Letter
Biodiversity Conservation
Paul W. Barnes, Janet F. Bornman, Krishna K. Pandey, Germar H. Bernhard, Alkiviadis F. Bais, Rachel E. Neale, Thomas Matthew Robson, Patrick J. Neale, Craig E. Williamson, Richard G. Zepp, Sasha Madronich, Stephen R. Wilson, Anthony L. Andrady, Anu M. Heikkila, Sharon A. Robinson
Summary: The Montreal Protocol and its Amendments have been highly effective in protecting the stratospheric ozone layer, reducing global warming, and preventing global increases in UV-B radiation. However, ongoing and projected changes in UV-B radiation and climate still pose threats to human health, ecosystems, and construction materials.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jacob W. Smith, Andrew C. Bushell, Neal Butchart, Peter H. Haynes, Amanda C. Maycock
Summary: This study investigates the impact of convective ice sublimation on stratospheric water vapor and finds that it is constrained by the vertical profile of temperature and saturation vapor pressure in the tropical tropopause layer. The study also shows that the relative contributions to stratospheric water vapor from sublimation and large-scale transport remain unchanged when CO2 is increased under climate change.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
I Wohltmann, P. von der Gathen, R. Lehmann, H. Deckelmann, G. L. Manney, J. Davies, D. Tarasick, N. Jepsen, R. Kivi, N. Lyall, M. Rex
Summary: The winter of 2019/2020 in the Arctic stratosphere had the lowest observed ozone mixing ratios and was characterized by an unusually strong and long-lasting polar vortex. Some aspects of this winter resemble both Antarctic and Arctic conditions, such as the chemical processes and chlorine activation reactions. If the air masses had spent slightly more time below the upper temperature limit for polar stratospheric cloud formation and in sunlight, ozone levels in parts of the vortex could have been reduced to near zero values.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Leonhard Hufnagl, Roland Eichinger, Hella Garny, Thomas Birner, Ales Kuchar, Patrick Joeckel, Phoebe Graf
Summary: The increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations affects circulation by changing the atmospheric temperature distribution. This study quantifies the modification of the circulation response to CO2 forcing by stratospheric ozone through model simulations. The results show that ozone changes dampen the CO2-induced strengthening of the circulation, leading to various impacts on temperature gradients and polar vortices.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Rei Ueyama, Mark Schoeberl, Eric Jensen, Leonhard Pfister, Mijeong Park, Ju-Mee Ryoo
Summary: The direct impact of deep convection on the global lower stratospheric water vapor budget is still a debated issue. Two complementary modeling approaches are used to investigate this impact in different seasons. The results show that deep convection moistens the global lower stratosphere by approximately 0.3 ppmv, with a diurnal peak in winter and summer and relatively minor effect on global water vapor. The interannual variability of the convective impact is estimated to be up to 0.1 ppmv during 2006-2016.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Cameron R. Homeyer, Jessica B. Smith, Kristopher M. Bedka, Kenneth P. Bowman, David M. Wilmouth, Rei Ueyama, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, Jason M. St. Clair, Reem Hannun, Jennifer Hare, Apoorva Pandey, David S. Sayres, Thomas F. Hanisco, Andrea E. Gordon, Emily N. Tinney
Summary: The concentration of water vapor in the lower stratosphere is the most sensitive factor contributing to Earth's radiative forcing. Rapid increases in stratospheric water vapor are often caused by tropopause-overshooting convection. This study focuses on obtaining in situ observations of stratospheric air affected by recent convection over the United States. The findings show that convective hydration routinely affects the stratosphere, with records of previous heights of convective hydration being exceeded during the DCOTSS flights. The most extreme event observed indicates a 26% increase in stratospheric water vapor at an altitude of 19.25 km, a potential temperature of 463 K, and an ozone mixing ratio >1500 ppbv.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tiehan Zhou, Kevin DallaSanta, Larissa Nazarenko, Gavin A. Schmidt, Zhonghai Jin
Summary: As atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration rises, stratospheric radiative damping increases, resulting in a shorter simulated period of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). This suggests that increasing stratospheric radiative damping due to rising CO2 may impact the QBO period in a warming climate, along with other factors responding to increasing CO2.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
F. Robertson, L. E. Revell, H. Douglas, A. T. Archibald, O. Morgenstern, D. Frame
Summary: The year when total column ozone (TCO) returns to 1980 levels is commonly used to measure recovery from ozone-depleting substances. However, this metric fails to account for internal variability and the timing of significant TCO losses. Using the signal-to-noise (S/N) metric, this study investigates how TCO can return to pre-disturbance conditions. The findings suggest that TCO de-emerges before returning to its 1980 value, making S/N a suitable metric for determining TCO recovery.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
F. Robertson, L. E. Revell, H. Douglas, A. T. Archibald, O. Morgenstern, D. Frame
Summary: Research suggests that the year when total column ozone (TCO) returns to 1980 levels is commonly used as an indicator of recovery from ozone-depleting substances. However, this date is somewhat arbitrary. In this study, the signal-to-noise (S/N) metric from climate change research is used to investigate how TCO might return to pre-ozone hole era levels. The findings show that a return to 1980 levels does not necessarily represent TCO recovery to pre-disturbance conditions, and the S/N ratio is a more appropriate and complementary metric.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Yingli Niu, Fei Xie, Shaohua Wu
Summary: This study investigated the impact of ENSO Modoki on Antarctic stratospheric ozone variability in austral spring using observation and reanalysis data. It found that ENSO Modoki generates planetary wave anomalies in the troposphere, which subsequently affect the polar vortex and interannual variations in Antarctic stratospheric ozone. Analysis also revealed that wave-1 and wave-3 components play a significant role, while wave-2 effects are opposite and offset by waves 1 and 3. Furthermore, the study evaluated the performance of CMIP6 models in simulating the impacts of ENSO Modoki on the southern stratospheric polar vortex and ozone, finding that only two models closely resemble the reanalysis results.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. Eric Klobas, Janina Hansen, Debra K. Weisenstein, Robert P. Kennedy, David M. Wilmouth
Summary: The study suggests that future changes in the state of the stratosphere have less impact on iodine-mediated ozone loss compared to chlorine- and bromine-mediated reactions. Additionally, the inclusion of the heterogeneous reaction of ozone with aqueous iodide in stratospheric aerosol significantly enhances iodine and chlorine-mediated ozone loss efficiency.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunqian Zhu, Charles G. Bardeen, Simone Tilmes, Michael J. Mills, Xinyue Wang, V. Lynn Harvey, Ghassan Taha, Douglas Kinnison, Robert W. Portmann, Pengfei Yu, Karen H. Rosenlof, Melody Avery, Corinna Kloss, Can Li, Anne S. Glanville, Luis Millan, Terry Deshler, Nickolay Krotkov, Owen B. Toon
Summary: The January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano injected a significant amount of water into the stratosphere, which resulted in large perturbations to stratospheric aerosol evolution. The eruption is expected to continue impacting the climate system by increasing aerosol surface area and water vapor until at least October 2022.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ju Liang, Jim Haywood
Summary: Atmospheric rivers (ARs) play a significant role in extreme precipitation events in East Asia. The increase in AR frequency and associated precipitation in a warmer climate is found, with the most pronounced changes observed in southern China. Stratospheric aerosol intervention (SAI) can partially mitigate the increase in AR activity in the subtropical region, but may result in more pronounced increases in ARs and precipitation in the upper-midlatitude regions, particularly northeastern China.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Deepashree Dutta, Steven C. Sherwood, Martin Jucker, Alex Sen Gupta, Katrin J. Meissner
Summary: Climate models underestimate Arctic warming in past warm climates like the early Cretaceous and Paleogene periods, indicating missing or poorly represented physical processes. Previous studies suggest that wintertime Arctic polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) could promote Arctic amplification through additional greenhouse warming. This study explores PSC changes under high methane levels, preindustrial carbon dioxide, and polar-amplified surface warming, finding that PSCs could play an important role in Arctic warming in a warmer-than-present-day climate, but only if methane levels were higher than suggested by previous modeling studies for past warm climates.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tom B. Williams, Ian C. Dodd, Wagdy Y. Sobeih, Nigel D. Paul
Summary: This study demonstrates that partial stomatal closure caused by ultraviolet radiation exposure leads to significant increases in leaf temperature. The findings have implications for horticultural crop production and understanding broader plant responses to ultraviolet radiation.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Cameron R. Homeyer, Kenneth P. Bowman
Summary: Stratosphere-reaching moist convection plays a significant role in Earth's dynamics, chemistry, and climate. This study, using 22 years of radar observations in the United States, reveals that tropopause depression overshooting is more episodic and common in cooler months, while lapse-rate tropopause overshooting dominates in the summer. The majority of tropopause depression material does not remain in the stratosphere, whereas most of the lapse-rate tropopause overshoot material does.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
John W. Cooney, Kristopher M. Bedka, Kenneth P. Bowman, Konstantin Khlopenkov, Kyle Itterly
Summary: The study analyzes a large dataset of OT compiled from GOES-13/16 geostationary IR data and gridded volumetric NEXRAD reflectivity. It aims to better understand radar and IR observations of OTs, quantify agreement between satellite and radar OT detections, and demonstrate the impact of increased spatial sampling from GOES-13 to GOES-16 on OT appearance and detection performance. The research finds that GOES-13 detection rate is similar to 15% lower than GOES-16 due to coarser spatial resolution, but efforts to account for differing resolution were largely successful in maintaining consistency between the two satellites.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Daniel B. Phoenix, Cameron R. Homeyer
Summary: The study found that the impacts of tropopause-overshooting convection on UTLS composition depend on storm and environmental characteristics, with springtime convection having a larger impact on UTLS composition compared to summertime convection. The main effects include an increase in water vapor and ozone mixing ratios, particularly in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Shuaiqi Tang, Shaocheng Xie, Zhun Guo, Song-You Hong, Boualem Khouider, Daniel Klocke, Martin Kohler, Myung-Seo Koo, Phani Murali Krishna, Vincent E. Larson, Sungsu Park, Paul A. Vaillancourt, Yi-Chi Wang, Jing Yang, Chimene L. Daleu, Cameron R. Homeyer, Todd R. Jones, Neelam Malap, Roel Neggers, Thara Prabhakaran, Enver Ramirez, Courtney Schumacher, Cheng Tao, Peter Bechtold, Hsi-Yen Ma, J. David Neelin, Xubin Zeng
Summary: General Circulation Models (GCMs) have difficulty in accurately modeling the diurnal cycle of precipitation, particularly in representing the interactions between convection and environmental conditions. Unified convection schemes improve the simulation of precipitation onset time, while the performance of models in capturing deep convection influences accuracy. Detecting elevated convection is crucial for simulating nocturnal precipitation, highlighting the importance of model capability in this aspect.
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jordan R. Bell, Kristopher M. Bedka, Christopher J. Schultz, Andrew L. Molthan, Sarah D. Bang, Justin Glisan, Trent Ford, W. Scott Lincoln, Lori A. Schultz, Alexander M. Melancon, Emily F. Wisinski, Kyle Itterly, Cameron R. Homeyer, Daniel J. Cecil, Craig Cogil, Rodney Donavon, Eric Lenning, Ray Wolf
Summary: This paper documented the complex evolution of the catastrophic derecho using various satellite sensors and weather radar observations. It also showed that SAR improved the identification and quantification of damaged crops. The study estimated that the derecho caused approximately 1.97 million acres of damaged corn and 1.40 million acres of damaged soybeans in Iowa.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
S. S. Leroy, H. Gleisner
Summary: This study analyzes the diurnal cycle in the stratosphere using Bayesian interpolation applied to COSMIC Global Positioning System radio occultation data. Three scientific applications of the analysis are introduced, including analysis of migrating thermal tides, detection of solar cycle influence, and diagnosis of sampling error. The analysis provides unprecedented accuracy and precision in analyzing the tides, reveals deviations from atmospheric models, and highlights the importance of sufficient coverage in satellite-based data sets.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Andrea E. Gordon, Cameron R. Homeyer
Summary: This study evaluates how transport driven by tropopause-overshooting convection and properties of above-anvil cirrus plumes (AACPs) are modified by variations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) environments. The research finds that storms with AACPs have greater troposphere-to-stratosphere transport (TST) and stratospheric hydration, while storms without AACPs have greater stratosphere-to-troposphere transport (STT). These findings suggest that the development of AACPs and UTLS transport are influenced by the stability and wind environment in the UTLS.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Elisa M. Murillo, Cameron R. Homeyer
Summary: Above-anvil cirrus plumes (AACPs) in midlatitude convection are important indicators of severe storms and stratospheric hydration events. Recent studies have shown large variability in their characteristics, with some AACPs appearing equally as cold or colder than the broader storm top in infrared satellite imagery. This study comparatively evaluates warm and cold AACPs to determine why some exhibit a warm feature while others do not, and to identify storm and environment differences between them. The findings suggest that cold AACPs tend to occur in tropical environments with higher, cold-point tropopauses, while warm AACPs occur in midlatitude environments with lower tropopauses and an isothermal region in the lower stratosphere. These results contribute to a better understanding of severe storms and their relationship to stratospheric water vapor and climate change.
JOURNAL OF THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Emily N. Tinney, Cameron R. Homeyer, Lexy Elizalde, Dale F. Hurst, Anne M. Thompson, Ryan M. Stauffer, Holger Vomel, Henry B. Selkirk
Summary: The definition of the tropopause has been a focus of atmospheric science, and the most commonly used definition based on temperature lapse-rate has limitations. This study proposes a new stability-based definition using balloon-based observations, which can more reliably identify composition changes in the tropopause.
MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuwei Zhang, Jiwen Fan, Manish Shrivastava, Cameron R. Homeyer, Yuan Wang, John H. Seinfeld
Summary: Increased wildfires in California and Oregon significantly increase heavy precipitation rates and severe hail occurrences in the central United States. The heat and aerosols from the wildfires enhance moisture and aerosol transport, as well as increase wind shear and storm-relative helicity, creating a more conducive environment for severe convective storms.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Rosimar Rios-Berrios, Naoko Sakaeda, Hector J. Jimenez-Gonzalez, Angelie Nieves-Jimenez, Yidiana Zayas, Elinor Martin, Shun-Nan Wu, Cameron R. Homeyer, Ernesto Rodriguez
Summary: The diurnal cycle of coastal rainfall over western Puerto Rico was examined using high-frequency radiosondes launched by undergraduate students. The radiosondes captured the characteristics of different rainfall events, including short-lived events, limited rainfall activities, heavy rainfall, and long-lived events. The initiative highlighted the importance of student-scientist collaboration in collecting critical observations to better understand complex atmospheric processes.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
G. C. Cuchiara, A. Fried, M. C. Barth, M. M. Bela, C. R. Homeyer, J. Walega, P. Weibring, D. Richter, S. Woods, A. Beyersdorf, T. V. Bui, J. Dean-Day
Summary: Convective clouds play a significant role in redistributing trace gases in the atmosphere and removing soluble trace gas precursors. Our study focuses on the wet scavenging of formaldehyde (CH2O), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and methyl hydrogen peroxide (CH3OOH) during convective storms in Texas, USA. Using cloud-resolving simulations, we found that the scavenging efficiency of these gases was consistent across different types of convective storms. We also discovered higher ice retention factor for CH2O and unexpected results for CH3OOH, indicating the need for further research.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Kai-Wei Chang, Kenneth P. Bowman, Anita D. Rapp
Summary: Tropopause-penetrating overshooting convection can transport tropospheric air into the lower stratosphere and affect its composition. This study uses radar data and reanalysis to locate and simulate the transport of overshooting convection plumes over the United States. The results show that a significant number of air masses can remain in the stratosphere for extended periods, especially in July, and after 30 days, 45% of injected air masses still remain in the global stratosphere.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Cameron R. Homeyer, Jessica B. Smith, Kristopher M. Bedka, Kenneth P. Bowman, David M. Wilmouth, Rei Ueyama, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, Jason M. St. Clair, Reem Hannun, Jennifer Hare, Apoorva Pandey, David S. Sayres, Thomas F. Hanisco, Andrea E. Gordon, Emily N. Tinney
Summary: The concentration of water vapor in the lower stratosphere is the most sensitive factor contributing to Earth's radiative forcing. Rapid increases in stratospheric water vapor are often caused by tropopause-overshooting convection. This study focuses on obtaining in situ observations of stratospheric air affected by recent convection over the United States. The findings show that convective hydration routinely affects the stratosphere, with records of previous heights of convective hydration being exceeded during the DCOTSS flights. The most extreme event observed indicates a 26% increase in stratospheric water vapor at an altitude of 19.25 km, a potential temperature of 463 K, and an ozone mixing ratio >1500 ppbv.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Amanda M. Murphy, Cameron R. Homeyer
Summary: This study compares the characteristics of tornadic and non-tornadic storms, and finds that low-level azimuthal shear values are the most distinguishing factor between the two. By analyzing single-polarization data, the study shows that it is possible to accurately differentiate between tornadic and non-tornadic storms, while dual-polarization data shows little deviation between storm types. The study also reveals that tornadic storms exhibit enhanced near-surface rotation and convergence, collocating with the primary storm updraft, during tornadogenesis and at a 20-minute lead time.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY
(2023)