Radiation balance of the tropical tropopause layer

Abstract

The radiation balance of the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) is examined using several different radiation codes with standard profiles compiled from observations in the tropics assuming clear sky conditions. These codes include detailed radiative transfer models and simplified codes for global climate models. The importance of the various radiatively active gases are examined. Water vapor is the most important contributor to the TTL radiation balance, but carbon dioxide and ozone also play a role. Differences in radiative heating between radiation models are mostly due to treatments of shortwave radiation. Differences between models below the TTL are due to different treatments of water vapor continuum absorption. The level of zero clear sky radiative heating, a level important for understanding the transport of air into the stratosphere, is generally found near 15 km, 125 hPa and 200°K (360 K potential temperature), consistent with previous work. Changes in time and space can modify this level by ±500 m, and individual profiles vary from these averages by ±400 m (1σ). Increases in water vapor in the TTL would tend to increase the altitude of the level at which the net heating is zero, while increases in carbon dioxide or ozone would tend to decrease this level. Clouds in the TTL tend to increase the level due to enhancements in longwave cooling above clouds. The implications for transport are discussed. Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.