Engineering topics

Fels, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Fels, S..

2 records

NASA NTRS1989

Trends in stratospheric temperature

Stratospheric temperatures for long-term and recent trends and the determination of whether observed changes in upper stratospheric temperatures are consistent with observed ozone changes are discussed. The long-term temperature trends were determined up to 30mb from radiosonde analysis (since 1970) and rocketsondes (since 1969 and 1973) up to the lower mesosphere, principally in the Northern Hemisphere. The more recent trends (since 1979) incorporate satellite observations. The mechanisms that can produce recent temperature trends in the stratosphere are discussed. The following general effects are discussed: changes in ozone, changes in other radiatively active trace gases, changes in aerosols, changes in solar flux, and dynamical changes. Computations were made to estimate the temperature changes associated with the upper stratospheric ozone changes reported by the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument aboard Nimbus-7 and the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) instruments.

Schoeberl, M. R.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Radiative processes

Solar radiation and the processes that control its deposition in the Earth atmosphere are considered. The published data obtained since 1978 define a reference solar spectral irradiance for use in atmospheric chemical and dynamical studies, while long term satellite measurements are now providing information on variations in the output of the Sun over a range of time scales. As concerns absorption of solar radiation in the atmosphere, new cross section data for molecular oxygen and ozone are now available. Line-by-line calculations used to predict infrared flux divergences, both as regards assumptions made in radiative transfer calculations and in the spectroscopic parameters used as inputs are examined. Also examined are the influence of radiative processes on planetary scale wave activity, photochemical acceleration of radiative damping, and the breakdown of local thermodynamic equilibrium at mesospheric altitudes.

Frederick, J. E.↗