Registration via Limb Workshop website
The first working meeting of the emerging SPARC activity
"Towards Unified Error Reporting (TUNER)" will take place
at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
on 15 June 2017, right after the 2017 Atmospheric Limb Workshop.
Registration for the TUNER meeting is possible via the Limb Workshop website:
A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).
Impact of typhoons on the composition of the upper troposphere within the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone: the SWOP campaign in Lhasa 2013. By D. Li et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Changing trends and emissions of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and their hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs) replacements. By P.G. Simmonds et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Assessment of the ERA-Interim reanalysis winds using high-altitude stratospheric balloons. By F. Duruisseau et al. in the Journal of Atmospheric Sciences.
On the compensation between cloud feedback and cloud adjustment in climate models. By E.-S. Chung and B.J. Soden in Climate Dynamics.
Dynamics of the Disrupted 2015-16 Quasi-Biennial Oscillation. By L. Coy et al. in the Journal of Climate.
Wave events: climatology, trends, and relationship to Northern Hemisphere winter blocking and weather extremes. By P. Martineau et al. in the Journal of Climate.
A comprehensive overview of the climatological composition of the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone based on 10 years of Aura Microwave Limb Sounder measurements. By M.L. Santee et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
Reproducibility of total ozone column monitoring by the Arosa Brewer spectrophotometer triad. By R. Stübi et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
The Influence of Atmospheric Cloud Radiative Effects on the Large-Scale Stratospheric Circulation. By Y. Li et al. in the Journal of Climate.
Spiral Gravity Waves Radiating From Tropical Cyclones. By D.S. Nolan and J.A. Zhang in Geophysical Research Letters.
The Balanced Radiative Effect of Tropical Anvil Clouds. By D.L. Hartmann and S.E. Berry in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
Adaptive covariance relaxation methods for ensemble data assimilation: Experiments in the real atmosphere. By S. Kotsuki et al. in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.
Using the moist static energy budget to understand storm track shifts across a range of timescales. By P. Barpanda and T.A. Shaw in the Journal of Atmospheric Sciences.
Lidar observations of stratospheric gravity waves from 2011 to 2015 at McMurdo (77.84° S, 166.69° E), Antarctica: Part I. Vertical wavelengths, periods, and frequency and vertical wavenumber spectra. By J. Zhao et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
Discussion papers – open for comment
Diagnosing the radiative and chemical contributions to future changes in tropical column ozone with the UM-UKCA chemistry-climate model. By J. Keeble et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Climatology and Interannual Variability of Dynamic Variables in Multiple Reanalyses Evaluated by the SPARC Reanalysis Intercomparison Project (S-RIP). By C.S. Long et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Mountain waves modulate the water vapor distribution in the UTLS. By R. Heller et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
In a comprehensive review, the SPARC Data Initiative team assessed stratospheric trace gas and aerosol climatologies from satellite limb sounders.
Find the SPARC Report No. 8 edited by the SPARC Data Initiative team at
http://www.aparc-climate.org/publications/sparc-reports/sparc-report-no8/.
Abstract submission deadline: 15 May 2017
The Copernicus Climate Change Service is holding the 5th International Conference on Reanalysis (ICR5) over five days, 13 – 17 November 2017 in Rome, Italy.
ICR5 will provide the opportunity to review progress and discuss future plans in key areas, including:
The conference will be organized around five main topics:
Interested contributors are invited to submit an abstract, specifying the topic of the contribution, whether they would prefer an oral or poster presentation, and if they would like to apply to receive travel support.
Find more details on the website.
A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).
Characterization of the long-term radiosonde temperature biases in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere using COSMIC and Metop-A/GRAS data from 2006 to 2014. By S.-P. Ho et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Influence of high-latitude atmospheric circulation changes on summertime Arctic sea ice. By Q. Ding et al. in Nature Climate Change.
On the role of ozone feedback in the ENSO amplitude response under global warming. By P.J. Nowack et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.
Model moist bias in the middle and upper troposphere during DEEPWAVE. By Y. Yang et al. in Atmospheric Science Letters.
Discussion papers – open for comment
Sub 500 nm refractory carbonaceous particles in the polar stratosphere. By K. Schütze et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Coupled Chemistry-Climate Effects from 2050 Projected Aviation Emissions. By A. Gettelman et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
A Raman lidar at Maïdo Observatory (Reunion Island) to measure water vapor in the troposphere and lower stratosphere: calibration and validation. By H. Vérèmes et al. in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions.
Vertical distributions of N2O isotopocules in the equatorial stratosphere. By S. Toyoda et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Call for sessions close: 30 April 2017
The Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS) and
the American Meteorological Society (AMS)
UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia
Monday 5th to Friday 9th February 2018
Call for sessions
The convenors of the joint AMOS annual meeting and ICSHMO biennial meeting are calling for expressions of interest from people wishing to organise high quality sessions. The overall theme of the conference is “Earth System Science and Services”. Sessions may be in line with this theme or cover any topic relevant to Southern Hemispheric oceanography and meteorology, including areas such as:
1) Oceanographic processes and observations
2) Atmospheric processes
3) Climate
4) Weather
5) Land surface processes
6) Cryosphere
7) Climate services and Community engagement
If you are interested in convening a session please email the following information to cf2018@amos.org.au by 30 April 2017:
(a) session title
(b) session description (150 words)
(c) the main theme of the session proposal as per the numerated list above
(d) name and email address of lead session convenor
(e) name and email address of co-convenors
Key dates
Call for sessions open: April 3rd
Call for sessions close: April 30th
Abstract submission and registration open: June 12th
Abstract submission close: August 31st
Abstract acceptance notification: October 2nd
End of early bird registration: October 30th
A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).
Observed versus simulated mountain waves over Scandinavia – improvement of vertical winds, energy and momentum fluxes by enhanced model resolution? By J. Wagener et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Forecasting northern polar stratospheric variability with competing statistical learning models. By I. Minokhin et al. in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.
Quantification of the SF6 Lifetime Based on Mesospheric Loss Measured in the Stratospheric Polar Vortex. By E.A. Ray et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
The Role of Sulfur Dioxide in Stratospheric Aerosol Formation Evaluated Using In-Situ Measurements in the Tropical Lower Stratosphere. By A.W. Rollins et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.
Weakening and shift of the Arctic stratospheric polar vortex: Internal variability or forced response? By W.J.M. Seviour in Geophysical Research Letters.
QBO/Solar Modulation of the Boreal Winter Madden-Julian Oscillation: A Prediction for the Coming Solar Minimum. By L.L. Hood in Geophysical Research Letters.
Wave modulation of the extratropical tropopause inversion layer. By R.P. Kedzierski et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Defining Sudden Stratospheric Warming in Climate Models: Accounting for Biases in Model Climatologies. By J. Kim et al. in the Journal of Climate.
Ice water content–extinction relationships and effective diameter for TTL cirrus derived from in situ measurements during ATTREX 2014. By T. Thornberry et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
Summertime upper tropospheric nitrous oxide over the Mediterranean as a footprint of Asian emissions. By Y. Kangah et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
Role of vertical and horizontal mixing in the tape recorder signal near the tropical tropopause. By A.A. Glandville and T. Birner in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Linkages of subtropical stratospheric intraseasonal intrusions with Indian summer monsoon deficit rainfall. By S. Fadnavis and R. Chattopadhyay in the Journal of Climate.
Discussion papers – open for comment
Impacts of aerosol direct effects on tropospheric ozone through changes in atmospheric dynamics and photolysis rates. By J. Xing et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Comparison of ozone profiles and influences from the tertiary ozone maximum in the night-to-day ratio above Switzerland. By L. Moreira et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Sub-seasonal Variability in the Boundary Layer Sources for Transport into the Tropopause Layer in the Asian Monsoon Region. By B. Chen et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
A major part of SPARC’s activities in 2016 has been the implementation of the ‘whole atmosphere’ approach laid out in the 2015 SPARC strategy. The Annual Report offers a comprehensive insight into the status of current and emerging SPARC activities, contributions to WCRP Grand Challenges and SPARC’s links to other projects and programmes.
Find the SPARC Annual Report 2016 at
A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).
An improved parameterisation of ozone dry deposition to the ocean and its impact in a global climate–chemistry model. By A.K. Luhar et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Relative Roles of the MJO and Stratospheric Variability in North Atlantic and European Winter Climate. By C. Schwartz and C.I. Garfinkel in the Journal of Geophysical research: Atmospheres.
Upper tropospheric cloud systems derived from IR sounders: properties of cirrus anvils in the tropics. By S.E. Protopapadaki et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Sulfate geoengineering: a review of the factors controlling the needed injection of sulfur dioxide. By D. Visioni et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Global distribution of CO2 in the upper troposphere and stratosphere. By M. Diallo et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.
Seasonal Prediction Skill of Northern Extratropical Surface Temperature Driven by the Stratosphere. By L. Jia in the Journal of Climate.
The potential value of early (1939–1967) upper-air data in atmospheric climate reanalysis. By H. Hersbach et al. in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.
Accelerated increase in the Arctic tropospheric warming events surpassing stratospheric warming events during winter. By S.-Y.S. Wang et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.
Discussion papers – open for comment
Potential impact of carbonaceous aerosols on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) during Asian summer monsoon in a global model simulation. By S. Fadnavis et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Winds and temperatures of the Arctic middle atmosphere during January measured by Doppler lidar. By J. Hildebrand et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
On the spatio-temporal representativeness of observations. By N. Schutgens et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.
Today, on World Meteorological Day, the World Meteorological Organisation highlights the enormous importance of clouds for weather, climate and water.
Much of the science SPARC is coordinating contributes to the theme on Clouds, Circulation and Climate Sensitivity, which was identified as a Grand Challenge by the World Climate Research Programme.
Limited understanding of clouds is the major source of uncertainty in climate sensitivity, but it also contributes substantially to persistent biases in modelled circulation systems. This Grand Challenge focusses on how clouds couple to circulations in the present climate; how clouds and circulations respond to global warming or other forcings; and how clouds feed back on global warming through their influence on Earth’s radiation budget.
Find more information on the Grand Challenge, on World Met Day.