TY - JOUR
T1 - The Arctic vortex in March 2011
T2 - A dynamical perspective
AU - Hurwitz, M. M.
AU - Newman, P. A.
AU - Garfinkel, C. I.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Despite the record ozone loss observed in March 2011, dynamical conditions in the Arctic stratosphere were unusual but not unprecedented. Weak planetary wave driving in February preceded cold anomalies in the polar lower stratosphere in March and a relatively late breakup of the Arctic vortex in April. La Niña conditions and the westerly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) were observed in March 2011. Though these conditions are generally associated with a stronger vortex in mid-winter, the respective cold anomalies do not persist through March. Therefore, the La Niña and QBO-westerly conditions cannot explain the observed cold anomalies in March 2011. In contrast, positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the North Pacific may have contributed to the unusually weak tropospheric wave driving and strong Arctic vortex in late winter 2011.
AB - Despite the record ozone loss observed in March 2011, dynamical conditions in the Arctic stratosphere were unusual but not unprecedented. Weak planetary wave driving in February preceded cold anomalies in the polar lower stratosphere in March and a relatively late breakup of the Arctic vortex in April. La Niña conditions and the westerly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) were observed in March 2011. Though these conditions are generally associated with a stronger vortex in mid-winter, the respective cold anomalies do not persist through March. Therefore, the La Niña and QBO-westerly conditions cannot explain the observed cold anomalies in March 2011. In contrast, positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the North Pacific may have contributed to the unusually weak tropospheric wave driving and strong Arctic vortex in late winter 2011.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=81355164448&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5194/acp-11-11447-2011
DO - 10.5194/acp-11-11447-2011
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
AN - SCOPUS:81355164448
SN - 1680-7316
VL - 11
SP - 11447
EP - 11453
JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
JF - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
IS - 22
ER -