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- Title
Diagnosing CH<sub>4</sub> models using the equivalent length in the stratosphere.
- Authors
Zhiting Wang; Warneke, Thorsten; Dils, Bart; Notholt, Justus; Saunois, Marielle
- Abstract
The equivalent length, a measure for mixing strength in the atmosphere, in meridional direction in the current application, is used here to investigate the causes of the atmospheric chemistry model (TM3, TM5-4DVAR and LMDz-PYVAR) biases in the stratosphere. Compared to measurements, we find that the modeled surf zone (a strongly stirred region caused by planetary wave breaking in mid-latitude stratosphere in the winter hemisphere), especially in the southern hemisphere, is not strong enough. We assume that this is due to an underestimation of the planetary wave breaking magnitude in the models. Consequently, the region with meridional uniform stratospheric CH4 concentrations has smaller latitudinal coverages in the models than the measurements, especially in the southern hemisphere between June and September. During the southern winter, a region with both vertically and horizontally well mixed CH4 concentrations occur between 450 and 850K (~18 and 30km) in surf zone latitudes. Such a region is absent in the models, and underestimations of CH4 concentrations within it are visible in comparisons with measured CH4 profiles. The modeled polar vortex breaks too fast and during the vortex period CH4 concentration differences across its barrier are underestimated compared to the measurements.
- Subjects
SOUTHERN Hemisphere; STRATOSPHERE; ATMOSPHERIC pressure; MAGNITUDE estimation; LATITUDE
- Publication
Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics Discussions, 2017, p1
- ISSN
1680-7367
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5194/acp-2017-435