STRATOSPHERIC DRYNESS - ANTIPHASED DESICCATION OVER MICRONESIA AND ANTARCTICA

HALOE observations of water vapor and methane during the period 21 September - 15 October 1992 are used to examine the role of Antarctic drying in the lower stratosphere. Zonal mean cross-sections of [2 CH4 + H2O] show the probability of transport of Antarctic type dryness to latitudes as distant as 20-degrees-N, with major water vapor deficits evident between 10 and 100 mb to 10-degrees-S. Examination of monthly mean tropical 100 mb temperatures and of Antarctic temperatures suggests that the observations are consistent with stratospheric dryness being achieved by the combined effects of tropopause freeze-drying over the Micronesia region during northern winter and drying through the influence of the very low temperatures over Antarctica during southern winter. This paper presents these intriguing new results, and offers a possible explanation.