Surface Potential Temperature Research Articles

Вплив температури та іонної сили середовища на поверхневий потенціал еритроцитів людини

During freezing of cell suspensions the ionic strength of extracellular and, subsequently, intracellular media is responsible for the changes in membrane potential of cells. In this research we revealed the temperature and concentration dependencies of the surface potential of human erythrocytes during freezing of the cell suspension at the points corresponding to the values of temperature and 1:1 concentration of the electrolyte according to the phase diagram of a water-NaCl binary system. The concentrations of sodium ions on the surface of erythrocytes depending on concentration and temperature of the bulk solution were determined. It has been shown that the concentration of sodium ions on the surface of cells was 1.5 times higher than that in the bulk solution. The kink of surface potential temperature dependence for human erythrocytes for 0.15 and 0.3 M concentrations of 1:1 electrolyte within 8...12°C temperature range was of special interest. This temperature dependence feature of the surface potential calculated for the charged surface with a particular surface charge density from the purely physical considerations without taking into account the structure and composition of the surface could be one of the causes of rearrangements in membrane at these temperatures. Misbalance of electrostatic interactions on the surface of membrane outer monolayer appeared as a result of an increased concentration of counterions on the surface of cells and correspondingly the reduced surface potential might trigger the rearrangements and changes in relationships between membrane protein and lipid components.Probl Cryobiol Cryomed 2017; 27(1): 19–28Â

Ertel potential vorticity versus Bernoulli streamfunction on Mars

Scatter plots of Ertel potential vorticity, Q, versus Bernoulli streamfunction, B, on potential temperature surfaces, θ, are investigated for Mars using the global Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) reanalysis, which spans Mars Year (MY) 24.39 to 27.24. In midlatitudes, Mars exhibits monotonic, function‐like Q(B) correlations on θ surfaces similar to those observed for Earth. We quantify this with linear regressions of Q versus B over the vertical range θ=400 to 900 K (∼30 to 60 km). In autumn, winter and spring, in both hemispheres, the non‐dimensionalized correlation generally lies between zero and unity and gradually decreases with height, whereas in northern summer, it swings negative. These characteristics match Earth's lower mesosphere (θ= 2000 to 3000 K; z≈ 48 to 62 km) during the same seasons. The exception is southern summer, when the correlation on Mars nearly vanishes. In time series, the transition into and out of northern summer is sinuous and centred just after solar longitude Ls = 90°, whereas in southern summer it is abrupt and spans ΔLs≈120°, which is one third of a Mars year. A striking feature seen on Mars but not on Earth is a large range of Q over the narrow domain of B poleward of each winter polar jet, particularly in the north, which is consistent with the known annular structure of the Martian polar vortex. Froude number calculations suggest the existence of a planetary‐scale hydraulic jump associated with the winter polar jet.

Isentropic transport and the seasonal cycle amplitude of CO2

AbstractCarbon‐concentration feedbacks and carbon‐climate feedbacks constitute one of the largest sources of uncertainty in future climate. Since the beginning of the modern atmospheric CO2 record, seasonal variations in CO2 have been recognized as a signal of the metabolism of land ecosystems, and quantitative attribution of changes in the seasonal cycle amplitude (SCA) of CO2 to ecosystem processes is critical for understanding and projecting carbon‐climate feedbacks far into the 21st Century. Here the impact of surface carbon fluxes on the SCA of CO2 throughout the Northern Hemisphere troposphere is investigated, paying particular attention to isentropic transport across latitudes. The analysis includes both a chemical transport model GOES‐Chem and an idealized tracer in a gray‐radiation aquaplanet. The results of the study can be summarized by two main conclusions: (1) the SCA of CO2 roughly follows surfaces of constant potential temperature, which can explain the observed increase in SCA with latitude along pressure surfaces and (2) increasing seasonal fluxes in lower latitudes have a larger impact on the SCA of CO2 throughout most of the troposphere compared to increasing seasonal fluxes in higher latitudes. These results provide strong evidence that recently observed changes in the SCA of CO2 at high northern latitudes (poleward of 60°N) are likely driven by changes in midlatitude surface fluxes, rather than changes in Arctic fluxes.

Ferroelectric, stacked gate FETs: A prospective for planar CMOS with reduced leakage current and Sub-kT/q subthreshold swing

The planar silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) structure has been at the center of attention of researchers who are attempting to extend its scalability. This study presents an analysis of ferroelectric MOS field effect transis-tors (Fe-MOSFETs) based on the surface potential, threshold voltage, subthreshold swing, leakage current, ON current and electron temperature. In addition, the electro-static integrity (EI) factor and the threshold-voltage-to-swing ratio for Fe-MOSFETs were estimated and compared with those of conventional, high-k and double-gate (DG) MOSFETs. The analysis shows that the Fe-MOSFET is able to enhance the scalability and fulfil the expectation of researchers studying planar complementary MOS (CMOS) devices.

Toward a PV-Based Algorithm for the Dynamical Core of Hydrostatic Global Models

Abstract The diabatic contour-advective semi-Lagrangian (DCASL) algorithms previously constructed for the shallow-water and multilayer Boussinesq primitive equations are extended to multilayer non-Boussinesq equations on the sphere using a hybrid terrain-following–isentropic (σ–θ) vertical coordinate. It is shown that the DCASL algorithms face challenges beyond more conventional algorithms in that various types of damping, filtering, and regularization are required for computational stability, and the nonlinearity of the hydrostatic equation in the σ–θ coordinate causes convergence problems with setting up a semi-implicit time-stepping scheme to reduce computational cost. The prognostic variables are an approximation to the Rossby–Ertel potential vorticity Q, a scaled pressure thickness, the horizontal divergence, and the surface potential temperature. Results from the DCASL algorithm in two formulations of the σ–θ coordinate, differing only in the rate at which the vertical coordinate tends to θ with increasing height, are assessed using the baroclinic instability test case introduced by Jablonowski and Williamson in 2006. The assessment is based on comparisons with available reference solutions as well as results from two other algorithms derived from the DCASL algorithm: one with a semi-Lagrangian solution for Q and another with an Eulerian grid-based solution procedure with relative vorticity replacing Q as the prognostic variable. It is shown that at intermediate resolutions, results comparable to the reference solutions can be obtained.

A Lagrangian description on the troposphere-to-stratosphere transport changes associated with the stratospheric water drop around the year 2000

Abstract. The sudden decrease in stratospheric water vapor at around the year 2000 to 2001 is relatively well accepted in spite of the difficulty to quantify the long-term variations. This stepwise change is studied by examining the entry value of water to the stratosphere ([H2O]e) and some Lagrangian diagnostics of dehydration taking place in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The analysis is made using the backward kinematic trajectories initialized every ∼ 10 days from January 1997 to December 2002 at 400 K potential temperature surface in the tropics. The [H2O]e is estimated by the ensemble mean value of the water saturation mixing ratio (SMR) at the Lagrangian cold point (LCP) where SMR becomes minimum (SMRmin) in the TTL before reaching the 400 K surface. The drop in [H2O]e is identified to have occurred in September 2000. The horizontal projection of September trajectories, tightly trapped by anticyclonic circulation around the Tibetan high, shows eastward expansion since the year 2000. Associated changes are measured by three-dimensional bins, each having the dimension of 10° longitude by 10° latitude within the TTL. The probability distribution of LCPs shows an appreciable change exhibiting a composite pattern of two components: (i) the dipole structure consisting of the decrease over the Bay of Bengal and Malay Peninsula and the increase over the northern subtropical western Pacific and (ii) the patterns of the decrease over the equatorial western Pacific and the increase over the central Pacific that are almost symmetric with respect to the Equator. The SMRmin shows a general decrease in the tropics with some enhancement in the central Pacific. The expectation values, defined by the multiple of the probability of LCP events and the ensemble mean values of SMRmin, are calculated on each bin for both periods prior and posterior to the drop. These values are the spatial projection of [H2O]e on an individual bin. The results indicate that the drop is brought about by the decrease in water transport borne by the air parcels that have experienced the LCP over the Bay of Bengal and the western tropical Pacific. The former is related to the eastward expansion of the anticyclonic circulation around the weakened Tibetan high, while the latter would be linked to the eastward expansion of western tropical warm water to the central Pacific. This oceanic surface forcing may be responsible also for the modulation of dehydration efficiency in the successive northern winter. The drop in September 2000 and the sustained low values thereafter of [H2O]e are thus interpreted as being driven by the changes in thermal forcing from the continental and oceanic bottom boundaries.

The northward march of summer low cloudiness along the California coast

AbstractA new satellite‐derived low cloud retrieval reveals rich spatial texture and coherent space‐time propagation in summertime California coastal low cloudiness (CLC). Throughout the region, CLC is greatest during May–September but has considerable monthly variability within this summer season. On average, June is cloudiest along the coast of southern California and northern Baja, Mexico, while July is cloudiest along northern California's coast. Over the course of the summer, the core of peak CLC migrates northward along coastal California, reaching its northernmost extent in late July/early August, then recedes while weakening. The timing and movement of the CLC climatological structure is related to the summer evolution of lower tropospheric stability and both its component parts, sea surface temperature and potential temperature at 700 hPa. The roughly coincident seasonal timing of peak CLC with peak summertime temperatures translates into the strongest heat‐modulating capacity of CLC along California's north coast.

Astronomical and Hydrological Perspective of Mountain Impacts on the Asian Summer Monsoon.

The Asian summer monsoon has great socioeconomic impacts. Understanding how the huge Tibetan and Iranian Plateaus affect the Asian summer monsoon is of great scientific value and has far-reaching significance for sustainable global development. One hypothesis considers the plateaus to be a shield for monsoon development in India by blocking cold-dry northerly intrusion into the tropics. Based on astronomical radiation analysis and numerical modeling, here we show that in winter the plateaus cannot block such a northerly intrusion; while in summer the daily solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface, and the surface potential temperature to the north of the Tibetan Plateau, are higher than their counterparts to its south, and such plateau shielding is not needed. By virtue of hydrological analysis, we show that the high energy near the surface required for continental monsoon development is maintained mainly by high water vapor content. Results based on potential vorticity–potential temperature diagnosis further demonstrate that it is the pumping of water vapor from sea to land due to the thermal effects of the plateaus that breeds the Asian continental monsoon.

Existence of Large Turbulent Eddies in the Early-Morning Boundary Layer Acting as an Effective Mountain to Force Mountain Waves

Numerical modelling suggests that the turbulent boundary layer can act as an effective mountain forcing mountain waves. In the daytime, convective rolls can cover the mountains, raising the mountain-wave launching height. In non-convective conditions, the nature of the effective mountain is unknown. Here, we investigate if the early-morning boundary layer, moving rapidly across mountains, also contains large eddies of size comparable with convective cells. Temperature profiles from thousands of high-resolution radiosondes show superadiabatic gradients of vertical scale a few hundred metres in the boundary layer, appearing as the boundary-layer wind speed increases. These are explained by the overturning of potential temperature surfaces in large eddies advected with the wind and/or longitudinal rolls. An early-morning satellite image shows longitudinal rolls over mountains up to 1 km height. It is suggested that early-morning fast-moving airflow over mountains, producing mountain waves, also creates a turbulent boundary layer underneath them containing large eddies of scale a few hundred metres, in addition to classic turbulence. These are part of the effective mountain, higher than the actual mountain, which explains the formation of mountain waves.

Relative Dispersion in the Atmosphere from Reanalysis Winds

The dispersion of pairs of synthetic particles, advected with ECMWF winds, is examined. The particles were deployed at three latitudes and on three potential temperature surfaces in both hemispheres. Separation statistics are calculated and evaluated in relation to 2D turbulence theory and to Eulerian structure functions calculated directly from the wind data. At the smallest sampled scales (100–1000 km), the pair-separation velocities are correlated, and the dispersion is laterally isotropic, at least at the higher latitudes. At larger scales, the dispersion is zonally anisotropic, and the pair velocities are uncorrelated. In all cases, the dispersion grows exponentially in time, and the second-order Eulerian structure functions consistently increase as separation squared. This implies nonlocal dispersion, which obtains with energy spectra at least as steep as K−3. Regional variations are seen in the parameters however. The e-folding times and the maximum scales for exponential growth are significantly larger on the 430-K surface than on the 315-K surface, and the dispersion is anisotropic at low latitudes, even at the smallest scales. Therefore, 2D homogeneous turbulence theory is applicable at best at subdeformation scales at the higher latitudes.

The global structure of upper troposphere‐lower stratosphere ozone in GEOS‐5: A multiyear assimilation of EOS Aura data

AbstractEight years of ozone measurements retrieved from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument and the Microwave Limb Sounder, both on the EOS Aura satellite, have been assimilated into the Goddard Earth Observing System Version 5 (GEOS‐5) data assimilation system. This study evaluates this assimilated product, highlighting its potential for science. The impact of observations on the GEOS‐5 system is explored by examining the spatial distribution of the observation‐minus‐forecast statistics. Independent data are used for product validation. The correlation of the lower stratospheric (the tropopause to 50 hPa) ozone column with ozonesondes is 0.99 and the (high) bias is 0.5%, indicating the success of the assimilation in reproducing the ozone variability in that layer. The upper tropospheric (500 hPa to the tropopause) assimilated ozone column is about 10% lower than the ozonesonde column, but the correlation is still high (0.87). The assimilation is shown to realistically capture the sharp cross‐tropopause gradient in ozone mixing ratio. Occurrence of transport‐driven low ozone laminae in the assimilation system is similar to that obtained from the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) above the 400 K potential temperature surface, but the assimilation produces fewer laminae than seen by HIRDLS below that surface. Although the assimilation produces about 25% fewer occurrences per day during the 3 years of HIRDLS data, the interannual variability is captured correctly. This data‐driven assimilated product is complementary to ozone fields generated from chemistry and transport models. Applications include study of the radiative forcing by ozone and tracer transport near the tropopause.

Thermodynamic and Radiative Structure of Stratocumulus-Topped Boundary Layers*

Abstract Stratocumulus-topped boundary layers (STBLs) observed in three different regions are described in the context of their thermodynamic and radiative properties. The primary dataset consists of 131 soundings from the southeastern Pacific (SEP), 90 soundings from the island of Graciosa (GRW) in the North Atlantic, and 83 soundings from the U.S. Southern Great Plains (SGP). A new technique that makes an attempt to preserve the depths of the sublayers within an STBL is proposed for averaging the profiles of thermodynamic and radiative variables. A one-dimensional radiative transfer model known as the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model was used to compute the radiative fluxes within the STBL. The SEP STBLs were characterized by a stronger and deeper inversion, together with thicker clouds, lower free-tropospheric moisture, and higher radiative flux divergence across the cloud layer, as compared to the GRW STBLs. Compared to the STBLs over the marine locations, the STBLs over SGP had higher wind shear and a negligible (−0.41 g kg−1) jump in mixing ratio across the inversion. Despite the differences in many of the STBL thermodynamic parameters, the differences in liquid water path at the three locations were statistically insignificant. The soundings were further classified as well mixed or decoupled based on the difference between the surface and cloud-base virtual potential temperature. The decoupled STBLs were deeper than the well-mixed STBLs at all three locations. Statistically insignificant differences in surface latent heat flux (LHF) between well-mixed and decoupled STBLs suggest that parameters other than LHF are responsible for producing decoupling.

Equatorially Antisymmetric Features in the Initiation Processes of the Madden-Julian Oscillation Observed in Late October during CINDY2011

In this study, we investigated the equatorially antisymmetric features in the initiation processes of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) event in late October during the cooperative Indian Ocean experiment on intraseasonal variability in the year 2011. This MJO event developed when the thermal equator was drastically shifted from the Northern Hemisphere to the equator from September to October as the Mascarene High over the southern Indian Ocean decayed and shifted southward. The large-scale fields of sea level pressure, temperature, and moisture around the MJO exhibited equatorially antisymmetric features. According to their different features in terms of surface convergence, temperature, and moisture, MJO convection over the Indian Ocean after its onset consisted of four distinct convective components: the southern intertropical convergence zone between 10°S and 0° along the meridional sea surface temperature (SST) gradients (s-ITCZ), the northern-ITCZ at the southern edge of the high SST above 29°C over the Bay of Bengal, the vortex disturbance over the Arabian Sea (VDAS) in association with the zonal SST gradients, and the westward-propagating diurnal convection originating from Sumatra. In particular, the double-ITCZ and VDAS were characterized by a steady, low-level convergence zone along the surface potential temperature gradients forced by the SST. Before the onset of the MJO convection, the double-ITCZ was characterized by cross-equatorial vertical circulation that was baroclinically tilted northward, and s-ITCZ convection was inhibited owing to the strong Mascarene High. After the onset, single, larger-scale upward motion was barotropically formed over the equator because of the equatorward shift of the double-ITCZ. Such changes in the equatorially antisymmetric meridional circulation are relevant for the organization of the MJO convection.

Estimating the nitrate concentration from the dissolved oxygen concentration and seawater temperature in the Kuroshio extension, Oyashio, and mixed water regions

For the purpose of estimating nitrate concentration using the dissolved oxygen concentration and seawater temperature recorded in an instrument such as a profiling float with an oxygen sensor, we examined the relationship between oxygen and nitrate concentrations in the Kuroshio Extension, Oyashio, and mixed water regions (34–43oN, 140–150oE) using vertical profile data, which includes temperature, salinity, oxygen, and nitrate, from the World Ocean Database 2005. Examining the NO3/O2 ratio along isotherms, we found a clear linear regression between the oxygen and nitrate concentrations in each potential temperature range, irrespective of water mass and seasonal variation. The slopes represented by the NO3/O2 ratio in each temperature range varied from −0.07 to −0.12. The benefit of analyzing data on constant potential temperature surfaces arises because of the strong dependence of the oxygen saturation of surface waters on temperature. This sets the end point of subducted waters and helps distinguish waters that may have similar preformed nitrate values. Our results suggest that subsequent reminearlization in the subducted water retained the Redfield ratio between N and O2. The estimate of nitrate concentration, by using the oxygen–nitrate relationship discovered in the present study, showed good accuracy with in general a mean error of less than 2.0 μmol/kg. The present method has been demonstrated to be a useful tool for estimating the nitrate concentration from temperature and oxygen.

A test of how coupling of vegetation to the atmosphere and climate spatial variation affects water yield modelling in mountainous catchments

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a major component of the water balance in water-limited ecosystems in south-east Australia. ET is spatially variable, especially in steeper catchments, due to variations in land cover and topography. In hydrological models, ET is most often simulated as supply-limited, i.e. depending on the soil moisture availability. In reality, transpiration is also strongly controlled by atmospheric demand, particularly during demand-limited periods. In this study we used a simple conceptual rainfall-runoff model (HBV) to test the hypothesis that atmospheric constraints to transpiration, especially during conditions when soil moisture is not limiting, determine the variations in catchment water yield in the Australian Alps. This is tested by including demand limitations of transpiration in the macroscopic ET function. A second hypothesis was that model performance can be improved by using spatial climate surfaces, derived using physiographic co-variables, rather than point (gauge) measurements. Both hypotheses were tested on a medium-sized catchment (148 km2) in south-east Australia, under a forest cover composed of mostly native eucalypts. Spatial surfaces of the model inputs (air temperature, rainfall, vapour pressure deficit and potential ET) were generated, taking into account the topographic influence of the forcing meteorological variables. Spatial variability in meteorological variables and potential ET was greatest during winter. Inclusion of atmospheric-induced limitations to transpiration into the ET sub model improved streamflow simulation, especially during demand-limited periods. This was expected given that canopies of eucalypt forests are well-coupled to the atmosphere – changes in atmospheric demand have a large influence on transpiration. In addition, high resolution (30 m) surfaces of potential ET, temperature, and vapour pressure deficit, developed by including the influence of topography on forcing variables, improved model performance compared to point-based inputs.

A numerical study on the effect of an extratropical cyclone on the evolution of a midlatitude front

The extratropical transition (ET) of tropical cyclone (TC) Haima (2004) was simulated to understand the impact of TC on midlatitude frontal systems. Two experiments were conducted using the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. In the control run (CTL), a vortex was extracted from the 24-hour pre-run output and then inserted into the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) global final (FNL) analysis as an initial condition, while TC circulation was removed from the initial conditions in the sensitivity run (NOTC). Comparisons of the experiments demonstrate that the midlatitude front has a wider meridional extent in the NOTC run than that in the CTL run. Furthermore, the CTL run produces convection suppression to the southern side of the front due to strong cold advection related to the TC circulation. The easterly flow north of the TC not only decelerates the eastward displacement of the front and contracts its zonal scale but also transports more moisture westward and lifts the air along equivalent potential temperature surfaces ahead of the front. As a result, the ascending motion and diabatic heating are enhanced in the northeastern edge of the front, and the anticyclonic outflow in the upper-level is intensified. The increased pressure gradient and divergent flow aloft strengthen the upper-level jet and distort the trough axis in a northwest-southeast orientation. The thermal contrast between the two systems and the dynamic contribution related to the TC circulation can facilitate scalar and rotational frontogenesis to modulate the frontal structure.

Isentropic constraints by midlatitude surface warming on the Arctic midtroposphere

AbstractIn simulations of 21st century climate, it is argued that changes in midlatitude near‐surface moisture and temperature could explain the autumn midtropospheric Arctic warming. The argument is based on a comparison between the Arctic midtropospheric warming and theoretical estimates in which synoptic scale transient eddies propagate near‐surface warming anomalies along either dry potential temperature surfaces or equivalent (moist) potential temperature surfaces. In most models, it is observed that the Arctic midtropospheric warming can be obtained from the propagation of midlatitude near‐surface warming anomalies according to a dynamic that is intermediate between the dry and moist theories. While many models follow more closely the moist theory, few follow more closely the dry theory. This finding suggests that, as for the tropical atmosphere, theories of high‐latitude midtropospheric warming based on changes in poleward heat fluxes should include a moist component.

Patterns of CO2 Variability from Global Satellite Data

Abstract The authors present an analysis of the global midtropospheric CO2 retrieved for all-sky (clear and cloudy) conditions from measurements by the Atmospheric Infrared Radiation Sounder on board the Aqua satellite in 2003–09. The global data coverage allows the identification of the set of CO2 spatial patterns and their time variability by applying principal component analysis and empirical mode decomposition. The first, dominant pattern represents 93% of the variability and exhibits the linear trend of 2 ± 0.2 ppm yr−1, as well as annual and interannual dependencies. The single-site record of CO2 at Mauna Loa compares well with variability of this pattern. The first principal component is phase shifted relative to the Southern Oscillation, indicating a causative relationship between the atmospheric CO2 and ENSO. The higher-order patterns show regional details of CO2 distribution and display the semiannual oscillation. The CO2 distributions are compared with the distribution of two major characteristics of air transport: the vertical velocity and potential temperature surfaces at the same height. In agreement with modeling, CO2 concentration closely traces the potential temperature surfaces (isentropes) in middle and high latitudes. However, its vertical transport in the tropics, where these surfaces are mostly horizontal, is suppressed. The results are in agreement with the previous results on annual and interannual CO2 time variability obtained by using the network flask data. This knowledge of the global CO2 spatial patterns can be useful in climate analyses and potentially in the challenging task of connecting CO2 sources and sinks with its distribution in the atmosphere.

Global Contraction of Antarctic Bottom Water between the 1980s and 2000s*

Abstract A statistically significant reduction in Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) volume is quantified between the 1980s and 2000s within the Southern Ocean and along the bottom-most, southern branches of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC). AABW has warmed globally during that time, contributing roughly 10% of the recent total ocean heat uptake. This warming implies a global-scale contraction of AABW. Rates of change in AABW-related circulation are estimated in most of the world’s deep-ocean basins by finding average rates of volume loss or gain below cold, deep potential temperature (θ) surfaces using all available repeated hydrographic sections. The Southern Ocean is losing water below θ = 0°C at a rate of −8.2 (±2.6) × 106 m3 s−1. This bottom water contraction causes a descent of potential isotherms throughout much of the water column until a near-surface recovery, apparently through a southward surge of Circumpolar Deep Water from the north. To the north, smaller losses of bottom waters are seen along three of the four main northward outflow routes of AABW. Volume and heat budgets below deep, cold θ surfaces within the Brazil and Pacific basins are not in steady state. The observed changes in volume and heat of the coldest waters within these basins could be accounted for by small decreases to the volume transport or small increases to θ of their inflows, or fractional increases in deep mixing. The budget calculations and global contraction pattern are consistent with a global-scale slowdown of the bottom, southern limb of the MOC.

Moist Recirculation and Water Vapor Transport on Dry Isentropes*

Abstract An analysis of the overturning circulation in dry isentropic coordinates using reanalysis data is presented. The meridional mass fluxes on surfaces of constant dry potential temperature but distinct equivalent potential temperature are separated into southward and northward contributions. The separation identifies thermodynamically distinct mass fluxes moving in opposite directions. The eddy meridional water vapor transport is shown to be associated with large poleward and equatorward mass fluxes occurring at the same value of dry potential temperature but different equivalent potential temperature. These mass fluxes, referred to here as the moist recirculation, are associated with an export of water vapor from the subtropics connecting the Hadley cell to the midlatitude storm tracks. The poleward branch of the moist recirculation occurs at mean equivalent potential temperatures comparable to upper tropospheric dry potential temperature values, indicating that typical poleward-moving air parcels can ascend to the tropopause. The analysis suggests that these air parcels ascend on the equatorward side of storm tracks by following moist isentropes reminiscent of upright deep convection, while on the poleward side their moist isentropes are indicative of large-scale slantwise convection. In the equatorward branch, the analysis describes typical air parcels that follow their dry isentropes until they get injected into the boundary layer where they are subsequently moistened. The moist recirculation along with the mean equivalent potential temperature of its poleward and equatorward components are used to recover an approximate overturning circulation on moist isentropes from which it is shown that the moist recirculation accounts for the difference between the meridional circulation averaged on dry and on moist isentropes.