Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause

B. P. Luo; T. Peter; Stephan Andreas Fueglistaler; H. Wernli; M. Wirth; C. Kiemle; H. Fletnje; V. A. Yushkov; V. Khattatov; V. Rudakov; A. Thomas; S. Borrmann; G. Toci; P. Mazzinghi; J. Beuermann; C. Schiller; F. Cairo; G. Di Donfrancesco; A. Adriani; C. M. Volk; J. Strom; K. Noone; V. Mitev; R. A. MacKenzie; K. S. Carslaw; T. Trautmann; V. Santacesaria; L. Stefanutti

doi:10.1029/2002GL016737

Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause

B. P. Luo, T. Peter, Stephan Andreas Fueglistaler, H. Wernli, M. Wirth, C. Kiemle, H. Fletnje, V. A. Yushkov, V. Khattatov, V. Rudakov, A. Thomas, S. Borrmann, G. Toci, P. Mazzinghi, J. Beuermann, C. Schiller, F. Cairo, G. Di Donfrancesco, A. Adriani, C. M. VolkJ. Strom, K. Noone, V. Mitev, R. A. MacKenzie, K. S. Carslaw, T. Trautmann, V. Santacesaria, L. Stefanutti

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Abstract

We report on the first simultaneous in situ and remote measurements of subvisible cirrus in the uppermost tropical troposphere. The observed cirrus, called UTTCs (ultrathin tropical tropopause clouds), are the geometrically (200-300 m) and optically (τ ≈ 10^-4) thinnest large-scale clouds ever sampled (≈10⁵ km²). UTTCs consist of only a few ice particles per liter with mean radius ≈5 μm, containing only 1-5 % of the total water. Yet, brief adiabatic cooling events only 1-2 K below mean ambient temperature destabilize UTTCs, leading to large sedimenting particles (r ≈ 25 μm). Due to their extreme altitude above 17 km and low particle number density, UTTCs may efficiently dehydrate air during its last encounter with the ice phase before entering the stratosphere.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	11-1 - 11-4
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	30
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL016737
State	Published - Jun 1 2003

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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10.1029/2002GL016737

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Luo, B. P., Peter, T., Fueglistaler, S. A., Wernli, H., Wirth, M., Kiemle, C., Fletnje, H., Yushkov, V. A., Khattatov, V., Rudakov, V., Thomas, A., Borrmann, S., Toci, G., Mazzinghi, P., Beuermann, J., Schiller, C., Cairo, F., Di Donfrancesco, G., Adriani, A., ... Stefanutti, L. (2003). Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause. Geophysical Research Letters, 30(11), 11-1 - 11-4. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL016737

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title = "Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause",

abstract = "We report on the first simultaneous in situ and remote measurements of subvisible cirrus in the uppermost tropical troposphere. The observed cirrus, called UTTCs (ultrathin tropical tropopause clouds), are the geometrically (200-300 m) and optically (τ ≈ 10-4) thinnest large-scale clouds ever sampled (≈105 km2). UTTCs consist of only a few ice particles per liter with mean radius ≈5 μm, containing only 1-5 % of the total water. Yet, brief adiabatic cooling events only 1-2 K below mean ambient temperature destabilize UTTCs, leading to large sedimenting particles (r ≈ 25 μm). Due to their extreme altitude above 17 km and low particle number density, UTTCs may efficiently dehydrate air during its last encounter with the ice phase before entering the stratosphere.",

author = "Luo, {B. P.} and T. Peter and Fueglistaler, {Stephan Andreas} and H. Wernli and M. Wirth and C. Kiemle and H. Fletnje and Yushkov, {V. A.} and V. Khattatov and V. Rudakov and A. Thomas and S. Borrmann and G. Toci and P. Mazzinghi and J. Beuermann and C. Schiller and F. Cairo and {Di Donfrancesco}, G. and A. Adriani and Volk, {C. M.} and J. Strom and K. Noone and V. Mitev and MacKenzie, {R. A.} and Carslaw, {K. S.} and T. Trautmann and V. Santacesaria and L. Stefanutti",

year = "2003",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.1029/2002GL016737",

language = "English (US)",

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pages = "11--1 -- 11--4",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

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Luo, BP, Peter, T, Fueglistaler, SA, Wernli, H, Wirth, M, Kiemle, C, Fletnje, H, Yushkov, VA, Khattatov, V, Rudakov, V, Thomas, A, Borrmann, S, Toci, G, Mazzinghi, P, Beuermann, J, Schiller, C, Cairo, F, Di Donfrancesco, G, Adriani, A, Volk, CM, Strom, J, Noone, K, Mitev, V, MacKenzie, RA, Carslaw, KS, Trautmann, T, Santacesaria, V & Stefanutti, L 2003, 'Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 30, no. 11, pp. 11-1 - 11-4. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL016737

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause

AU - Luo, B. P.

AU - Peter, T.

AU - Fueglistaler, Stephan Andreas

AU - Wernli, H.

AU - Wirth, M.

AU - Kiemle, C.

AU - Fletnje, H.

AU - Yushkov, V. A.

AU - Khattatov, V.

AU - Rudakov, V.

AU - Thomas, A.

AU - Borrmann, S.

AU - Toci, G.

AU - Mazzinghi, P.

AU - Beuermann, J.

AU - Schiller, C.

AU - Cairo, F.

AU - Di Donfrancesco, G.

AU - Adriani, A.

AU - Volk, C. M.

AU - Strom, J.

AU - Noone, K.

AU - Mitev, V.

AU - MacKenzie, R. A.

AU - Carslaw, K. S.

AU - Trautmann, T.

AU - Santacesaria, V.

AU - Stefanutti, L.

PY - 2003/6/1

Y1 - 2003/6/1

N2 - We report on the first simultaneous in situ and remote measurements of subvisible cirrus in the uppermost tropical troposphere. The observed cirrus, called UTTCs (ultrathin tropical tropopause clouds), are the geometrically (200-300 m) and optically (τ ≈ 10-4) thinnest large-scale clouds ever sampled (≈105 km2). UTTCs consist of only a few ice particles per liter with mean radius ≈5 μm, containing only 1-5 % of the total water. Yet, brief adiabatic cooling events only 1-2 K below mean ambient temperature destabilize UTTCs, leading to large sedimenting particles (r ≈ 25 μm). Due to their extreme altitude above 17 km and low particle number density, UTTCs may efficiently dehydrate air during its last encounter with the ice phase before entering the stratosphere.

AB - We report on the first simultaneous in situ and remote measurements of subvisible cirrus in the uppermost tropical troposphere. The observed cirrus, called UTTCs (ultrathin tropical tropopause clouds), are the geometrically (200-300 m) and optically (τ ≈ 10-4) thinnest large-scale clouds ever sampled (≈105 km2). UTTCs consist of only a few ice particles per liter with mean radius ≈5 μm, containing only 1-5 % of the total water. Yet, brief adiabatic cooling events only 1-2 K below mean ambient temperature destabilize UTTCs, leading to large sedimenting particles (r ≈ 25 μm). Due to their extreme altitude above 17 km and low particle number density, UTTCs may efficiently dehydrate air during its last encounter with the ice phase before entering the stratosphere.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0041911088&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0041911088&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1029/2002GL016737

DO - 10.1029/2002GL016737

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0041911088

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 30

SP - 11-1 - 11-4

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 11

ER -

Dehydration potential of ultrathin clouds at the tropical tropopause

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