Complexity signatures for short time scales in the atmosphere above Adventdalen, Svalbard. Issue 2 (30th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hall, C. M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 119:Issue 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 652
• Page End: 662
• Publication Date: 2014-01-30
• Subjects: Atmospheric physics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1002/2013JD020988
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-897X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Atmospheric parameters from the troposphere above Adventdalen, Svalbard, 78°N, 16°E, are examined for signatures of complexity in their respective stochastic components over time scales from ~1 h to 1 year. Several approaches are used, all of which can estimate values of the generalized Hurst exponent, <italic>α</italic>, which can in turn be compared with each other and with similar independent characterizations, usually via the classic Hurst exponent, <italic>H</italic>, obtained from location‐specific and globally averaged time series. For tropopause altitude, the stochastic component exhibits the signature of a persistent fractional Gaussian noise (fGn) with <italic>α</italic> ≈ 0.75. For surface air temperature, the indications are for fractional Brownian motion (fBm) with <italic>α</italic> ≈ 1.4. Using recent high time‐resolution data from a single high‐latitude location, this identification of fBm is relevant for short‐term memory as opposed to findings from many other studies addressing possible long‐term memory, which demonstrate fGn with <italic>α</italic> = <italic>H</italic> ≈ 0.7. Furthermore, the lack of similarity between the results for surface air temperature and tropopause altitude suggests that different underlying processes are responsible for stochastic variability.</p> </abstract>