Characteristics of long-track tropopause polar vortices

Bray, Matthew T.; Cavallo, Steven M.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-251-2022

Articles | Volume 3, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-251-2022

© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-251-2022

© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 3, issue 1

Research article

|

10 Mar 2022

Research article |

| 10 Mar 2022

Characteristics of long-track tropopause polar vortices

Matthew T. Bray and Steven M. Cavallo

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Final revised paper (published on 10 Mar 2022)
Preprint (discussion started on 19 Oct 2021)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

RC1: 'Comment on wcd-2021-70', Anonymous Referee #1, 20 Nov 2021

The comment was uploaded in the form of a supplement: https://wcd.copernicus.org/preprints/wcd-2021-70/wcd-2021-70-RC1-supplement.pdf

Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2021-70-RC1
RC2: 'Comment on wcd-2021-70', Anonymous Referee #2, 17 Dec 2021

See pdf for comments.

Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2021-70-RC2
AC1: 'Comment on wcd-2021-70', Matthew Bray, 13 Jan 2022

The comment was uploaded in the form of a supplement: https://wcd.copernicus.org/preprints/wcd-2021-70/wcd-2021-70-AC1-supplement.pdf

Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2021-70-AC1

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

AR by Matthew Bray on behalf of the Authors (13 Jan 2022) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by editor and referees) (14 Jan 2022) by Gwendal Rivière

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (14 Jan 2022) by Gwendal Rivière

RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (21 Jan 2022)

For final publication, the manuscript should be

accepted as is

accepted subject to technical corrections

accepted subject to minor revisions

reconsidered after major revisions

rejected

Were a revised manuscript to be sent for another round of reviews:

I would be willing to review the revised manuscript.

I would not be willing to review the revised manuscript.

Suggestions for revision or reasons for rejection

I thank the authors for their detailed and enlightening responses to my comments, as well as for the careful revision of the manuscript and the additional analyses. These analyses further elucidate important aspects of long-lived TPVs, including their association with surface cyclones, and the limited importance of radiation for the genesis of non-likely split TPVs. I consider these valuable additions to the manuscript. Furthermore, the limitation of Figs. 5-7 to a few representative cases is adequate and improves the readability of the paper.

In summary, I am impressed with the work done and I find the manuscript is in very good shape. I do have one minor request and a few typographic comments (see below). Besides that, I recommend acceptance of the manuscript.

Congratulations to this very interesting study!

(1) RRTM-experiments: Could the authors say something about how the PV tendencies are computed from the radiative heating / cooling rates? Note that the PV tendency does not only depend on the vertical gradient of the heating rate, but it is also proportional to the absolute vorticity. Did you assume a typical value for the absolute vorticity when converting gradients of the heating rates to PV tendencies or did you take the actual vorticity profile? I think this should be specified in the paper. Also I am wondering whether the cyclonic vorticity present (once the TPV exists) may help to further strengthen the PV rates?

(2) L31: stratopshere → stratosphere
(3) L247: Do you mean a “shortwave trough”?
(4) L387: “...for winter case lysis events…” sounds odd, suggest rephrasing.
(5) L416: predominate → predominant

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RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (29 Jan 2022)

ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (08 Feb 2022) by Gwendal Rivière

AR by Matthew Bray on behalf of the Authors (15 Feb 2022) Author's response Manuscript

Short summary

Tropopause polar vortices (TPVs) are a high-latitude atmospheric phenomenon that impact weather inside and outside of polar regions. Using a set of long-lived TPVs to gain insight into the conditions that are most supportive of TPV survival, we describe patterns of vortex formation and movement. In addition, we analyze the characteristics of these TPVs and how they vary by season. These results help us to better understand TPVs which, in turn, may improve forecasts of related weather events.