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Studies on the influx of stratospheric air into the lower troposphere using cosmic-ray produced radionuclides and fallout

Untersuchungen über den Zufluß stratosphärischer Luft in die untere Troposphäre mit Hilfe von durch kosmische Strahlung erzeugten Radionukliden und Fallout

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Summary

The paper outlines a procedure permitting continuous detailed study of the air mass exchange between stratosphere and troposphere. At the Zugspitze peak (2964 m a. s. l.), since 10. 11. 1969, daily aerosol samples from 2000 m3 each have been accumulated on membrane filters, over a period of 24 hours in each case. From these the radionuclides P 32 and Be 7 and some fallout elements predominantly originating from the stratosphere are chemically separated. Their concentration is determined by beta or gamma spectrometry. By comparing the variation of these values with time, against the development of the weather at tropopause level and inside the troposphere, it is possible, with the aid of coarse analysis, to draw conclusions as to the exchange processes between stratosphere and troposphere as well as the trajectories of the radioactive matter. Detailed results are obtained by means of isentropic trajectory analysis. The latter is based upon the radiosonde ascents of the area of the Atlantic Ocean and Europe. Performance of this fine analysis is demonstrated by an example. The results of our investigations are in good agreement with the results of other authors. The continuity of our daily measurements as well as the employment of computers permit the quantitative determination and continuous observation of the air mass exchange between stratosphere and troposphere and the fine structure of the stratospheric-tropospheric exchange mechanism.

Zusammenfassung

Die Arbeit befaßt sich mit langzeitlichen Untersuchungen über den Luftmassenaustausch zwischen Stratosphäre und Troposphäre. Auf der Zugspitze, in 2964 m NN, werden seit November 1969 über jeweils 24 Stunden Membranfilter mit 2000 Kubikmeter Luft exponiert. Die durch kosmische Strahlung in der Stratosphäre erzeugten Radionuklide P 32 und Be 7 sowie die Schwermetalle des Fallout werden chemisch-quantitativ in der Filtermasse bestimmt. Die Konzentration wird mittels Beta-bzw. Gammaspektrometrie gemessen. Die täglichen Schwankungen der Konzentration der erfaßten Radionuklide steht im engen Zusammenhang mit den meteorologischen Bedingungen in der unteren Stratosphäre, im Tropopausenniveau und in der Troposphäre. Eingehende Analysen des Datengutes erlauben die Feststellung der Austauschprozesse zwischen Stratosphäre und Troposphäre und der Transportwege in der Troposphäre. Grundlage bildet die Berechnung isentropischer Trajektorien. Sie stützt sich auf die Radiosonden-aufstiege, welche täglich zweimal im Gebiet Atlantischer Ozean und Europa durchgeführt werden. An einem ausgewählten Beispiel wird die angewandte Methodik im Detail vorgeführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß eine gute Übereinstimmung mit den bisherigen Vorstellungen über den stratosphärisch-troposphärischen Austausch besteht. 24stündliche Messungen über sehr lange Zeit bieten jedoch die Grundlage, um die maßgebenden meteorologischen Prozesse auch in ihren zeitlichen Details noch besser als bisher zu verstehen. Das Ziel der weiteren Arbeiten ist deshalb auf die Feinstruktur des stratosphärisch-troposphärischen Austausches gerichtet.

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Author notes

  1. R. Reiter

    Present address: Physikalisch-Bioklimatische Forschungsstelle der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, BRD

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisch-Bioklimatische Forschungsstelle der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, BRD

    R. Sládkovič, K. Pötzl, W. Carnuth & H. -J. Kanter

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  1. R. Reiter
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  2. R. Sládkovič
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  4. W. Carnuth
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This research has been sponsored by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission under Contract AT (30-1)-4061. Invited by the U.S. A.E.C.,R. Reiter had an opportunity in participating in the U.S. A.E.C. Meteorologist-Chemist Workshop at Fort Lauderdale (Florida, U.S.A.) in January 1971. One of the results of the meeting was: in future there should be a better co-operation between meteorologists and chemists and thus from the beginning of a work in the field of atmospheric transports of trace substances. In this connexion it should be expressed that the following sciences are represented by the authors: physics (Carnuth, Reiter), chemistry (Pötzl), meteorology (Kanter, Sládkovič).

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Reiter, R., Sládkovič, R., Pötzl, K. et al. Studies on the influx of stratospheric air into the lower troposphere using cosmic-ray produced radionuclides and fallout. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biokl. A. 20, 211–246 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02248010

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