Using ECMWF analysed data global maps of the seasonally averaged height, pressure, temperature and potential temperature have been produced. Various definitions of the tropopause have been used from the WMO 2C km-1 to particular PV values and the temperature minimum. Some features are quite robust. The tropical tropopause is generally higher in DJF than JJA, consistent with the stratosphere wave pump idea. However modelling of the response of the tropopause to tropical convective heating suggests that the equally important zonal variations in DJF are due to the regional nature of this heating.
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