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Publication Abstracts

Holzer 2009

Holzer, M., 2009: The path density of interhemispheric surface-to-surface transport. Part II: Transport through the troposphere and stratosphere diagnosed from NCEP data. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 2172-2189, doi:10.1175/2009JAS2895.1.

Interhemispheric transport from the earth's surface north of 32.4°N (region Ω_N) to the surface south of 32.4°S (region Ω_S) is quantified using the path-density diagnostic developed in Part I of this study. The path density is computed using the MATCH transport model driven by NCEP reanalyses. The structures of both the Ω_N → Ω_S and Ω_N → Ω_N zonally averaged path densities are examined in detail for air that had last Ω_N contact ("Ω_N air") during January and July. The path density provides the joint probability that Ω_N air will make its next surface contact with either Ω_N or Ω_S, that it will have surface-to-surface transit time τ ∈ (τ, τ+dτ), and that it can be found in volume element d³r during its surface-to-surface journey. The distribution of surface-to-surface transit times, the probability of Ω_N air making next contact with Ω_S, and the probability of finding Ω_N air destined for Ω_S in the stratosphere are computed from suitable integrations of the path density. Approximately one third of the Ω_N air undergoes interhemispheric transport, with a ∼20% probability of being found in the stratosphere during its surface-to-surface journey. The stratospheric fraction is about equally divided between the stratospheric Middle and Overworlds, with the flow rate through the stratospheric Middleworld being about twice as large as the flow rate through the Overworld.

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@article{ho02400t,
  author={Holzer, M.},
  title={The path density of interhemispheric surface-to-surface transport. Part II: Transport through the troposphere and stratosphere diagnosed from NCEP data},
  year={2009},
  journal={Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences},
  volume={66},
  pages={2172--2189},
  doi={10.1175/2009JAS2895.1},
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ho02400t
AU  - Holzer, M.
PY  - 2009
TI  - The path density of interhemispheric surface-to-surface transport. Part II: Transport through the troposphere and stratosphere diagnosed from NCEP data
JA  - J. Atmos. Sci.
JO  - Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
VL  - 66
SP  - 2172
EP  - 2189
DO  - 10.1175/2009JAS2895.1
ER  -

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