learning Question about Tropopause!

[Muhaned]

Hi,

As a part of my Ph.D. (Aircraft Performance), I want to calculate the height of the tropopause in any temperature deviations from ISA!   How this can be calculated? any formula used for this? Thank you very much 

[knocker]

On 22/11/2018 at 12:39, Muhaned said:

Hi,

As a part of my Ph.D. (Aircraft Performance), I want to calculate the height of the tropopause in any temperature deviations from ISA!   How this can be calculated? any formula used for this? Thank you very much 

I assume you are talking about the thermal tropopause and not the dynamical one. As you no doubt already know it is the transition layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere where an abrupt change of temperature lapse rate occurs. This is defined  by the WMO.

But this is not a fixed bounday. Severe thunderstorms in the ITCZ and over midlatitudes in summer continuously push the tropopause upwards and as such deepen the troposphere. This is just one example of what basically is the bounday between the convective troposphere and stable stratosphere.

 So as far as Im aware (which of course does not rule one out) there is no general equation to work out the height and you require an actual (or forecast) temperature profile for the specific area of interest.

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by knocker

[knocker]

The point Im attempting to make above can be simply illustrated by taking the last two soundings for Camborne at 12 and 00.The tropopause on the former is at 190mb and the latter 161mb. Different airmass as the next frontal system approaches.

Once you know the temperature profile you can work out the height for these levels using thermodynamic equations or, as in the old days, thermodynamic diagrams. Hope this helps

[johnholmes]

On 22/11/2018 at 12:39, Muhaned said:

Hi,

As a part of my Ph.D. (Aircraft Performance), I want to calculate the height of the tropopause in any temperature deviations from ISA!   How this can be calculated? any formula used for this? Thank you very much 

If you are familiar with the T=phi this will give you the height of the tropopause on any day for any place close by the 'radio-sonde' station that measures the temperature, humidity, wind direction and speeds, usually to something in excess of 80,000 ft, well into the Srtatosphere. If you are unsure please ask again.

examples for Europe and rest of world below

http://weather.uwyo.edu/upperair/sounding.html