SOARS Manuscripts

This paper examines the bryophyte-paludification hypothesis introduced by Klinger (1990) which claims that mature upland forests develop into a stable climax bog community in the absence of large-scale disturbance. The primary mechanism of this process is dictated by the ground cover of bryophytes t…

This research aims to estimate snowfall rates using radar measurements and aircraft data, focusing on the Swiss Alps during the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP) field experiment. The study employed the National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR) Electra aircraft with particle measurement syste…

The Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study (STEPS) was carried out over the region of the Colorado/Kansas border during the summer of 2000. Its goal was to study the precipitation and electrification properties associated with thunderstorms over the high plains. To fulfill this …

The study of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) is critical to understanding total VOC emission fluxes. OVOC emissions play an important role in regional tropospheric chemistry, especially as precursors for the formation of photochemical smog and tropospheric ozone (O3). Past studies have…

Despite efforts to reduce vulnerability to flooding in California, flood damages have increased significantly in recent years. Previous work has shown that precipitation variability in California is strongly influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. This paper compares ENSO with statewide floo…

This study examines the variability of upper tropospheric humidity (UTH) and clouds over space and time using geostationary satellite data, with a focus on the distribution of water vapor and clouds in tropical regions. The research utilized data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Sate…

Particle size is an important property of aerosols, and is relevant to, for example, direct and indirect climate forcing by aerosols. To better measure aerosol size distributions an instrument, which controls the relative humidity of an aerosol flow, has been developed. A mathematical model was used…

The Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study (STEPS) was held between May 22-July 16, 2000 in Goodland, Kansas. One of the goals was to get a better understanding of predominantly positive cloud-to-ground flashes in thunderstorms on the High Plains. This paper discusses the relati…

Extreme daily precipitation events that occurred in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 1979-1995 during the austral summer are examined to document the atmospheric conditions associated with their occurrences. 1n this study, events are studied in which 14% and 30% of the average seasonal total rainfall fell in …

A new GPS dataset has been used for these studies, in order to identify tropical tropopause variability. The quality of this dataset was assessed in previous studies in 1999 (Rivera, 1999) making statistical analyses to the data. This year, making regression studies to the data, we identified the tr…

We examined 177 supergranules to determine whether the temperature variations due to convection could be observed. Images in three wavelengths from the Precision Solar Photometric Telescope (PSPT) were used: Calcium K images, Blue continuum images and Red continuum images. Supergranules were identif…

Aerosols modify climate directly by reflecting incoming solar and absorbing outgoing longwave radiation and indirectly by altering the microphysical properties of clouds, influencing how clouds reflect solar radiation. If aerosols also modify the larger scale physical properties of clouds, this coul…

Methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MACR) are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are produced through the oxidization of isoprene. Isoprene (2-methyl-1, 3, -butadiene) is the dominant VOC released from vegetation. It plays a major role in tropospheric chemistry of forested regions, con…

Results are reported from the World Meteorological Organization's Fifth International Cloud Modeling Workshop, Case 5, Part 1. The purpose of this simulation was to check numerical solvers of the gas-aqueous chemical system and discuss the effect of cloud chemistry on the gas-phase species. Six mode…

A one-dimensional transport chemistry model with application to Mexico City is being developed in the Atmospheric Chemistry Division at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The model for the photochemistry of the troposphere with observation concentration of NO₂, HO₂, HNO₃, CO, CH₄, HO, O¹D…

This paper explores the fundamental characteristics and dynamic processes of the Sun, emphasizing its layers, cycles, and significant activities. The Sun is described as a layered, violent, and ever-changing gaseous ball, with each layer contributing uniquely to its overall functioning. Key layers d…

Isoprene emissions from vegetation significantly contribute to tropospheric chemistry. The oxidation of isoprene in the troposphere can lead to the formation of pollutants such as tropospheric ozone (0₃) , carbon monoxide, and organic peroxides. In order to better predict future isoprene emissions, …

This paper examines how climate variability and change impact American Indian water resources and rights, with a focus on the western United States where water scarcity is prevalent. The prior appropriation system allocates water rights, with indigenous tribes often holding senior, unquantified righ…

There are two main compounds involved in the production of tropospheric ozone (O3). They are NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sources of NOx and VOCs can be either biogenic or anthropogenic. During the 1999 Southern Oxidant Study (SOS) air samples were collected in stainless steel cani…

The paper evaluates the GBVTD simplex tropical center-finding algorithm to identify the circulation center of tropical cyclones using ground-based velocity track display (GBVTD) data from the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D). The study focuses on Hurricane Danny (1997) and demonstra…

Modifications were made to a photochemical model to try to correct its predictions of O₃, OH, HO₂ and ClO concentrations in the stratosphere and mesosphere. Both these regions of the atmosphere were examined to see if the modifications would improve the simulations in both areas. The rate of the rea…

Solar tides are global scale oscillations with periods that are harmonics of the solar day. We explored latent heat release as a tropospheric source of solar tides. Using seven years of satellite cloud imagery data, we deduced monthly latent heating rates between the latitudes Âą40°. We used these r…

The goal of this study is to find biases related to incorrectly parameterized cloud processes in CCM3 and prototype versions of CCM4, the atmospheric component of the NCAR Climate System Model, version 1. The variables of low, mid, and high cloudiness, cloud radiative forcing, and precipitation are …

Mexico City is plagued with both high ozone and aerosol concentrations. Ozone absorbs radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, and aerosols can both absorb and scatter radiation in the UV spectrum. Urban chemistry models have largely neglected pollution effects on radiation. The Tropospheric Ultr…

This study examines how scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) perceive human-induced climate change, using Q methodology to map divergent viewpoints. The research aims to understand differences in opinion among scientists regarding the role of human activity in global cli…