Engineering topics

Krueger, Arlin J.

Publications and source records attributed to Krueger, Arlin J..

At least 37 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1989

The global distribution on total ozone - Toms satellite measurements

The general behavior of total ozone by season and latitude was known before 1930 through the pioneering observations by Dobson. The ozone record at Oxford and other European stations was dominated by an annual cycle and by irregular short term fluctuations. The amplitude and phase of the annual cycle were determined at representative latitudes in both hemispheres. However, the short term variations appeared to be meteorological origin, although the specific cause could not be identified. Data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) on the Nimbus 7 spacecraft, with global coverage at an average spatial resolution of 66 km, can now be used to completely map the total ozone field. These maps demonstrate that troughs and ridges in the upper troposphere are responsible for the large, short term ozone variations found at middle latitudes, while in the tropics, the steady, low ozone levels show broad scale structure associated with the Hadley circulation.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Tropospheric ozone in the vicinity of the ozone hole - 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment

Results are presented on ozone measurements in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere over Antarctica, obtained by NASA DC-8 aircraft during the August/September 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment. The ozone mixing ratios as high as several hundred ppbv were measured, but in all cases these ratios were observed in pockets of upper atmospheric air, both in the vicinity of and away from the location of the ozone hole. The background ozone values in the surrounding troposphere were typically in the range of 20-50 ppbv. Correlation of tropospheric ozone observations with the boundaries of the ozone hole differed in the course of the experiment. During the August 28 - September 2 flights, encounters with ozone-rich air were limited, and the background tropospheric ozone appeared to decrease beneath the hole. For the later flights, and as the ozone hole deepened, the ozone-rich air was frequently observed in the vicinity of the hole, and the average ozone values at the flight altitude were frequently higher than the background values.

Gregory, Gerald L.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Meteorological atlas of the Northern Hemisphere lower stratosphere for January and February 1989 during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

Northern Hemisphere meteorological data for the months of January and February 1989 in the lower stratosphere are shown. National Meteorological Center (NMC) data, and Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data are used to display polar stereographic projections of 100-mb temperatures, 50-mb temperatures, 50-mb geopotential heights, total ozone, and Ertel's potential vorticity (Epv) on both 400 K and 460 K isentropic surfaces. In addition, latitude/height cross sections at 10 E of balanced wind isotachs, wind vectors, potential temperature, and temperature are also shown. Horizontal traces of NASA ER-2 and DC-8 flight tracks are also included. Vertical profiles of NMC temperatures following flight paths of both aircraft are shown. In addition, vertical profiles of wind speed are contoured following the ER-2 for estimating the lateral penetration into the polar vortex, while vertical profiles of Ertel's potential vorticity are included for estimating the vertical penetration of the DC-8 into the stratosphere.

Newman, Paul A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The 1988 Antarctic ozone monitoring Nimbus-7 TOMS data atlas

Because of the great environmental significance of ozone and to support continuing research at McMurdo, Syowa, and other Southern Hemisphere stations, the development of the 1988 ozone hole was monitored using data from the Nimbus-7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument, produced in near-real-time. This Atlas provides a complete set of daily polar orthographic projections of the TOMS total ozone measurements over the Southern Hemisphere for the period August 1 through November 17, 1988. Although total ozone in mini-holes briefly dropped below 150 DU in late August, the main ozone hole is seen to be much less pronounced than in 1987. Minimum values, observed in late September and early October 1988, were seldom less than 175 DU. Compared with the same period in 1987, when a pronounced ozone hole whose minimum value of 109 Dobson Units (DU) was the lowest total ozone ever observed, the 1988 ozone hole is displaced from the South Pole, opposing a persistent maximum with values consistently above 500 DU. Daily ozone values above selected Southern Hemisphere stations are presented, along with comparisons of the 1988 ozone distribution to that of other years.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The 1989 Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition Nimbus-7 TOMS data atlas

Over the past several years, world scientific attention was focused on the rapid and unanticipated decrease in the abundance of ozone over Antarctica during the Austral spring. A major aircraft campaign was conducted from December 1988 to February 1989 in response to the recently published Ozone Trends Panel Report which found that the largest decreases in Arctic ozone occurred during January to February at latitudes near the edge of the Arctic vortex. This atlas provides a complete set of TOMS ozone measurements over Europe and the North Atlantic for the duration of the experiment. These were the orbital TOMS measurements provided to the experimenters in near-real-time. In addition, a set of Northern Hemisphere TOMS ozone measurements for the period December 26, 1988 to March 20, 1989 is presented. A comparison of January and February 1989 mean ozone values to prior years is also presented.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The ultraviolet radiation environment of Antarctica - McMurdo Station during September-October 1987

Daily data from the Nimbus-7 TOMS were combined with a model of atmospheric radiative transfer to compute the time evolution of ultraviolet irradiance, at wavelengths from 290 to 350 nm, incident on McMurdo Station during September-October 1987. Large changes in column ozone occur as the polar vortex moves over the site. This is accompanied by correspondingly large variations in UV radiation at the earth's surface. At a wavelength near 305 nm, the irradiance in early October exceeds values appropriate to an unperturbed ozone layer by a factor of 5-6. As December 21 approaches, the noontime UV irradiance increases, irrespective of changes in ozone.

Lubin, Dan↗

NASA NTRS1989

The 1988 Antarctic ozone depletion - Comparison with previous year depletions

The 1988 spring Antarctic ozone depletion was observed by TOMS to be substantially smaller than in recent years. The minimum polar total ozone values declined only 15 percent during September 1988, compared to nearly 50 percent during September 1987. At southern midlatitudes, exceptionally high total ozone values were recorded beginning in July 1988. The total integrated southern hemispheric ozone increased rapidly during the Austral spring, approaching 1980 levels during October. The high midlatitude total ozone values were associated with a substantial increase in eddy activity as indicated by the standard deviation in total ozone in the zonal band 30-60 deg S. Mechanisms through which the increased midlatitude eddy activity could disrupt the formation of the Antarctic ozone hole are briefly discussed.

Schoeberl, Mark R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The 1987 Antarctic ozone hole - A new record low

In 1987 the Antarctic springtime total ozone as measured by TOMS was substantially lower than in any previous year. Polar ozone levels began decreasing significantly after a mesoscale transient minimum developed over the Weddell Sea on September 5-7. The total ozone over most of the Antarctic continent decreased to less than 200 DU on September 19, and a region where total ozone was less than 125 DU developed on September 30. The lowest level observed was 109 DU on October 5 near the South Pole, a value 29 DU less than the 1985 previous record low. Compared with previous years the 1987 October zonal mean total ozone is substantially lower poleward of 60 S. Antarctic total ozone in 1987 also showed the greatest rate of ozone decrease as well as the longest persistence of the ozone hole.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Total ozone changes in the 1987 Antarctic ozone hole

The development of the Antarctic ozone minimum was observed in 1987 with the Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument. In the first half of August the near-polar (60 and 70 deg S) ozone levels were similar to those of recent years. By September, however, the ozone at 70 and 80 deg S was clearly lower than any previous year including 1985, the prior record low year. The levels continued to decrease throughout September until October 5 when a new record low of 109 DU was established at a point near the South Pole. This value is 29 DU less than the lowest observed in 1985 and 48 DU less than the 1986 low. The zonal mean total ozone at 60 deg S remained constant throughout the time of ozone hole formation. The ozone decline was punctuated by local minima formed away from the polar night boundary at about 75 deg S. The first of these, on August 15 to 17, formed just east of the Palmer Peninsula and appears to be a mountain wave. The second major minimum formed on September 5 to 7 again downwind of the Palmer Peninsula. This event was larger in scale than the August minimum and initiated the decline of ozone across the polar region. The 1987 ozone hole was nearly circular and pole centered for its entire life. In previous years the hole was perturbed by intrusions of the circumpolar maximum into the polar regions, thus causing the hole to be elliptical. The 1987 hole also remained in place until the end of November, a few days longer than in 1985, and this persistence resulted in the latest time for recovery to normal values yet observed.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Estimation of errors in the TOMS total ozone measurement during the Antarctica ozone campaign of August/September 1987

The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument on the Nimbus-7 satellite provides the primary source of total ozone data for the study of total ozone in the polar regions of the earth. There are two types of instrument related errors: a slowly developing drift in the instrument calibration since the launch of the instrument in October 1978 and an increase in the measurement noise beginning April, 1984. It is estimated that by October 1987, the accumulated error in the TOMS total ozone measurement due to instrument drift is about 6 m-atm-cm. The sign of the error is such that the TOMS is slightly overpredicting the long-term decrease of the Antarctica ozone. The increase in the measurement noise is more difficult to quantify, affecting some measurements by as much as 10 D.U. and others not at all. A detailed analysis of this error and its potential impact on the studies of total ozone from TOMS will be provided. There are three categories of algorithmic errors: (1) error due the unusual shape of the ozone profile in the ozone hole; (2) error caused by very low atmospheric temperatures in the ozone hole affecting the ozone absorption cross-sections at the TOMS wavelengths; and (3) errors resulting from occasionally thick stratospheric clouds that sometimes reach to 20 km in the ozone hole.

Bhartia, P. K.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Large-scale variations in ozone and polar stratospheric clouds measured with airborne lidar during formation of the 1987 ozone hole over Antarctica

A joint field experiment between NASA and NOAA was conducted during August to September 1987 to obtain in situ and remote measurements of key gases and aerosols from aircraft platforms during the formation of the ozone (O3) hole over Antarctica. The ER-2 (advanced U-2) and DC-8 aircraft from the NASA Ames Research Center were used in this field experiment. The NASA Langley Research Center's airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system was operated from the DC-8 to obtain profiles of O3 and polar stratospheric clouds in the lower stratosphere during long-range flights over Antarctica from August 28 to September 29, 1987. The airborne DIAL system was configured to transmit simultaneously four laser wavelengths (301, 311, 622, and 1064 nm) above the DC-8 for DIAL measurements of O3 profiles between 11 to 20 km ASL (geometric altitude above sea level) and multiple wavelength aerosol backscatter measurements between 11 to 24 km ASL. A total of 13 DC-8 flights were made over Antarctica with 2 flights reaching the South Pole. Polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's) were detected in multiple thin layers in the 11 to 21 km ASL altitude range with each layer having a typical thickness of less than 1 km. Two types of PSC's were found based on aerosol backscattering ratios: predominantly water ice clouds (type 2) and clouds with scattering characteristics consistent with binary solid nitric acid/water clouds (type 1). Large-scale cross sections of O3 distributions were obtained. The data provides additional information about a potentially important transport mechanism that may influence the O3 budget inside the vortex. There is also some evidence that strong low pressure systems in the troposphere are associated with regions of lower stratospheric O3. This paper discusses the spatial and temporal variations of O3 inside and outside the polar vortex region during the development of the O3 hole and relates these data to other measurements obtained during this field experiment.

Browell, Edward V.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Variations of total ozone in the north polar region as seen by TOMS

Data from the TOMS instrument has been used to follow the course of development of the Antarctic ozone springtime minimum since 1979. Addressed is the question of possible north polar region changes which might be deduced from the nine years of TOMS measurements of total ozone. Total ozone is a much more variable quantity in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. This makes the search for trends more difficult and the interpretation of results more uncertain. The 9-yr time series of TOMS data at high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere is examined. Because the TOMS measurements have drifted by 3 to 4 percent with respect to closely collocated Dobson measurements, it was chosen in this study to adopt the Dobson normalization and adjust the TOMS measurements accordingly. The difference between the last two years (1986 and 1987) of the TOMS record, and the first two years of the record (1979 and 1980) are shown. The difference in percent is given as a function of latitude and time of year. The Antarctic springtime decrease is clearly seen as well as a smaller change which extends to about 50 degrees south latitude at all seasons. Changes in the Northern Hemisphere are less dramatic and are concentrated near the polar night where solar zenith angles are very large. These data are now being examined in more detail and updated results will be presented at the Workshop.

Stolarski, Richard S.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment: the Nimbus-7 TOMS Data Atlas

Total ozone data taken by the Nimbus-7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) played a central role in the successful outcome of the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment. The near-real-time TOMS total ozone observations were suppled within hours of real time to the operations center in Punta Arenas, Chile, over a telecommunications network designed specifically for this purpose. The TOMS data preparation and method of transfer over the telecommunications links are reviewed. This atlas includes a complete set of the near-real-time TOMS orbital overpass data over regions around the Palmer Peninsula of Antarctica for the period of August 8 through September 29, 1987. Also provided are daily polar orthographic projections of TOMS total ozone measurements over the Southern Hemisphere from August through November 1987. In addition, a chronology of the salient points of the experiment, along with some latitudinal cross sections and time series at locations of interest of the TOMS total ozone observations are presented. The TOMS total ozone measurements are evaluated along the flight tracks of each of the ER-2 and DC-8 missions during the experiment. The ozone hole is shown here to develop in a monotonic progression throughout late August and September. The minimum total ozone amount was found on 5 October, when its all-time lowest value of 109 DU is recorded. The hole remains well defined, but fills gradually from mid-October through mid-November. The hole's dissolution is observed here to begin in mid-November, when it elongates and begins to rotate. By the end of November, the south pole is no longer located within the ozone hole.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Satellite maps of Antarctic total ozone

Satellite remote sensing techniques for ozone have made it possible to observe the detailed, daily horizontal structure of atmospheric ozone at all locations where sunlight is present. The Antarctic ozone 'hole' has been observed with the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument since launch of Nimbus 7 in 1978. This feature is a continental-size ozone minimum found in the Antarctic winter and spring seasons which has generally deepened in recent years to levels in 1985 and 1987 far below the lowest values ever observed elsewhere. The minimum appears to be produced by atmospheric circulations, but the deepening almost certainly involves chemistry which is unique to cold, dark conditions.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Scientific and Operational Requirements for TOMS Data

Global total ozone and sulfur dioxide data from the Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument have applications in a broad range of disciplines. The presentations of 29 speakers who are using the data in research or who have operational needs for the data are summarized. Five sessions addressed topics in stratospheric processes, tropospheric dynamics and chemistry, remote sensing, volcanology, and future instrument requirements. Stratospheric and some volcanology requirements can be met by a continuation of polar orbit satellites using a slightly modified TOMS but weather related research, tropospheric sulfur budget studies, and most operational needs require the time resolution of a geostationary instrument.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Photochemical ozone overburden correction

One-half of the total ozone column is predominantly under photochemical control under all conditions except polar winter. The other half is dynamically controlled. Since the photochemical forcing is phased with the solar declination and modulated by air temperature variation in the upper stratosphere and the dynamic forcing is tied to wave activity in the upper troposphere, the total ozone column is a mixture of the two drivers. If the total ozone is used to infer a property of the dynamic field, namely the tropopause height, it is necessary to correct for the photochemical variations. It should be possible to remove the photochemical component of the total ozone by using SBUV profile information along the orbital track as long as the spatial variations are low frequency. The column integral above the Umkehr levels in the lower stratosphere are examined to determine the level where the spatial variability decreases to the expected photochemical range to find an approximate dividing line between photochemical and dynamic control. Given this a spherical harmonic function will be fitted to the ozone field and subtracted from the TOMS total ozone field. This residual field will then be correlated with tropopause height to determine whether an improvement is obtained over the total ozone correlation.

Stefanick, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1987

Ozone, jet streaks and severe weather

Data from three independent observing platforms are synthesized to study the role of jet streaks in severe weather. The three data types are: conventional radiosondes; 6.7 micron water vapor imagery from the GOES satellite; and total ozone imagery from Nimbus 7. Diagnoses are then made of potential vorticity, mid-tropospheric moisture, and total ozone at and below the level of jet streaks. Potential vorticity and total ozone distributions are both tracers of stratospheric air. Theoretically, both should respond to the transverse, vertical circulations expected in the vicinity of jet streaks. Both should increase due to the sinking above the left front quadrant of the streaks. Moisture, on the other hand, increases in the ascent under the left front quadrant. This study shows striking agreement between the three parameters independently observed from three different observing platforms. Moreover, the three severe weather case studies suggest a unique distribution of ozone, potential vorticity, and mid-tropospheric moisture relative to a jet streak. This, in turn, led to the creation of a new ozone/jet streak model which shows that the total ozone distribution provides a signature in the vicinity of jet streaks and permits identification of areas most likely to experience severe weather at a later time. The value of such observations to operational forecasting is discussed.

Sechrist, Frank S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Northwest Airlines flight experiments

An experiment was conducted in which real-time Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data was compared with Northwest Airlines upper air charts. It was demonstrated that the regions of steep gradient in total ozone corresponded with fronts in the upper troposphere, specifically breaks in the tropopause associated with jet streams. Other small scale structures in the ozone could be related to minor trough and ridge lines. This suggests that the relation between total ozone and tropopause height might apply even on relatively small scales, and an analysis produced high correlation coefficients provided that the air mass origin was considered. In a second test, cabin ozone mixing at 37,000 ft. varied from less than 100 ppb (300 DU total ozone) to greater than 300 ppb in a trough (400 DU total ozone). A third analysis showed that clear air turbulence was located where upper air fronts were in rapid motion as suggested by comparison of the 1200 UT synoptic charts and the ozone map taken about six hours later.

Krueger, Arlin J.↗