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Ann. Geophys., 23, 2441-2448, 2005
www.ann-geophys.net/23/2441/2005/
© European Geosciences Union 2005
A study of tropical tropopause using MST radar
K. Satheesan1,* and B. V. Krishna Murthy2
1Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, India
2B1,Ceebros,47/20,IIIrd Main Road, Gandhinagar, Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
*now at: Meteorology and Oceanography Group, Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, 380015, India
Abstract. Using the MST radar data of vertical wind, the characteristics of the
tropical tropopause, following four different definitions, depending on
1) temperature lapse rate, 2) cold point, 3) convective outflow and
4) potential temperature lapse rate minimum, are studied. From the
vertical wind data of the radar, the altitude profiles of temperature
and horizontal divergence are derived, from which the tropopause levels
corresponding to i) the lapse rate ii) cold point iii) convective
outflow level and iv) potential temperature lapse rate minimum are
determined. The convective outflow level and hence the convective
tropopause altitude is determined, for the first time using the MST radar data.
The tropopause altitudes and temperatures obtained
following the four definitions are compared on a day-to-day basis
for the summer and winter seasons. Winter and summer differences in the
tropopause altitude and temperature are also studied.
Keywords. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (convective
process; middle atmosphere dynamics; tropical meteorology)
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