UARS MLS Research Articles

Observation of the two‐day wave near the southern summer stratopause

Temperature and H2O measurements from the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite Microwave Limb Sounder (UARS MLS) data sets during southern hemisphere summer of 1991–92 are analyzed using the asynoptic mapping method. Results show a prominent wavenumber 3 two‐day wave confined to latitudes between 60°S and 4°N and to altitudes above 2 hPa. The temperature wave amplitude increases upward to the upper limit of the observations and maximizes at 2.0 K near 0.465 hPa. The H2O wave amplitude reaches a maximum of 0.25 ppmv near 1 hPa. Evidence suggestive of wave breaking and meridional mixing associated with the interaction between this wave and a lower frequency wavenumber 1 is shown.

UARS MLS observations of lower stratospheric ClO in the 1992–93 and 1993–94 Arctic winter vortices

UARS MLS observations of lower stratospheric ClO in the 1992–93 and 1993–94 Arctic winter vortices

The evolution of ozone observed by UARS MLS in the 1992 late winter southern polar vortex

The evolution of ozone (O3) observed by the Microwave Limb Sounder on board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite is described for 14 Aug through 20 Sep 1992, in relation to the polar vortex. The development of an ozone hole is observed in column O3, and a corresponding decrease is seen in O3 mixing ratio in the polar lower stratosphere, consistent with chemical destruction. The observations also suggest that poleward transport associated with episodes of strong planetary wave activity is important in increasing O3 in the mid‐stratosphere.