ARCTIC (POLAR) VORTEX- A Wind that shook Northern US What is a polar Vortex?

The polar vortex is a large, long-term cyclone that exists between the troposphere and the stratosphere (between about 6,000 feet and 40,000 feet) over the poles of most planets centred on a low pressure area-that keeps extreme cold bottled up. The Arctic vortex has two centres, one near Baffin Island and the other over northeast Siberia.

Characteristics:
Strengthen during winter and weaken during summer. Steep pressure gradients. Mainly occurs during winter, which helps to create cold stratosphere. Spans large area (~1000 km radius). Flows from west to east.

2 states of polar vortex Strong Polar Vortex

This is the more common state of the polar vortex. This creates strong low pressure in the Arctic region- Because of the pressure difference between the Arctic and mid-latitudes, air flows into low pressure and this confines the cold air to high latitudes closer to the Arctic. Therefore it is often not much cold across the Eastern US, Europe and East Asia during winters when the polar vortex is strong. During strong polar vortex, the air flow is fast and in a direction from west to east. Low pressure in the Arctic region is referred to as the positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO), which is also known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).

Weak Polar Vortex

When the polar vortex is weak or perturbed, the flow of air is weaker and meanders north and south (rather than west to east). This allows a redistribution of air masses where cold air from the Arctic spreads into the mid-latitudes and warm air from the subtropics is carried into the Arctic . This mixing of air masses also favours more storms and snow in the mid-latitudes. During a weak polar vortex, high pressure occurs in the Arctic region and is referred to as the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO). Air flows away from the high pressure Arctic. The north to south direction of the polar vortex carries cold Arctic air into the midlatitudes of Eastern US, Europe and East Asia.

Therefore it is cold across the Eastern US, Europe and East Asia during winters when the polar vortex is weak.

How it is shifted to low latitudes? (As now it shifted to US) Normal condition:
The polar vortex will be strong. The other high pressure area and the jet stream used to sit consistently below the Arctic - locks the polar vortex from moving further down the south (i.e.) keeping cold air north of it and warmer air south. The sub polar low pressure and subtopic high pressure will be strong.

Present condition:
The polar vortex is weak. The Jetstream got wavier (see the pic below) and hence cant be predicted correctly. Due to global warming, there is a net increase in temperature in the polar regiondue to this the difference between the temperature in polar and mid-latitudes is considerably reduced. The sub polar low pressure and subtopic high pressure is weak.

Consequence of the present condition: is the cold polar vortex shifting to the south towards equator.
The Jetstream margin is moved downwards towards the Equator Due to excess heat the moisture in the polar region increases which causes instability to the vortex. Due to the instability, Redistribution of air masses where cold air from the Arctic spreads into the mid-latitudes and warm air from the subtropics is carried into the Arctic. Sometimes the polar vortex can either be forced well south of its typical position , or a significant piece of the larger spin can break off the vortex.

After break off it gains direction as explained below:

The break off causes the vortex to enter the region of great lakes-pass in the southwest direction. Why it has not entered the Atlantic Ocean directly? High pressure in the atmosphere near Greenland, referred to as a Greenland block, effectively keeps cold, Canadian air from sweeping into the North Atlantic Ocean. Instead, it is forced south into the U.S., often entering US through Florida and pass to the parts of the northern Caribbean.

Relation between ozone depletion and polar vortex

The Ozone hole occurs when the Sun first appears after the long polar night. Steps involved in occurring are:

Separation of polar air mass: During Polar Winter, a polar vortex forms and the polar air mass in the stratosphere which is separated from other air masses. Reduction in temperature: The temperature drops steeply, ultimately leads to the stratospheric air trapped in the vortex becoming very cold it becomes coldest air in any part of the Earth's stratosphere. Formation of HCl ice crystals: In this cold vortex, polar stratospheric ice crystal clouds form. Gas phase HCl dissolves in the surfaces or clings to the surfaces of the clouds. CFC reaction with HCl ice: The CFC's react with the HCl ice, converting relatively unreactive chlorine to the more active species, Cl2, ClONO2, and HOCl. CFC + HCl -------> very highly active { Cl2 + ClONO2 + HOC l}. Separation of Chlorine atoms: At sunrise, the chlorine-bearing compounds are exposed to sunlight in summer, it releases the highly reactive Cl atoms. Attacking of ozone (O3) by chlorine atoms: chlorine reacts with O3 to give out O2 which is normal oxygen. Thus the ozone is replaced with normal oxygen Ozone + chlorine ------>normal oxygen + ClO Ozone densities drop rapidly, till the polar vortex breaks up.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_vortex http://www.physics.otago.ac.nz/space/AARDDVARK_NOx_background.htm http://weather.aol.com/2014/01/11/when-will-the-polar-vortex-return/ http://greenanswers.com/question/what-polar-vertex/ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2014/01/06/what-is-this-polar-vortex-that-isfreezing-the-u-s/ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2014/01/07/declining-arctic-snow-cover-is-badnews-for-polar-vortex/ http://www.wunderground.com/news/polar-vortex-plunge-science-behind-arctic-cold-outbreaks20140106 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/polar-vortex-analysis-the-arctic-winds-that-broughtcold-air-and-chaos-southwards-9042426.html http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25423 http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/polar-vortex-created-by-arctic-warming-northamerican-cooling

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