THE TRANSPORT AND REDISTRIBUTION OF ATMOSPHERIC GASES IN REGIONS OF FRONTAL RAIN

Gases emitted in the planetary boundary layer can be transported very efficiently to the free troposphere through vertical motion along a frontal surface. A mesoscale numerical model was used to simulate the vertical transport of a tracer by clouds during frontogenesis in a moist atmosphere (an evolving Eady wave) in order to illustrate such vertical transport conditions. It is shown that the efficient vertical transport of a tracer occurs only when clouds are present, either when a surface or an in-situ source is considered. Insoluble, partially soluble, and soluble tracers are studied in order to determine the relative importance of vertical transport and scavenging on their redistribution.