Stratospheric Polar Vortex Splitting in December 2009

Abstract

The 2009–10 Arctic stratospheric winter, in comparison with other recent winters, is mainly characterized by a major Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) in late January associated with planetary wavenumber 1. This event led to a large increase in the temperature of the polar stratosphere and to the reversal of the zonal wind. Unlike other major SSW events in recent winters, after the major SSW in January 2010 the westerlies and polar vortex did not recover to their pre-SSW strength until the springtime transition. As a result, the depletion of the ozone layer inside the polar vortex over the entire winter was relatively small over the past 20 years. The other distinguishing feature of the 2010 winter was the splitting of the stratospheric polar vortex into two lobes in December. The vortex splitting was accompanied by an increase in the temperature of the polar stratosphere and a weakening of the westerlies but with no reversal. The splitting occurred when, in addition to the high-pressure system over northeastern Eurasia and the northern Pacific Ocean, the tropospheric anticyclone over Europe amplified and extended to the lower stratosphere. Analysis of wave activity in the extratropical troposphere revealed that two Rossby wave trains propagated eastward to the North Atlantic several days prior to the vortex splitting. The first wave train propagated from the subtropics and mid-latitudes of the eastern Pacific Ocean over North America and the second one propagated from the northern Pacific Ocean. These wave trains contributed to an intensification of the tropospheric anticyclone over Europe and to the splitting of the stratospheric polar vortex.     

2020/2021年冬季大范围低温寒潮过程中一种典型的平流层—对流层耦合演变模态

平流层爆发性增温（SSW）超前于对流层环流异常,是延长冬季寒潮低温预报时效的重要途径之一。然而强SSW事件前后地面温度响应的区域和时间存在不确定性,其中涉及的平流层—对流层耦合过程和机理也不十分清楚。本文采用1979～2021年ERA5再分析数据集,研究了2020/2021年冬季“偏心型”强SSW事件前后中高纬度地区地面温度异常的演变特征,并分析了其与等熵大气经向质量环流平流层—对流层分支的耦合演变模态的动力联系。结果表明,伴随此次强SSW事件,亚洲和北美中纬度地区的寒潮低温事件分别在绕极西风反转为东风之前和再次恢复为西风之后发生。SSW前后大气经向质量环流的平流层向极地暖支与对流层高层向极暖支、低层向赤道冷支之间呈现出三个阶段的耦合演变模态: 同位相“加强—加强”、反位相“加强—减弱”以及反位相“减弱—加强”。加强的质量环流对流层向赤道冷支是SSW前后寒潮低温事件的主要原因,而加强的向极地平流层暖支是SSW发生及其伴随的北极涛动负位相持续加强的主要原因。大气经向质量环流不同的垂直耦合模态取决于行星波槽脊在对流层顶和对流层中低层两个关键等熵面上的西倾角异常。西倾角异常表征大气波动的斜压性,主要通过影响关键等熵面以上向极地的净质量输送和其下向赤道的净质量输送进行调控。尤其在SSW发生后的极涡恢复期,对流层顶处异常偏弱的斜压性会加强对流层向极地暖支,进而加强向赤道冷支,有利于寒潮低温的发生。本次SSW事件前后大气经向质量环流三支的耦合演变模态,与历年平流层北半球环状模（NAM）负事件中极区平流层温度异常信号下传滞后的平流层—对流层耦合演变类型相一致,其在波动尺度方面也存在共同特征,即SSW事件或NAM负事件前期对流层一波加强且上传,后期对流层二波加强但较难上传。     

北半球冬季平流层强、弱极涡事件演变过程的对比分析

利用1958～2017年逐日的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料对北半球冬季平流层强、弱极涡事件的演变过程进行了对比分析,同时比较了有平流层爆发性增温（SSW）和无SSW发生的两类弱极涡事件的环流演变和动力学特征。结果表明,强极涡的形成存在着缓慢发展和快速增强的过程,而弱极涡事件的建立非常迅速;和强极涡事件相比,弱极涡事件的峰值强度更强,异常中心的位置更高。此外,强、弱极涡事件的产生与波流相互作用的正反馈过程密切相关。对于强极涡事件,发展阶段的太平洋—北美（PNA）型异常削弱了行星波一波;当平流层西风达到一定强度,上传的行星波受到强烈抑制,使得极涡迅速增强达到峰值。而对于弱极涡事件,发展阶段一波型的异常增强了行星波上传,通过对纬向流的拖曳作用使得平流层很快处于弱西风状态,更多行星波进入平流层导致极涡急剧减弱甚至崩溃。针对有、无SSW发生的两类弱极涡事件的对比分析表明,有SSW发生的弱极涡事件发展阶段,平流层出现强的向上的一波Eliassen-Palm（EP）通量异常,通过正反馈过程使得一波和二波上传同时增强而导致极涡崩溃;无SSW发生的弱极涡事件发展阶段,平流层缺乏向上的一波通量,二波活动起到重要作用,其总的行星波上传远弱于有SSW发生的弱极涡事件。对于无SSW发生的弱极涡事件,其发展和成熟阶段对流层上部出现类似欧亚（EU）型的高度异常,伴随着强的向极的EP通量异常,导致对流层有极强的负北极涛动（AO）型异常。而有SSW发生的弱极涡事件发展阶段对流层上部主要表现为北太平洋上空来自低纬的波列异常,其后期的对流层效应更加滞后也不连续,对流层AO异常的强度明显弱于无SSW发生的弱极涡事件。     

BCC_AGCM2.1模式对平流层环流变化特征的数值模拟及其模式评估

使用国家气候中心大气环流模式BCC_AGCM2.1的30年模拟试验资料,对平流层纬向环流场、高空急流、极涡及爆发性增温过程进行了数值模拟研究,并使用欧洲中期天气预报中心（ECMWF）和美国国家环境预报中心（NCEP）的再分析资料对模式输出结果进行了对比、分析。结果表明：（1） 在观测海温、二氧化碳、气溶胶等外强迫地驱动下,BCC模式能够很好地再现出与再分析资料一致的平流层纬向平均风场、温度场的分布特征和季节变化过程;模拟得到的温度廓线和高空急流与再分析资料的主要差别出现在南、北半球冬季的中高纬度地区;模拟得到的平流层温度普遍偏低,主要的差异位于对流层顶区域和平流层高层。（2） 模拟的对流层上层的副热带急流位置偏南、强度也偏弱,而平流层中的绕极极夜急流则位置偏北、强度更大。这样的急流分布特征使模拟的行星波向赤道的波导更强,向极的波导偏弱;同时由于模式中本身可以形成的行星波就比再分析资料弱,因此导致模拟结果中北半球冬季的平流层极涡更加稳定、极区温度更低。（3） BCC模式对于平流层极涡的季节变化特征模拟得较好,但对强极涡扰动过程,即北半球冬季的平流层爆发性增温（SSW）事件则模拟效果不佳,不论是增温事件出现的频率,还是增温的时间、强度,模拟结果和再分析资料都还存在一定偏差,需要在今后的工作中逐步改善。     

平流层爆发性增温期间行星波的活动

利用逐日的NCEP再分析资料分析了1978～2004年期间发生的18次强爆发性增温时平流层中下层行星波1波和2波的异常以及极涡崩溃的形式.分析表明, 爆发性增温前期1波都异常增幅, 波振幅达到峰值之后的一段时间内发生爆发性增温, 然而在增温过程中行星波2波的变化却有明显不同, 可分为三种情况: (1) 在增温前期, 行星波2波很弱; 在增温期间, 行星波2波异常发展, 伴随着极涡崩溃的形式是由偏心型向偶极型过渡. (2) 在增温前期, 行星波2波较强; 在增温期间, 行星波2波明显减弱, 极涡的变化形式是远离极地, 在极地外围活动, 但不发生分裂.(3) 在增温前期, 行星波2波不太强; 在增温期间, 行星波2波有所发展, 但始终强不过1波, 极涡的变化是先偏离极地, 然后发生不对称的变形.作者还计算和分析了EP通量及其散度, 利用波流相互作用理论对这三种行星波的异常变化及其与爆发性增温的关系进行解释.     

平流层爆发性增温及其影响研究进展

平流层爆发性增温(stratospheric sudden warming,SSW)是冬季平流层大气环流结构的一种突变现象,在短时间内平流层中高纬度的温度、风和极涡都会发生剧烈变化。因此,SSW也就成为平流层大气环流及其变化研究的重要方面之一。在强SSW期间,高纬地区温度急剧升高,西风被东风取代,极涡几乎全部崩溃。SSW极大地影响着北半球对流层大气,甚至整个中高层大气,包括对平流层乃至中层大气微量气体分布的重要影响。随着临近空间飞行平台的研究应用,以及由此而提出的临近空间环境条件的保障问题,作为临近空间重要组成部分的平流层环流变化将更加引起人们的关注。本文就SSW的特征、发生机制、对上下层相互作用的重要影响,以及SSW与准两年振荡、ENSO等的密切关系和SSW的数值模拟等方面的研究工作,进行了回顾和总结。     

2007/2008和2008/2009冬季平流层强、弱极涡事件对应的行星波活动的对比分析

在对逐日气象资料进行纬向谐波分析的基础上, 对比和讨论了2007/2008年冬季强极涡期间和2008/2009冬季弱极涡期间平流层和对流层不同波数的行星波的变化特征, 特别关注强极涡或弱极涡发生之后, 500 hPa 沿60°N和30°N行星波1波和2波振幅和位相的差异, 以及相应的500 hPa位势场的差异, 进而讨论为什么不同的平流层极涡异常会对东亚有不同的影响, 特别讨论为什么同一种极涡异常, 对我国南北方近地面气温的影响会不同。结果表明:平流层极涡发生异常时, 平流层行星波活动有明显的异常。随着极涡异常的下传, 对流层行星波的振幅和位相也有明显的变化, 而且, 对于不同的纬度带, 其变化又有不同, 表现为:2008年1月强极涡发生之后, 500 hPa行星波1波和2波的扰动都向南伸, 而2009年1月的弱极涡(SSW)期间和之后, 1波和2波的扰动都偏北; 在对流层, 强极涡和弱极涡发生之后不但行星波1波和2波的振幅有所差异, 其位相也有明显的不同。特别是, 其位相的差异还随纬度而变化。就同一年(或者说对于同是强极涡或者同是弱极涡)而言, 无论是1波还是2波, 在60°N和30°N附近的扰动相比, 几乎反位相。这样就使得它们的500 hPa 位势场也有明显不同:在东半球, 主要表现为乌拉尔高压和东亚大槽的强度和位置不同。2008年1月强极涡发生之后, 乌拉尔高压和东亚大槽东移, 不利于冷空气向欧亚大陆北部(包括我国北方)的输送, 使这些地区的温度偏高;而2009年1月弱极涡之后, 东亚大槽西退, 利于冷空气向欧亚大陆北部输送, 导致这些地区较冷。对于同一种极涡异常(如2008强极涡或者2009弱极涡)由于南方和北方行星波扰动的位相不同, 对南方和北方冷暖空气的输送也就不一样。所以同一种极涡异常对(我国)南北地区的温度影响是不同的。     

Overview of the Major 2012-2013 Northern Hemisphere Stratospheric Sudden Warming：Evolution and Its Association with Surface Weather

In this study, we analyzed the dynamical evolution of the ma jor 2012-2013 Northern Hemisphere （NH） stratospheric sudden warming （SSW） on the basis of ERA-Interim reanalysis data provided by the ECMWF. The intermittent upward-propagating planetary wave activities beginning in late November 2012 led to a prominent wavenumber-2 disturbance of the polar vortex in early December 2012. However, no major SSW occurred. In mid December 2012, when the polar vortex had not fully recovered, a mixture of persistent wavenumber-1 and -2 planetary waves led to gradual weakening of the polar vortex before the vortex split on 7 January 2013. Evolution of the geopotential height and Eliassen-Palm flux between 500 and 5 hPa indicates that the frequent occurrence of tropospheric ridges over North Pacific and the west coast of North America contributed to the pronounced upward planetary wave activities throughout the troposphere and stratosphere. After mid January 2013, the wavenumber-2 planetary waves became enhanced again within the troposphere, with a deepened trough over East Asia and North America and two ridges between the troughs. The enhanced tropospheric planetary waves may contribute to the long-lasting splitting of the polar vortex in the lower stratosphere. The 2012-2013 SSW shows combined features of both vortex displacement and vortex splitting. Therefore, the anomalies of tropospheric circulation and surface temperature after the 2012-2013 SSW resemble neither vortex-displaced nor vortex-split SSWs, but the combination of all SSWs. The remarkable tropospheric ridge extending from the Bering Sea into the Arctic Ocean together with the resulting deepened East Asian trough may play important roles in bringing cold air from the high Arctic to central North America and northern Eurasia at the surface.     

Middle Stratospheric Polar Vortex Ozone Budget during the Warming Arctic Winter, 2002--2003

The ozone budget inside the middle stratospheric polar vortex(24-36 km) during the 2002-2003 Arctic winter is studied by analyzing Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding(MIPAS) satellite data.A comprehensive global chemical transport model(Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers,MOZART-3) is used to analyze the observed variation in polar vortex ozone during the stratospheric sudden warming(SSW) events.Both MIPAS measurement and MOZART-3 calculation show that a pronounced increase(26-28 DU) in the polar vortex ozone due to the SSW events.Due to the weakening of the polar vortex,the exchange of ozone mass across the edge of the polar vortex increases substantially and amounts to about 3.0× 107 kg according to MOZART-3 calculation.The enhanced downward transport offsets about 80% of polar vortex ozone mass increase by horizontal transport.A "passive ozone" experiment shows that only ～55% of the vertical ozone mass flux in February and March can be attributed to the variation in vertical transport.It is also shown that the enhanced downward ozone above ～32 km should be attributed to the springtime photochemical ozone production.Due to the increase of air temperature,the NOx reaction rate increases by 40%-80% during the SSW events.As a result,NOx catalytic cycle causes another 44% decrease in polar vortex ozone compared to the net ozone changes due to dynamical transport.It is also shown that the largest change in polar vortex ozone is due to horizontal advection by planetary waves in January 2003.     

Influence of Major Stratospheric Sudden Warming on the Unprecedented Cold Wave in East Asia in January 2021

An unprecedented cold wave intruded into East Asia in early January 2021 and led to record-breaking or historical extreme low temperatures over vast regions.This study shows that a major stratospheric sudden warming(SSW)event at the beginning of January 2021 exerted an important influence on this cold wave.The major SSW event occurred on 2 January 2021 and subsequently led to the displacement of the stratospheric polar vortex to the East Asian side.Moreover,the SSW event induced the stratospheric warming signal to propagate downward to the mid-to-lower troposphere,which not only enhanced the blocking in the Urals-Siberia region and the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation,but also shifted the tropospheric polar vortex off the pole.The displaced tropospheric polar vortex,Ural blocking,and another downstream blocking ridge over western North America formed a distinct inverted omega-shaped circulation pattern(IOCP)in the East Asia-North Pacific sector.This IOCP was the most direct and impactful atmospheric pattern causing the cold wave in East Asia.The IOCP triggered a meridional cell with an upward branch in East Asia and a downward branch in Siberia.The meridional cell intensified the Siberian high and low-level northerly winds,which also favored the invasion of the cold wave into East Asia.Hence,the SSW event and tropospheric circulations such as the IOCP,negative phase of Arctic Oscillation,Ural blocking,enhanced Siberian high,and eastward propagation of Rossby wave eventually induced the outbreak of an unprecedented cold wave in East Asia in early January 2021.     

Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Hindcasts of Stratospheric Sudden Warming by BCC_CSM1.1(m):A Comparison with ECMWF

This study focuses on model predictive skill with respect to stratospheric sudden warming(SSW) events by comparing the hindcast results of BCC_CSM1.1(m) with those of the ECMWF's model under the sub-seasonal to seasonal prediction project of the World Weather Research Program and World Climate Research Program. When the hindcasts are initiated less than two weeks before SSW onset, BCC_CSM and ECMWF show comparable predictive skill in terms of the temporal evolution of the stratospheric circumpolar westerlies and polar temperature up to 30 days after SSW onset. However, with earlier hindcast initialization, the predictive skill of BCC_CSM gradually decreases, and the reproduced maximum circulation anomalies in the hindcasts initiated four weeks before SSW onset replicate only 10% of the circulation anomaly intensities in observations. The earliest successful prediction of the breakdown of the stratospheric polar vortex accompanying SSW onset for BCC_CSM(ECMWF) is the hindcast initiated two(three) weeks earlier. The predictive skills of both models during SSW winters are always higher than that during non-SSW winters, in relation to the successfully captured tropospheric precursors and the associated upward propagation of planetary waves by the model initializations. To narrow the gap in SSW predictive skill between BCC_CSM and ECMWF, ensemble forecasts and error corrections are performed with BCC_CSM. The SSW predictive skill in the ensemble hindcasts and the error corrections are improved compared with the previous control forecasts.     

Statistical Characteristics and Long-Term Variations of Major Sudden Stratospheric Warming Events

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, we investigate the statistical characteristics and the long-term variations of major sudden stratospheric warming(SSW) events in the Northern Hemisphere. We find that the strength and duration of major SSW events have increased from 1958 to 2019 because of the strengthening of winter planetary wave activity. The frequency of the SSW events related to displacement or split of the polar vortex differs between early,middle, and late winter. Early(middle) winter is dominated by displacement(split) SSW events, while late winter sees almost equal frequency of these two types of events. This is due to the differences in the relative strength of wavenumber-1 and wavenumber-2 planetary wave activity among the three winter periods. As a result of the increase in upward planetary wave activity and the decrease in westerly winds around the polar vortex in middle winter, more SSW events tend to occur in middle winter. In addition, we reveal the influence of the downward propagation of different types of SSW events on the surface temperature anomaly. Compared with early displacement SSW events, middle split SSW events are followed by more surface cold centers in Russia, northern China, and North America.     

Extreme Cold Events from East Asia to North America in Winter 2020/21: Comparisons,Causes, and Future Implications

Three striking and impactful extreme cold weather events successively occurred across East Asia and North America during the mid-winter of 2020/21.These events open a new window to detect possible underlying physical processes.The analysis here indicates that the occurrences of the three events resulted from integrated effects of a concurrence of anomalous thermal conditions in three oceans and interactive Arctic-lower latitude atmospheric circulation processes,which were linked and influenced by one major sudden stratospheric warming(SSW).The North Atlantic warm blob initiated an increased poleward transient eddy heat flux,reducing the Barents-Kara seas sea ice over a warmed ocean and disrupting the stratospheric polar vortex(SPV)to induce the major SSW.The Rossby wave trains excited by the North Atlantic warm blob and the tropical Pacific La Nina interacted with the Arctic tropospheric circulation anomalies or the tropospheric polar vortex to provide dynamic settings,steering cold polar air outbreaks.The long memory of the retreated sea ice with the underlying warm ocean and the amplified tropospheric blocking highs from the midlatitudes to the Arctic intermittently fueled the increased transient eddy heat flux to sustain the SSW over a long time period.The displaced or split SPV centers associated with the SSW played crucial roles in substantially intensifying the tropospheric circulation anomalies and moving the jet stream to the far south to cause cold air outbreaks to a rarely observed extreme state.The results have significant implications for increasing prediction skill and improving policy decision making to enhance resilience in“One Health,One Future”.     

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.     

Biogeophysical impacts of land use on present-day climate: near-surface temperature change and radiative forcing

Changes in land cover affect climate through the surface energy and moisture budgets, but these biogeophysical impacts of land use have not yet been included in General Circulation Model (GCM) simulations of 20th century climate change. Here, the importance of these effects was assessed by comparing climate simulations performed with current and potential natural vegetation. The northern mid-latitude agricultural regions were simulated to be approximately 1–2 K cooler in winter and spring in comparison with their previously forested state, due to deforestation increasing the surface albedo by approximately 0.1 during periods of snow cover. Some other regions such as the Sahel and India experienced a small warming due to land use. Although the annual mean global temperature is only 0.02 K lower in the simulation with present-day land use, the more local temperature changes in some regions are of a similar magnitude to those observed since 1860. The global mean radiative forcing by anthropogenic surface albedo change relative to the natural state is simulated to be −0.2 Wm², which is comparable with the estimated forcings relative to pre-industrial times by changes in stratospheric and tropospheric ozone, N₂O, halocarbons, and the direct effect of anthropogenic aerosols. Since over half of global deforestation has occurred since 1860, simulations of climate since that date should include the biogeophysical effects of land use.     

地形强迫对大气长波调整的可能影响

地形作为大气的外部强迫,其动力和热力作用对波动结构演变及极端天气出现都有不能忽视的作用。本文通过数值求解考虑地形强迫的β平面正压准地转位势涡度方程,探讨了地形强迫作用对大气长波调整的可能影响,结果表明:同非线性作用和纬向非均匀基流作用一样,无基流情形下具有纬向差异的地形分布影响了大气长波结构的演变,也能强迫出大气长波调整现象。大气长波调整依赖于地形的高度和地形分布,地形越高,长波越容易出现波数的调整;地形波数越大,即地形结构复杂,越不易出现波数变化。大气长波调整还与纬度有关,纬度越高,β越小,地形强迫作用越突出,长波调整容易出现;反之,低纬度以β效应为主的线性波动不易出现波数调整。大气长波调整对波动初始波动的振幅不敏感,但依赖于波动的初始结构。此外,有基流作用时,地形强迫还是诱发定常波的重要因素,且定常波流场结构依赖于地形高度分布,与波动初始结构无关。     

Buoyancy in tropical cyclones and other rapidly rotating atmospheric vortices

Motivated primarily by its application to understanding tropical-cyclone intensification and maintenance, we re-examine the concept of buoyancy in rapidly rotating vortices, distinguishing between the buoyancy of the symmetric balanced vortex or system buoyancy, and the local buoyancy associated with cloud dynamics. The conventional definition of buoyancy is contrasted with a generalized form applicable to a vortex, which has a radial as well as a vertical component. If, for the special case of axisymmetric motions, the balanced density and pressure distribution of a rapidly rotating vortex are used as the reference state, the buoyancy field then characterizes the unbalanced density perturbations, i.e. the local buoyancy. We show how to determine such a reference state without approximation.The generation of the toroidal circulation of a vortex, which is necessary for vortex amplification, is characterized in the vorticity equation by the baroclinicity vector. This vector depends, inter-alia, on the horizontal (or radial) gradient of buoyancy evaluated along isobaric surfaces. We show that for a tropical-cyclone-scale vortex, the buoyancy so calculated is significantly different from that calculated at constant height or on surfaces of constant σ (σ = (p − p^*)/(p_s − p^*), where p is the actual pressure, p^* some reference pressure and p_s is the surface pressure). Since many tropical-cyclone models are formulated using σ-coordinates, we examine the calculation of buoyancy on σ-surfaces and derive an expression for the baroclinicity vector in σ-coordinates. The baroclinic forcing term in the azimuthal vorticity equation for an axisymmetric vortex is shown to be approximately equal to the azimuthal component of the curl of the generalized buoyancy. A scale analysis indicates that the vertical gradient of the radial component of generalized buoyancy makes a comparatively small contribution to the generation of toroidal vorticity in a tropical cyclone, but may be important in tornadoes and possibly also in dust devils.We derive also a form of the Sawyer–Eliassen equation from which the toroidal (or secondary) circulation of a balanced vortex may be determined. The equation is shown to be the time derivative of the toroidal vorticity equation in which the time rate-of-change of the material derivative of potential toroidal vorticity is set to zero. In analogy with the general case, the diabatic forcing term in the Sawyer–Eliassen equation is shown to be approximately equal to the time rate-of-change of the azimuthal component of the curl of generalized buoyancy.Finally, we discuss the generation of buoyancy in tropical cyclones and contrast the definitions of buoyancy that have been used in recent studies of tropical cyclones. We emphasize the non-uniqueness of the buoyancy force, which depends on the choice of a reference density and pressure, and note that different, but equivalent interpretations of the flow dynamics may be expected to arise if different reference quantities are chosen.     

涡动在南北半球平流层极涡崩溃过程中作用的比较

比较了南北半球春季平流层极涡的崩溃过程以及涡动在此崩溃过程中的作用。极涡的崩溃时间以平流层极夜急流核区最后一次西风转换为东风的时间来确定。结果表明南北半球平流层极涡的崩溃过程有着共同的特点,涡动和非绝热加热过程都对极涡的崩溃起着重要的作用,在极涡崩溃前平流层行星尺度波动活动明显,极涡崩溃以后,这种波动活动便迅速减弱。其中从对流层上传的行星波决定着极涡的具体崩溃时间。两个半球的差别主要表现在南半球极涡崩溃过程一般始于平流层高层,然后逐渐下传,而北半球这种下传不是很明显。其次,北半球平流层极涡崩溃偏晚年,极涡的减弱有两次过程,第一次为快速变化过程,第二次变化比较缓慢,而南半球平流层极涡崩溃无论早晚年只有一次减弱过程。长期的变化趋势分析表明南北半球平流层极涡的崩溃时间逐渐推迟,特别是20世纪90年代中后期以来,这种推迟更加明显。进一步的研究还发现,伴随着平流层极涡的崩溃过程平流层和对流层存在强烈的动力耦合,南北半球极涡迅速减弱前,各自半球的环状模指数也由负指数增加为正指数,表明低层环流对于平流层极涡的崩溃起到重要的作用;同时极涡不同强度所对应的低层环状模指数也不同,这可能与不同强度平流层极涡对于上传的行星波的反射有关。