1. Water vapour as an indicator of dynamical processes in the extratropical UTLS inferred from balloon observations
Sergey Khaykin (1), A. Lukyanov(1), V.Yushkov (1), R. Kivi (2),
Karpechko (2), M. Maturilli (3)
(1) Central Aerological Observatory of Roshydromet, Russian Federation
(2) Arctic Research Centre of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland
(3) Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany
The Extra-tropical UTLS: observations, concepts and future directions
NCAR, Boulder, CO October 19-22, 2009

2. FLASH-B Fluorescent Advanced Stratospheric Hygrometer for Balloon
Central Aerological Observatory of Roshydromet
Measurements and Methods
FLASH-B Fluorescent Advanced Stratospheric Hygrometer for Balloon
FLASH-B is a compact fast response stratospheric hygrometer using
Lyman-alpha fluorescence technique for H2O measurements.
Range of water vapour measurements
Detection limit
Response time
Integration time
Vertical resolution
Measurement precision
Total uncertainty
Height range
Weight
ppmv
0.1 ppmv
0.2 sec
4 sec
~ 50 m (descent in UTLS)
5.5%
<10 % (1σ)
350… 5 mBar
0.5 kg w/out batteries
TRACAO trajectory photochemical model [Lukyanov et al., 2003]
ECMWF T511L ° x 0.5° data

3. Central Aerological Observatory of Roshydromet
Measurements and Methods
FLASH-B measurement locations
Ny-Alesund, Norway
Sodankyla, Finland
Lindenberg, Germany
Payerne, Switzerland
2008
Esrange, Sweden
2006, 2007

4. RDF reconstruction of PV field
Water vapour at the edge of Polar vortex
625 K
575 K
530 K
530 K
575 K
625 K
RDF reconstruction of PV field

5. Variability of water vapour in the UTLS

6. Hygropause and tropopause Θ-level variations and H2O at hygropause
Climatology of the transition layer
Alternative definition of transition layer: the region between thermal tropopause and hygropause.
Hygropause and tropopause Θ-level variations and H2O at hygropause

7. Sodankyla 17.02.2004 7-day RDF 330 K Dynamics of the transition layer
lg(H2O) [ppmv]
O3 [ppmv]
PV [PV unit]
330 K

8. Flux through tropopause x 10-2 [kg/m2/s]
Cross-tropopause flux ( 18 Feb 2004, Sodankyla)
Potential temperature of dynamical tropopause (3.5 pvu), [K]
06 UT
12 UT
18 UT
Cross tropopause transport: Red – TST, Blue - STT
Flux through tropopause x 10-2 [kg/m2/s]

9. Combined H2O/O3/aerosol flight, Sodankyla, 26 January 2009
Water vapour, ozone and aerosol in the LS
Combined H2O/O3/aerosol flight, Sodankyla, 26 January 2009

10. Summary
Various case studies based on high-resolution in-situ observations were presented. They highlight various dynamical processes influencing LS composition.
High-resolution water vapour measurements are of great importance for case studies of UTLS dynamics.
Laminated structure of stratospheric WV profile: indicator of vortex dynamics and troposphere-stratosphere exchange
A case of STE at the anticyclone’s boundary was shown
WV variability at the extratropical hygropause is shown related to vortex dynamics and transport from TTL