Global Distribution of Deep Convection Penetrating Tropopause

Abstract:

Abstract

 

Deep convective systems reaching tropopause are identified using 1-year Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Ku band radar reflectivity above the different reference heights that were inferred from ERA Interim reanalysis. Consistent with earlier results from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM, Liu and Zipser 2005), deep convection frequently overshoots tropopause over tropical land, especially over Argentina, Panama, Central Africa and Congo basin. At the mid and high latitudes, the GPM has observed numerous convective storms reaching tropopause over northern hemisphere land, especially those over central North America. The mean overshooting area is generally larger in the storms at mid and high latitudes than those in tropics. The zonal distribution of convection at tropopause shows two main peaks, one at tropics and another at northern mid and high latitudes. They may have significantly impact on the troposphere and stratosphere exchange.