A QUASI-PERMEABLE BARRIER IN THE EQUATORIAL LOWER STRATOSPHERE

Authors
CHEN P HOLTON JR SWINBANK R
Citation
P. Chen et al., A QUASI-PERMEABLE BARRIER IN THE EQUATORIAL LOWER STRATOSPHERE, Geophysical research letters, 22(3), 1995, pp. 259-262
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Geosciences, Interdisciplinary
Journal title
Geophysical research letters → ACNP
ISSN journal
00948276
Volume
22
Issue
3
Year of publication
1995
Pages
259 - 262
Database
ISI
SICI code
0094-8276(1995)22:3<259:AQBITE>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
Analyses of global isentropic maps of potential vorticity from the Uni ted Kingdom Meteorological Office data assimilation system reveal that there is a region of strong meridional potential vorticity gradients in the equatorial lower stratosphere. A semi-lagrangian tracer transpo rt model is used to show that this region of strong PV gradients acts as a quasi-permeable barrier to cross-equator mass exchange on isentro pic surfaces.