Further Evidence of Changing Stability of the Atmosphere

Extract

In a recent paper (Hartwig, ms.) I have shown that it is possible to understand and discuss the changing Austausch (i.e., exchange of air parcels between different atmospheric layers) between the stratosphere and troposphere by means of long-term measurement of series of spallation products. It is well known (Friend 1961; Müh et al. 1966; Hartwig et al. 1969) that there is a seasonal pattern in the ⁷Be concentration of ground-level air with a maximum during May–June. This maximum is caused by enhanced exchange processes between the atmospheric compartments of the stratosphere and troposphere during this interval. Generally, those exchange processes are a consequence of stability and dynamics of the atmospheric compartments, which themselves result from, among other factors, the distribution of the heat sources in those compartments, namely the ground and the ozone layer.