lorenzo m. polvani

Professor of Applied Mathematics and of Earth & Environmental Sciences

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peer-reviewed publications [last updated on 04 May 2012]

• C. Orbe, M. Holzer, L.M. Polvani and D.W. Waugh: Air-mass origin as a diagnostic of climate change in tropospheric transport, J. Geophys. Res., submitted May 2012


• J.F. Booth, S. Wang, and L.M. Polvani: Midlatitude Storms in a Moister World: Lessons from Idealized Baroclinic Life Cycle Experiments, Clim. Dyn., submitted April 2012


• C.I. Garfinkel, A.H. Butler, D.W. Waugh , M.M. Hurwitz and L.M. Polvani: Why might stratospheric sudden warmings occur with similar frequency in El Niño and La Niña winters? J. Geophys. Res., submitted March 2012


• L.M. Polvani and S. Solomon: The signature of ozone depletion on tropical temperature trends, as revealed by their seasonal cycle in model integrations with single forcings, J. Geophys. Res., submitted February 2012

• T. Ndarana, D.W. Waugh, L.M. Polvani, G.J.P. Correa and E.P. Gerber: Antarctic ozone depletion and trends in tropospheric Rossby wave breaking, Atmos. Sci. Lett., submitted January 2012, in press (2012)


• S. Wang, E.P Gerber and L.M. Polvani: Abrupt Circulation Responses to Tropical Upper Tropospheric Warming in a Relatively Simple Stratosphere-Resolving AGCM, J. Clim., in press (2012)


• M. Previdi and L.M. Polvani: Comment on "Tropospheric temperature response to stratospheric ozone recovery in the 21st century" by Hu et al. (2011), Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 12, 2853-2861, doi:10.5194/acpd-12-2853-2012 (2012)


• C. Orbe, M. Holzer and L.M. Polvani: Flux distributions as robust diagnostics of stratosphere-troposphere exchange, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D1, doi:10.1029/2011JD016455 (2012)


• N.F. Tandon, L.M. Polvani and S.M. Davis: The response of the tropospheric circulation to water vapor-like forcings in the stratosphere, J. Clim., 24, 5713-5720, doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00069.1 (2011)


• S.-W. Son, N.F. Tandon and L.M. Polvani: The fine-scale structure of the global tropopause derived from COSMIC GPS radio occultation measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D20113, doi:10.1029/2011JD016030 (2011)


• A.P. Showman and L.M. Polvani: Equatorial superrotation on tidally locked exoplanets, Astrophys. J., 78:71, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/738/1/71 (2011)


• A.H. Butler and L.M. Polvani: El Niño, La Niña, and stratospheric sudden warmings: A re-evaluation in light of the observational record, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L13807, doi:10.1029/2011GL048084 (2011)


• S. Kang, L.M. Polvani, J. C. Fyfe and M. Sigmond: Impact of polar ozone depletion on subtropical precipitation, Science, 332, 951-954 (2011)

→ supplementary material
→ commentary (by S. Feldstein)


• L.M. Polvani, D.W. Waugh, G.J.P. Correa and S.-W. Son: Stratospheric ozone depletion: the main driver of 20th Century atmospheric circulation changes in the Southern Hemisphere, J. Clim., 24, 795-812, doi: 10.1175/2010JCLI3772.1 (2011)


• L.M. Polvani, M. Previdi and C. Deser: Large cancellation, due to ozone recovery, of future Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation trends, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L04707, doi:10.1029/2011GL046712 (2011)

→ commentary (by J. Perlwitz)


• S. Wang and L.M. Polvani: Double tropopause formation in idealized baroclinic life cycles: The key role of an initial tropopause inversion layer, J. Geophys. Res., 16, D05108, doi:10.1029/2010JD015118 (2011)


• S.M. Kang and L.M. Polvani: The interannual relationship between the eddy-driven jet and the edge of the Hadley cell, J. Clim., 24, 563-568, doi: 10.1175/2010JCLI4077.1 (2011)


• A.P. Showman and L.M. Polvani: The Matsuno-Gill model and equatorial superrotation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L18811, doi:10.1029/2010GL044343 (2010)


• S.-W. Son , E.P. Gerber, J. Perlwitz, L.M. Polvani, N. Gillett, K.-H. Seo and CCMVal Co-authors: Impact of stratospheric ozone on Southern Hemisphere circulation change: A multimodel assessment, J. Geophys. Res., 115, D00M07, doi:10.1029/2010JD014271 (2010)


• D.W. Waugh and L.M. Polvani: Stratospheric polar vortices , in The Stratosphere: Dynamics, Chemistry, and Transport, Geophys. Monogr. Ser., 190, , edited by L. M. Polvani, A. H. Sobel, and D. W. Waugh, pp. 43--57, AGU, Washington, D. C. (2010)


• E.P. Gerber, C. Orbe and L.M. Polvani: Stratospheric influence on the tropospheric circulation revealed by idealized ensemble forecasts, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L24801, doi:10.1029/2009GL040913 (2009)


• S.W. Son, N.F. Tandon, L.M. Polvani and D.W. Waugh: The ozone hole and Southern Hemisphere climate change, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L15705, doi:10.1029/2009GL038671 (2009)


• O. Martius, L.M. Polvani and H.C. Davies: Blocking precursors to stratospheric sudden warming events, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L14806, doi: 10.1029/ 2009GL038776 (2009)


• E.P. Gerber and L.M. Polvani: Stratosphere-troposphere coupling in a relatively simple AGCM: The importance of stratospheric variability, J. Clim., 22, 1920-1933 (2009)


• N.J. Matthewman, J.G. Esler, A.J. Charlton-Perez and L.M. Polvani: A new look at stratospheric sudden warmings. Part III. Polar vortex evolution and vertical structure, J. Clim., 22, 1566-1585 (2009)


• S.W. Son, M. Ting and L.M. Polvani: The effect of topography on storm track intensity in a simple general circulation model, J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 393-411 (2009)


• S.W. Son, L.M. Polvani, D.W. Waugh and CCMVal co-authors: The impact of stratospheric ozone recovery on tropopause height trends, J. Clim., 22, 429-445 (2009)


• R.K. Scott and L.M. Polvani: Equatorial superrotation in shallow atmospheres, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L24202, doi: 10.1029/2008GL036060 (2008)


• E.P. Gerber, L.M. Polvani and D. Ancukiewicz: Annular mode time scales in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report models, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L22707, doi: 10.1029/2008GL035712 (2008)


• A.J. Charlton-Perez, L.M. Polvani, J. Austin and F. Li: The frequency and dynamics of stratospheric sudden warmings in the 21st century, J. Geophys. Res., 113, doi: 10.1029/2007JD009571 (2008)


• S.W. Son, L.M. Polvani, D.W. Waugh and CCMVal co-authors: The impact of stratospheric ozone recovery on the Southern Hemisphere westerly jet, Science, 320, 1486-1489, doi: 10.1126/science.1155939 (2008)

→ supplementary material


• R.K. Scott, L.M. Polvani and D.W. Waugh: Internal variability of the winter stratosphere. Part II: Time-dependent forcing, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 2375-2388 (2008)


• E.P. Gerber, S. Voronin and L.M. Polvani: Testing the annular mode autocorrelation timescale in simple atmospheric general circulation models, Mon. Weather Res., 136, 1523-1536 (2008)


• K.D. Krouse, A.H. Sobel and L.M. Polvani: On the wavelength of Rossby waves radiated by tropical cyclones, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 644-654 (2008)


• L.M. Polvani and J.G. Esler: Transport and mixing of chemical airmasses in idealized baroclinic life cycles, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D23102, doi:10.1029/2007JD008555 (2007)


• R.K. Scott and L.M. Polvani: Forced-dissipative shallow-water turbulence on the sphere and the atmospheric circulation of the giant planets, J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 3158-3176 (2007)


• S.W. Son and L.M. Polvani: The dynamical formation of an extra-tropical tropopause inversion layer in a relatively simple general circulation model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L17806, doi: 10.1029/2007GL030564 (2007)


• M.P. Chipperfield, V. Fioletov and co-authors: Global Ozone Past and Present, Chapter 3 of Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2006, Global Ozone Res. and Monit. Proj., Geneva (2007)

→ download here for Chapter 3 (caution: this is large file, approx 200 MB)


• A.J. Charlton and L.M. Polvani: A new look at stratospheric sudden warmings. Part I. Climatology and modeling benchmarks, J. Clim., 20, 449-469 (2007)

→ please note this CORRIGENDUM


• A.J. Charlton, L.M. Polvani, J. Perlwitz, F. Sassi, E. Manzini, S. Pawson, J.E. Nielsen, K. Shibata and D. Rind: A new look at stratospheric sudden warmings. Part II. Evaluation of numerical model simulations, J. Clim., 20, 470-488 (2007)


• M.A.H. Wittman, A.J. Charlton and L.M. Polvani: The effect of lower stratospheric shear on baroclinic instability, J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 479-496 (2007)

→ please note these CORRIGENDA


• R.K. Scott and L.M. Polvani: Internal variability of the winter stratosphere. Part I: Time-independent forcing, J. Atmos. Sci., 63, 2758-2776 (2006)


• P.J. Kushner and L.M. Polvani: Stratosphere-troposphere coupling in a relatively simple AGCM: Impact of the seasonal cycle, J. Clim., 19, 5721-5727 (2006)


• S.P. Burns, A.H. Sobel and L.M. Polvani: Asymptotic solutions of the axisymmetric moist Hadley circulation in a model with two vertical modes, Theor. Comp. Fluid Dyn., 10.1007/s00162-006-0024-z (2006)


• J.G. Esler, L.M. Polvani and R.K. Scott: The Antarctic stratospheric sudden warming of 2002: A Self-Tuned Resonance?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L12804, doi: 10.1029/2006GL026034 (2006)


• T. Reichler, P.J. Kushner and L.M. Polvani: The coupled stratosphere-troposphere response to impulsive forcing from the troposphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 3337-3352 (2005)


• M.A.H. Wittman, A.J. Charlton and L.M. Polvani: A note on the meridional structure of annular modes, J. Clim., 18, 2119-2122 (2005)


• P.J. Kushner and L.M. Polvani: A very large, spontaneous stratospheric sudden warming in a simple AGCM: A prototype for the southern-hemisphere warming of 2002?, J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 890-897 (2005)


• L.M. Polvani, R.K. Scott and S.J. Thomas: Numerically converged solutions of the global primitive equations for testing the dynamical core of atmospheric GCMs, Mon. Weather Res., 132, 2539-2552 (2004)


• L.M. Polvani and D.W. Waugh: Upward wave activity flux as precursor to extreme stratospheric events and subsequent anomalous surface weather regimes, J. Clim., 17, 3548-3554 (2004)


• J. Galewsky, R.K. Scott and L.M. Polvani : An initial-value problem for testing numerical models of the global shallow water equations, Tellus, A 56 (5), 429-440 (2004)

→ please note this CORRIGENDUM


• M.A.H. Wittman, L.M. Polvani, R.K. Scott and A.J. Charlton: Stratospheric influence on baroclinic lifecycles and its connection to the Arctic Oscillation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L16113, doi: 10.1029/2004GL020503 (2004)


• J.G. Esler and L.M. Polvani: Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of potential vorticity layers: A route to mixing, J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 1392-1405 (2004)


• R.K. Scott and L.M. Polvani: Stratospheric control of upward wave flux near the tropopause, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L02115, doi: 10.1029/2003GL017965 (2004)


• R.K. Scott, D.G. Dritschel, L.M. Polvani and D.W. Waugh: Enhancement of Rossby wave breaking by steep potential vorticity gradients in the winter stratosphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 904-918 (2004)


• P.J. Kushner and L.M. Polvani: Stratosphere-troposphere coupling in a relatively simple AGCM: The role of eddies, J. Clim., 17, 629-639 (2004)


• L.M. Polvani and P.J. Kushner: Tropospheric response to stratospheric perturbations in a relatively simple general circulation model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, doi: 10.129/2001GL014284 (2002)

→ please note this CORRIGENDUM


• L.M. Polvani and A.H. Sobel: The Hadley circulation and the weak temperature gradient approximation, J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1744-1752 (2002)


• L. Rivier, R. Loft and L.M. Polvani: An efficient spectral dynamical core for distributed memory computers, Mon. Weather Res., 130, 1384-1396 (2002)


• A. H. Sobel, J. Nilsson and L.M. Polvani: The weak temperature gradient approximation and balanced tropical moisture waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 3650-3665 (2001)


• M.H. Visbeck, J.W. Hurrell, L.M. Polvani and H.M. Cullen: The North Atlantic oscillation: past, present, and future, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 98, 12876-12877 (2001)


• D.W. Waugh and L.M. Polvani: Climatology of intrusions into the tropical upper troposphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, 3857-3860, doi: 10.1029/2000GL012250 (2000)


• L.M. Polvani and R. Saravanan: The three-dimensional structure of breaking Rossby waves in the polar wintertime stratosphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 3663-3685 (2000)


• A. Kuo and L.M. Polvani: Geostrophic adjustment, cyclone/anticyclone asymmetry, and potential vorticity rearrangement, Phys. Fluids, 12, 1087-1100 (2000)


• J.G. Esler, L.M. Polvani and R.A. Plumb: The effect of a Hadley circulation on the propagation and reflection of planetary waves in a simple one-layer model, J. Atmos Sci., 57, 1536-1556 (2000)


• J.G. Esler, L.M. Polvani and R.A. Plumb: On the mix-down times of dynamically active potential vorticity filaments, Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 2953-2956, doi: 10.1029/1999GL010875 (1999)


• A. Kuo and L.M. Polvani: Wave-vortex interactions in rotating shallow water. Part I. One space dimension, J. Fluid Mech., 394, 1-27 (1999)


• D.G. Dritschel, L.M. Polvani and A.R. Mohebalhojeh: The contour-advective semi-Lagrangian algorithm for the shallow-water equations, Mon. Weather Res., 127, 1551-1565 (1999)


• L.M. Polvani, J.G. Esler and R.A. Plumb: Time variability and Simmons-Wallace-Branstator instability in a simple nonlinear model, J. Atmos Sci., 56, 1445-1460 (1999)


• M. DiBattista and L.M. Polvani: Barotropic vortex pairs on a rotating sphere, J. Fluid Mech., 358, 107-133 (1998)


• A. Kuo and L.M. Polvani: Time-dependent fully nonlinear geostrophic adjustment, J. Phys. Ocean., 27, 1614-1634 (1997)


• J. Cho and L.M. Polvani: The formation of jets and vortices from freely-evolving shallow water turbulence on the surface of a sphere, Phys. Fluids, 8, 1531-1552 (1996)


• J. Cho and L.M. Polvani: The morphogenesis of bands and zonal winds in the atmospheres of the giant planets, Science, 273, no.5273, 335-337 (1996)

→ commentary (by P. Gierasch)


• L.M. Polvani, D.Waugh and R.A. Plumb: Reply, J. Atmos. Sci., 53, 3772-3775 (1996)


• L.M. Polvani, D.Waugh and R.A. Plumb: On the subtropical edge of the stratospheric surf zone, J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 1288-1309 (1995)


• L.M. Polvani, J.C. McWilliams, M. Spall and R. Ford: The coherent structures of shallow water turbulence: deformation radius effects, cyclone/anticyclone asymmetry and gravity wave generation, Chaos, 4, 177-186 (1994)


• D. Waugh, L.M. Polvani and R.A. Plumb: Nonlinear, barotropic response to localized topographic forcing: Rossby-wave breaking and the formation of a tropical surf-zone, J. Atmos. Sci., 51, 1401-1416 (1994)


• L.M. Polvani and D.G. Dritschel: Wave and vortex dynamics on the surface of the sphere, J. Fluid Mech. 255, 35-64 (1993)


• D.G. Dritschel and L.M. Polvani: The roll-up of vorticity strips on the surface of a sphere, J. Fluid Mech., 234, 47-69 (1992)


• L.M. Polvani and R.A. Plumb: Rossby wave breaking, microbreaking, filamentation and secondary vortex formation: the dynamics of a perturbed vortex, J. Atmos. Sci., 4, 462-476 (1992)


• L.M. Polvani and J. Touma: A note on recent experiments with Rossby waves on eastward jets, in Nonlinear Phenomena in Atmospheric and Ocean Science, G. Carnevale and R. Pierrehumbert, Eds. (1991)


• L.M. Polvani: Two-Layer Geostrophic Vortex Dynamics. Part II. Alignment and Two-Layer V-States, J. Fluid Mech., 225, 241-270 (1991)


• L.M. Polvani, J. Wisdom, E. deJong and A. Ingersoll: Simple dynamical models of Neptune's Great Dark Spot, Science, 249, 1393-1398 (1990)


• L.M. Polvani and J. Wisdom: On Chaotic Flow around the Kida Vortex, in Topological Aspects of Fluid Mechanics, C.U.P., H.K.Moffat, Ed., (1990)


• L.M Polvani and X.J. Carton: The Tripole: a New Coherent Vortex Structure of Inviscid Two-Dimensional Flows, Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dyn., 51, 87-102 (1990)


• L.M. Polvani and J.Wisdom: Chaotic Lagrangian trajectories around an elliptical vortex patch embedded in a constant and uniform background shear flow, The Physics of Fluids A, 2, 123-126 (1990)


• L.M. Polvani, N.J. Zabusky and G.R. Flierl: Two-Layer Geostrophic Vortex Dynamics. Part I. Upper-Layer V-States and Merger, J. Fluid Mech., 205, 215-242 (1989)


• L.M. Polvani, G.R. Flierl and N.J. Zabusky: Filamentation of Unstable Vortex Structures via Separatrix Crossing: a Quantitative Estimate of Onset Time, The Physics of Fluids A, 1, 181-184 (1989)


• X.J. Carton, G.R. Flierl and L.M. Polvani: The emergence of tripole from unstable axisymmetric vortex structures, Europhysics Letters, 9, 339-344 (1989)


• L.M. Polvani and J. Pedlosky: The Effect of Dissipation on Spatially Growing Nonlinear Baroclinic Waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 45, 1977-1989 (1988)


• J. Pedlosky and L.M. Polvani: Wave-Wave Interaction of Unstable Baroclinic Waves, J. Atmos. Sci., 44, 631-647 (1987)


• L.M. Polvani and G.R.Flierl: Generalized Kirchhoff Vortices, The Physics of Fluids, 29, 2376-2379 (1986)


• Y. Afek, B. Margolis and L.M. Polvani: The production of heavy particles by protons on protons, Phys. Rev. D, 25, 1833-1837 (1982)

other publications

• R.K. Scott, L. Rivier, R. Loft and L.M. Polvani: BOB (Built-On-Beowulf): model implementation and users guide, NCAR Technical Note TN-456+IA (2004)


• L.M. Polvani: The linear instability of continuous heton band clouds, GFD Summer Study Program 1984, Woods Hole Ocean. Inst. Tech. Rep. WHOI-84-44 (1984)