Stratomesospheric CO measured by a ground-based Fourier transform spectrometer over Poker Flat, Alaska: Comparisons with Odin/SMR and a 2-D model

Authors

Nicholas B. Jones, University of WollongongFollow
Y Kasai, National Institute of Information and Telecommunications Technology, Tokyo
E Dupuy, University of Saskatchewan
Y. Murayama, National Institute of Information and Telecommunications Technology, Tokyo
J Urban, Chalmers University of Technology
B Barret, Universite Paul Sabatier (Toulouse III)
M Sinnhuber, University of Bremen
A. Kagawa, National Institute of Information and Telecommunications Technology, Tokyo
T. Koshiro, Kyoto University
P Ricaud, Universite Paul Sabatier (Toulouse III)
D Murtagh, Chalmers University of Technology

RIS ID

23114

Publication Details

Jones, N. B., Kasai, Y., Dupuy, E., Murayama, Y., Urban, J., Barret, B., Sinnhuber, M., Kagawa, A., Koshiro, T., Ricaud, p. & Murtagh, D. (2007). Stratomesospheric CO measured by a ground-based Fourier transform spectrometer over Poker Flat, Alaska: Comparisons with Odin/SMR and a 2-D model. Journal of Geophysical Research, 112 (D20), 1-16.

Abstract

The interseasonal variability of stratomesospheric CO is reported from Poker Flat, Alaska, using spectra from a ground-based Fourier Transform Spectrometer (gb-FTS) for the time period from 2000 to 2004. The CO spectra were analyzed using an optimal estimation technique that separates the tropospheric and stratospheric/mesospheric components into partial columns. The distribution of CO in the polar winter is such that the gb-FTS retrieved partial column is weighted to the mesosphere. The gb-FTS data are compared with measurements of partial column CO from the Sub-Millimeter Radiometer on board the Odin satellite and shown to be in very good agreement despite the relatively small sample size. The mean difference of the two data sets indicates a small positive bias (7.6 ± 6%) in favor of the Odin data, with a correlation coefficient, r² = 0.91. The gb-FTS data indicate that there is a strong seasonal dependence of the CO partial column that is consistent with known winter polar thermospheric descent of CO enriched air. Year-to-year variability is explained in terms of mesospheric wind dynamics, which show 2004 and components of 2002 were affected by earlier than expected breakdown (30 ± 13 d) of the winter polar circulation compared with 2000 to 2003. Finally, the measured CO data is compared with a 2-D chemical transport model that gives support to the idea that springtime polar mesospheric CO is driven by meridional winds.