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The anomalous Arctic lower stratospheric polar vortex of 1992–1993
Author(s) -
Manney G. L.,
Zurek R. W.,
Gelman M. E.,
Miller A. J.,
Nagatani R.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/94gl02368
Subject(s) - polar vortex , stratosphere , arctic , vortex , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , latitude , the arctic , ozone layer , potential vorticity , polar , ozone depletion , climatology , ozone , sudden stratospheric warming , middle latitudes , vorticity , geology , meteorology , physics , oceanography , geodesy , astronomy
Potential vorticity (PV) gradients defining the lower stratospheric vortex during the 1992–1993 winter were anomalously strong and persistent compared to those during the last 16 Arctic winters. For ≈3 months PV gradients were closer to typical Antarctic values than to most Arctic values. Air motion diagnostics computed for 3‐dimensional air parcel trajectories confirm that the 1992–1993 Arctic lower stratospheric vortex was substantially more isolated than is typical. Such isolation will delay and reduce the export of the higher ozone typical of the winter lower stratospheric vortex to mid‐latitudes. This may have contributed to the record‐low total ozone amounts observed in northern mid‐latitudes in 1993.