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journal article Jan 15, 2018

Ten Year Analysis of Tropopause‐Overshooting Convection Using GridRad Data

John W. Cooney ORCID Kenneth P. Bowman ORCID Cameron R. Homeyer ORCID Tyler M. Fenske ORCID
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Vol. 123 No. 1 pp. 329-343 · American Geophysical Union (AGU)
View at Publisher Save 10.1002/2017jd027718
Abstract
AbstractConvection that penetrates the tropopause (overshooting convection) rapidly transports air from the lower troposphere to the lower stratosphere, potentially mixing air between the two layers. This exchange of air can have a substantial impact on the composition, radiation, and chemistry of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). In order to improve our understanding of the role convection plays in the transport of trace gases across the tropopause, this study presents a 10 year analysis of overshooting convection for the eastern two thirds of the contiguous United States for March through August of 2004 to 2013 based on radar observations. Echo top altitudes are estimated at hourly intervals using high‐resolution, three‐dimensional, gridded, radar reflectivity fields created by merging observations from available radars in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) network. Overshooting convection is identified by comparing echo top altitudes with tropopause altitudes derived from the ERA‐Interim reanalysis. It is found that overshooting convection is most common in the central United States, with a weak secondary maximum along the southeast coast. The maximum number of overshooting events occur consistently between 2200 and 0200 UTC. Most overshooting events occur in May, June, and July when convection is deepest and the tropopause altitude is relatively low. Approximately 45% of the analyzed overshooting events (those with echo tops at least 1 km above the tropopause) have echo tops extending above the 380 K level into the stratospheric overworld.
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Cited By
53
The Observed Impact of the Lower Stratospheric Thermodynamic Environment on Overshooting Top Characteristics During the RELAMPAGO‐CACTI Field Campaign

Melinda T. Berman, Robert J. Trapp · 2024

Journal of Geophysical Research: At...
Metrics
53
Citations
37
References
Details
Published
Jan 15, 2018
Vol/Issue
123(1)
Pages
329-343
License
View
Authors
J
John W. Cooney

Department of Atmospheric Sciences Texas A&M University College Station TX USA

K
Kenneth P. Bowman

Department of Atmospheric Sciences Texas A&M University College Station TX USA

C
Cameron R. Homeyer

School of Meteorology University of Oklahoma Norman OK USA

T
Tyler M. Fenske

Department of Atmospheric Sciences Texas A&M University College Station TX USA

Funding
National Science Foundation Award: AGS-1522906
Cite This Article
John W. Cooney, Kenneth P. Bowman, Cameron R. Homeyer, et al. (2018). Ten Year Analysis of Tropopause‐Overshooting Convection Using GridRad Data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 123(1), 329-343. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017jd027718
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