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Harries, J. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Harries, J. E..

13 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Synoptic interpretation of measurements from HALOE

The degree to which the Southern Hemisphere polar vortex is isolated against horizontal (isentropic) mixing is investigated using data from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE), U.K. Meteorological Office (UKMO) potential vorticity (PV), and contour advection diagnostics. Measurements of methane and water vapor taken by HALOE during a disturbed period in the Southern Hemisphere springtime (21 September - 15 October 1992) are interpreted in light of the prevailing synoptic meteorology. Daily fields of winds and PV are shown to be essential in the interpretation of the data. A climatological high pressure region is responsible for a distorted vortex, and a substantial 'vortex stripping' event is present, associated with the early stages of vortex breakdown. This leads to significant temporal, zonal, and altitudinal variations in the distribution of tracers. The authors point out the difficulties this presents for the interpretation of solar occultation data, especially with regard to the use of zonal average time series. Longitude-height methane distributions from two days during the period are examined. Both days show substantial variations in abundance around a latitude circle. In particular, the authors investigate HALOE measurements at 77 deg S on 15 October 1992, which indicate an abundance of methane in the height region 600-2000 K (approximately 30-1 mb) that is more typical of midlatitude air. Similar distributions, observed in the 1991 HALOE data, have previously been interpreted as evidence for the penetration of midlatitude air into the vortex. Gradients of potential vorticity and contour advection diagnositcs are employed to examine whether the UKMO winds are consistent with this hypothesis in 1992. Although midlatitude air is able to penetrate poleward of the main jet core by advection processes alone, an essentially intact inner core of vortex air remains, which does not mix to any great extent with air from lower latitudes. The authors show that the high-latitude HALOE abundances that are typical of midlatitude air were observed in a region of extensive filamentation and mixing, rather than within the inner, more isolated, core.

Bithell, M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

SAFIRE - A novel high resolution cooled spectrometer for atmospheric research

The SAFIRE (Spectroscopy of Atmospheric Far Infra-Red Emissions) experiment is discussed with particular reference to the scientific aims and the conceptual instrument design of the project. The principal requirements of the experiment are reviewed, and it is shown how these requirements are met in the instrument concept. In particular, measurements of hydrogen oxides and other important species in the stratosphere require a far infrared limb sounder. Some problems involved in the optical and thermal design of the instrument are examined.

Harries, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The water vapour budget of the stratosphere studied using LIMS and SAMS satellite data

Monthly zonal mean observations of H2O and CH4 made by the limb infrared monitor of the stratosphere and the stratospheric and mesospheric sounder instruments on Nimbus 7 have been used to investigate whether the H2O mixing ratios in the stratosphere are consistent with a source via the oxidation of CH4. While both sets of data show considerable seasonally varying structure, total hydrogen (neglecting molecular hydrogen) is relatively featureless with a mean value over the stratosphere of 6.0 + or - 0.35 ppmm(1sigma) for the five-month period studied. The uniformity of the total hydrogen fields points to the validity of the CH4 oxidation hypothesis. The derived fields of total hydrogen are used to deduce a mean H2O mixing ratio for air as it enters the stratosphere of 2.7 + or - 0.35 ppmv (1sigma) from which a desiccation temperature may be deduced.

Jones, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Nitrogen species

Total odd nitrogen, NO(y), may be defined as the sum of all active nitrogen species that interchange photochemically with one another on a time scale of the order of weeks or less. As noted, NO + NO2 reactions dominate the processes controlling the ozone balance in the contemporary stratosphere. The observational data from non-satellite platforms are reviewed. The growth in available satellite data in the past four years is considered. Some of the most important scientific issues are discussed, taking into account new results from atmospheric models (mainly 2-D). The model results are compared with the observational data.

Harries, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Validation of nitrogen dioxide results measured by the limb infrared monitor of the stratosphere (LIMS) experiment on NIMBUS 7

The validation of results from the nitrogen dioxide channel and the quality of the data are examined in connection with the LIMS experiment which ran from late October 1978 to late May 1979. Factors studied include: channel characteristics, experiment errors due to instrument and spacecraft effects, predicted and measured precision, predicted accuracy, and comparisons with correlative measurements made in a series of balloon underflights. Features such as profile shape and slope of the mixing ratio altitude distribution are in good agreement. The LIMS data also fall within the range of previous mixing ratio measurements and are consistent with model estimates. The calculated on-orbit precision is about 0.3 ppbv and the estimated accuracy from simulations is about 2 ppbv over the 3-10-mbar range. Accuracy is less at higher and lower pressure levels. These results provide the first day-night set of nitrogen dioxide measurements from space.

Russell, J. M., III↗
NASA NTRS1984

Validation of water vapor results measured by the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere experiment on Nimbus 7

In the LIMS experiment using thermal IR limb scanning to sound the composition and structure of the upper atmosphere, one of the LIMS channels was spectrally centered at 6.9 micrometers to measure the vertical profile and global distribution of stratospheric water vapor. This channel's characteristics, the data from it, and the steps taken to validate results are described. The mean difference between the LIMS measurements and data from 13 balloon underflights is about 0.6 ppmv with LIMS mixing ratios biased high; this difference is of about the same order as estimated LIMS accuracy and less than the sum of the errors for LIMS and the balloon techniques. In-orbit precision is 0.2-0.3 ppmv and accuracy is estimated at 20-30 percent from 50 mbar to the stratopause. An unexplained diurnal variation exists in the vertical profile data which is largest at the 1-mbar level and virtually nonexistent at 10 mbar; day values are higher than night. More confidence is placed in zonal mean distributions averaged over several days than in single profiles. A zonal mean pressure-latitude cross section is described for January 5-9, 1979.

Russell, J. M., III↗
NASA NTRS1984

Spectroscopy and transmittances for the LIMS experiment

The Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) instrument on the Nimbus 7 spacecraft sensed limb emission profiles for 7 months, starting in October 1979. Vertical temperature profiles are inferred from measurements in two CO2 channels, and constituent profiles are obtained form the O3, HNO3, NO2, and water vapor channels. The line parameters used to calculate transmittances in the retrieval algorithm are presented. Their adequacy for LIMS and for other applications are assessed, and recommendations for future investigations are outlined.

Drayson, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The validation of Nimbus 7 LIMS measurements of ozone

Approximately seven and one half months of stratospheric ozone profiles have been processed from the LIMS (Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere) experiment on the Nimbus 7 satellite. Data profiles cover the stratosphere and mesosphere from 100 to 0.1 mbar and from 84 degrees N to 64 degrees S latitude. Topics covered include the ozone channel characteristics, precision, systematic uncertainties, and comparisons with data from balloon and rocket underflights, Umkehr soundings, and Dobson measurements. Comparisons with Dobson total ozone are made by integrating combined LIMS plus balloon profiles. The estimated on-orbit precision is 0.02-0.16 ppmv. Simulations of the experiment indicate potential systematic uncertainties ranging from 15 percent in the 1-mbar region to an upper limit of 40 percent at 100 mbar and 0.1 mbar. Results are well within the uncertainties for the correlative sensors themselves. LIMS detects significant vertical structure in the ozone profile even below the ozone mixing ratio peak. Several other comparisons showing good agreement are noted.

Remsberg, E. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Stratospheric H2O

The present state of our knowledge and understanding of H2O in the stratosphere is reviewed. This reveals continuing discrepancies between observations and expectations following from the Brewer-Dobson hypothesis of stratospheric circulation. In particular, available observations indicate unexplained upward and poleward directed H2O gradients immediately downstream from the tropical tropopause and variable vertical gradients above 20 km which generally disagree with those expected from oxidation of CH4.

Ellsaesser, H. W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Very-high-resolution far-infrared measurements of atmospheric emission from aircraft

Instrument problems and technical results are discussed for an experiment in which an absolute spectrometric radiometer was flown aboard a NASA aircraft at altitudes of 33,000 to 41,000 ft to measure atmospheric emission in the spectral range from 5 to 40 kaysers with a resolution of about 0.03 kayser apodized. The instrument used was actually a polarizing interferometer, and the atmosphere was observed at fixed zenith angles constant to within plus or minus 0.1 deg. The only problem noted was the spoilage of some interferograms by spikes due to electrical interference from the aircraft radio transmission system. A spectrum of the atmospheric-emission brightness temperature obtained with real-time calibration is examined, and the spectral resolution, S/N ratio, and total instrument efficiency are evaluated. The experimental S/N ratio is estimated to be between 40 and 100.

Carli, B.↗