ARCTIC CLIMATE: SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS 1. Introduction 2. Atmospheric circulation 3. Temperature and optical effects 4. Winds 5. Precipitation 6. Ozone depletion
Summary of Arctic and Antarctic climatic differences Atmospheric circulation Temperature Antarctic Arctic Zonal Colder Fewer seasonal variations Zonal pattern More meridional Warmer More seasonal variations Longitudinal variation Winds Katabatic Katabatic Pressure cells Precipitation Winter maximum (snowfall) Summer maximum (rainfall) Ozone depletion Severe Less severe
Mean height of 500-mb surface over Antarctica, July. Circumpolar vortex shown in red Source: Sugden, 1982, after Schwerdtfeger, 1970.
Mean height of 300-mb surface over the Arctic, July. Source: Sugden, 1982, after Barry and Hare, 1974.
Mean annual surface temperatures in Antarctica ( C). Source: Sugden, 1982, after John and Sugden, 1975.
Mean January surface temperatures in the Arctic ( C). Source: Sugden, 1982, after Prik, 1959.
Mean monthly July temperatures in the Arctic. Source: Sugden, 1982.
Frequency distribution of different inversions Source: Vowinckel and Orvig, 1970 Month % frequency of occurrence
Towering mirage (Pielou s superior mirage ) Source: Taken from the NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer (http://nsidc.org/arcticmet/)
Towering/superior mirage, Ellesmere Island. Source: Canada Science and Technology Museum, http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/whatson/arcticapril03.cfm
Superior mirage Source: Taken from the NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer (http://nsidc.org/arcticmet/)
Towering/superior mirage (fata morgana), Antarctica. Source: Alan Robock, Rutgers University, http://www.envsci.rutgers.edu/~robock
Towering/superior mirage (fata morgana), Antarctica. Source: Alan Robock, Rutgers University, http://www.envsci.rutgers.edu/~robock
Towering/superior mirage (fata morgana), Antarctica. Source: Alan Robock, Rutgers University, http://www.envsci.rutgers.edu/~robock
Water sky: the sky over open water appears dark Source: Taken from the NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer (http://nsidc.org/arcticmet/)
Ice blink: the sky over sea ice appears white Source: Taken from the NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer (http://nsidc.org/arcticmet/)
Mean annual surface temperatures in Antarctica ( C). Source: Sugden, 1982, after John and Sugden, 1975.
Mean January surface temperatures in the Arctic ( C). Source: Sugden, 1982, after Prik, 1959.
Mean monthly July temperatures in the Arctic. Source: Sugden, 1982.
Arctic temperature pattern in July, 10 C isotherm. Source: NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer.
Oceanic circulation Source: Taken from the NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer (http://nsidc.org/ arcticmet/)
Leads (cracks) in Arctic Ocean pack ice Source: SHEBA web site (http://sheba.apl.washington.edu/icestation/images/ice/index1.htm)
Energy transfer from ocean to atmosphere at an Antarctic lead Source:http://www.antdiv.gov.au/information/aboutantarctica/diaries/Voyage_1_9900
Energy transfer from ocean to atmosphere at a polynya Source: SHEBA web site (http://sheba.apl.washington.edu/icestation/images/ice/index1.htm)
Energy goes into melting ice, not raising temperatures: summer melt ponds on sea ice (Aug. 3). Source: SHEBA web site (http://sheba.apl.washington.edu)
Components of the Arctic energy budget Source: Taken from the NSIDC Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Primer (http://nsidc.org/ arcticmet/)
Summary of Arctic and Antarctic climatic differences Atmospheric circulation Temperature Antarctic Arctic Zonal Colder Fewer seasonal variations Zonal pattern More meridional Warmer More seasonal variations Longitudinal variation Winds Katabatic Katabatic Pressure cells Precipitation Winter maximum (snowfall) Summer maximum (rainfall) Ozone depletion Severe Less severe
Mean surface wind patterns in Anatarctica, reflecting cold air drainage. Source: Sugden, 1982, after Mather and Miller, 1967. Cape Dennison
The Antarctic ice sheet: a continental glacier. Source: University of Tokyo.
Upski as used by Ran Fiennes (Photo from Stroud, 1992)
Topography of the Greenland ice sheet
Mean sea level pressure (mb) for January, Arctic. Siberian High Canadian High Source: Sugden, 1982, after Barry and Hare, 1974.
Summary of Arctic and Antarctic climatic differences Atmospheric circulation Temperature Antarctic Arctic Zonal Colder Fewer seasonal variations Zonal pattern More meridional Warmer More seasonal variations Longitudinal variation Winds Katabatic Katabatic Pressure cells Precipitation Winter maximum (snowfall) Summer maximum (rainfall) Ozone depletion Severe Less severe
Arctic precipitation climatology. Source: Arctic Precipitation Data Archive, Deutscher Wetterdienst. Ogden, UT
Antarctic precipitation map. Source: British Antarctic Survey. Vostok Ogden McMurdo
Source: Christopherson, 2009, p63. Height in kilometres Height in miles Thermosphere Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere Temperature
Largest Antarctic ozone hole measured to date: September 24, 2006. Source: NASA Ozone Hole Watch
Measuring ozone: Dobson units. Source: NASA TOMS.
Largest Antarctic ozone hole measured to date: September 24, 2006. Source: NASA Ozone Hole Watch
Source; Christopherson, 2009, p. 71.
Atmospheric concentration of CFC-11. Source: IPCC, 1996.