Lidar observations of stratospheric temperature above McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Abstract

Stratospheric temperatures were measured by lidar at McMurdo station, Antarctica (78°S, 167°E) during two late spring months (September-October) in 1991 and 1992, and during the period March-October in 1993 and 1994. The stratosphere was found to be quite active, with one major and several minor warmings occurring in 1993 and 1994, and showing the expected behaviour of a distinct region of high temperatures, formed in the polar mesosphere, descending with time and warming the stratopause region. A relative maximum of the stratopause temperature was observed in July 1994, and differences between two years in terms of the time development of average temperature in the different stratospheric layers and in terms of the average temperature variability over single months are pointed out. Monthly mean temperature profiles determined from lidar observations are compared with a reference atmosphere (CIRA86). Fair agreement, with discrepancies less than ±4 K, in June, July and August in the middle stratosphere and just above the stratopause was found.