Tropospheric and Stratospheric Temperature Annual Cycle:
Tendencies of Change

I. I. Mokhov and A. V. Eliseev

Oboukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pyzhevskii per. 3, Moscow, 109017 Russia

Received October 9, 1995; in final form, September 18, 1996

Abstract—The evolution of the amplitude of annual cycle (AAC) in the surface air temperature and tempera
tures of different tropospheric and lower stratospheric layers is estimated in the presence of global changes in
the earth climate system. The estimates are based on different monthly mean and seasonal mean temperature
data over recent decades (from greater than three decades to 140 years) and are obtained for different latitude
ranges and the entire Northern and Southern hemispheres, including separate estimates over the land and the
ocean. A general decrease in the AAC of surface air temperature over the land, especially in the middle and high
latitudes, is observed simultaneously with global warming from data over greater than 100 recent years. How
ever, opposite tendencies occur over the land and certain oceanic regions. During the past few decades, a general
decrease in lower stratosphere temperatures with a statistically significant increase in amplitudes of annual
cycles in the high latitudes has corresponded to a general increase in the surface air temperature. Along with a
qualitative analysis of the interconnection between the revealed trends and different climatic mechanisms, they
are compared with outputs of climatic models, including general circulation models. In connection with the
revealed evolution of annual temperature cycle, a general tendency toward a decrease in the amplitude of quasi-
biennial temperature oscillations in the troposphere and an opposite tendency in the stratosphere, both with
simultaneous global warming, can be expected.

Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top

If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.