five tropical Pacific stations (Ponape, Guam, Yap, Eniwetok and Koror). These data have been combined to form monthly means averaged over all years and stations and annual means averaged over all stations. The analysis reveals a coherent annual variation consistent with the well‐known annual temperature wave in the tropics, i.e., a tropospheric cycle with warmest temperatures around April and May, and a roughly out‐of‐phase lower stratospheric cycle with coldest temperatures during the period December‐May. Comparing year‐to‐year variations in the tropospheric and lower stratospheric thermal fields, we find the out‐of‐phase relationship preserved. Periods of warm anomalies in the troposphere coincide with periods of cold anomalies in the stratosphere and vice versa. These observations are consistent with annual and inter‐annual variations in the intensity of the Hadley cell circulation.