Recent Stratospheric History

About the NCEP Data

NASA/GSFC code 916 generates and maintains a set of stratospheric climate diagnostics, using data from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) of the National Environmental Prediction Center (NCEP). These diagnostics are used to track the behavior of the stratosphere in both hemispheres. This page shows data from the past week.

Description of the plots

Modified Potential vorticity

"Modified Potential Vorticity" is a dynamical quantity which is conserved under isentropic conditions.

Northern Hemisphere
- 350 K potential temperature surface
- 460 K potential temperature surface
- 850 K potential temperature surface
Southern Hemisphere
- 350 K potential temperature surface
- 460 K potential temperature surface
- 850 K potential temperature surface

Temperature

Northern Hemisphere
- 350 K potential temperature surface
- 460 K potential temperature surface
- 850 K potential temperature surface
Southern Hemisphere
- 350 K potential temperature surface
- 460 K potential temperature surface
- 850 K potential temperature surface

References

Lait, L. R., An alternative form for potential vorticity, J. Atmos. Sci., 51, 1754--1759, 1994.

Please note that these plots were generated in landscape mode by IDL (Interactive Data Language) from Research Systems, Inc. of Boulder, CO. They may appear upside-down on your PostScript viewer; some PostScript viewers can be configured to flip the plots. This note is for purposes of explanation only and does not constitute either an endorsement or criticism of IDL.

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Last Updated: 3 January 1996
Web Curator: Leslie R. Lait (Hughes STX) (lrlait@ertel.gsfc.nasa.gov)
Responsible NASA organization/official: Dr. P. K. Bhartia, Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch/Head