Recent divergences in stratospheric water vapor measurements by frost point
hygrometers and the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder

Hurst, Dale F.; Read, William G.; Vömel, Holger; Selkirk, Henry B.; Rosenlof, Karen H.; Davis, Sean M.; Hall, Emrys G.; Jordan, Allen F.; Oltmans, Samuel J.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4447-2016

Articles | Volume 9, issue 9

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4447-2016

© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Special issue:

Water vapour in the upper troposphere and middle atmosphere:...

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-4447-2016

© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 9, issue 9

Research article

|

08 Sep 2016

Research article |

| 08 Sep 2016

Recent divergences in stratospheric water vapor measurements by frost point hygrometers and the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder

Dale F. Hurst, William G. Read, Holger Vömel, Henry B. Selkirk, Karen H. Rosenlof, Sean M. Davis, Emrys G. Hall, Allen F. Jordan, and Samuel J. Oltmans

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Final revised paper (published on 08 Sep 2016)
Preprint (discussion started on 06 Jun 2016)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

EC1: 'Reasons for discrepancy', Stefan Buehler, 06 Jun 2016
- AC1: 'Authors' reply to Editor comment', Dale Hurst, 08 Aug 2016
RC1: 'Recent divergences ... Reviewer comment', Hugh C. Pumphrey, 24 Jun 2016
- AC2: 'Authors' reply to Reviewer 1 comments', Dale Hurst, 08 Aug 2016
RC2: 'anonymous review', Anonymous Referee #2, 01 Jul 2016
- AC3: 'Authors' reply to Reviewer 2 comments', Dale Hurst, 08 Aug 2016

Short summary

This study compares stratospheric water vapor measurements by the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and balloon-borne frost point hygrometers (FPs) at five sites that launch two different types of FPs. The results demonstrate that FP and MLS measurements have been diverging at statistically significant rates of 0.6 to 1.5 % per year since approximately 2010. Similarities in the divergences at different sites suggest a positive drift in MLS retrievals since approximately 2010.