Polar low structure over the northern Gulf of Alaska based on research aircraft observations

Abstract

The vortex center was characterized by suppressed cloudiness on both days and was decidedly warmer at low levels than its surroundings. The vorticity associated with the polar low was largest near the surface and decreased rapidly with height on the first day, with only a very weak circulation evident by 700mb. Coldest 500mb temperatures and lowest static stabilities were found directly above the surface low. On the second day the vortex was more intense at midtropospheric levels than on the previous day, and convective clouds extended to higher levels. -from Authors