Link between Arctic ozone and the stratospheric polar vortex

The stratospheric ozone layer protects life on earth by preventing solar ultraviolet radiation from reaching the surface. Owing to the large population in the Northern Hemisphere and extreme ozone loss in the Arctic, changes in Arctic stratospheric ozone (ASO) and their causes have attracted broad attention recently. Using monthly mean data during the period 1980–2020 from MERRA-2, the relationship between the stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) and ASO, along with the relative contributions of chemical and dynamic processes associated with the SPV to changes in ASO, were examined in this study. Results showed that the ASO in March has a strong out-of-phase link with the strength of the SPV in March, with no obvious lead–lag correlations, i.e., an increase (decrease) in ASO corresponds to a weakened (strengthened) SPV. Further analysis suggested that the strong out-of-phase link between the SPV and ASO is related to changes in Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC). Strong SPV events, accompanied by a low temperature condition and weakened upward propagation of planetary waves over the Arctic in the stratosphere, result in weakened BDC. The weakened downwelling at high latitudes tends to transport less ozone-rich air in the upper stratosphere at lower latitudes into the lower stratosphere at high latitudes, facilitating a decrease in ASO. The BDC's vertical velocity plays the dominant role in modulating ASO.摘要利用1980–2020年MERRA-2资料, 分析了平流层极涡 (Stratospheric polar vortex, SPV) 和北极臭氧 (Arctic stratospheric ozone, ASO) 的关系, 评估了与SPV相关的化学, 动力过程在其中的相对作用. 结果表明, 3月份ASO与同期SPV强度反相关最大. SPV-ASO二者反相关与平流层剩余环流 (Brewer-Dobson circulation, BDC) 变化密切相关. 强SPV伴随的北极平流层低温条件和行星波向上传播减弱, 导致BDC减弱, 减弱的BDC下沉支将低纬度平流层上层臭氧含量较低的空气输送到北极平流层低层, 从而导致ASO减少. BDC垂直速度在其中起主导作用.     

2019-2020冬季北半球超强极涡事件

2019-2020冬季北极平流层极涡异常并且持续的偏强,偏冷.利用NCEP再数据和OMI臭氧数据,本文分析了此次强极涡事件中平流层极涡的动力场演变及其对地面暖冬天气和臭氧低值的影响.此次强极涡的形成是由于上传行星波不活跃.持续的强极涡使得2020年春季的最后增温出现时间偏晚.平流层正NAM指数向下传播到地面,与地面AO...     

High resolution simulation of recent Arctic and Antarctic stratospheric chemical ozone loss compared to observations

Simulations of polar ozone losses were performed using the three-dimensional high-resolution (1^∘ × 1^∘) chemical transport model MIMOSA-CHIM. Three Arctic winters 1999–2000, 2001–2002, 2002–2003 and three Antarctic winters 2001, 2002, and 2003 were considered for the study. The cumulative ozone loss in the Arctic winter 2002–2003 reached around 35% at 475 K inside the vortex, as compared to more than 60% in 1999–2000. During 1999–2000, denitrification induces a maximum of about 23% extra ozone loss at 475 K as compared to 17% in 2002–2003. Unlike these two colder Arctic winters, the 2001–2002 Arctic was warmer and did not experience much ozone loss. Sensitivity tests showed that the chosen resolution of 1^∘ × 1^∘ provides a better evaluation of ozone loss at the edge of the polar vortex in high solar zenith angle conditions. The simulation results for ozone, ClO, HNO₃, N₂O, and NO _y for winters 1999–2000 and 2002–2003 were compared with measurements on board ER-2 and Geophysica aircraft respectively. Sensitivity tests showed that increasing heating rates calculated by the model by 50% and doubling the PSC (Polar Stratospheric Clouds) particle density (from 5 × 10⁻³ to 10⁻² cm⁻³) refines the agreement with in situ ozone, N₂O and NO _y levels. In this configuration, simulated ClO levels are increased and are in better agreement with observations in January but are overestimated by about 20% in March. The use of the Burkholder et al. (1990) Cl₂O₂ absorption cross-sections slightly increases further ClO levels especially in high solar zenith angle conditions. Comparisons of the modelled ozone values with ozonesonde measurement in the Antarctic winter 2003 and with Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement III (POAM III) measurements in the Antarctic winters 2001 and 2002, shows that the simulations underestimate the ozone loss rate at the end of the ozone destruction period. A slightly better agreement is obtained with the use of Burkholder et al. (1990) Cl₂O₂ absorption cross-sections.     

2003—2004年冬季北半球平流层极涡在等熵位涡坐标下的动力分析

利用欧洲中尺度天气预报中心(ECMWF)逐日的60层模式资料构建了半拉格朗日的二维θ-PVLAT坐标,在新坐标中对2003-2004年冬季北半球平流层极涡的活动过程进行诊断分析.通过对位涡距平场在新坐标下的EOF分析得到极涡扰动指数,由该指数出发对风场、温度场进行超前/滞后回归分析.得到极涡活动过程中平、对流层大气的环流输送特征.结果表明:(1)θ-PVLAT坐标有很好的物质性,它能够较好地反映出空气物质的输送特征,尤其在北半球冬季的高纬度地区它能更加真实的表达出大气环流风场、温度场的变化;(2)在极涡活动过程中平流层里存在着一对向极、向下的传播模态,不同符号的纬向风和温度异常的信号沿着这两个模态传播,而对流层中也有一向赤道的传播模态;(3)平流层中向极、向下的传播模态和对流层中向赤道的传播模态在时间上存在着一定的联系,当纬向风异常在高层传播到达极区时,低层开始向赤道传播;(4)整个极涡活动过程可以用一个非绝热加热作用和斜压波动作用共同驱动的经圈质量环流解释,这一环流造成了中低纬度地区的暖空气和极地区域的冷空气在平流层一对流层之间交换,对整层大气的热力、动力结构进行了重新组合.     

一个诊断极区平流层温度变化的近似方程的检验及应用

根据一个诊断极区平流层温度变化的近似方程及其滑动累加计算方案,采用1980—2000年的MERRA-2再分析日资料计算了北半球极区低平流层100 hPa逐月的温度增量项、动力加热项和非绝热加热项,以及各项的线性趋势。结果表明,各月温度增量项与累积的动力和非绝热加热之和在气候平均的年循环意义上接近平衡,而且它们的趋势也近似平衡。进一步通过多元回归,得到了动力和非绝热加热作用对当前月温度趋势的分别贡献,动力作用是北极低平流层冬季温度趋势的主导因素并且在冬季内不一致,而非绝热作用在其他季节是主导因素。     

南北极大气科学考察

南极考察:我院逯昌贵参加了中国第十八次南极考察队度夏考察。我院还派出河北省滦平气象站李国辉、辽宁省沈阳观象台杨宝伟和黑龙江省龙凤山本底站代鑫参加了第十八次南极气象考察,分别在南极长城站和中山站越冬。本次考察在长城和中山两站更换了风观测塔及遥测自动站仪器,更新了     

南北极地区地气相互作用过程的研究

该项目研究目标是充分利用我国在南北极地区进行的各种观测实验资料,对南北极地气相互作用过程特征,进行深入的综合分析研究,并为气候模式提供重要的边界层物理参数.该项目主要研究成果有:     

Observed and simulated precursors of stratospheric polar vortex anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex is linked to surface weather. After Stratospheric Sudden Warmings in winter, the tropospheric circulation is often nudged towards the negative phase of the Northern Annular Mode (NAM) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). A strong stratospheric vortex is often associated with subsequent positive NAM/NAO conditions. For stratosphere?Ctroposphere associations to be useful for forecasting purposes it is crucial that changes to the stratospheric vortex can be understood and predicted. Recent studies have proposed that there exist tropospheric precursors to anomalous vortex events in the stratosphere and that these precursors may be understood by considering the relationship between stationary wave patterns and regional variability. Another important factor is the extent to which the inherent variability of the stratosphere in an atmospheric model influences its ability to simulate stratosphere?Ctroposphere links. Here we examine the lower stratosphere variability in 300-year pre-industrial control integrations from 13 coupled climate models. We show that robust precursors to stratospheric polar vortex anomalies are evident across the multi-model ensemble. The most significant tropospheric component of these precursors consists of a height anomaly dipole across northern Eurasia and large anomalies in upward stationary wave fluxes in the lower stratosphere over the continent. The strength of the stratospheric variability in the models was found to depend on the variability of the upward stationary wave fluxes and the amplitude of the stationary waves.     

Observation of polar stratospheric clouds over Obninsk in December 2012

In late December 2012 a blocking anticyclone followed by the event of minor stratospheric warming, set in the troposphere over West Siberia and, after that, over the European part of Russia. As a result of the deformation of a polar stratospheric vortex, the temperature in the lower stratosphere over Obninsk dropped below the threshold of the formation of polar stratospheric clouds. The lidar measurements of temperature, ozone values, and aerosol characteristics in the middle atmosphere were carried out at the lidar station during this atmospheric event. In three cases, polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) referred to NAT I_a type according to the sounding results, were registered at the height of about 20 km. No considerable decrease in the ozone concentration in the area of PSC formation was revealed in these measurements.     

北极涛动和南极涛动的年变化特征

北极涛动(Arctic Oscillation,简称AO)和南极涛动(Antarctic Oscillation,简称AAO)分别用于描述北半球和南半球热带外气候变率的主要模态,它们分别是北半球和南半球中纬度和高纬度之间气压变化的跷跷板结构.作者利用1958年1月～1999年12月的NCEP/NCAR全球再分析月平均资料、北极涛动指数IAO和南极涛动指数IAAO来研究AO和AAO的年变化特征以及AO和AAO与纬向平均的月平均各要素场的相关系数随纬度和月份的变化规律.     

Decay of the Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex and the occurrence of cut-off low systems: An exploratory study

Summary The authors perform an exploratory analysis on the effect of the timing of the stratospheric vortex breakup in the occurrence of cut-off low systems (COLs) in the Northern Hemisphere. The first multidecadal Northern Hemisphere COLs database (Nieto et al, 2005) covering a 41 year-long period (1958–1998) was used in the analysis. The dates of stratospheric vortex breakup were obtained using two different approaches recently purposed in literature based in potential vorticity and zonal winds. An analysis of differences of COLs occurrences for the five earlier (later) breakup years showed that, at latitudes lower than 45° N, COLs are more frequent for earlier vortex years during the following spring and summer. The monthly analysis showed that, in general, the significant differences start in May lasting until September, being especially relevant for the European sector, the area with the highest rates of COLs occurrence in the Northern Hemisphere.     

Observational constraints on the tropospheric and near-surface winter signature of the Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex

A composite analysis of Northern Hemisphere’s mid-winter tropospheric anomalies under the conditions of strong and weak stratospheric polar vortex was performed on NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data from 1948 to 2013 considering, as additional grouping criteria, the coincidental states of major seasonally relevant climate phenomena, such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Quasi Biennial Oscillation and strong volcanic eruptions. The analysis reveals that samples of strong polar vortex nearly exclusively occur during cold ENSO states, while a weak polar vortex is observed for both cold and warm ENSO. The strongest tropospheric and near-surface anomalies are found for warm ENSO and weak polar vortex conditions, suggesting that internal tropospheric circulation anomalies related to warm ENSO constructively superpose on dynamical effects from the stratosphere. Additionally, substantial differences are found between the continental winter warming patterns under strong polar vortex conditions in volcanically-disturbed and volcanically-undisturbed winters. However, the small-size samples obtained from the multi-compositing prevent conclusive statements about typical patterns, dominating effects and mechanisms of stratosphere-troposphere interaction on the seasonal time scale based on observational/reanalysis data alone. Hence, our analysis demonstrates that patterns derived from observational/reanalysis time series need to be taken with caution as they not always provide sufficiently robust constraints to the inferred mechanisms implicated with stratospheric polar vortex variability and its tropospheric and near-surface signature. Notwithstanding this argument, we propose a limited set of mechanisms that together may explain a relevant part of observed climate variability. These may serve to define future numerical model experiments minimizing the sample biases and, thus, improving process understanding.     

Low latitude dynamical response to vortex split sudden stratospheric warming: An Eliassen Palm Flux perspective

The present work extensively describes the tropical dynamical changes during the Vortex split Major Stratospheric Warming (V-MSW) event occurred in recent decades. For better visualization of high latitude influence of tropical atmosphere, in this study, we have utilized three successive major vortex split warming events occurred in winters 1984/85, 1988/89 and 2008/09. The realistic visualization of planetary wave activity and its tropical response can be achieved by using Eliassen –Palm flux as a diagnostic tool. The investigation reveals that the tropical weather shows significant changes in temperature, convection and wind circulation during the course of vortex split major stratospheric warming.     

Arctic polar vortex variability in the Canadian middle atmosphere model

Abstract

Arctic polar vortex variability in the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM) is documented. Two integrations of the CMAM are compared to assess the effects of parametrized non‐orographic gravity waves on the frequency and timing of stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs), as well as on the potential for polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation. The first integration does not include parametrized non‐orographic gravity waves while the second integration does. The first integration captures the basic features of the observed northern hemisphere (NH) winter circulation although the polar night jet (PNJ) is significantly too weak and poleward shifted. Together with the weaker than observed PNJ are SSWs that occur too often and too early, resulting in an unrealistically low early to mid‐winter potential for PSC formation. Whereas, by design, the inclusion of parametrized non‐orographic gravity waves in the second integration significantly improves the southern hemisphere (SH) circulation, the strength of the NH PNJ is further reduced relative to the first integration, and the SSW frequency and PSC formation potential further degraded. Finally, the synoptic evolution and wavebreaking signature of the simulated and observed SSW events are compared through the application of a composite high resolution contour advection algorithm.     

The summer radiation and heat budget of the Arctic and Antarctic

Summary For two pairs of arctic and antarctic stations, one coastal and one mountainous, an intercomparison between the summer radiation and surface energy budgets was carried out. The station pairs were similar in both latitude and altitude. It was found that the global radiation was larger for both antarctic stations. This is the result of a smaller Earth-Sun distance and cleaner atmosphere in Antarctica. Cloudiness, and for the arctic mountainous station substantial screening of the sun, also contributed. Further, large differences were found in the albedo. In the Arctic, the summer surfaces considered were bare tundra and melting snow, with respective albedos of 20 and 59%, while in Antarctica the surfaces considered were melting and dry snow, with albedos of 67 and 83% respectively.This results in a less positive radiation balance at both antarctic stations, despite the higher incoming global radiation. In turn, less sensible heat transfer from the surface to air results in lower temperatures in the Antarctic. The reduced rate of evaporation in Antarctica results in a drier atmosphere and less cloudy conditions.

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Zusammenfassung Für jeweils zwei arktische und antarktische Stationen, von denen jeweils eine an der Küste, eine in den Bergen liegt, wurden Vergleiche in bezug auf sommerliche Strahlungs- und Oberflächenenergiebilanz angestellt. Die Stationen liegen auf vergleichbarer Höhe und Breite. Es hat sich gezeigt, daß die Gesamt-Einstrahlung in den antarktischen Stationen größer war, aufgrund geringerer Erde-Sonnen-Distanz und der reineren Atmosphäre. Bewölkung und vor allem die für die arktischen Gebirgsstationen ausschlaggebende Sonnenabschirmung tragen auch zu dieser Differenz bei. Weiters wurden starke Albedounterschiede beobachtet. In der Arktis waren die Beobachtungsoberflächen im Sommer offene Tundra und schmelzender Schnee mit einer Albedo von 20 bzw. 59%, während die Antarktisoberflächen, nasser und trockener Schnee, eine Albedo von 67 bzw. 83% aufwiesen.Dies ergibt eine weniger positive Strahlungsbilanz für die beiden antarktischen Stationen trotz höherer Gesamteinstrahlung. Infolgedessen bewirkt die geringere Wärmeabgabe des Bodens an die Luft niedere Temperaturen in der Antarktis. Geringere Verdunstung ergibt somit geringere Bewölkung und eine trockenere Atmosphäre über der Antarktis.

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The Arctic and Antarctic Oscillations in the IPCC AR4 Coupled Models

This study evaluates the fidelity of Arctic and Antarctic oscillations (AO and AAO for short,respectively) in the coupled general circulation models participating in the Fourth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR4).The AO and AAO during 1970-1999 in 24 models are analyzed and compared with that in ERA-40 and NCEP-1.Models'performance is seasonally dependent,with best reproducibility of both spatial structure and trend in winter.In most models,the spatial pattern and temporal trend of AAO during this period are more delicately simulated than AO.After picking out models with better performance according to the Taylor diagram,we find that their ensemble mean can obviously improve models'reproducibility.The AO and AAO in the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A1B Projection during the 21st century are also briefly analyzed.The results reveal that both the AO and AAO indices keep increasing during 1970-2099,with a steadier pace of AO than AAO.The spatial difference of sea level pressure between 2060 2089 and 1970-1999 shows decreased values in polar regions,and increased values in midlatitudes.The results manifest that the ozone recovery during the mid 21st century may not weaken such a trend.     

Total column densities of tropospheric and stratospheric trace gases in the undisturbed Arctic summer atmosphere

Ground-based FTIR measurements have been performed in the Arctic summer in July 1993 and June 1994 at 79° N to study the zenith column densities of several trace gases in the undisturbed Arctic summer atmosphere. Zenith column densities of H₂O, N₂O, HNO₃, NO₂, NO, ClONO₂, ClO, HCl, HF, COF₂, OCS, SF₆, HCN, CH₄, C₂H₆, C₂H₂, CO, O₃, CFC-12, CFC-22, and CO₂ were retrieved by line-by-line calculations. The results are compared with winter and springtime observations measured at the same site, with column densities obtained in the Antarctic summer atmosphere, and with measurements at midlatitudes. For HCl the spectra give lower total zenith columns than expected, but the ratio HF/HCl agrees well with midlatitude literature data. Measurements of ClONO₂ give low total columns in agreement with observations at midlatitudes. In the undisturbed atmosphere HCl was found to be in excess of ClONO₂. The total columns of HNO₃, N₂O and the sum of NO and NO₂ agree with summer observations in Antarctica. Results for the tropospheric trace gas C₂H₆ are higher by 250% when compared with Antarctic observations. Contrary to N₂O and CH₄ the seasonal cycle of C₂H₆ and C₂H₂ give much higher total columns in winter/spring compared to the summer observations. This is assigned to transport of polluted airmasses from mid-latitudes into the Arctic.     

Meteorological conditions and polar stratospheric clouds over Yakutsk in winter 2004/05

Regular observations of polar stratospheric clouds were started at a lidar stratospheric station in the city of Yakutsk. According to lidar measurements in the winter of 2004/05, thick aerosol layers in the lower stratosphere appeared over this region quite frequently. They were episodically observed as pearl clouds. In November 2004, polar stratospheric clouds were observed at the stratospheric temperatures that were much higher than those at which particles of the polar stratospheric clouds could condense. Analysis of air-mass trajectories that simultaneously passed over Yakutsk at different altitudes on the days of polar stratospheric cloud observations showed that clouds could be formed over the Norwegian Sea at altitudes of about 18–21 km, where the stratosphere was the coldest, and then were transported to Yakutsk by wind during 4–5 days.