Title: Global variations of water vapor isotopes derived from ACE-FTS satellite data


Abstract: High quality satellite observations of water and deuterated water from the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) are used to quantify isotopic ratios over the globe from the middle troposphere to the stratosphere. Spatial and temporal variability in these data demonstrate that convection plays a key role in setting water vapor isotopic composition, although convection appears to have different isotopic effects in different locations. The ACE-FTS data reveal seasonal variations in the tropics, and allow novel mapping of climatological regional structure. These data highlight strong regional isotopic enhancements linked to the North American summer monsoon, which in-turn introduces a NH-SH asymmetry in water isotopic composition in the global lower stratosphere. The reliability of these observations is supported by the broad consistency of ACE-FTS results with previous remote and in-situ measurements.


Speaker's Website: http://acd.ucar.edu/~randel/


Student Host: Diane Ivy


Faculty Host: Alan Plumb