A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

A parameterization of gravity waves emitted by fronts and jets. By A. de la Cámara and F. Lott in Geophysical Research Letters.

Northern Hemisphere stratospheric winds in higher midlatitudes: longitudinal distribution and long-term trends. By M. Kozubek et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Measurements of CH₃O₂NO₂ in the upper troposphere. By B.A. Nault et al. in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques.

Copernicus stratospheric ozone service, 2009–2012: validation, system intercomparison and roles of input data sets. By K. Lefever et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

A new Dobson Umkehr ozone profile retrieval method optimising information content and resolution. By K. Sonte et al. in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques.

Ensemble simulations of the role of the stratosphere in the attribution of northern extratropical tropospheric ozone variability. By P. Hess et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Long-term changes in the relationship between stratospheric circulation and East Asian winter monsoon. By K. Wei et al. in Atmospheric Science Letters.

First quasi-Lagrangian in situ measurements of Antarctic Polar springtime ozone: observed ozone loss rates from the Concordiasi long-duration balloon campaign. By R. Schofield et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

On the Incident Solar Radiation in CMIP5 Models. By L. Zhou et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.

Discussion Papers – open for comment

Global OZone Chemistry And Related Datasets for the Stratosphere (GOZCARDS): methodology and sample results with a focus on HCl, H2O, and O3. By L. Froidevaux et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) from MIPAS in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere 2002–2012. By M. Höpfner et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

Interannual variability in the large-scale dynamics of the South Asian summer monsoon. By J.M. Walker et al. in the Journal of Climate.

A Total Ozone Dependent Ozone Profile Climatology based on Ozone-Sondes and Aura MLS Data. By G.J. Labow et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Contribution of liquid, NAT and ice particles to chlorine activation and ozone depletion in Antarctic winter and spring. By O. Kirner et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Increasing concentrations of dichloromethane, CH₂Cl₂, inferred from CARIBIC air samples collected 1998–2012. By E.C. Leedham Elvidge et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Discussion Papers – open for comment

Aircraft measurements of gravity waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere during the START08 Field Experiment. By F. Zhang et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Polar processing in a split vortex: early winter Arctic ozone loss in 2012/13. G.L. Manney et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Momentum forcing of the QBO by equatorial waves in recent reanalyses. By Y.-H. Kim and H.-Y. Chun in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Unusual stratospheric ozone anomalies observed in 22 years of measurements from Lauder, New Zealand. G.E. Nedoluha et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

Efficiency of short-lived halogens at influencing climate through depletion of stratospheric ozone. By R. Hossaini et al. in Nature Geoscience.

Improvements in statistical forecasts of monthly and bi-monthly surface air temperatures from stratospheric predictor. By A.Y Karpechko in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Global survey of concentric gravity waves in AIRS images and ECMWF analysis. By J. Gong et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Quantifying the effects of mixing and residual circulation on trends of stratospheric mean age of air. By F. Ploeger et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.

Discussion papers – open for comment

Impact of the 2009 major stratospheric sudden warming on the composition of the stratosphere. By M. Tao et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Global distributions of overlapping gravity waves in HIRDLS data. By C.J. Wright et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Data assimilation of satellite retrieved ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide with ECMWF’s Composition-IFS. By A. Inness et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

A perturbed parameter model ensemble to investigate 1991 Mt Pinatubo’s initial sulfur mass emission. By J.-X. Sheng et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

Abstract submission deadline: 27 July 2015, Registration deadline: 24 Aug 2015

Description:

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 or CTC) is a major ozone-depleting substance and greenhouse gas. However, estimated CTC sources and sinks are inconsistent with abundance observations. Recent work suggests that there is a large unknown CTC source of about 39 Gg yr-1 and a 35-year lifetime. This workshop’s purpose is to bring together science, industry, and technology experts to exchange information and to coordinate research activities across disciplines for fully closing the CTC budget.
This workshop will involve solicited and submitted presentations related to all aspects
of the CTC problem.

Topics:

1. Emissions or Sources:

• CTC consumption and production for both historic and current usage
• CTC feedstock usage, and potential fugitive emissions
• Legacy emissions from brown-field sites
• Top-down global and regional emissions estimate for CTC

2. Loss Processes: Photochemical, ocean, and soil losses of CTC

3. Observations: CTC measurements from ground stations, aircraft, balloon, satellite,
and ships to constrain the CTC budget

4. Modeling: Reconciling the emission and loss processes of CTC with observations in a global modeling perspective

The outcome of the workshop will be summarized in the SPARC newsletter. We will strongly encourage all participants to reformulate their presentations into written papers. From these presentation and papers, we plan to organize a peer-reviewed special issue on all aspects of the CTC problem.

Timeline:

27 July 2015: Abstract Deadline.

24 August 2015: Registration Deadline.

5-6 October 2015: Workshop

Organizing Committee:

Stefan Reimann (Empa, Switzerland), Paul Newman (NASA, USA),
Qing Liang (USRA/NASA, USA)

For more information on this SPARC activity, please visit the following link at: http://www.aparc-climate.org/activities/emerging-activities/

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

Stratospheric sulfur and its implications for radiative forcing simulated by the chemistry climate model EMAC. By C. Brühl et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Solar Signals in CMIP-5 Simulations: The Stratospheric Pathway. By D.M. Mitchell et al. in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Mass Footprints of the North Pacific Atmospheric Blocking Highs. By T.-W. Park et al. in the Journal of Climate.

Seasonal changes of CO₂, CH₄, N₂O and SF₆ in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere over the Eurasian continent observed by commercial airliner. By Y. Sawa et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.

Hemispheric asymmetries and seasonality of mean age of air in the lower stratosphere: Deep versus shallow branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation. By P. Konopka et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Direct impacts of waves on tropical cold point tropopause temperature. By J.-E. Kim and M.J. Alexander in Geophysical Research Letters.

Detecting physically unrealistic outliers in ACE-FTS atmospheric measurements. By P.E. Sheese, C.D. Boone, and K.A. Walker in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques.

Abstract submission deadline: 31 May 2015

The 2015 COSPAR Symposium is the second of a new series of events initiated by COSPAR which aims to promote space research at a regional level in emerging countries.

The Symposium is multidisciplinary in nature and addresses topics ranging from astronomy, earth observation, planetology, astrobiology up to citizen science. The Symposium features plenary lectures, parallel and poster sessions, as well as training sessions. It is open to participants worldwide. The general topic for the second Symposium is “Water and Life in the Universe”.

Symposium information and abstract submission: http://cosparbrazil2015.org/

Abstract submission will open on 2 March, and the deadline is 31 May 2015

Please download the Symposium poster and announcement for display at your institute.

Symposium Poster

Symposium Announcement

Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts after the Symposium for publication in COSPAR’s flagship journals Advances in Space Research and Life Sciences in Space Research.

Contact:

A COSPAR Capacity Building Workshop on Planetary Missions Data Analysis will be organized during the two weeks preceding the Symposium for which participants from the Latin American and Caribbean region will be selected by application. See Symposium web page for further information.

We look forward to your participation in the 2015 COSPAR Symposium.

Oral and poster sessions: 13 April 2015, Follow-up discussion on the SSW definitions, and on predictability: 16 April 2015

Conveners:

Thomas Reichler, Dann Mitchell, Om Tripathi

Description:

This session is interested in the dynamical two-way interaction between the stratosphere and the troposphere, the mechanisms for this interaction, and its consequences for explaining both short-term atmospheric weather and longer-term climate variability.
In addition to general contributions on the dynamics for stratosphere-troposphere interaction, this year’s session will have two additional focus areas:

The first focus is the characterization of Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSWs).
The most commonly used SSW definition is based largely on zonal wind diagnostics developed in the 1960s-70s, and often referred to as the ‘WMO definition,’ although there is some ambiguity in its application. Other, more sophisticated diagnostics have also been used to classify SSWs in recent years. What diagnostics are most useful for defining SSWs, and do we need to clarify or update the WMO definition? Given that more tailored diagnostics are useful for studying different aspects of SSWs, what purpose does a standard definition serve?

The second focus is on the SPARC activity SNAP (Stratospheric Network for the Assessment of Predictability). Studies have shown that anomalous conditions in the stratosphere particularly during northern hemispheric winters can influence tropospheric circulation up to 60 days ahead. We invite abstracts that focus on the role of the stratosphere for the predictability of tropospheric forecast in medium-range to sub-seasonal time scale. This includes all aspects of the connections between stratospheric conditions and tropospheric weather: the predictability of weak vortex conditions such as stratospheric major and minor warmings, stratospheric final warmings and stratospheric vortex strengthening events. Advances in operational forecasting that enhance the predictability of SSW events and related skill in tropospheric forecasts are of particular interest.

The oral and poster sessions will be on Monday the 13th of April, throughout the day.
A followup discussion on the SSW definitions, and on predictability, will be on the Thursday (16th of April).

A selection of new science articles from the past week of interest to the SPARC community (a SPARC Office choice).

Advancements in decadal climate predictability: the role of non-oceanic drivers. By A. Bellucci et al. in Reviews of Geophysics.

Inclusion of mountain-wave-induced cooling for the formation of PSCs over the Antarctic Peninsula in a chemistry–climate model. By A. Orr et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

Projection of Indian Summer Monsoon Climate in 2041-2060 by Multi-Regional and Global Climate Models. By X. Niu et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

The Global Structure of UTLS Ozone in GEOS-5: A Multi-Year Assimilation of EOS Aura Data. By K. Wargan et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Investigation of the transport processes controlling the geographic distribution of carbon monoxide at the tropical tropopause. By E.J. Jensen et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Atmospheric initial conditions and the predictability of the Arctic Oscillation. By T.N. Stockdale et al. in Geophysical Research Letters.

Evaluation of CMIP5 upper troposphere and lower stratosphere geopotential height with GPS radio occultation observations. By C.O. Ao et al. in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Dominating Controls for Wetter South Asian Summer Monsoon in the 21st Century. By R. Mei et al. in the Journal of climate.

Discussion Papers – open for comment:

The southern stratospheric gravity-wave hot spot: individual waves and their momentum fluxes measured by COSMIC GPS-RO. By N.P. Hindley et al. in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions.

We would like to inform you of an upcoming open meeting titled "Composition and Transport in the Tropical Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere" to be held in Boulder, CO on 20-23 July, 2015.

The meeting will cover the science topics listed below. Observational and modeling studies are encouraged. Analyses that combine ground-based, airborne, and satellite measurements, as well as the use of these observations for evaluation of large-scale models, are particularly welcome. We hope to have presentations and discussions of the role of the TTL in the climate system and the response of the TTL to future climate change. It would also be helpful if speakers identify open science questions and the future measurement strategies needed to address them.

Limited support will be available for international participants and for students.

Science topics:

1. Chemistry and transport processes controlling tropical tropospheric and stratospheric composition

• Chemical and dynamical processes controlling ozone concentrations from the surface to the stratosphere
• Impact of deep convection on tropical tropospheric and stratospheric composition
• Halogen budgets/partitioning/sources/transport/etc

2. Clouds and water vapor

• Tropical wave interactions
• Processes controlling variability in stratospheric humidity
• TTL cirrus formation processes
• Radiative, dynamical, and chemical impacts of TTL cirrus

3. Measurement and model comparisons

• Use of ground-based and airborne measurements for evaluation of satellite retrievals
• Use of ground-based, airborne, and satellite measurements for evaluation of global models
• Evaluation of convective parameterizations using composition measurements

This meeting is held under the auspices of SPARC and IGAC.

Organising committee:

Eric Jensen, Neil Harris, Joan Alexander, Elliot Atlas, Fumio Hasebe, Nathaniel Livesey, Rolf Müller, Laura Pan, Leonhard Pfister, Ross Salawitch, and Troy Thornberry.

All enquiries to Eric Jensen (), Neil Harris () with a copy to the SPARC Office ().

Find website.

The January issue of the SPARC newsletter is in print and will be sent to subscribers within the next couple of weeks. Find its digital version at

www.sparc-climate.org/publications/newsletter/