STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOL MEASUREMENTS - 1. TIME VARIATIONS AT NORTHERN MIDLATITUDES.

Abstract

The results of over 70 balloon soundings, by the University of Wyoming's Atmospheric Physics Group mostly during 1972 and 1973 from a number of stations, are being utilized in a study of the temporal and spatial distribution of the global stratospheric aerosol. This paper deals with the instrumentation, calibration, etc. , and with the results of monthly soundings from the Laramie (41 degree N) station during the approximately two-year period of measurement. A simple seasonal variation in the total stratospheric aerosol loading below about 20 km altitude dominates the temporal variation at Laramie, resulting in a maximum in winter and a minimum in summer. A high correlation with tropopause height is observed. The seasonal variation appears to be superimposed on a long-term variation, the nature of which is unknown.