Effect of latitudinally displaced gravity wave forcing in the lower stratosphere on the polar vortex stability

Abstract

In order to investigate the impact of a locally confined gravity wave (GW) hotspot, a sensitivity study based on simulations of the middle atmosphere circulation during northern winter was performed with a nonlinear, mechanistic, general circulation model. To this end, we selected a fixed longitude range in the East Asian region (120–170∘ E) and a latitude range from 22.5 to 52.5∘ N between 18 and 30 km for the hotspot region, which was then shifted northward in steps of 5∘. For the southernmost hotspots, we observe a decreased stationary planetary wave (SPW) with wave number 1 (SPW 1) activity in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere, i.e., fewer SPWs 1 are propagating upwards. These GW hotspots lead to a negative refractive index, inhibiting SPW propagation at midlatitudes. The decreased SPW 1 activity is connected to an increased zonal mean zonal wind at lower latitudes. This, in turn, decreases the meridional potential vorticity gradient (qy) from midlatitudes towards the polar region. A reversed qy indicates local baroclinic instability, which generates SPWs with wave number 1 in the polar region, where we observe a strong positive Eliassen–Palm (EP) divergence. As a result, the EP flux increases towards the polar stratosphere (corresponding to enhanced SPW 1 amplitudes), where the SPWs with wave number 1 break, and the zonal mean zonal wind decreases. Thus, the local GW forcing leads to a displacement of the polar vortex towards lower latitudes. The effect of the local baroclinic instability indicated by the reversed qy also produces SPWs with wave number 1 in the lower mesosphere. The effect on the dynamics in the middle atmosphere due to GW hotspots that are located northward of 50∘ N is negligible, as the refractive index of the atmosphere is strongly negative in the polar region. Thus, any changes in the SPW activity due to the local GW forcing are quite ineffective.