ENSO signatures observed in tropical tropopause layer parameters using long-term COSMIC RO data

Abstract

The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signatures interpreted in different tropical tropopause layer (TTL) parameters are investigated by using long-term Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC)-1 radio occultation temperature data from July 2006 to March 2019. The TTL parameters include the cold point tropopause height (CPT-H) and corresponding temperature (CPT-T), lapse rate tropopause height (LRT-H) and corresponding temperature (LRT-T), convective outflow level height (COH), and TTL thickness. Results indicate that the warm phase of ENSO is associated with prominent negative CPT-T anomalies, whereas the cold phase of ENSO is associated with positive CPT-T anomalies over the tropical central and eastern Pacific Ocean. Further, correlation analysis is carried out between TTL parameters obtained over the Nino 3.4 region (5°N–5°S, 170°W–120°W) and sea surface temperature Nino 3.4 Index. We found weak positive correlations in CPT-H (0.37) and LRT-H (0.49), and moderate negative correlations in CPT-T (− 0.62), LRT-T (− 0.64), and TTL thickness (− 0.5) with Nino 3.4 Index. Interestingly, a higher correlation of 0.8 is noticed between COH and the Nino 3.4 Index. Furthermore, lag correlation analysis reveals that a 4-month lag is noticed in tropopause heights (CPT-H and LRT-H) and a 2-month lag is evident in tropopause temperatures (CPT-T and LRT-T) with the Nino 3.4 Index. In addition, only 1-month lag is noticed between COH and Nino 3.4 index. With a high correlation and 1-month lag with the Nino 3.4 index, it is concluded that the COH is the most suitable TTL parameter to detect the ENSO signatures among the TTL parameters.