A multi-location joint field observation of the stratosphere and troposphere over the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

The unique geographical location and high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau can greatly influence regional weather and climate. In particular, the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) anticyclone circulation system over the Tibetan Plateau is recognized to be a significant transport pathway for water vapor and pollutants to enter the stratosphere. To improve understanding of these physical processes, a multi-location joint atmospheric experiment was performed over the Tibetan Plateau from late July to August in 2018, funded by the five-year (2018–2022) STEAM (stratosphere and troposphere exchange experiment during ASM) project, during which multiple platforms/instruments—including long-duration stratospheric balloons, dropsondes, unmanned aerial vehicles, special sounding systems, and ground-based and satellite-borne instruments—will be deployed. These complementary methods of data acquisition are expected to provide comprehensive atmospheric parameters (aerosol, ozone, water vapor, CO2, CH4, CO, temperature, pressure, turbulence, radiation, lightning and wind); the richness of this approach is expected to advance our comprehension of key mechanisms associated with thermal, dynamical, radiative, and chemical transports over the Tibetan Plateau during ASM activity.

Keywords

• tibetan plateau
• asian summer monsoon
• stratosphere and troposphere exchange