Persistent shift of the Arctic polar vortex towards the Eurasian continent in recent decades

Zhang, Jiankai; Tian, Wenshou; Chipperfield, Martyn P.; Xie, Fei; Huang, Jinlong

doi:10.1038/nclimate3136

Cited by 225 publications

(192 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…This 30 region corresponds to the climatologically favored location of the Arctic vortex in recent decades (e.g. Zhang et al, 2016) which has been influenced by enhanced zonal wavenumber 1 activity, pushing the vortex off the North Pole towards Eurasia. …”

Section: Arctic 10mentioning

confidence: 95%

Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on CALIPSO spaceborne lidar measurements from 2006–2017

Pitts¹,

Poole²,

Gonzalez³

2018

Preprint

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Section: Arctic 10mentioning

confidence: 95%

Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on CALIPSO spaceborne lidar measurements from 2006–2017

Pitts¹,

Poole²,

Gonzalez³

2018

Preprint

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“…24. This region corresponds to the climatologically favored location of the Arctic vortex in recent decades (e.g., Zhang et al, 2016) which has been influenced by enhanced zonal wavenumber 1 activity, pushing the vortex off the North Pole towards Eurasia.…”

Section: Geographical Distributions Of Psc Occurrencementioning

confidence: 99%

Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on CALIPSO spaceborne lidar measurements from 2006 to 2017

2018

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Abstract. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) on the CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) satellite has been observing polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) from mid-June 2006 until the present. The spaceborne lidar profiles PSCs with unprecedented spatial (5 km horizontal × 180 m vertical) resolution and its dual-polarization capability enables classification of PSCs according to composition. Nearly coincident Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements of the primary PSC condensables (HNO 3 and H 2 O) provide additional constraints on particle composition. A new CALIOP version 2 (v2) PSC detection and composition classification algorithm has been implemented that corrects known deficiencies in previous algorithms and includes additional refinements to improve composition discrimination. Major v2 enhancements include dynamic adjustment of composition boundaries to account for effects of denitrification and dehydration, explicit use of measurement uncertainties, addition of composition confidence indices, and retrieval of particulate backscatter, which enables simplified estimates of particulate surface area density (SAD) and volume density (VD). The over 11 years of CALIOP PSC observations in each v2 composition class conform to their expected thermodynamic existence regimes, which is consistent with previous analyses of data from 2006 to 2011 and underscores the robustness of the v2 composition discrimination approach.The v2 algorithm has been applied to the CALIOP dataset to produce a PSC reference data record spanning the 2006-2017 time period, which is the foundation for a new comprehensive, high-resolution climatology of PSC occurrence and composition for both the Antarctic and Arctic. Time series of daily-averaged, vortex-wide PSC areal coverage versus altitude illustrate that Antarctic PSC seasons are similar from year to year, with about 25 % relative standard deviation in Antarctic PSC spatial volume at the peak of the season in July and August. Multi-year average, monthly zonal mean cross sections depict the climatological patterns of Antarctic PSC occurrence in latitude-altitude and also equivalent-latitudepotential-temperature coordinate systems, with the latter system better capturing the microphysical processes controlling PSC existence. Polar maps of the multi-year mean geographical patterns in PSC occurrence frequency show a climatological maximum between longitudes 90 • W and 0 • , which is the preferential region for forcing by orography and upper tropospheric anticyclones. The climatological mean distributions of particulate SAD and VD also show maxima in this region due to the large enhancements from the frequent ice clouds.Stronger wave activity in the Northern Hemisphere leads to a more disturbed Arctic polar vortex, whose evolution and lifetime vary significantly from year to year. Accordingly, Arctic PSC areal coverage is distinct from year to year with no "typical" year, and the relative standard deviation in Arctic PSC sp...

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“…8). Intensification of storm events (Melillo 2014) and the instability of the polar vortex (e.g., Zhang et al 2016) could result in increased variability in winter air temperatures and soil/sediment freeze thaw cycles. We hypothesize (Fig.…”

Section: Coupled Versus Individual Extreme Events For Sediment and Numentioning

confidence: 99%

Freeze–thaw processes and intense rainfall: the one-two punch for high sediment and nutrient loads from mid-Atlantic watersheds

et al. 2017

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Large runoff, sediment, and nutrient exports from watersheds could occur due to individual extreme climate events or a combination of multiple hydrologic and meteorological conditions. Using high-frequency hydrologic, sediment, and turbidity data we show that freeze-thaw episodes followed by intense winter (February) rainstorms can export very high concentrations and loads of suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PN) from mid-Atlantic watersheds in the US. Peak suspended sediment ([ 5000 mg L -1 ), POC ([ 250 mg L -1 ) and PN ([ 15 mg L -1 ) concentrations at our 12 and 79 ha forested watersheds for the February rainfall-runoff events were highest on record and the fluxes were comparable to those measured for tropical storms. Similar responses were observed for turbidity values ([ 400 FNU) at larger USGS-monitored watersheds. Much of the sediments and particulate nutrients likely originated from erosion of stream bank sediments and/or channel storage. Currently, there is considerable uncertainty about the contribution of these sources to nonpoint source pollution, particularly, in watersheds with large legacy sediment deposits. Future climate projections indicate increased intensification of storm events and increased variability of winter temperatures. Freeze-thaw cycles coupled with winter rain events could increase erosion and transport of streambank sediments with detrimental consequences for water quality and health of downstream aquatic ecosystems.

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Persistent shift of the Arctic polar vortex towards the Eurasian continent in recent decades

Cited by 225 publications

References 30 publications

Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on CALIPSO spaceborne lidar measurements from 2006–2017

Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on CALIPSO spaceborne lidar measurements from 2006–2017

Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on CALIPSO spaceborne lidar measurements from 2006 to 2017

Freeze–thaw processes and intense rainfall: the one-two punch for high sediment and nutrient loads from mid-Atlantic watersheds

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