A new look at stratospheric sudden warmings. Part I: Climatology and modeling benchmarks

Publication Status is "Submitted" Or "In Press: 
LDEO Publication: 
Publication Type: 
Journal Article
Year of Publication: 
2007
Authors: 
Charlton, A. J.; Polvani, L. M.
Editor: 
Journal Title: 
Journal of Climate
Journal Date: 
Feb 1
Place Published: 
Tertiary Title: 
Volume: 
20
Issue: 
3
Pages: 
449-469
Section / Start page: 
Publisher: 
ISBN Number: 
0894-8755
ISSN Number: 
Edition: 
Short Title: 
Accession Number: 
ISI:000244093000005
LDEO Publication Number: 
Call Number: 
Key Words: 
planetary wave activity; northern-hemisphere; polar vortex; elliptic diagnostics; arctic stratosphere; winter stratosphere; potential vorticity; dynamical model; el-nino; circulation;
Abstract: 

Stratospheric sudden warmings are the clearest and strongest manifestation of dynamical coupling in the stratosphere-troposphere system. While many sudden warmings have been individually documented in the literature, this study aims at constructing a comprehensive climatology: all major midwinter warming events are identified and classified, in both the NCEP-NCAR and 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) datasets. To accomplish this a new, objective identification algorithm is developed. This algorithm identifies sudden warmings based on the zonal mean zonal wind at 60 degrees N and 10 hPa, and classifies them into events that do and do not split the stratospheric polar vortex.

Notes: 

134OPTimes Cited:12Cited References Count:59

URL: 
<Go to ISI>://000244093000005
DOI: 
Doi 10.1029/2004gl020503