The Tibetan Plateau vortex (TPV) is a major rain-producing system over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in summer. The vertical structure of TPV is critical in understanding the generation and development of TPV. In this paper, the ERA-Interim reanalysis data and an objective TPV detection and vertical tracing method are used to investigate the vertical structure of TPV in boreal summer (June–August). Most TPVs are shallow, with only 1/5 of them can reach 400 hPa. Among the TPVs that move off the TP, more than half are deep vortices. The tilting direction of TPV is related to its baroclinic structure. In general, TPVs tilt to the direction of the cold air from low to high isobaric levels, and the tilting direction depends on the relative positions of the warm pool and the cold air intruding into TPV. Deep TPVs inside the TP and those moving off the TP have different vertical structures. On the plateau, TPVs have convergence at the low levels (400–500 hPa) and divergence at the high levels (above 400 hPa), which can cause updrafts in the vortex and a tropical cyclone-like structure. For the TPVs moving off the TP, the updrafts are significantly weak due to the relatively low low-level convergence and the relatively low high-level divergence. These TPVs almost have positive vertical vorticity and present an extratropical cyclone-like structure. The vertical thickness of TPV is important in determining whether the TPV could move off the TP. The results show that the deep TPVs are more likely to move out than the shallow ones. Therefore, the vertical structure is a better predictor on the movement of TPV than its other properties.

青藏高原涡（TPV）是夏季青藏高原（TP）上的主要降雨系统。TPV的垂直结构对于理解TPV的产生和发展至关重要。在本文中，使用ERA-Interim重新分析数据以及客观的TPV检测和垂直追踪方法来研究北方夏季（6月至8月）TPV的垂直结构。大多数TPV较浅，只有其中的1/5可以达到400 hPa。在离开TP的TPV中，有一半以上是深涡。TPV的倾斜方向与其斜斜结构有关。通常，TPV会从低等压线向高等压线向冷空气方向倾斜，并且倾斜方向取决于暖池和侵入TPV的冷空气的相对位置。TP内部的深层TPV和从TP移出的深层TPV具有不同的垂直结构。在高原上，TPV在低水平（400-500 hPa）具有收敛性，而在高水平（400 hPa以上）则具有发散性，这可能导致涡旋和热带气旋状结构上升。对于从TP移出的TPV，由于相对较低的低电平收敛和相对较低的高电平发散，上升气流非常弱。这些TPV几乎具有正的垂直涡度，并呈现出温带气旋状结构。TPV的垂直厚度对于确定TPV是否可以从TP移出很重要。结果表明，深层TPV比浅层TPV更有可能移出。因此，垂直结构比其其他属性更好地预测了TPV的运动。