Diurnal Variation of Pressure-Heights: A Vertical Phase Shift

Abstract

A vertical phase shift of the diurnal harmonic of geopotential height S₁(Z) in the lower troposphere of low latitudes is shown by a comparison of diurnal harmonic of surface pressure at two surface stations that have an elevation difference close to 4 km. It is inferred from longitude–height cross sections of S₁(Z) that this vertical phase shift is caused by the differential response of the lower and mid–upper troposphere to the diurnal variation of radiative heating/cooling.