Go here for background information on Polar Vortices.
Southern Polar Vortex Area on a 450K Theta Surface
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Click Here to view the Polar Vortex Area on a 550K Theta Surface
Click Here to view the Polar Vortex Area on a 650K Theta Surface
Temperature
Southern Hemisphere Temperature Area with Temperatures Colder than -78C on 450K Theta Surface (Temperature below which Polar Stratospheric Clouds May Form)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 10 hPa/mb – Approximately 31,000 meters (101,700 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 30 hPa/mb – Approximately 23,700 meters (77,800 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 50 hPa/mb – Approximately 20,100 meters (66,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 70 hPa/mb – Approximately 18,000 meters (59,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 100 hPa/mb – Approximately 15,000 meters (49,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 10 hPa/mb – Approximately 31,000 meters (101,700 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 30 hPa/mb – Approximately 23,700 meters (77,800 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 50 hPa/mb – Approximately 20,100 meters (66,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 70 hPa/mb – Approximately 18,000 meters (59,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Temperature Analysis at 100 hPa/mb – Approximately 15,000 (49,213 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Area Where Temperature is Below 195K or -78C (Temperature below which Polar Stratospheric Clouds May Form)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Area Where Temperature is Below 195K or -78C (Temperature below which Polar Stratospheric Clouds May Form)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Time vs. Pressure of Temperatures in Troposphere and Stratosphere (White Contour Outlines Indicate Area Below 195K or-78 C, where Polar Stratospheric Clouds may form.)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Ambient Temperature Over South Pole
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) – Click the pic to view at source
Zonal Mean Temperatures at 50-hPa/mb Height Temperature Anomalies – Atmospheric Temperature Anomalies At Approximately 20,100 meters (66,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Global – 50-hPa/mb Height Temperature Anomalies – Atmospheric Temperature Anomalies At Approximately 20,100 meters (66,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Global – 30-hPa/mb Height Temperature Anomalies – Atmospheric Temperature Anomalies At Approximately 23,700 meters (77,800 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Global – 10-hPa/mb Height Temperature Anomalies – Atmospheric Temperature Anomalies At Approximately 31,000 meters (101,700 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Global Temperature Lower Stratosphere (TLS) – 1979 to Present
Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) – Microwave Sounding Units (MSU) – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Polar Temperature Lower Stratosphere (TLS) – 1979 to Present
Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) – Microwave Sounding Units (MSU) – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Polar Temperature Lower Stratosphere (TLS) – 1979 to Present
Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) – Microwave Sounding Units (MSU) – Click the pic to view at source
Global – 200-hPa/mb Height Anomalies – Atmospheric Pressure Anomalies at Approximately 12,000 meters (40,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Click the pic to view at source
Geopotential Height and Vorticity
Southern Hemisphere 500-hPa/mb Geopotential Height and Vorticity – Approximately 5500 meters (18,000 feet)
Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) – Institute of Global Environment and Society (IGES) – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere – 500-hPa/mb Height Anomalies – Atmospheric Pressure Anomalies at Approximately 5500 meters (18,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere – Vertical Cross Section of Geopotential Height Anomalies (Polar Vortex)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere 500-hPa/mb Geopotential Height and Vorticity – Approximately 5500 meters (18,000 feet)
Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) – Institute of Global Environment and Society (IGES) – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere – 500-hPa /mb Height Anomalies – Atmospheric Pressure Anomalies At Approximately 5500 meters (18,000 feet)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere – Vertical Cross Section of Geopotential Height Anomalies (Polar Vortex)
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere “Ozone Hole” Area
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern “Ozone Hole” Area, Ozone Minimum & Minimum Stratospheric Temperature
NOAA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) – Click the pic to view at source
“Ozone Hole” Area
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) – Click the pic to view at source
“Ozone Hole” Minimum
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) – Click the pic to view at source
South Pole Ozonesondes – 12-20 km Column Ozone
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Total Ozone
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Southern Hemisphere Total Ozone
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) – Click the pic to view at source
Northern Hemisphere Total Ozone
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Global Total Ozone
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) – Click the pic to view at source
Global Total Ozone
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
South Pole Ozone Mixing Ratio
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) – Click the pic to view at source
Other Indicators
Eddy Heat Flux
10 day Averaged Eddy Heat Flux Towards The South Pole At 100mb
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
10 day Averaged Eddy Heat Flux Towards The North Pole At 100mb
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Atmospheric Transmission of Solar Radiation
UV Erythemal Daily Dosage
NOAA – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center – Click the pic to view at source
Wind Speed/Vectors:
Northern Hemisphere Heights and Wind Speeds – 1 Day
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) – Click the pic to view at source
View an animated version of the graphic above – Click Here
Source Guide
Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) – Institute of Global Environment and Society (IGES)
Home Page – http://wxmaps.org/pix.html
Height and Vorticity Analyses Page – http://wxmaps.org/pix/analyses.html?bandwidth=high
Hurricane Potential Page – http://wxmaps.org/pix/hurpot.html?bandwidth=high
Forecast Page – http://wxmaps.org/pix/forecasts.html?bandwidth=high
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL)
Home Page – http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/
Physical Sciences Division (PSD) Products Page – http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/products/
Physical Sciences Division (PSD) Data Data Page – http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/
Physical Sciences Division (PSD) Data Maps Page – http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/map/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)
Home Page – http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/about/about.html?bandwidth=high
Products Page – http://www.ncdc.noaa.govgov/oa/ncdc.html?bandwidth=high
Stratosphere Page – http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/?bandwidth=high
FTP Page – http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb/?bandwidth=high
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – National Weather Service – Climate Prediction Center
Home Page – http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
Products Page – http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/
Monitoring and Data Products Page – http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/MD_index.shtml
Atmospheric & SST Indices Page – http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/data/indices/
Regional Climate Maps – http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/regional_monitoring/
Monitoring and Data Page - http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/monitoring_and_data/
FTP Page – ftp://ftp.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
Policlimate.com | Ryan Maue’s Weather Maps (NCEP GFS, NAM, WRF and ECMWF)
http://policlimate.com/weather/
Remote Sensing Systems (RSS)
Home Page – http://ssmi.com/?bandwidth=high
MSU Page – http://ssmi.com/msu/msu_browse.html?bandwidth=high
MSU FTP Page – ftp://ftp.ssmi.com/msu/?bandwidth=high
FTP Page – ftp://ftp.ssmi.com/?bandwidth=high
StormSurf.com
Home Page – http://www.stormsurf.com/
Model Products Page – http://www.stormsurf.com/mdls/menu.html
Weather Model – Global Jet Stream Wind and 250 mb Pressure – http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display_alt.cgi?a=glob_250
Wave Mode – North Atlantic Surface Pressure and Wind – http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display.cgi?a=natla_slp
I get the first sentence describing the polar vortex. I like all the pretty graphs. But, I have to say I only have 60 or so college hours of Sciences, Astronomy, and Geology and there are just not enough words in plane English to decipher what this is all about.
Also, I think there is a defect in the ozone discussion. Ozone has a typical life of 30 minutes before decaying into oxygen. Ozone is formed from sunlight interacting with Oxygen. Therefore, I think, Ozone does not exist in the stratosphere and above for longer than 30 minutes after sundown.
Feel free to offer clarification or corrections.
http://www.pa.op.dlr.de/arctic/index.html
I’ve been reading up on the affects of UV light on the stratosphere and the affect of cosmic rays (charged protons and nuclei on the troposphere). Apparently with lessened solar activity i.e. slacker solar wind the magnetic flux of the earth increases quite a bit. This increase in magnetic field lines allows many more charged particles to enter the troposphere especially at the poles. Experiments have shown that charged protons and nuclei excite gas molecules or whatever molecules they clash with. This in turn ionises these particles, but also has the affect of ionising much larger particles of dust, ice particles, sulfer particles etc. Particles with like charges tend to stay together, so my thinking is, within the atmosphere this can consolidate particles floating around in the atmosphere. These densely packed charged particles then can act as strong nuclei for water droplets to form increasing cloud cover on some parts of the earth i.e the polar and cool temperate regions.
Now this cloud cover has two affects. The first is that it acts as an insulator preventing heat from escaping into the stratosphere and into space. The second is that it acts as an insulator reflecting light away from land surfaces and dark oceans like the arctic ocean.
Simultaneously, with a reduction in solar activity, there is also a reduction in UV light. UV doesn’t really have an affect on the troposhere like cosmic rays have, but UV interacts strongly with gas molecules in the stratophere, creating ozone and releasing heat as it does so. Now if there is a reduction in the amount of UV light, a reduction in ozone production follows and a cooling in the stratosphere…..especially a low latitudes nearer the equator where the effect of the sun is greatest. The stratosphere here will cool off more quickly than at the arctic and shrink in volume.
Remember that the arctic receives little heat from the sun for much of the year, but there is a transfer and storage of heat from warmer waters from the tropics. Arctic waters are also very dark so they can absorb a lot of heat from relatively little sunshine. To summarise we have a warmer troposhere in the arctic with more cloud cover and a relatively cooler stratosphere further to the south.
Now normally frigid arctic air is usually contained in the arctic and a fairly strong polar vortex exists. However if the difference is troposheric temperatures between the arctic and lower latitudes is reduced and inversly the relative temperatures in the stratosphere over the artic and lower latitudes is increased, this can shift the formation of high pressure areas north into the north atlantic and pacific. Pressures tend to reduce south of this i.e azores, meditaranean areas. Once an area of high pressure with a cold top forms i.e from Greenland down over the north atlactic, it tends to feed up warmer air into the artic, which is pushed up over the relatively cold air in the arctic troposphere. Ofcourse it cools, but it forms a temperature inversion near the poles, creating an area of higher pressure. On the eastern side of the high pressure area out over the atlantic, the now relatively warmer, but frigid arctic air can escape easily, without the impediment of a strong polar vortex.
My thinking on all of this is that a combination of a warming arctic during increased solar activiy, followed by a cooling stratosphere because of lessened solar activity and increased cloud cover at high latitudes because of increased cosmic rays can weaken and expand the polar vortex. If the polar vortex is strong, it is contained more or less near the poles, but if it is weak it can become much larger, dragging the jet stream further south. Effectively this has the affect of cooling the climate of the earth. Simultaneously something similar would happen in the southern hemisphere.
If the sun were to enter a long period without much activity, i think the entire earth would evetually cool. Cold air would often spill out of the poles because of the effects i’ve just explained and cool the land masses and especially the oceans further south. An obvious affect would be on the North Atlantic Drift. This current is largely driven by wind. Remove the wind for long periods of time and you lessen the affects of the current on the climate. Another affect may be to slow down the thermohaline curculation in atlactic. If the surface of the North Atlantic were to cool substansially and possibly become less salty because of melting fresh water ice caps and increased rainlfall in the summer months, this overturning of water may stop for some time, until the sun became much more active again.
Hope you enjoy reading, and that it offers some insite into the physical mechanisms that ultimately dictate our weather patterns and climate.
Following from my earlier post on the 19th of December 2011, have a look at the CERN cloud chamber experiment. To search for it look for Jasper Kirkby on YouTube. It seems as though cloud nuclei can be formed from secondary particles, where cosmic rays have bombarded our atmosphere. However we havn’t been able to measure this in real time in the atmosphere, largely because we don’t yet have the technologoy to do so. My earlier explanation of how our atmoshere is working could probably do with refining, because i’m sure there are flaws in my explanation. Feel free to comment.
Interesting theorizing Edward. Complicated subject, still wide open as to what is going on it seems.