Ana Ortiz Research Mentor: Chris Davis Writing Mentor: Dan Marsh

1. Effects of Tropical Deep Convection on Upper Tropospheric Ozone Concentrations Ana Ortiz Research Mentor: Chris Davis Writing Mentor: Dan Marsh Computing Mentor: Courtney Weeks Coach: Christopher Williams Peer mentor: Dereka Carroll

2. Ozone in the atmosphere • Stratospheric ozone • Ozone layer • Blocks ultra violet (UV) radiation • Tropospheric ozone • Surface ozone is harmful to breathe • Harms and kills plants • Upper tropospheric ozone acts as a greenhouse gas Good Bad (Picture fromwww.nc-climate.ncsu.edu)

3. Ozone in the atmosphere • Stratospheric ozone • Ozone layer • Blocks ultra violet (UV) radiation • Tropospheric ozone • Surface ozone is harmful to breathe • Harms and kills plants • Upper tropospheric ozone acts as a greenhouse gas Altitude Stratospheric O3 Tropospheric O3 O3 concentrations (Profile from www.federalregister.gov)

4. Research Objective • Understand how ozone is distributed in the troposphere • Test to see if ozone concentrations decrease due to tropical deep convection. Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

5. Research Objective • Understand how ozone is distributed in the troposphere • Test to see if ozone concentrations decrease due to tropical deep convection. Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

6. Research Objective • Understand how ozone is distributed in the troposphere • Test to see if ozone concentrations decrease due to tropical deep convection. Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

7. Research Objective • Understand how ozone is distributed in the troposphere • Test to see if ozone concentrations decrease due to tropical deep convection. Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

8. Research Objective • Understand how ozone is distributed in the troposphere • Test to see if ozone concentrations decrease due to tropical deep convection. Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

9. Research Objective • Understand how ozone is distributed in the troposphere • Test to see if ozone concentrations decrease due to tropical deep convection. Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

10. Data • Pre-Depression Investigation of Cloud-systems in the Tropics (PREDICT) data set • Intended to study tropical cyclogenesis • NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V (GV) • August 15th 2010 – September 30th 2010 • Ozone (O3), potential temperature (θ), condensed water content, ambient air temperature • New opportunity because of lack of data over tropical ocean (Gulfstream V image courtesy of hippo.ucar.edu)

11. Data • Cloud top temperature from infrared satellite data • Low cloud top temperature indicative of deep convection • Temperature calculated using brightness • Average temperature calculated on GV flight track (IR satellite image from PREDICT courtesy of Dave Ahijevych)

12. Methods • Determine when the plane is in a cloud or in unstable atmosphere • Use images from PREDICT catalog as a verification method for when the plane is in a cloud Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver

13. Methods • Determine when the plane is in a cloud or in unstable atmosphere • Use images from PREDICT catalog as a verification method for when the plane is in a cloud Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver

14. Methods • Calculate deviations from mean vertical profile to identify anomalies in ozone and potential temperature • Calculate percentage of decreases in ozone when in a cloud or in decreasing potential temperature θ

15. Results August 17th, 2010 ) ) O3 mixing ratio Deviations Potential temperature deviations O3 mixing ratio Deviations Cloud top temperatures (Images via the PREDICT catalog) ) )

16. Results August 30th, 2010 ) ) O3 mixing ratio Deviations Potential temperature deviations O3 mixing ratio Deviations Cloud top temperatures (Images via the PREDICT catalog) ) )

17. Results • Convection was associated with a decrease in ozone mixing ratios 76% of the time the plane was in a cloud • Decreases in potential temperature coincided with decreases in ozone mixing ratios 61% of the time

18. Discussion • Tropical deep convection is associated with a decrease in ozone concentrations • Consistent with advection of low ozone in the boundary layer Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

19. Discussion • Tropical deep convection is associated with a decrease in ozone concentrations • Consistent with advection of low ozone in the boundary layer Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

20. Discussion • Tropical deep convection is associated with a decrease in ozone concentrations • Consistent with advection of low ozone in the boundary layer Decrease in ozone (Courtesy of D. A. Scott via Flickriver)

21. Discussion • Unstable atmosphere does not always indicate convection • Some measurements close to land • Chemical processes • Missing data from flights September 13th, 2010 (Image via the PREDICT catalog)

22. Summary and future work • Using PREDICT and satellite data, we found a correlation between tropical deep convection and decreases in ozone concentrations • Consistent with the transport processes in tropical deep convection • Look downstream of event for signs of detrainments effects on ozone • Look at chemical processes (DC3)

23. Acknowledgements Special thanks to the SOARS staff, my fellow protégés, my mentors, Dave Ahijevych, Teresa Campos and the MMM staff. This work was performed under the auspices of the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science Program. Questions?