Premium
The tropospheric‐stratospheric polar vortex breakdown of January 1977
Author(s) -
Quiroz Roderick S.
Publication year - 1977
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/gl004i004p00151
Subject(s) - stratosphere , polar vortex , sudden stratospheric warming , troposphere , anticyclone , atmospheric sciences , polar , climatology , amplitude , vortex , environmental science , latitude , geology , physics , meteorology , geodesy , astronomy , optics
An extraordinary warming of the stratosphere in December‐January 1976‐77 was followed by tropospheric warming in the polar region and cooling in middle latitudes. During January 10‐20, the associated polar anticyclone extended from the surface to 10 mb. Antecedents of the polar vortex breakdown are reviewed with the aid of results of zonal‐harmonic analyses of planetary waves, for heights of the pressure surfaces (700‐10 mb), temperature, and mean stratospheric temperature (the latter determined from satellite radiation measurements). Wave 1 in height and temperature played a dominant role in the stratosphere, attaining amplitudes of 1600 gpm and 25°C, respectively, at 10 mb. On the other hand, superposition of retrogressing wave 1 and quasi‐stationary wave 2 in the height of the 300‐mb surface, with individual amplitudes exceeding 300 gpm, is judged to have been an important factor in the overall development.