UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS

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2024-11-22 1:51
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2018 Meeting


Section: Atmosphere and Earth Science; Environment Protection


Title:
Saharan dust intrusion and tropopause folding linked by satellite imagery


Authors:
Ana Denisa URLEA(1, 2), Sabina ȘTEFAN(1)


*
Affiliation:
1) University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, P.O.BOX: MG-11, Măgurele, Bucharest, România


2) Romanian Air Traffic Services, 10 Ion Ionescu De la Brad Str., Bucharest, România



E-mail
denisaurlea@gmail.com


Keywords:
saharan dust; tropopause folding; aviation


Abstract:
This study is focused on an interesting coincidental phenomena: a tropopause folding (TF) in the same region with a Saharan dust intrusion, both within the Romanian boundaries. Tropopause folding areas appears as a consequence of the Jet Stream vertical shearing combined with the ageostrophic convergence of stratospheric air. These areas are characterized by medium to strong turbulence, known as “Clear Air Turbulence” and they are best tracked with satellite imagery of Water Vapor channels ,with “Ozone” dedicated channel and constant potential vorticity surface height [1]. A spectacular case of Saharan Dust intrusion over Romanian territory has occurred on 23-rd of March, 2018. Accompanied by an unusual cold blast with heavy snowing conditions, strong winds and low temperatures in southern part of Romania, the result was the “Orange Blizzard”, when the snow layer was colored in orange by the characteristic Saharan dust particles. The TF was investigated with satellite imagery provided by the EUMETSAT channels while for the Saharan dust intrusion was used the Support to Aviation Control Service (SACS) web facilities. In this analysis were used the Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) and Aircraft Pilot Report (AIREP) reports regarding the turbulence that were initiated by the tropopause folding. The Jet Stream behavior is the most interesting feature, because it has an influence on both phenomena: Jet Stream dynamics determines the intensity and dimensions of the tropopause folding and in case of dust intrusions plays an important role on dust plume trajectories. References


References:

[1] Van Haver, P., De Muer, D., Beekmann, M., & Mancier, C. (1996). Climatology of tropopause folds at midlatitudes. Geophysical research letters, 23(9), 1033-1036