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NASA NTRS1988

In situ observations of ClO in the Antarctic: Evidence for chlorine catalyzed destruction of ozone

Results from a series of 12 ER-2 aircraft flights into the Antarctic polar vortex are summarized. These in situ data define the spatial and temporal distribution of ClO as the aircraft flew at an altitude of approx. 18 km from Punta Arenas (54 deg S latitude) to the base of the Palmer Peninsula (72 deg S latitude), executed a rapid descent to approx. 13 km, turned north and climbed bach to approximately 18 km, returning to Punta Arenas. A general pattern in the ClO distribution is reported: mixing ratios of approximately 10 ppt are found at altitude in the vicinity of 55 deg S increasing to 50 ppt at 60 degrees S. In the vicinity of 65 deg S latitude a steep gradient in the ClO mixing ratio is observed. At a fixed potential temperature, the ClO mixing ratio through this sharp transition increases by an order of magnitude within a very few degrees of latitude, thus defining the edge of the chemical containment vessel. From the edge of that containment vessel to the southern extension of the flights, 72 deg S, a dome of slowly increasing ClO best describes the distribution. Conclusion are drawn from the data.

Anderson, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Southern Hemispheric nitrous oxide measurements obtained during 1987 airborne Antarctic ozone experiment

The chemical lifetime of N2O is about 150 years, which makes it an excellent dynamical tracer of air motion on the time scale of the ozone depletion event. For these reasons it was chosen to help test whether dynamical theories of ozone loss over Antarctica were plausible, particularly the theory that upwelling ozone-poor air from the troposphere was replacing ozone-rich stratospheric air. The N2O measurements were made with the Airborne Tunable Laser Absorption Spectrometer (ATLAS) aboard the NASA ER-2 aircraft. The detection technique involves measuring the diffential absorption of the IR laser radiation as it is rapidly scanned over an N2O absorption feature. For the AAOE mission, the instrument was capable of making measurements with a 1 ppb sensitivity, 1 second response time, over an altitude range of 10 to 20 kilometers. The AAOE mission consisted of a series of 12 flights from Punta Arenas (53S) into the polar vortex (approximately 72S) at which time a vertical profile from 65 to 45 km and back was performed. Comparison of the observed profiles inside the vortex with N2O profiles obtained by balloon flights during the austral summer showed that an overall subsidence had occurred during the winter of about 5 to 6 km. Also, over the course of the mission (mid-August to late September), no trend in the N2O vertical profile, either upward or downward, was discernible, eliminating the possibility that upwelling was the cause of the observed ozone decrease.

Podolske, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Observational results of microwave temperature profile measurements from the airborne Antarctic ozone experiment

The Microwave Temperature Profiler, MTP, is installed on NASA's ER-2 aircraft. MTP measures profiles of air temperature versus altitude. Temperatures are obtained every 13.7 seconds for 15 altitudes in an altitude region that is approximately 5 km thick (at high flight levels). MTP is a passive microwave radiometer, operating at the frequencies 57.3 and 58.8 GHz. Thermal emission from oxygen molecules provides the signal that is converted to air temperature. MTP is unique in that it is the only airborne instrument of its kind. The MTP instrument was used during the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment, AAOE, to enable potential vorticity to be measured along the flight track. Other uses for the MTP data have become apparent. The most intriguing unexpected use is the detection and characterization of mountain waves that were encountered during flights over the Palmer Peninsula. Mountain waves that propagate into the polar vortex may have implications for the formation of the ozone hole. Upward excursions of air parcels lead to a brief cooling. This can begin the process of cloud formation. It is important to determine how much additional formation of polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) material is possible by the passage of air parcels through a mountain wave pattern that endures for long periods. Other mountain wave effects have been suggested, such as a speeding up of the vortex, and a consequent cooling of large air volumes (which in turn might add to PSC production).

Gary, Bruce L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Photochemical trajectory modelling studies of the 1987 Antarctic spring vortex

Simulations of Antarctic ozone photochemistry performed using a photochemical model integrated along air parcel trajectories are described. This type of model has a major advantage at high latitudes of being able to simulate correctly the complex interaction between photolysis and temperature fields, which, because of the polar night cannot be represented accurately in a zonally averaged framework. Isentropic air parcel trajectories were computed using Meteorological Office global model analyses and forecast fields from positions along the ER-2 flight paths during the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment in Austral Spring 1987. A photochemical model is integrated along these trajectories using the aircraft observations to initialize constituent concentrations. The model includes additional reactions of the ClO dimer and also bromine reactions, which are thought to play a significant role in Antarctica. The model also includes heterogeneous reactions which are invoked when the air parcel passes through a polar stratospheric cloud (PSC). The existence of a PSC is determined throughout the course of the model integration from the parcel temperature and the saturated vapour pressure of water over an assumed H2O/HNO3 mixture. The air parcel temperature is used to determine the saturated vapor pressure of HNO3 over the same mixture. Mixing ratios which exceed saturation result in condensation of the excess in the model and hence lead to a reduction of the amount of gas phase NO2 available for chemical reaction.

Austin, J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Trace gas measurements from whole air samples collected over the Antarctic continent

Whole air samples collected aboard the NASA DC-8 and ER-2 aircraft as part of the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) were analyzed in a field laboratory set up at Punta Arenas, Chile, in August and September, 1987. Mixing ratios obtained from gas chromatographic analyses of these samples are presented for N2O, CFCl3, CFCl2, C2F3Cl3, CH3CCl3, CH4, and CO. Variations in the mixing ratios of these gases along the individual flight paths of the aircraft are used as tracers to indicate the history of air masses over and near the Antarctic continent.

Heidt, L. E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Dehydration in the lower Antarctic stratosphere in late winter and spring

The history of minimum temperatures at 50 and 70 mb is examined from NMC, UK Met 0 and ECMWF analyses. MSU channel 24 data are similarly inspected. South Pole sonde data are used to calculate saturation humidity mixing ratio as a function of altitude and time throughout 1987. Saturation with respect to ice could be maintained for water mixing ratios of 3.5 ppmv for a period of about 80 days from mid-June to mid-September. Dehydration to mixing ratios of 1 ppmv or less was possible sporadically. Data from the ER-2 flights between 53 S and 72 S are used in conjunction with particle size measurements and air parcel trajectories to demonstrate the dehydration occurring over Antarctica. Water mixing ratios at the latitude of Punta Arenas (53 S), in conjunction with tracer measurements and trajectory analysis, show that at potential temperatures from about 325 to 400 K, the dryness (less than 3 ppmv) had its origin over Antarctica rather than in the tropics. Water mixing ratios within the Antarctic vortex varied from 1.5 to 3.8 ppmv, with a strong isentropic gradient being evident in the region of high potential vorticity gradients.

Kelly, K. K.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Temporal trends and transport within and around the Antarctic polar vortex during the formation of the 1987 Antarctic ozone hole

During AAOE in 1987 an ER-2 high altitude aircraft made twelve flights out of Punta Arenas, Chile (53 S, 71 W) into the Antarctic polar vortex. The aircraft was fitted with fast response instruments for in situ measurements of many trace species including O3, ClO, BrO, NO sub y, NO, H2O, and N2O. Grab samples of long-lived tracers were also taken and a scanning microwave radiometer measured temperatures above and below the aircraft. Temperature, pressure, and wind measurements were also made on the flight tracks. Most of these flights were flown to 72 S, at a constant potential temperature, followed by a dip to a lower altitude and again assuming a sometimes different potential temperature for the return leg. The potential temperature chosen was 425 K (17 to 18 km) on 12 of the flight legs, and 5 of the flight legs were flown at 450 K (18 to 19 km). The remaining 7 legs of the 12 flights were not flown on constant potential temperature surfaces. Tracer data have been analyzed for temporal trends. Data from the ascents out of Punta Arenas, the constant potential temperature flight legs, and the dips within the vortex are used to compare tracer values inside and outside the vortex, both with respect to constant potential temperature and constant N2O. The time trend during the one-month period of August 23 through September 22, 1987, shows that ozone decreased by 50 percent or more at altitudes form 15 to 19 km. This trend is evident whether analyzed with respect to constant potential temperature or constant N2O. The trend analysis for ozone outside the vortex shows no downward trend during this period. The analysis for N2O at a constant potential temperature indicates no significant trend either inside or outside the vortex; however, a decrease in N2O with an increase in latitude is evident.

Proffitt, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Small scale structure and mixing at the edge of the Antarctic vortex

Small scale correlations and patterns in the chemical tracers measured from the NASA ER-2 aircraft in the 1987 AAOE campaign can be used to investigate the structure of the edge of the polar vortex and the chemically perturbed region within it. Examples of several types of transport processes can be found in the data. Since ClO and O3 have similar vertical gradients and opposite horizontal gradients near the chemically perturbed region, the correlation between ClO and O3 can be used to study the extent of horizontal transport at the edge of the chemically perturbed region. Horizontal transport dominates the correlation for a latitude band up to 4 degrees on each side of the boundary. This implies a transition zone containing a substantial fraction of the mass of the total polar vortex. Similar horizontal transport can be seen in other tracers as well. It has not been possible to distinguish reversible transport from irreversible mixing. One manifestation of the horizontal transport is that the edge of the chemically perturbed region is often layered rather than a vertical curtain. This can be seen from the frequent reversed vertical gradients of NO2, caused by air with high NO2 overlapping layers with lower mixing ratios. Water and NO2 are positively correlated within the chemically perturbed region. This is the opposite sign to the correlation in the unperturbed stratosphere. The extent of the positive correlation is too great to be attributed solely to horizontal mixing. Instead, it is hypothesized that dehydration and descent are closely connected on a small scale, possibly due to radiative cooling of the clouds that also cause ice to fall to lower altitudes.

Murphy, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Transport into the south polar vortex in early spring

Estimates of the mean circulation and diffusive transport of ozone and other species into the Antarctic polar vortex during the spring of 1987 are made using data from the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment. Measurements of long-lived tracers of tropospheric origin remained relatively constant at the levels of the maximum rate of decline of ozone during September. At lower levels in the stratosphere some evidence exists to support intrusions of tropospheric or low latitude air. Given the distribution in latitude and height of these tracers measured from the ER-2 aircraft, it can be inferred that the Lagrangian or diabatic mean circulation was zero or downward over Antarctica during the period of the ozone decline. The observation of a decline in ozone therefore requires a photochemical sink for ozone. The magnitude of the required photochemical sink must be sufficient to offset the transport of ozone into the polar region and produce the observed decline. Quasi-isentropic mixing and downward motion are coupled and are difficult to estimate from a single tracer. The full suite of measured tracers and auxiliary information are brought together to provide an estimate of the rate at which air is cycled through the polar vortex during spring. Estimates of large scale transport of potential vorticity and ozone from previous years are generally consistent with the data from the airborne experiment in suggesting a relatively slow rate of mass flow through the polar vortex in the lower stratosphere during September.

Hartmann, D.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The evolution of AAOE observed constituents with the polar vortex

One of the difficulties in determining constituent trends from the ER-2 flight data is the large amount of day to day variability generated by the motion of the polar vortex. To reduce this variability, the observations have been transformed into the conservative (Lagrangian) reference frames consisting of the coordinate pairs, potential temperature (PT) and potential vorticity (PV), or PT and N2O. The requirement of only two independent coordinates rests on the assumption that constituent distributions and their chemical processes are nearly zonal in that coordinate system. Flight data is used everywhere for these transformation except for potential vorticity. Potential vorticity is determined from level flight segments, and NMC PV values during flight dives and takeoffs are combined with flight data in a smooth fashion.

Schoeberl, Mark R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Diagnostic studies of the 1987 Antarctic spring vortex

Dynamical fields form the UK Meteorological office global forecast model were used throughout the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) for flight planning and diagnostic studies. Here, several studies based on the Meteorological Office global analysis (resolution 1.5 degrees lattitude x 1.875 degrees longitude, Lyne et al.) are described. The wind and temperature data derived from the model analysis are compared with observations made from both the DCB and ER-2, and an assessment of the model performance given. Derived quantities such as potential vorticity and model data and discrepancies due to the model data are discussed.

Austin, J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Meteorological satellite products support for project COHMEX

The first year effort focussed on real-time support and satellite data collection during the field phase of COHMEX. Work efforts following the field phase of COHMEX concentrated on post-processing of the real-time data sets, and generation of enhanced, research-quality satellite data sets for selected COHMEX core days. These satellite-derived data sets will augment the special COHMEX conventional data base with high horizontal and temporal resolution information. The data sets will be examined for their usefulness in delineating important elements in the meteorological environment leading to convective activity. In addition, a limited research effort was conducted using the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) 4-d data assimilation system in conjunction with evaluating VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) and His-resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS) data. The need to address the characteristics of the data types, and the problems they introduce into 4-d assimilation procedures is evident. The HIS instrument was flown aboard an ER-2 aircraft on several occasions during COHMEX. One of the flights was chosen for further study. Processed VAS soundings and COHMEX radiosonde data were also collected for this day. The case study included an evaluation of the HIS and VAS data and an impact study of the data on the assimilation system analysis.

Velden, Christopher S.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A system overview of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS)

The AVIRIS instrument has been designed to do high spectral resolution remote sensing of the earth. Utilizing both silicon and indium antimonide line array detectors, AVIRIS covers the spectral region from 0.41 to 2.45 microns in 10-nm bands. It was designed to fly aboard NASA's U-2 and ER-2 aircraft, where it will simulate the performance of future spacecraft instrumentation. Flying at an altitude of 20 km, it has an instantaneous field of view of 20 m and views a swath over 10 km wide. With an ability to record 40 minutes of data, it can, during a single flight, capture 500 km of flight line.

Porter, Wallace M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Automated alexandrite transmitter for airborne DIAL experiments

An account is given of the performance characteristics and development status of an automated dual alexandrite laser transmitter that is to be carried aloft by NASA's ER-2 research aircraft for water vapor DIAL experiments; these efforts are part of NASA's Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE). The LASE transmitter encompasses control unit, thermal unit, and two lamp driver unit subsystems. Major reductions in system size and weight relative to commercially available alexandrite lasers were necessary; a total weight of only 330 lbs has been achieved. Attention is given to subsystem flight test results.

Degnan, John J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Optical and microphysical properties of a cold cirrus cloud - Evidence for regions of small ice particles

An airborne lidar and a scanning radiometer aboard an ER-2 aircraft were used to observe a cold cirrus cloud, and a Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) was used to obtain simultaneous in situ microphysical observations at two altitudes within the cloud. Lidar depolarization ratio data show that the clouds were composed predominantly of ice crystals. At an altitude where the temperature was -62.7 C, the lidar and radiometer analysis gave a visible extinction to infrared absorption ratio (alpha) of 2.3, while the cloud microphysics data provided an alpha value of 3.77. The discrepancy is attributed to undersizing of particles by the FSSP. Direct and remote measurements showed better agreement for a lower layer where the temperature was -47.3 C.

Platt, C. M. R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Observations of condensation nuclei in the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment - Implications for new particle formation and polar stratospheric cloud formation

This paper discusses the results of the ER-2 Condensation Nucleus Counter operated in the Airborne Ozone Experiment in August, September, and October 1987, providing data on the mixing ratio of aerosol condensation nuclei (CN) with diameters between about 0.02 and 1 micron. It is shown that the vertical profile of the CN mixing ratio is closely related to that of N2O, and that, between the -71 and -53 deg latitude, the location of the minima in the CN mixing ratio profile was near the 160 ppbv N2O isopleth, indicating that the processes of mixing and subsidence, which determine the inclination of that isopleth, also strongly affect the spatial distribution of the sulfate aerosol. Evidence for new sulfate particle formation is presented and related to the amount of subsidence experienced by air parcels in the formation of the polar vortex. Concentrations of CN are compared with those of larger particles (with diameters between 0.81 micron and 9.75 microns) to study polar stratospheric cloud formation mechanisms.

Wilson, J. C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Stratospheric nitrous oxide distribution in the Southern Hemisphere

Nitrous oxide measurements were made in the Southern Hemisphere as part of the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment in late winter and early spring 1987, covering the altitude range 14-21 km. This paper reports on N2O measurements made by the airborne tunable laser absorption spectrometer, which was flown onboard the NASA ER-2 aircraft. Average vertical N2O profiles at latitudes 72 deg S, 54 deg S, and 42 deg S are presented and compared, when possible, with equivalent summer profiles. Latitudinal gradients of N2O on isentropic surfaces are presented and discussed in terms of their implications about the inhibition of horizontal mixing near the polar vortex. Finally, a large-scale distribution of N2O for the region 72 deg S to 42 deg S latitude is presented.

Podolske, J. R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Future of Oaks in the Santa Monica Mountains: A Case Study in Using Remote Sensing Data for Species Distributions Models

The Woolsey Fire began on November 8, 2018, and lasted for almost two weeks, during which it burned almost 100,000 acres of valuable landscape and habitat, including a vast area of woodland. The persistence of key woodland species provides aesthetic, monetary, and ecological value to the landscape through carbon sequestration, air temperature moderation, and erosion mitigation, among other ecosystem services. This study investigated the impact of the Woolsey Fire on native woodland species distributions and identified areas suitable for restoration within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The team partnered with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains; National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area; California Department of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles County Division; County of Los Angeles Fire Department, Prevention Services Bureau, Forestry Division; County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning; and the University of Montana. The Earth observations used include data from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, NASA ER-2 Jet Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and RapidEye. The team produced maps of burn severity from the Woolsey Fire, its impact on plant species distributions, and habitat suitability projections for 2050 and 2099 to assist partners in prioritizing areas for restoration. A plant community classification was successfully created using Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA). Overall accuracy was assessed at 90.54% by comparing the classification to validation pixels derived from ground truth information provided by our partners.

Roger Ly↗