Transport of Nitric Oxide Via Lagrangian Coherent Structures Into the Top of the Polar Vortex.

ABSTRACT: The energetic particle precipitation (EPP) indirect effect (IE) refers to the downward transport of reactive odd nitrogen (NO_x = NO + NO₂) produced by EPP (EPP-NO_x) from the polar winter mesosphere and lower thermosphere to the stratosphere where it can destroy ozone. Previous studies of the EPP IE examined NO_x descent averaged over the polar region, but the work presented here considers longitudinal variations. We report that the January 2009 split Arctic vortex in the stratosphere left an imprint on the distribution of NO near the mesopause, and that the magnitude of EPP-NO_x descent in the upper mesosphere depends strongly on the planetary wave (PW) phase. We focus on an 11-day case study in late January immediately following the 200

SUBMITTER: Harvey VL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8243962 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature