Difference between revisions of "POLSTRACC"

(41 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
POLSTRACC investigates the polar stratosphere in a changing climate.
== The Polar Stratosphere in a Changing Climate ==
 
  +
The POLSTRACC campaign was carried out very successfully with the German High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft [http://www.halo.dlr.de (HALO)] between December 2015 and March 2016, investigating the polar stratosphere in a changing climate. Together with the the BMBF/ROMIC project [http://www.pa.op.dlr.de/gwlcycle2 GW-LCYCLE (Gravity Wave Life Cycle Experiment)] and the SALSA project (Seasonality of Air mass transport and origin in the Lowermost Stratosphere using the HALO Aircraft) in total 18 science flights with more than 150 flight hours have been performed from Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and Kiruna, Sweden. Currently, data analysis and scientific interpretation of the observations is ongoing.
   
The polar stratosphere is of essential importance for the evolution of the global ozone layer and the climate system. Catalytic ozone destruction in the Arctic winter vortex leads to a seasonal thinning of Arctic stratospheric ozone. Chemical processed air resulting from the outflow of the polar vortex enters the Upper Troposphere/Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) region at lower latitudes, a region which is important for the climate system. The impact of global climate change on the evolution of the polar stratosphere and the lack of a detailed understanding of several key processes involved in polar stratospheric ozone destruction rather challenge predictions for the evolution of the ozone layer and the UTLS region in the future.
 
   
  +
== Background ==
The HALO (High Altitude and LOng Range Research Aircraft) mission POLSTRACC aims on providing new scientific knowledge on the structure, composition and evolution of the Arctic Upper Stratosphere/Lower Stratosphere region (UTLS) in a changing climate. POLSTRACC will investigate chemical and physical processes involved in Arctic stratospheric ozone loss, the properties of polar stratospheric clouds and the influence of processed air from the polar vortex on the high- and midlatitude UTLS. In contrast to previous aircraft campaigns, a special focus is set on the investigation of the Lowermost Stratosphere (LMS), a region where fast horizontal transport occurs and which is important for the atmospheric radiation budget. Utilizing the combination of field measurements and model simulations, POLSTRACC will help improving the understanding of the polar stratosphere and UTLS region in the atmospheric system in a changing climate.
 
   
   
  +
The polar stratosphere is of essential importance for the evolution of the global ozone layer and the climate in future. Catalytic ozone destruction in the Arctic winter vortex leads to a seasonal thinning of Arctic stratospheric ozone. Chemical processed air resulting from the outflow of the polar vortex and the dissipating polar vortex in Arctic spring enters the ambient Upper Troposphere/Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) region at high latitudes and is transported to lower latitudes. Thereby, composition changes in the UTLS region are important drivers for changes in surface climate. Uncertainties in our knowledge of processes involved in Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion, atmospheric dynamics and cloud processes rather challenge predictions for the evolution of the ozone layer and the UTLS region in the future.
[[File:polstracc-logo_neu.jpg]]
 
   
   
  +
[[File:Polstracc-logo-hq.jpg|mini|x450px|]]
The POLSTRACC mission will employ a payload of remote-sensing and in-situ instruments covering a variety of trace species and physical parameters of the atmosphere, with contributions from institutes of the Helmholtz Association, the National Aeronautics and Space Research Centre (DLR), the Max-Planck Society, universities and partners. The measurements will be complemented by atmospheric model studies on regional to global scale, allowing to test improved parameterisations of processes involved in chemical ozone loss, atmospheric dynamics and radiative properties.
 
   
  +
A test campaign based in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, is planned for December 2015, allowing probing of the early polar vortex. The extended winter campaign in early 2016 will be based in at Kiruna Airport, Sweden (68°N), allowing deep penetration of the polar vortex and sampling the interface regions with the ambient high- and midlatitude UTLS region.
 
  +
The HALO (High Altitude and LOng Range Research Aircraft) mission POLSTRACC aims at providing new scientific knowledge on the structure, composition and evolution of the Arctic UTLS in a changing climate. POLSTRACC will investigate chemical and physical processes involved in Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion, transport and mixing processes in the UTLS at high latitudes, polar stratospheric clouds and cirrus clouds. In contrast to previous aircraft campaigns, a special focus is set on the Lowermost Stratosphere (LMS), a region where fast horizontal transport processes occur and which is important for the atmospheric radiation budget. Utilizing the combination of field measurements and model simulations, POLSTRACC will help improving our understanding of the polar stratosphere in a changing climate. The mission goals are outlined in the [[Media:POLSTRACC_Whitebook_v2.4.2.pdf|'''POLSTRACC "White Book" ''']].
<br/>
 
  +
[[Category:One]]
 
  +
POLSTRACC will be performed in four parts: Early winter flights will be performed from Oberfaffenhofen, Germany, in December 2015 and allow to probe the early polar vortex (Oberpfaffenhofen 1). The main campaign phases will be based in Kiruna, Sweden, at 68°N and will allow extensive flights inside and in the vicinity of the polar vortex. The activities in Kiruna will be split into two phases from the begin of January to the begin of February 2016 (Kiruna 1) and from the end of February to the mid of March 2016 (Kiruna 2). A closing phase based in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, in the mid of March 2016 (Oberpfaffenhofen 2) will furthermore allow to study the remants of the dissipating polar vortex in the Arctic spring.
  +
  +
The POLSTRACC activities are coordinated with the BMBF/ROMIC project [http://www.pa.op.dlr.de/gwlcycle2 '''GW-LCYCLE (Gravity Wave Life Cycle Experiment)'''] and the '''SALSA project (Seasonality of Air mass transport and origin in the Lowermost Stratosphere using the HALO Aircraft)''', which will strongly enhance the scientific outreach and capabilities of the individual projects. POLSTRACC furthermore shares a similar payload with the HALO mission WISE (Wave-driven ISentropic Exchange), which addresses complementary scientific objectives.

Revision as of 11:38, 17 May 2016

POLSTRACC investigates the polar stratosphere in a changing climate. The POLSTRACC campaign was carried out very successfully with the German High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO) between December 2015 and March 2016, investigating the polar stratosphere in a changing climate. Together with the the BMBF/ROMIC project GW-LCYCLE (Gravity Wave Life Cycle Experiment) and the SALSA project (Seasonality of Air mass transport and origin in the Lowermost Stratosphere using the HALO Aircraft) in total 18 science flights with more than 150 flight hours have been performed from Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and Kiruna, Sweden. Currently, data analysis and scientific interpretation of the observations is ongoing.


Background

The polar stratosphere is of essential importance for the evolution of the global ozone layer and the climate in future. Catalytic ozone destruction in the Arctic winter vortex leads to a seasonal thinning of Arctic stratospheric ozone. Chemical processed air resulting from the outflow of the polar vortex and the dissipating polar vortex in Arctic spring enters the ambient Upper Troposphere/Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) region at high latitudes and is transported to lower latitudes. Thereby, composition changes in the UTLS region are important drivers for changes in surface climate. Uncertainties in our knowledge of processes involved in Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion, atmospheric dynamics and cloud processes rather challenge predictions for the evolution of the ozone layer and the UTLS region in the future.


                                Polstracc-logo-hq.jpg


The HALO (High Altitude and LOng Range Research Aircraft) mission POLSTRACC aims at providing new scientific knowledge on the structure, composition and evolution of the Arctic UTLS in a changing climate. POLSTRACC will investigate chemical and physical processes involved in Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion, transport and mixing processes in the UTLS at high latitudes, polar stratospheric clouds and cirrus clouds. In contrast to previous aircraft campaigns, a special focus is set on the Lowermost Stratosphere (LMS), a region where fast horizontal transport processes occur and which is important for the atmospheric radiation budget. Utilizing the combination of field measurements and model simulations, POLSTRACC will help improving our understanding of the polar stratosphere in a changing climate. The mission goals are outlined in the POLSTRACC "White Book" .

POLSTRACC will be performed in four parts: Early winter flights will be performed from Oberfaffenhofen, Germany, in December 2015 and allow to probe the early polar vortex (Oberpfaffenhofen 1). The main campaign phases will be based in Kiruna, Sweden, at 68°N and will allow extensive flights inside and in the vicinity of the polar vortex. The activities in Kiruna will be split into two phases from the begin of January to the begin of February 2016 (Kiruna 1) and from the end of February to the mid of March 2016 (Kiruna 2). A closing phase based in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, in the mid of March 2016 (Oberpfaffenhofen 2) will furthermore allow to study the remants of the dissipating polar vortex in the Arctic spring.

The POLSTRACC activities are coordinated with the BMBF/ROMIC project GW-LCYCLE (Gravity Wave Life Cycle Experiment) and the SALSA project (Seasonality of Air mass transport and origin in the Lowermost Stratosphere using the HALO Aircraft), which will strongly enhance the scientific outreach and capabilities of the individual projects. POLSTRACC furthermore shares a similar payload with the HALO mission WISE (Wave-driven ISentropic Exchange), which addresses complementary scientific objectives.