Short-term atmospheric variations
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Short-Term Atmospheric Variations: Key Processes and Observations
Atmospheric Mass and Pressure Variations
Short-term atmospheric mass variations, occurring on weekly or even shorter timescales, are primarily driven by mass transport and redistribution in the atmosphere, oceans, and land water storage. These variations can significantly affect satellite-based gravity measurements, requiring careful removal (de-aliasing) using geophysical models. Studies using datasets like ERA-Interim and ERA5 show that while there are regional differences, the overall short-term atmospheric mass variations are consistent between datasets and can cause small but measurable changes in geoid height and vertical deformation, especially in regions like Asia and Antarctica .
Short-Term Circulation and Climate Patterns
Short-term atmospheric circulation patterns, such as those observed in the meridional (north-south) flow, can cluster into preferred regimes that change in frequency over time. These short-term regimes are linked to both natural and human-induced changes, such as stratospheric ozone depletion, and can drive longer-term atmospheric trends. There is also evidence of strong coupling between atmospheric circulation in different hemispheres during winter, suggesting that short-term variations can have global impacts .
Variability in Atmospheric Oxidizing Power
The concentration of hydroxyl radicals (OH), which are crucial for removing trace gases and greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, shows recurring short-term variations of about 10% over periods of a few months. Major events like volcanic eruptions and large-scale fires can cause even larger, temporary decreases in OH concentrations, highlighting the sensitivity of the atmosphere’s cleansing capacity to short-term disturbances .
Vertical Coupling Across Atmospheric Layers
Short-term variability is not limited to a single atmospheric layer. There is a strong interrelation between short-term changes in the ionosphere, upper mesosphere, and winter polar stratosphere. These variations, which are most pronounced in winter, are likely linked to instabilities in high-velocity stratospheric jet streams. The coupling between these layers suggests that short-term disturbances can propagate vertically, affecting atmospheric dynamics from the surface to the upper atmosphere .
Infrasound as a Probe for Short-Term Variability
Infrasound monitoring has revealed that atmospheric properties can change within tens of seconds to minutes, affecting the propagation of sound waves through both the troposphere and stratosphere. These rapid changes are associated with variations in temperature and wind, and are influenced by dynamic processes such as radiation, gravity waves, and turbulence. Infrasound thus provides a valuable tool for probing short-term atmospheric changes Averbuch2022Averbuch2021.
Surface and Radiative Flux Variations
Short-term variations in surface temperature are mainly controlled by radiative forcing (including the effects of clouds), atmospheric and ground heat exchange, and advection. Clouds, in particular, are the dominant factor modulating hourly temperature changes, especially during the day. At night, larger-scale processes become more important. Radiative flux studies show that most of the monthly variability in reflected shortwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere is due to atmospheric changes, mainly clouds, with surface changes playing a smaller role Rojas2021Loeb2019.
Electrical Parameter Fluctuations
Short-term variations in atmospheric electrical parameters, such as space charge and potential gradient, are observed at the ground level and are influenced by atmospheric stability and turbulence. These variations follow the magnitude of the parameters themselves and are consistent with established physical laws like Ohm’s law .
Conclusion
Short-term atmospheric variations are driven by a complex interplay of mass redistribution, circulation patterns, radiative processes, and vertical coupling across atmospheric layers. These variations can occur on timescales from seconds to months and have measurable impacts on climate, atmospheric chemistry, and even satellite observations. Understanding these rapid changes is essential for accurate climate modeling, weather prediction, and interpreting atmospheric measurements.
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A Simple Tropical Atmosphere Model of Relevance to Short-Term Climate Variations
This tropical atmosphere model effectively models short-term climate fluctuations in response to thermal forcing from the ocean surface, providing valuable insights for understanding Pacific basin low-level circulations.
Investigation of short-term atmospheric mass variations and their effects on geoid height using meteorological data
Short-term atmospheric mass variations significantly affect geoid height and vertical deformation, with the maximum differences in parameters in Asia and Antarctic.
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