Understanding Wave-mean Flow Feedbacks and Tropospheric Annular Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, D. J.

2016-12-01

The structure of internal tropospheric variability is important for determining the impact of the stratosphere on the troposphere. This study aims to better understand the fundamental dynamical mechanisms that control the feedbacks between the eddies and the mean flow, which in turn select the tropospheric annular mode. Recent work using Rossby Wave Chromatography suggests that "barotropic processes", which directly impact the meridional propagation of wave activity (specifically the reflectivity of the poleward flank of the mid-latitude jet), are more important for the positive feedback between the annular mode and the eddies than "baroclinic processes", which involve changes in the generation of wave activity by baroclinic instability. In this study, experiments with a fully nonlinear quasi-geostrophic model are discussed which provide independent confirmation of the importance of barotropic versus baroclinic processes. The experiments take advantage of the steady-state balance at upper-levels between the meridional gradient in diabatic heating and the second derivative of the upper-level EP flux divergence. Simulations with standard Newtonian heating are compared to simulations with constant-in-time heating taken from the climatology of the standard run and it is found that the forced annular mode response to changes in surface friction is very similar. Moreover, as expected from the annular mode response, the eddy momentum fluxes are also very similar. This is despite the fact that the upper-level EP flux divergence is very different between the two simulations (upper-level EP flux divergence must remain constant in the constant heating simulation while in the standard simulation there is no such constraint). The upper-level balances are maintained by a large change in the baroclinic wave source (i.e. vertical EP flux), which is accompanied by little momentum flux change. Therefore the eddy momentum fluxes appear to be relatively insensitive to the wave activity source. A more detailed comparison suggests a helpful rule-of-thumb relating the amplitude of the baroclinic wave source to the upper-level vorticity flux forced by this wave source.

Evaluating Models of The Neutral, Barotropic Planetary Boundary Layer using Integral Measures: Part I. Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, G. D.; Garratt, J. R.

Data for the cross-isobaric angle 0, the geostrophic drag coefficient Cg, and the functions A and B of Rossby number similarity theory, obtained from meteorological field experiments, are used to evaluate a range of models of the neutral, barotropic planetary boundary layer. The data give well-defined relationships for 0, Cg, and the integrated dissipation rate over the boundary layer, as a function of the surface Rossby number. Lettau's first-order closure mixing-length model gives an excellent fit to the data; other simple models give reasonable agreement. However more sophisticated models, e.g., higher-order closure, large-eddy simulation, direct numerical simulation and laboratory models, give poor fits to the data. The simplemodels have (at least) one free parameter in their turbulence closure that is matched toatmospheric observations; the more sophisticated models either base their closure onmore general flows or have no free closure parameters. It is suggested that all of theatmospheric experiments that we could locate violate the strict simplifying assumptionsof steady, homogeneous, neutral, barotropic flow required by the sophisticated models.The angle 0 is more sensitive to violations of the assumptions than is Cg.

Rossby wave activity in a two-dimensional model - Closure for wave driving and meridional eddy diffusivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hitchman, Matthew H.; Brasseur, Guy

1988-01-01

A parameterization of the effects of Rossby waves in the middle atmosphere is proposed for use in two-dimensional models. By adding an equation for conservation of Rossby wave activity, closure is obtained for the meridional eddy fluxes and body force due to Rossby waves. Rossby wave activity is produced in a climatological fashion at the tropopause, is advected by a group velocity which is determined solely by model zonal winds, and is absorbed where it converges. Absorption of Rossby wave activity causes both an easterly torque and an irreversible mixing of potential vorticity, represented by the meridional eddy diffusivity, K(yy). The distribution of Rossby wave driving determines the distribution of K(yy), which is applied to all of the chemical constituents. This provides a self-consistent coupling of the wave activity with the winds, tracer distributions and the radiative field. Typical winter stratospheric values for K(yy) of 2 million sq m/sec are obtained. Poleward tracer advection is enhanced and meridional tracer gradients are reduced where Rossby wave activity is absorbed in the model.

Secondary eyewall formation in WRF simulations of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina (2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abarca, Sergio F.; Corbosiero, Kristen L.

2011-04-01

An analysis is presented of two high-resolution hurricane simulations of Katrina and Rita (2005) that exhibited secondary eyewall formation (SEF). The results support the notion of vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) having an important role in SEF and suggest that VRW activity is a defining aspect of the moat. SEF occurs at a radius of ˜65 (80) km in Katrina (Rita), close to the hypothesized stagnation radius of VRWs. VRW activity appears to be the result of eye-eyewall mixing events, themselves a product of the release of barotropic instability. The convection in the radial region that becomes the moat is mainly in the form of VRWs propagating radially outward from the primary eyewall until the negative radial gradient of potential vorticity is no longer conducive for their propagation. These convectively coupled waves, originating and being expelled from the eyewall, are rotation dominated and have the coherency necessary to survive their passage through the strain-dominated region outside the eyewall.

GCM simulations of intraseasonal variability in the Pacific/North American region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Siegfried; Suarez, Max; Park, Chung-Kyu; Moorthi, Shrinivas

1993-01-01

General circulation model (GCM) simulations of low-frequency variability with time scales of 20 to 70 days are analyzed for the Pacific sector during boreal winter. The GCM's leading mode in the upper-tropospheric zonal wind is associated with fluctuations of the East Asian jet; this mode resembles, in both structure and amplitude, the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern found in the observations on these time scales. In both the model and observations, the PNA anomaly is characterized by: (1) a linear balance in the upper-tropospheric vorticity budget with no significant Rossby wave source in the tropics, (2) a barotropic conversion of kinetic energy from the time mean Pacific jet, and (3) a north/south displacement of the Pacific storm track. In the GCM, the latter is associated with synoptic eddy heat flux and latent heat anomalies that appear to contribute to a strong lower-tropospheric source of wave activity over the North Pacific. This is in contrast to the observations, which show only a weak source of wave activity in this region.

Aspects of oceanic forcing of drought over Southwest Asia and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoell, Andrew

An exceptionally severe drought affected much of the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes during 1998 -- 2002, with maxima over Southwest Asia and the United States. Previous research has suggested that the oceans played an important role in the hemispheric drought, with oceanic links to tropical Indo-west Pacific Ocean convection highlighted as important for Southwest Asia, and several additional ocean regions suggested as important for the United States. Here, the regional and hemispheric circulation response to tropical Indo-west Pacific Ocean convection is examined for both Southwest Asia and the United States, and the relative importance of individual sea surface temperature areas are explored for United States precipitation. For Southwest Asia, the regional thermodynamic forcing of precipitation and the Northern Hemisphere circulation are related to the leading pattern of Indian Ocean precipitation and its intraseasonal and interannual contributions. Both intraseasonal and interannual timescales are associated with baroclinic Gill-Matsuno-like circulation responses extending over southern Asia, but the interannual component also has a strong equivalent-barotropic circulation. A stationary barotropic Rossby wave extending over North America is associated with interannual tropical Indo-west Pacific Ocean convection and is supported by barotropic ray tracing. For United States regions, historical SST and precipitation links are identified for 1948 -- 1997, and the importance of these links are assessed during the 1998 -- 2002 drought using a linear regression model. The reconstructed precipitation has good correspondence for the Southwest and Southeast United States, but is not able to reproduce precipitation variability over the Northwest and Central United States, especially Texas.

The mean zonal flow response to Rossby wave and gravity wave forcing in the equatorial lower stratosphere - Relationship to the QBO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Masaaki; Holton, James R.

1991-01-01

Observations show that the westerly acceleration of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) can be accounted for by Kelvin waves, but that there is a deficiency in the easterly acceleration due to Rossby-gravity waves. Rossby waves and westward propagating gravity waves have been suggested as alternative sources for the easterly acceleration. The possible role of these two wave modes has been tested in a two-dimensional model of the QBO. When the easterly acceleration is due to Rossby waves, the zonal-mean response is steady; when it is due to gravity waves, an oscillation with some features similar to the QBO occurs, but it is of short period and weak amplitude. A similar result occurs when a standing-wave forcing pattern is imposed. These results suggest that Rossby waves play only a minor role in the QBO, and that while the Rossby-gravity mode is essential, other gravity modes may also be important for the easterly phase.

Influence of condensation and latent heat release upon barotropic and baroclinic instabilities of vortices in a rotating shallow water f-plane model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rostami, Masoud; Zeitlin, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Analysis of the influence of condensation and related latent heat release upon developing barotropic and baroclinic instabilities of large-scale low Rossby-number shielded vortices on the f-plane is performed within the moist-convective rotating shallow water model, in its barotropic (one-layer) and baroclinic (two-layer) versions. Numerical simulations with a high-resolution well-balanced finite-volume code, using a relaxation parameterisation for condensation, are made. Evolution of the instability in four different environments, with humidity (i) behaving as passive scalar, (ii) subject to condensation beyond a saturation threshold, (iii) subject to condensation and evaporation, with three different parameterisations of the latter, are inter-compared. The simulations are initialised with unstable modes determined from the detailed linear stability analysis in the "dry" version of the model. In a configuration corresponding to low-level mid-latitude atmospheric vortices, it is shown that the known scenario of evolution of barotropically unstable vortices, consisting in formation of a pair of dipoles (dipolar breakdown) is substantially modified by condensation and related moist convection, especially in the presence of surface evaporation. No enhancement of the instability due to precipitation was detected in this case. Cyclone-anticyclone asymmetry with respect to sensitivity to the moist effects is evidenced. It is shown that inertia-gravity wave emission during the vortex evolution is enhanced by the moist effects. In the baroclinic configuration corresponding to idealised cut-off lows in the atmosphere, it is shown that the azimuthal structure of the leading unstable mode is sensitive to the details of stratification. Scenarios of evolution are completely different for different azimuthal structures, one leading to dipolar breaking, and another to tripole formation. The effects of moisture considerably enhance the perturbations in the lower layer, especially in the tripole formation scenario.

The mean zonal flow response to Rossby wave and gravity wave forcing in the equatorial lower stratosphere: Relationship to the QBO. [QBO (quasi-biennial oscillation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, M.; Holton, J.R.

1991-09-15

Observations show that the westerly acceleration of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) can be accounted for by Kelvin waves, but that there is a deficiency in the easterly acceleration due to Rossby-gravity waves. Rossby waves and westward propagating gravity waves have been suggested as alternative sources for the easterly acceleration. We have tested the possible role of these two wave modes in a two-dimensional model of the QBO. When the easterly acceleration is due to Rossby waves, the zonal-mean response is steady; when it is due to gravity waves, an oscillation with some features similar to the QBO occurs, butmore » it is of short period and weak amplitude. A similar result occurs when a standing-wave forcing pattern is imposed. These results suggest that Rossby waves play only a minor role in the QBO, and that while the Rossby-gravity mode is essential, other gravity modes may also be important for the easterly phase. 12 refs., 22 figs.« less

Normal mode Rossby waves observed in the upper stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirooka, T.; Hirota, I.

1985-01-01

In recent years, observational evidence has been obtained for westward traveling planetary waves in the middle atmosphere with the aid of global data from satellites. There is no doubt that the fair portion of the observed traveling waves can be understood as the manifestation of the normal mode Rossby waves which are theoretically derived from the tidal theory. Some observational aspects of the structure and behavior of the normal model Rossby waves in the upper stratosphere are reported. The data used are the global stratospheric geopotential thickness and height analyses which are derived mainly from the Stratospheric Sounding Units (SSUs) on board TIROS-N and NOAA satellites. A clear example of the influence of the normal mode Rossby wave on the mean flow is reported. The mechanism considered is interference between the normal mode Rossby wave and the quasi-stationary wave.

Understanding Rossby wave trains forced by the Indian Ocean Dipole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, Peter C.; Hendon, Harry H.

2018-04-01

Convective variations over the tropical Indian Ocean associated with ENSO and the Indian Ocean Dipole force a Rossby wave train that appears to emanate poleward and eastward to the south of Australia and which causes climate variations across southern Australia and more generally throughout the Southern Hemisphere extratropics. However, during austral winter, the subtropical jet that extends from the eastern Indian Ocean into the western Pacific at Australian latitudes should effectively prohibit continuous propagation of a stationary Rossby wave from the tropics into the extratropics because the meridional gradient of mean absolute vorticity goes to zero on its poleward flank. The observed wave train indeed exhibits strong convergence of wave activity flux upon encountering this region of vanishing vorticity gradient and with some indication of reflection back into the tropics, indicating the continuous propagation of the stationary Rossby wave train from low to high latitudes is inhibited across the south of Australia. However, another Rossby wave train appears to emanate upstream of Australia on the poleward side of the subtropical jet and propagates eastward along the waveguide of the eddy-driven (sub-polar) jet into the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean. This combination of evanescent wave train from the tropics and eastward propagating wave train emanating from higher latitudes upstream of Australia gives the appearance of a continuous Rossby wave train propagating from the tropical Indian Ocean into higher southern latitudes. The extratropical Rossby wave source on the poleward side of the subtropical jet stems from induced changes in transient eddy activity in the main storm track of the Southern Hemisphere. During austral spring, when the subtropical jet weakens, the Rossby wave train emanating from Indian Ocean convection is explained more traditionally by direct dispersion from divergence forcing at low latitudes.

Characteristics and mechanism of deep mesoscale variability south of the Kuroshio Extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyamoto, Masatoshi; Oka, Eitarou; Yanagimoto, Daigo; Fujio, Shinzou; Mizuta, Genta; Imawaki, Shiro; Kurogi, Masao; Hasumi, Hiroyasu

2017-05-01

To clarify the characteristics and mechanism of mesoscale variability in the deep ocean, we analyzed historical mooring observations conducted at Site R (30°N, 147°E) south of the Kuroshio Extension during 1978-85 and the 10-year output of an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model. The power spectral density (PSD) of current velocity at a depth of 5000 m had a peak at periods of 45-75 days at two mooring stations that were zonally 98 km apart and at 54 days at Site R in the model. In the model, the PSD at 54 days at 5000 m had a horizontal maximum 100 km north of Site R as well as in the Kuroshio Extension region 500 km north of Site R. Within the high-PSD region near Site R, variability in the velocity was coherent, and its phase propagation was characterized by zonal and meridional wavenumbers of -2.9×10-5 and 0.1×10-5 rad m-1, respectively, the former of which was comparable to the value of -2.6×10-5 rad m-1 obtained from the mooring observations. Such wavenumbers matched well with the dispersion relation of barotropic topographic Rossby waves (TRWs). Backward ray tracing and PSD distribution suggested that the barotropic TRWs at Site R were generated in the Kuroshio Extension region, and their energy propagated southward.

Vortex Rossby Waves in Asymmetric Basic Flow of Typhoons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tianju; Zhong, Zhong; Wang, Ju

2018-05-01

Wave ray theory is employed to study features of propagation pathways (rays) of vortex Rossby waves in typhoons with asymmetric basic flow, where the tangential asymmetric basic flow is constructed by superimposing the wavenumber-1 perturbation flow on the symmetric basic flow, and the radial basic flow is derived from the non-divergence equation. Results show that, in a certain distance, the influences of the asymmetry in the basic flow on group velocities and slopes of rays of vortex Rossby waves are mainly concentrated near the radius of maximum wind (RMW), whereas it decreases outside the RMW. The distributions of radial and tangential group velocities of the vortex Rossby waves in the asymmetric basic flow are closely related to the azimuth location of the maximum speed of the asymmetric basic flow, and the importance of radial and tangential basic flow on the group velocities would change with radius. In addition, the stronger asymmetry in the basic flow always corresponds to faster outward energy propagation of vortex Rossby waves. In short, the group velocities, and thereby the wave energy propagation and vortex Rossby wave ray slope in typhoons, would be changed by the asymmetry of the basic flow.

Can a minimalist model of wind forced baroclinic Rossby waves produce reasonable results?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Wandrey B.; Polito, Paulo S.; da Silveira, Ilson C. A.

2016-04-01

The linear theory predicts that Rossby waves are the large scale mechanism of adjustment to perturbations of the geophysical fluid. Satellite measurements of sea level anomaly (SLA) provided sturdy evidence of the existence of these waves. Recent studies suggest that the variability in the altimeter records is mostly due to mesoscale nonlinear eddies and challenges the original interpretation of westward propagating features as Rossby waves. The objective of this work is to test whether a classic linear dynamic model is a reasonable explanation for the observed SLA. A linear-reduced gravity non-dispersive Rossby wave model is used to estimate the SLA forced by direct and remote wind stress. Correlations between model results and observations are up to 0.88. The best agreement is in the tropical region of all ocean basins. These correlations decrease towards insignificance in mid-latitudes. The relative contributions of eastern boundary (remote) forcing and local wind forcing in the generation of Rossby waves are also estimated and suggest that the main wave forming mechanism is the remote forcing. Results suggest that linear long baroclinic Rossby wave dynamics explain a significant part of the SLA annual variability at least in the tropical oceans.

Selective excitation of tropical atmospheric waves in wave-CISK: The effect of vertical wind shear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Minghua; Geller, Marvin A.

1994-01-01

The growth of waves and the generation of potential energy in wave-CISK require unstable waves to tilt with height oppositely to their direction of propagation. This makes the structures and instability properties of these waves very sensitive to the presence of vertical shear in the basic flow. Equatorial Kelvin and Rossby-gravity waves have opposite phase tilt with height to what they have in the stratosphere, and their growth is selectively favored by basic flows with westward vertical shear and eastward vertical shear, respectively. Similar calculations are also made for gravity waves and Rossby waves. It is shown that eastward vertical shear of the basic flow promotes CISK for westward propagating Rossby-gravity, Rossby, and gravity waves and suppresses CISK for eastward propagating Kelvin and gravity waves, while westward shear of the basic flow has the reverse effects.

Equatorial Magnetohydrodynamic Shallow Water Waves in the Solar Tachocline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaqarashvili, Teimuraz

2018-03-01

The influence of a toroidal magnetic field on the dynamics of shallow water waves in the solar tachocline is studied. A sub-adiabatic temperature gradient in the upper overshoot layer of the tachocline causes significant reduction of surface gravity speed, which leads to trapping of the waves near the equator and to an increase of the Rossby wave period up to the timescale of solar cycles. Dispersion relations of all equatorial magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shallow water waves are obtained in the upper tachocline conditions and solved analytically and numerically. It is found that the toroidal magnetic field splits equatorial Rossby and Rossby-gravity waves into fast and slow modes. For a reasonable value of reduced gravity, global equatorial fast magneto-Rossby waves (with the spatial scale of equatorial extent) have a periodicity of 11 years, matching the timescale of activity cycles. The solutions are confined around the equator between latitudes ±20°–40°, coinciding with sunspot activity belts. Equatorial slow magneto-Rossby waves have a periodicity of 90–100 yr, resembling the observed long-term modulation of cycle strength, i.e., the Gleissberg cycle. Equatorial magneto-Kelvin and slow magneto-Rossby-gravity waves have the periodicity of 1–2 years and may correspond to observed annual and quasi-biennial oscillations. Equatorial fast magneto-Rossby-gravity and magneto-inertia-gravity waves have periods of hundreds of days and might be responsible for observed Rieger-type periodicity. Consequently, the equatorial MHD shallow water waves in the upper overshoot tachocline may capture all timescales of observed variations in solar activity, but detailed analytical and numerical studies are necessary to make a firm conclusion toward the connection of the waves to the solar dynamo.

Equatorial waves in the NCAR stratospheric general circulation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boville, B. A.

1985-01-01

Equatorially trapped wave modes are very important in the tropical stratospheric momentum balance. Kelvin waves and mixed Rossby-gravity waves are believed to be responsible for the quasi-biennial oscillation of the zonal winds in the equatorial lower stratosphere. Both Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves have been identified in observations and in numerical models. Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves are identified in a general circulation model extending from the surface into the mesosphere and looks at the effect on the waves of lowering the top of the model.

Detection of Rossby Waves in Multi-Parameters in Multi-Mission Satellite Observations and HYCOM Simulations in the Indian Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Subrahmanyam, Bulusu; Heffner, David M.; Cromwell, David; Shriver, Jay F.

2009-01-01

Rossby waves are difficult to detect with in situ methods. However, as we show in this paper, they can be clearly identified in multi-parameters in multi-mission satellite observations of sea surface height (SSH), sea surface temperature (SST) and ocean color observations of chlorophyll-a (chl-a), as well as 1/12-deg global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) simulations of SSH, SST and sea surface salinity (SSS) in the Indian Ocean. While the surface structure of Rossby waves can be elucidated from comparisons of the signal in different sea surface parameters, models are needed to gain direct information about how these waves affect the ocean at depth. The first three baroclinic modes of the Rossby waves are inferred from the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and two-dimensional Radon Transform (2D RT). At many latitudes the first and second baroclinic mode Rossby wave phase speeds from satellite observations and model parameters are identified.

Rotating magnetic shallow water waves and instabilities in a sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márquez-Artavia, X.; Jones, C. A.; Tobias, S. M.

2017-07-01

Waves in a thin layer on a rotating sphere are studied. The effect of a toroidal magnetic field is considered, using the shallow water ideal MHD equations. The work is motivated by suggestions that there is a stably stratified layer below the Earth's core mantle boundary, and the existence of stable layers in stellar tachoclines. With an azimuthal background field known as the Malkus field, ?, ? being the co-latitude, a non-diffusive instability is found with azimuthal wavenumber ?. A necessary condition for instability is that the Alfvén speed exceeds ? where ? is the rotation rate and ? the sphere radius. Magneto-inertial gravity waves propagating westward and eastward occur, and become equatorially trapped when the field is strong. Magneto-Kelvin waves propagate eastward at low field strength, but a new westward propagating Kelvin wave is found when the field is strong. Fast magnetic Rossby waves travel westward, whilst the slow magnetic Rossby waves generally travel eastward, except for some ? modes at large field strength. An exceptional very slow westward ? magnetic Rossby wave mode occurs at all field strengths. The current-driven instability occurs for ? when the slow and fast magnetic Rossby waves interact. With strong field the magnetic Rossby waves become trapped at the pole. An asymptotic analysis giving the wave speed and wave form in terms of elementary functions is possible both in polar trapped and equatorially trapped cases.

An estimate of equatorial wave energy flux at 9- to 90-day periods in the Central Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eriksen, Charles C.; Richman, James G.

1988-01-01

Deep fluctuations in current along the equator in the Central Pacific are dominated by coherent structures which correspond closely to narrow-band propagating equatorial waves. Currents were measured roughly at 1500 and 3000 m depths at five moorings between 144 and 148 deg W from January 1981 to March 1983, as part of the Pacific Equatorial Ocean Dynamics program. In each frequency band resolved, a single complex empirical orthogonal function accounts for half to three quarters of the observed variance in either zonal or meridional current. Dispersion for equatorial first meridional Rossby and Rossby gravity waves is consistent with the observed vertical-zonal coherence structure. The observations indicate that energy flux is westward and downward in long first meridional mode Rossby waves at periods 45 days and longer, and eastward and downward in short first meridional mode Rossby waves and Rossby-gravity waves at periods 30 days and shorter. A local minimum in energy flux occurs at periods corresponding to a maximum in upper-ocean meridional current energy contributed by tropical instability waves. Total vertical flux across the 9- to 90-day period range is 2.5 kW/m.

Optimizing Internal Wave Drag in a Forward Barotropic Model with Semidiurnal Tides

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-23

Center 875 North Randolph Street, Suite 1425 Arlington, VA 22203-1995 ONR Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited. A global tuning...factor with a larger value in the Atlantic. Our best global mean RMS error of 4.4 cm for areas deeper than 1000 m and equatorward of 66_ is among the...lowest obtained in a forward barotropic tide model. Barotropic tides; Global modeling; Linear wave drag Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU

Interaction of Saturn's dual rotation periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, C. G. A.

2018-03-01

We develop models of the interaction of Rossby wave disturbances in the northern and southern ionospheres of Saturn. We show that interhemispheric field-aligned currents allow the exchange of vorticity, modifying the background Rossby wave propagation speed. This leads to interaction of the northern and southern Rossby wave periods. In a very simple symmetric model without a plasma disk the periods merge when the overall conductivity is sufficiently high. A more complex model taking account of the inertia of the plasma disk and the asymmetry of the two hemispheres predicts a rich variety of possible wave modes. We find that merging of the northern and southern periods can only occur when (i) the conductivities of both hemispheres are sufficiently low (a criterion that is fulfilled for realistic parameters) and (ii) the background Rossby wave periods in the two hemispheres are identical. We reconcile the second criterion with the observations of a merged period that also drifts by noting that ranges of Rossby wave propagation speeds are possible in each hemisphere. We suggest that a merged disturbance in the plasma disk may act as an 'anchor' and drive Rossby waves in each hemisphere within the range of possible propagation speeds. This suggestion predicts behaviour that qualitatively matches the observed merging and splitting of the northern and southern rotation periods that occurred in 2013 and 2014. Low conductivity modes also show long damping timescales that are consistent with the persistence of the periodic signals.

MGS Radio Science Measurements of Atmospheric Dynamics on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinson, D. P.

2001-12-01

The Sun-synchronous, polar orbit of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) provides frequent opportunities for radio occultation sounding of the neutral atmosphere. The basic result of each experiment is a profile of pressure and temperature versus planetocentric radius and geopotential. More than 4000 profiles were obtained during the 687-day mapping phase of the mission, and additional observations are underway. These measurements allow detailed characterization of planetary-scale dynamics, including stationary planetary (or Rossby) waves and transient waves produced by instability. For example, both types of dynamics were observed near 67° S during midwinter of the southern hemisphere (Ls=134° --160° ). Planetary waves are the most prominent dynamical feature in this subset of data. At zonal wave number s=1, both the temperature and geopotential fields tilt westward with increasing height, as expected for vertically-propagating planetary waves forced at the surface. The wave-2 structure is more nearly barotropic. The amplitude in geopotential height at Ls=150° increases from ~200 m near the surface to ~700 m at 10 Pa. The corresponding meridional wind speed increases from ~5 m s-1 near the surface to ~20 m s-1 at 10 Pa. Traveling ``baroclinic'' waves also appear intermittently during this interval. The dominant mode has a period of ~2 sols, s=3, and a peak amplitude of ~7 K at 300 Pa. Stong zonal variations in eddy amplitude signal the presence of a possible ``storm zone'' at 150° --330° E longitude. This talk will include other examples of these phenomena as well as comparisons with computer simulations by a Martian general circulation model (MGCM).

Global-scale equatorial Rossby waves as an essential component of solar internal dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löptien, Björn; Gizon, Laurent; Birch, Aaron C.; Schou, Jesper; Proxauf, Bastian; Duvall, Thomas L.; Bogart, Richard S.; Christensen, Ulrich R.

2018-05-01

The Sun’s complex dynamics is controlled by buoyancy and rotation in the convection zone. Large-scale flows are dominated by vortical motions1 and appear to be weaker than expected in the solar interior2. One possibility is that waves of vorticity due to the Coriolis force, known as Rossby waves3 or r modes4, remove energy from convection at the largest scales5. However, the presence of these waves in the Sun is still debated. Here, we unambiguously discover and characterize retrograde-propagating vorticity waves in the shallow subsurface layers of the Sun at azimuthal wavenumbers below 15, with the dispersion relation of textbook sectoral Rossby waves. The waves have lifetimes of several months, well-defined mode frequencies below twice the solar rotational frequency, and eigenfunctions of vorticity that peak at the equator. Rossby waves have nearly as much vorticity as the convection at the same scales, thus they are an essential component of solar dynamics. We observe a transition from turbulence-like to wave-like dynamics around the Rhines scale6 of angular wavenumber of approximately 20. This transition might provide an explanation for the puzzling deficit of kinetic energy at the largest spatial scales.

A Rossby whistle: A resonant basin mode observed in the Caribbean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Chris W.; Williams, Joanne; Hibbert, Angela; Boening, Carmen; Oram, James

2016-07-01

We show that an important source of coastal sea level variability around the Caribbean Sea is a resonant basin mode. The mode consists of a baroclinic Rossby wave which propagates westward across the basin and is rapidly returned to the east along the southern boundary as coastal shelf waves. Almost two wavelengths of the Rossby wave fit across the basin, and it has a period of 120 days. The porous boundary of the Caribbean Sea results in this mode exciting a mass exchange with the wider ocean, leading to a dominant mode of bottom pressure variability which is almost uniform over the Grenada, Venezuela, and Colombia basins and has a sharp spectral peak at 120 day period. As the Rossby waves have been shown to be excited by instability of the Caribbean Current, this resonant mode is dynamically equivalent to the operation of a whistle.

Propagation of stationary Rossby waves in the Martian lower atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Priyanka; Thokuluwa, Ramkumar

The Martian lower atmospheric (-1.5 km to 29.3 km) temperature, measured by radio occultation technique during the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission launched by US in November 1996, at the Northern winter hemispheric latitude of about 63(°) N clearly shows a statistically significant (above 95 percent confidential level white noise) and strong 3.5-day oscillation during 1-10 January 2006. This strong signal occurs in the longitudinal sectors of 0-30(°) E and 190-230(°) E but statistically insignificant in almost all the other longitudes. This 180 degree separation between the two peaks of occurrence of strong 3.5 day oscillation indicates that this may be associated with zonal wave number 2 structure global scale wave. At the lowest height of -1.5 km, the power observed in the longitude of 0-30(°) E is 50 K (2) and it increased gradually to the maximum power of 130 K (2) at the height of 0.8 - 1.7 km. Above this height, the power decreased monotonously and gradually to insignificant level at the height of 3.7 km (20 K (2) ). This gradual decrease of power above the height of 1.7 km indicates that radiative damping (infra red cooling due to large abundance of CO _{2} molecules and dust particles) would have played an important role in the dissipation of waves. The height and longitudinal profiles of phase of the 3.5-day wave indicate that this wave is a vertically standing and eastward propagating planetary wave respectively. Since the statistically significant spectral amplitude occurs near the high topography structures, it seems that the wave is generated by flows over the topography. In the Northern winter, it is possible that the large gradient of temperature between the low and high latitudes would lead to flow of winds from the tropical to polar latitudes. Due to the Coriolis effect, this flow would in turn move towards the right and incite wave generation when the air flows over the high topographic structures. This lead to speculate that the observed 3.5-day wave may be associated with topography-related zonal wave number 2 baroclinic Rossby wave. Similar analyses for January and February 2005 show significant 15-day oscillation for almost all the longitude sectors, indicating that this oscillation may be associated with barotropic waves generated by the geostrophic adjustment of planetary scale flows at the higher latitudes. The sharp contrast between the characteristics of atmospheric waves occurred in 2005 (summer) and 2006 (winter) indicates that there is a strong seasonal variation over the Mars. A detailed investigation will be presented about the various other characteristics of atmospheric waves observed for different years by various Mars missions.

Trapped waves on the mid-latitude β-plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paldor, Nathan; Sigalov, Andrey

2008-08-01

A new type of approximate solutions of the Linearized Shallow Water Equations (LSWE) on the mid-latitude β-plane, zonally propagating trapped waves with Airy-like latitude-dependent amplitude, is constructed in this work, for sufficiently small radius of deformation. In contrast to harmonic Poincare and Rossby waves, these newly found trapped waves vanish fast in the positive half-axis, and their zonal phase speed is larger than that of the corresponding harmonic waves for sufficiently large meridional domains. Our analysis implies that due to the smaller radius of deformation in the ocean compared with that in the atmosphere, the trapped waves are relevant to observations in the ocean whereas harmonic waves typify atmospheric observations. The increase in the zonal phase speed of trapped Rossby waves compared with that of harmonic ones is consistent with recent observations that showed that Sea Surface Height features propagated westwards faster than the phase speed of harmonic Rossby waves.

Western boundary upwelling dynamics off Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vic, Clément; Capet, Xavier; Roullet, Guillaume; Carton, Xavier

2017-05-01

Despite its climatic and ecosystemic significance, the coastal upwelling that takes place off Oman is not well understood. A primitive-equation, regional model forced by climatological wind stress is used to investigate its dynamics and to compare it with the better-known Eastern Boundary Upwellings (EBUs). The solution compares favorably with existing observations, simulating well the seasonal cycles of thermal structure, surface circulation (mean and turbulent), and sea-surface temperature (SST). There is a 1.5-month lag between the maximum of the upwelling-favorable wind-stress-curl forcing and the oceanic response (minima in sea-surface height and SST), which we attribute to onshore-propagating Rossby waves. A southwestward-flowing undercurrent (opposite to the direction of the near-surface flow) is also simulated with a core depth of 1000 m, much deeper than found in EBUs (150-200 m). An EKE budget reveals that, in contrast to EBUs, the upwelling jet is more prone to barotropic than baroclinic instability and the contribution of locally-generated instabilities to EKE is higher by an order of magnitude. Advection and redistribution of EKE by standing mesoscale features also play a significant role in EKE budget.

Normal modes of the shallow water system on the cubed sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, H. G.; Cheong, H. B.; Lee, C. H.

2017-12-01

Spherical harmonics expressed as the Rossby-Haurwitz waves are the normal modes of non-divergent barotropic model. Among the normal modes in the numerical models, the most unstable mode will contaminate the numerical results, and therefore the investigation of normal mode for a given grid system and a discretiztaion method is important. The cubed-sphere grid which consists of six identical faces has been widely adopted in many atmospheric models. This grid system is non-orthogonal grid so that calculation of the normal mode is quiet challenge problem. In the present study, the normal modes of the shallow water system on the cubed sphere discretized by the spectral element method employing the Gauss-Lobatto Lagrange interpolating polynomials as orthogonal basis functions is investigated. The algebraic equations for the shallow water equation on the cubed sphere are derived, and the huge global matrix is constructed. The linear system representing the eigenvalue-eigenvector relations is solved by numerical libraries. The normal mode calculated for the several horizontal resolution and lamb parameters will be discussed and compared to the normal mode from the spherical harmonics spectral method.

On the presence of equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere of a general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maury, P.; Lott, F.

2014-02-01

To challenge the hypothesis that equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere are essentially forced by convection, we use the LMDz atmospheric model extended to the stratosphere and compare two versions having very different convection schemes but no quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). The two versions have realistic time mean precipitation climatologies but very different precipitation variabilities. Despite these differences, the equatorial stratospheric Kelvin waves at 50 hPa are almost identical in the two versions and quite realistic. The Rossby gravity waves are also very similar but significantly weaker than in observations. We demonstrate that this bias on the Rossby gravity waves is essentially due to a dynamical filtering occurring because the model zonal wind is systematically westward. During a westward phase of the QBO, the ERA-Interim Rossby gravity waves compare well with those in the model. These results suggest that (i) in the model the effect of the convection scheme on the waves is in part hidden by the dynamical filtering, and (ii) the waves are produced by other sources than equatorial convection. For the Kelvin waves, this last point is illustrated by an Eliassen and Palm flux analysis, showing that in the model they come more from the subtropics and mid-latitude regions, whereas in the ERA-Interim reanalysis the sources are more equatorial. We show that non-equatorial sources are also significant in reanalysis data sets as they explain the presence of the Rossby gravity waves in the stratosphere. To illustrate this point, we identify situations with large Rossby gravity waves in the reanalysis middle stratosphere for dates selected when the stratosphere is dynamically separated from the equatorial troposphere. We refer to this process as a stratospheric reloading.

On the presence of equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere of a general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maury, P.; Lott, F.

2013-08-01

To challenge the hypothesis that equatorial waves in the lower stratosphere are essentially forced by convection, we use the LMDz atmospheric model extended to the stratosphere and compare two versions having very different convection schemes but no quasi biennial oscillation (QBO). The two versions have realistic time mean precipitation climatologies but very different precipitation variabilities. Despite these differences, the equatorial stratospheric Kelvin waves at 50 hPa are almost identical in the two versions and quite realistic. The Rossby-gravity waves are also very close but significantly weaker than in observations. We demonstrate that this bias on the Rossby-gravity waves is essentially due to a dynamical filtering occurring because the model zonal wind is systematically westward: during a westward phase of the QBO, the Rossby-gravity waves in ERA-Interim compare well with those in the model. These results suggest that in the model the effect of the convection scheme on the waves is in part hidden by the dynamical filtering and the waves are produced by other sources than equatorial convection. For the Kelvin waves, this last point is illustrated by an Eliassen and Palm flux analysis, showing that in the model they come more from the subtropics and mid-latitude regions whereas in the ERA-Interim reanalysis the sources are more equatorial. We also show that non-equatorial sources are significant in reanalysis data, and we consider the case of the Rossby-gravity waves. We identify situations in the reanalysis where here are large Rossby-gravity waves in the middle stratosphere, and for dates when the stratosphere is dynamically separated from the equatorial troposphere. We refer to this process as a "stratospheric reloading".

Tropical waves and the quasi-biennial oscillation in the lower stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, A. J.; Angell, J. K.; Korshover, J.

1976-01-01

By means of spectrum analysis of 11 years of lower stratospheric daily winds and temperatures at Balboa, Ascension and Canton-Singapore, evidence is presented supporting the existence of two principal wave modes with periods of about 11-17 days (Kelvin waves) and about 4-5 days (mixed Rossby-gravity waves). The structure of the two wave modes, as well as the vertical eddy momentum flux by the waves, is shown to be related to the quasi-biennial cycle, although for the mixed Rossby-gravity waves this is obvious only at Ascension. In addition, the Coriolis term, suggested as a source of vertical easterly momentum flux for the mixed Rossby-gravity waves, is investigated and found to be of the same magnitude as the vertical eddy flux term. Finally, we have examined the mean meridional motion and the meridional eddy momentum flux for its possible association with the quasi- biennial variation.

Topographic coupling of surface and internal Kelvin waves. [of ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, S.-Y.

1980-01-01

An analysis is presented for computing the diffraction of barotropic Kelvin waves by a localized topographical irregularity on flat-bottom ocean with an arbitrary vertical stratification. It was shown that all baroclinic Kelvin waves will be generated downstream of the bump, with the first baroclinic mode having the largest amplitude. The Poincare waves predominate in the lowest modes, and are more directionally anisotropic. It was concluded that baroclinic Poincare waves radiating offshore from the bump topography could contribute to the internal wave field in the open ocean and provide an alternative mechanism to dissipate the barotropic tides.

Rossby Wave Instability in Astrophysical Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, Richard; Li, Hui

2014-10-01

A brief review is given of the Rossby wave instability in astrophysical disks. In non-self-gravitating discs, around for example a newly forming stars, the instability can be triggered by an axisymmetric bump at some radius r0 in the disk surface mass-density. It gives rise to exponentially growing non-axisymmetric perturbation (proportional to Exp[im ϕ], m = 1,2,...) in the vicinity of r0 consisting of anticyclonic vortices. These vortices are regions of high pressure and consequently act to trap dust particles which in turn can facilitate planetesimal growth in protoplanetary disks. The Rossby vortices in the disks around stars and black holes may cause the observed quasi-periodic modulations of the disk's thermal emission. Stirling Colgate's long standing interest in all types of vortices - particularly tornados - had an important part in stimulating the research on the Rossby wave instability.

Jets, eddies & waves in Saturn's troposphere and stratosphere from multi-annual high-resolution Global Climate Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiga, Aymeric; Guerlet, Sandrine; Meurdesoif, Yann; Indurain, Mikel; Millour, Ehouarn; Sylvestre, Melody; Dubos, Thomas; Fouchet, Thierry

2016-10-01

A mission as richly instrumented as Cassini has brought a new impulse to the studies of Saturn's atmospheric fluid dynamics, to be further extended to Jupiter by the Juno mission.We recently built an innovative Global Climate Model (GCM) for giant planets by coupling our complete seasonal radiative model [Guerlet Icarus 2014] with a new hydrodynamical solver using an original icosahedral mapping of the planetary sphere to ensure excellent conservation and scalability properties in massively parallel computing resources [Dubos GMD 2015].Here we describe the insights gained from GCM simulations for Saturn with both unprecedented horizontal resolutions (reference at 1/2° latitude/longitude, and tests at 1/4° and 1/8°), integrated time (up to ten simulated Saturn years), and large vertical extent (from the troposphere to the stratosphere).Starting from a windless initial state, our 10-year-long GCM simulation for Saturn reproduce alterned tropospheric mid-latitude jets bearing similarities with the observed jet system (numbering, intensity, width). We demonstrate that those jets are eddy-driven with a conversion rate from eddies to mean flow in agreement with Cassini estimates. Before reaching equilibrium, mid-latitude jets experience poleward migration, which can be ascribed to a self-destabilization of the jets by barotropic and baroclinic instabilities.Our Saturn GCM also predicts in the equator the presence of eastward-propagating Rossby-gravity (Yanai) and westward-propagating Rossby waves, reminiscent of similar waves in the terrestrial tropics. Furthermore, our GCM simulations exhibit a stratospheric meridional circulation from one tropic to the other, with a seasonal reversal, which allows us to investigate the possible dynamical control on the observed variations of hydrocarbon species.In contrast to observations, in our GCM simulations the equatorial jet is only weakly super-rotating and the polar jet is strongly destabilized by meandering. Moreover, in spite of predicting stacked stratospheric eastward and westward jets, our GCM does not reproduce the observed propagation of the equatorial oscillation by Cassini. We will discuss how to address those remaining challenges in future simulations.

A delayed action oscillator shared by biennial, interannual, and decadal signals in the Pacific Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, Warren B.; Tourre, Y.M.; Barlow, M.; Dettinger, M.

2003-01-01

Biennial, interannual, and decadal signals in the Pacific basin are observed to share patterns and evolution in covarying sea surface temperature (SST), 18??C isotherm depth (Z18), zonal surface wind (ZSW), and wind stress curl (WSC) anomalies from 1955 to 1999. Each signal has warm SST anomalies propagating slowly eastward along the equator, generating westerly ZSW anomalies in their wake. These westerly ZSW anomalies produce cyclonic WSC anomalies off the equator which pump baroclinic Rossby waves in the western/central tropical North Pacific Ocean. These Rossby waves propagate westward, taking ???6, ???12, and ???36 months to reach the western boundary near ???7??N, ???12??N, and ???18??N on biennial, interannual, and decadal period scales, respectively. There, they reflect as equatorial coupled waves, propagating slowly eastward in covarying SST, Z18, and ZSW anomalies, taking ???6, ???12, and ???24 months to reach the central/eastern equatorial ocean. These equatorial coupled waves produce a delayed-negative feedback to the warm SST anomalies there. The decrease in Rossby wave phase speed with latitude, the increase in meridional scale of equatorial SST anomalies with period scale, and the associated increase in latitude of Rossby wave forcing are consistent with the delayed action oscillator (DAO) model used to explain El Nin??o. However, this is not true of the western-boundary reflection of Rossby waves into slow equatorial coupled waves. This requires modification of the extant DAO model. We construct a modified DAO model, demonstrating how the various mechanisms and the size and sources of their delays yield the resulting frequency of each signal.

Submesoscale Rossby waves on the Antarctic circumpolar current.

PubMed

Taylor, John R; Bachman, Scott; Stamper, Megan; Hosegood, Phil; Adams, Katherine; Sallee, Jean-Baptiste; Torres, Ricardo

2018-03-01

The eastward-flowing Antarctic circumpolar current (ACC) plays a central role in the global ocean overturning circulation and facilitates the exchange of water between the ocean surface and interior. Submesoscale eddies and fronts with scales between 1 and 10 km are regularly observed in the upper ocean and are associated with strong vertical circulations and enhanced stratification. Despite their importance in other locations, comparatively little is known about submesoscales in the Southern Ocean. We present results from new observations, models, and theories showing that submesoscales are qualitatively changed by the strong jet associated with the ACC in the Scotia Sea, east of Drake Passage. Growing submesoscale disturbances develop along a dense filament and are transformed into submesoscale Rossby waves, which propagate upstream relative to the eastward jet. Unlike their counterparts in slower currents, the submesoscale Rossby waves do not destroy the underlying frontal structure. The development of submesoscale instabilities leads to strong net subduction of water associated with a dense outcropping filament, and later, the submesoscale Rossby waves are associated with intense vertical circulations.

A teleconnection between subtropical convection and higher latitude wave activity in the Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, Antonio DeJesus

Rossby waves are waves in potential vorticity that propagate along the extratropical tropopause and can be impacted by the advection of low-PV air originating from the subtropics. In this study, the subtropical precipitation influence on the extratropical Rossby wave activity during the Atlantic winter season is investigated for a ten year period. Using both TRMM and TIGGE 12-Hr forecasted precipitation data, heavy precipitation events were identified near the footprints regions of warm conveyor belts in the northern Atlantic, specifically in the Gulf of Mexico and Bermuda region. The extratropical Rossby waves were then analyzed using PV on a 320K surface. By use of wavelet transforms, the amplitude of the Rossby waves were analyzed as a function of wavelength and longitude. The interaction between a single heavy precipitation event and the extratropical Rossby waves was examined for the days preceding and the week following the event. A climatological analysis of heavy precipitation events was conducted on the winter seasons from 2006 - 2015. Case study and climatological analysis identified the following: A ridge in the Northern Atlantic undergoes amplification downstream of the heavy precipitation event in the days following the event. A southerly flow, likely associated with a warm conveyor belt, connects the region of the heavy precipitation event and the extratropical tropopause. The interaction was most prominent during the late winter season and during the heaviest of precipitation events. The teleconnection identified in this study highlights a mechanism by which cloud-scale subtropical precipitation is connected to synoptic scale extratropical dynamics in the Atlantic.

On Long Baroclinic Rossby Waves in the Tropical North Atlantic Observed From Profiling Floats

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-16

15b and 15c). Reclosing of vortex isolines while forming a new corotating eddy pair typically indicates excitation of periodical auto-oscillations in...important dynamical effect as reclosing of vortex isolines between corotating eddies, which are components of the semiannual standing Rossby wave

Conservation laws of wave action and potential enstrophy for Rossby waves in a stratified atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straus, D. M.

1983-01-01

The evolution of wave energy, enstrophy, and wave motion for atmospheric Rossby waves in a variable mean flow are discussed from a theoretical and pedagogic standpoint. In the absence of mean flow gradients, the wave energy density satisfies a local conservation law, with the appropriate flow velocity being the group velocity. In the presence of mean flow variations, wave energy is not conserved, but wave action is, provided the mean flow is independent of longitude. Wave enstrophy is conserved for arbitrary variations of the mean flow. Connections with Eiiassen-Palm flux are also discussed.

Conservation laws of wave action and potential enstrophy for Rossby waves in a stratified atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straus, D. M.

1983-01-01

The evolution of wave energy, enstrophy, and wave motion for atmospheric Rossby waves in a variable mean flow are discussed from a theoretical and pedagogic standpoint. In the absence of mean flow gradients, the wave energy density satisfies a local conservation law, with the appropriate flow velocity being the group velocity. In the presence of mean flow variations, wave energy is not conserved, but wave action is, provided the mean flow is independent of longitude. Wave enstrophy is conserved for arbitrary variations of the mean flow. Connections with Eliassen-Palm flux are also discussed.

Possible combined influences of absorbing aerosols and anomalous atmospheric circulation on summertime diurnal temperature range variation over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Jiaxi; Guan, Zhaoyong; Ma, Fenhua

2016-12-01

Based on the temperature data from the China Meteorological Administration, NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data, and the TOMS Aerosol Index (AI), we analyze the variations in the summertime diurnal temperature range (DTR) and temperature maxima in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) in China. The possible relationships between the direct warming effect of the absorbing aerosol and temperature variations are further investigated, although with some uncertainties. It is found that the summertime DTR exhibits a decreasing trend over the most recent 50 years, along with a slight increasing tendency since the 1980s. The trend of the maximum temperature is in agreement with those of the DTR and the absorbing aerosols. To investigate the causes of the large anomalies in the temperature maxima, composite analyses of the circulation anomalies are performed. When anomalous AI and anomalous maximum temperature over the MLRYR have the same sign, an anomalous circulation with a quasi-barotropic structure occurs there. This anomalous circulation is modulated by the Rossby wave energy propagations from the regions northwest of the MLRYR and influences the northwestern Pacific subtropical high over the MLRYR. In combination with aerosols, the anomalous circulation may increase the maximum temperature in this region. Conversely, when the anomalous AI and anomalous maximum temperature in the MLRYR have opposite signs, the anomalous circulation is not equivalently barotropic, which possibly offsets the warming effect of aerosols on the maximum temperature changes in this region. These results are helpful for a better understanding of the DTR changes and the occurrences of temperature extremes in the MLRYR region during boreal summer.

A Comparison of Martian Transient Wave Energetics in High and Low Optical Depth Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battalio, J. M.; Szunyogh, I.; Lemmon, M. T.

2016-12-01

The local energetics of individual transient eddies from the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) is compared between a year with a global-scale dust storm (MY 25) and two years of relatively low optical depth conditions. Eddies in each year are considered from a period of strong wave activity in the northern hemisphere before the winter solstice (Ls=170-240°). The local growth of eddies is typically triggered by geopotential flux convergence. While all waves exhibit some baroclinic growth, baroclinic energy conversion is weaker in the waves that occur during the global-scale dust storm. The weaker baroclinic energy conversion in these waves, however, is compensated by a more intense barotropic transfer of the kinetic energy from the mean flow to the waves: the contribution from barotropic energy conversion allows eddies during the global-scale dust storm to attain roughly the same maximum eddy kinetic energy as eddies during the low optical depth years. Individual eddies in the waves decay through a combination of barotropic conversion of the kinetic energy from the waves to the mean flow, geopotential flux divergence, and dissipation in both the high- and the low-optical-depth years.

Submesoscale Rossby waves on the Antarctic circumpolar current

PubMed Central

Bachman, Scott; Sallee, Jean-Baptiste

2018-01-01

The eastward-flowing Antarctic circumpolar current (ACC) plays a central role in the global ocean overturning circulation and facilitates the exchange of water between the ocean surface and interior. Submesoscale eddies and fronts with scales between 1 and 10 km are regularly observed in the upper ocean and are associated with strong vertical circulations and enhanced stratification. Despite their importance in other locations, comparatively little is known about submesoscales in the Southern Ocean. We present results from new observations, models, and theories showing that submesoscales are qualitatively changed by the strong jet associated with the ACC in the Scotia Sea, east of Drake Passage. Growing submesoscale disturbances develop along a dense filament and are transformed into submesoscale Rossby waves, which propagate upstream relative to the eastward jet. Unlike their counterparts in slower currents, the submesoscale Rossby waves do not destroy the underlying frontal structure. The development of submesoscale instabilities leads to strong net subduction of water associated with a dense outcropping filament, and later, the submesoscale Rossby waves are associated with intense vertical circulations. PMID:29670936

North American Drought and Links to Northern Eurasia: The Role of Stationary Rossby Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Hailan; Schubert, Siegfried D.; Koster, Randal D.

2017-01-01

This chapter provides an overview of the role of stationary Rossby waves in the sub-seasonal development of warm season drought over North America and subsequent downstream development of climate anomalies over northern Eurasia. The results are based on a case study of a stationary Rossby wave event that developed during 20 May 15 June 1988. Simulations with the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5) atmospheric general circulation model highlight the importance of the mean jet streams in guiding and constraining the path and speed of wave energy propagation. In particular, convective anomalies that developed over the western Pacific in late May (in the presence of the strong North Pacific jet) produce a predilection for persistent upper-level high anomalies over central North America about ten days later, leading to the rapid development of severe dry conditions there. There are indications of continued downstream wave energy propagation that reaches northern Eurasia about two weeks later, leading to the development of dry conditions over eastern Europe and western Russia, and cool and wet conditions over western Europe and central northern Eurasia. The results suggest that stationary Rossby waves can serve as a source of predictability for sub-seasonal development of droughts over North America and northern Eurasia.

Contrasting subtropical PV intrusion frequency and their impact on tropospheric Ozone distribution over Pacific Ocean in El-Niño and La-Niña conditions.

PubMed

Nath, Debashis; Chen, Wen; Graf, Hans-F; Lan, Xiaoqiang; Gong, Hainan

2017-09-20

Upper tropospheric equatorial westerly ducts over the Pacific Ocean are the preferred location for Rossby wave breaking events during boreal winter and spring. These subtropical wave breaking events lead to the intrusion of high PV (potential vorticity) air along the extra-tropical tropopause and transport ozone rich dry stratospheric air into the tropics. The intrusion frequency has strong interannual variability due to ENSO (El-Niño/Southern Oscillation), with more events under La-Niña and less under El-Niño conditions. This may result from stronger equatorial westerly ducts and subtropical jets during La-Niña and weaker during El-Niño. It was previously suggested that the interannual variability of the tropospheric ozone distribution over the central-eastern Pacific Ocean is mainly driven by convective activity related to ENSO and that the barotropic nature of the subtropical intrusions restricts the tracers within the UT. However, our analysis shows that tropospheric ozone concentration and subtropical intrusions account ~65% of the co- variability (below 5 km) in the outer tropical (10-25°N) central Pacific Ocean, particularly during La-Niña conditions. Additionally, we find a two-fold increase and westward shift in the intrusion frequency over the Pacific Ocean, due to the climate regime shift in SST pattern during 1997/98.

A mimetic, semi-implicit, forward-in-time, finite volume shallow water model: comparison of hexagonal-icosahedral and cubed sphere grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thuburn, J.; Cotter, C. J.; Dubos, T.

2013-12-01

A new algorithm is presented for the solution of the shallow water equations on quasi-uniform spherical grids. It combines a mimetic finite volume spatial discretization with a Crank-Nicolson time discretization of fast waves and an accurate and conservative forward-in-time advection scheme for mass and potential vorticity (PV). The algorithm is implemented and tested on two families of grids: hexagonal-icosahedral Voronoi grids, and modified equiangular cubed-sphere grids. Results of a variety of tests are presented, including convergence of the discrete scalar Laplacian and Coriolis operators, advection, solid body rotation, flow over an isolated mountain, and a barotropically unstable jet. The results confirm a number of desirable properties for which the scheme was designed: exact mass conservation, very good available energy and potential enstrophy conservation, consistent mass, PV and tracer transport, and good preservation of balance including vanishing ∇ × ∇, steady geostrophic modes, and accurate PV advection. The scheme is stable for large wave Courant numbers and advective Courant numbers up to about 1. In the most idealized tests the overall accuracy of the scheme appears to be limited by the accuracy of the Coriolis and other mimetic spatial operators, particularly on the cubed sphere grid. On the hexagonal grid there is no evidence for damaging effects of computational Rossby modes, despite attempts to force them explicitly.

A mimetic, semi-implicit, forward-in-time, finite volume shallow water model: comparison of hexagonal-icosahedral and cubed-sphere grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thuburn, J.; Cotter, C. J.; Dubos, T.

2014-05-01

A new algorithm is presented for the solution of the shallow water equations on quasi-uniform spherical grids. It combines a mimetic finite volume spatial discretization with a Crank-Nicolson time discretization of fast waves and an accurate and conservative forward-in-time advection scheme for mass and potential vorticity (PV). The algorithm is implemented and tested on two families of grids: hexagonal-icosahedral Voronoi grids, and modified equiangular cubed-sphere grids. Results of a variety of tests are presented, including convergence of the discrete scalar Laplacian and Coriolis operators, advection, solid body rotation, flow over an isolated mountain, and a barotropically unstable jet. The results confirm a number of desirable properties for which the scheme was designed: exact mass conservation, very good available energy and potential enstrophy conservation, consistent mass, PV and tracer transport, and good preservation of balance including vanishing ∇ × ∇, steady geostrophic modes, and accurate PV advection. The scheme is stable for large wave Courant numbers and advective Courant numbers up to about 1. In the most idealized tests the overall accuracy of the scheme appears to be limited by the accuracy of the Coriolis and other mimetic spatial operators, particularly on the cubed-sphere grid. On the hexagonal grid there is no evidence for damaging effects of computational Rossby modes, despite attempts to force them explicitly.

A Revised Method of Presenting Wavenumber-Frequency Power Spectrum Diagrams That Reveals the Asymmetric Nature of Tropical Large-scale Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Winston C.; Yang, Bo; Fu, Xiouhua

2007-01-01

The popular method of presenting wavenumber-frequency power spectrum diagrams for studying tropical large-scale waves in the literature is shown to give an incomplete presentation of these waves. The so-called "convectively-coupled Kelvin (mixed Rossby-gravity) waves" are presented as existing only in the symmetric (antisymmetric) component of the diagrams. This is obviously not consistent with the published composite/regression studies of "convectively-coupled Kelvin waves," which illustrate the asymmetric nature of these waves. The cause of this inconsistency is revealed in this note and a revised method of presenting the power spectrum diagrams is proposed. When this revised method is used, "convectively-coupled Kelvin waves" do show anti-symmetric components, and "convectively-coupled mixed Rossby-gravity waves (also known as Yanai waves)" do show a hint of symmetric components. These results bolster a published proposal that these waves be called "chimeric Kelvin waves," "chimeric mixed Rossby-gravity waves," etc. This revised method of presenting power spectrum diagrams offers a more rigorous means of comparing the General Circulation Models (GCM) output with observations by calling attention to the capability of GCMs in correctly simulating the asymmetric characteristics of the equatorial waves.

A Theory For The Variability of The Baroclinic Quasi-geostrophic Winnd Driven Circulation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Jelloul, M.; Huck, T.

We propose a theory of the wind driven circulation based on the large scale (i.e. small Burger number) quasi-geostrophic assumptions retained in the Rhines and Young (1982) classical study of the steady baroclinic flow. We therefore use multiple time scale and asymptotic expansions to separate steady and the time dependent component of the flow. The barotropic flow is given by the Sverdrup balance. At first order in Burger number, the baroclinic flow can be decom- posed in two parts. A steady contribution ensures no flow in the deep layer which is at rest in absence of dissipative processes. Since the baroclinic instability is inhibited at large scale a spectrum of neutral modes also arises. These are of three type, classical Rossby basin modes deformed through advection by the barotropic flow, recirculating modes localized in the recirculation gyre and blocked modes corresponding to closed potential vorticity contours. At next order in Burger number, amplitude equations for baroclinic modes are derived. If dissipative processes are included at this order, the system adjusts towards Rhines and Young solution with a homogenized potential vorticity pool.

Wave Energetics of the Atmosphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battalio, Joseph Michael

A comprehensive assessment of the energetics of transient waves is presented for the atmosphere of Mars using the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) dataset (v1.0) and the eddy kinetic energy equation. Each hemisphere is divided into four representative periods covering the summer and winter solstices, a late fall period, and an early spring period for each of the three Mars years available. Northern hemisphere fall and spring eddy energetics is similar with some inter-annual and inter-seasonal variability, but winter eddy kinetic energy and its transport are strongly reduced in intensity as a result of the winter solstitial pause in wave activity. Barotropic energy conversion acts as a sink of eddy kinetic energy throughout each year with little reduction in amplitude during the solstitial pause. Baroclinic energy conversion acts as a source in fall and spring but disappears during the winter period as a result of the stabilized vertical temperature profile around winter solstice. Traveling waves are typically triggered by geopotential flux convergence. Individual waves decay through a combination of barotropic conversion of the kinetic energy from the waves to the mean flow, geopotential flux divergence, and dissipation. The southern hemisphere energetics is similar to the northern hemisphere in timing, but wave energetics is much weaker as a result of the high and zonally asymmetric topography. The effect of dust on baroclinic instability is examined by comparing a year with a global-scale dust storm (GDS) to two years without a GDS. In the GDS year, waves develop a mixed baroclinic/barotropic growth phase before decaying barotropically. Though the total amount of eddy kinetic energy generated by baroclinic energy conversion is lower during the GDS year, the maximum eddy intensity is not diminished. Instead, the number of intense eddies is reduced by about 50%.

Severe haze in Hangzhou in winter 2013/14 and associated meteorological anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yini; Zhu, Zhiwei; Luo, Ling; Zhang, Jiwei

2018-03-01

Aerosol pollution over eastern China has worsened considerably in recent years, resulting in heavy haze weather with low visibility and poor air quality. The present study investigates the characteristics of haze weather in Hangzhou city, and aims to unravel the meteorological anomalies associated with the heavy haze that occurred over Hangzhou in winter 2013/14. On the interannual timescale, because of the neutral condition of tropical sea surface temperature anomalies during winter 2013/14, no significant circulation and convection anomalies were induced over East Asia, leading to a stable atmospheric condition favorable for haze weather in Hangzhou. Besides, the shift of the polar vortex, caused by changes in surface temperature and ice cover at high latitudes, induced a barotropic anomalous circulation dipole pattern. The southerly anomaly associated with this anomalous dipole pattern hindered the transportation of cold/clear air mass from Siberia to central-eastern China, leading to abnormal haze during winter 2013/14 in Hangzhou. On the intraseasonal timescale, an eastward-propagating mid-latitude Rossby wave train altered the meridional wind anomaly over East Asia, causing the intraseasonal variability of haze weather during 2013/14 in Hangzhou.

Rossby-gravity waves in tropical total ozone data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, J. L.; Ziemke, J. R.

1993-01-01

Evidence for Rossby-gravity waves in tropical data fields produced by the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) was recently reported. Similar features are observable in fields of total column ozone from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite instrument. The observed features are episodic, have zonal (east-west) wavelengths of 6,000-10,000 km, and oscillate with periods of 5-10 days. In accord with simple linear theory, the modes exhibit westward phase progression and eastward group velocity. The significance of finding Rossby-gravity waves in total ozone fields is that (1) the report of similar features in ECMWF tropical fields is corroborated with an independent data set and (2) the TOMS data set is demonstrated to possess surprising versatility and sensitivity to relatively smaller scale tropical phenomena.

Equatorial waves in a stratospheric GCM: Effects of vertical resolution. [GCM (general circulation model)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boville, B.A.; Randel, W.J.

1992-05-01

Equatorially trapped wave modes, such as Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves, are believed to play a crucial role in forcing the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of the lower tropical stratosphere. This study examines the ability of a general circulation model (GCM) to simulate these waves and investigates the changes in the wave properties as a function of the vertical resolution of the model. The simulations produce a stratopause-level semiannual oscillation but not a QBO. An unfortunate property of the equatorially trapped waves is that they tend to have small vertical wavelengths ([le] 15 km). Some of the waves, believed to bemore » important in forcing the QBO, have wavelengths as short as 4 km. The short vertical wavelengths pose a stringent computational requirement for numerical models whose vertical grid spacing is typically chosen based on the requirements for simulating extratropical Rossby waves (which have much longer vertical wavelengths). This study examines the dependence of the equatorial wave simulation of vertical resolution using three experiments with vertical grid spacings of approximately 2.8, 1.4, and 0.7 km. Several Kelvin, mixed Rossby-gravity, and 0.7 km. Several Kelvin, mixed Rossby-gravity, and inertio-gravity waves are identified in the simulations. At high vertical resolution, the simulated waves are shown to correspond fairly well to the available observations. The properties of the relatively slow (and vertically short) waves believed to play a role in the QBO vary significantly with vertical resolution. Vertical grid spacings of about 1 km or less appear to be required to represent these waves adequately. The simulated wave amplitudes are at least as large as observed, and the waves are absorbed in the lower stratosphere, as required in order to force the QBO. However, the EP flux divergence associated with the waves is not sufficient to explain the zonal flow accelerations found in the QBO. 39 refs., 17 figs., 1 tab.« less

Long-Range Statistical Forecasting of Korean Summer Precipitation

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

in the equatorial Pacific during ENLN periods leads to tropical and extratropical atmospheric 10 circulation anomalies (e.g., Ford 2000). Part of...characteristic extratropical anomalies that occur during EN and LN events. Sardeshmukh and Hoskins (1988) proposed a mechanism by which anomalous tropical...forcing could induce an extratropical Rossby wave train response. Nitta (1987) and others identified a Rossby wave train response to off-equatorial

A revised method of presenting wavenumber-frequency power spectrum diagrams that reveals the asymmetric nature of tropical large-scale waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Winston C.; Yang, Bo; Fu, Xiouhua

2009-11-01

The popular method of presenting wavenumber-frequency power spectrum diagrams for studying tropical large-scale waves in the literature is shown to give an incomplete presentation of these waves. The so-called “convectively coupled Kelvin (mixed Rossby-gravity) waves” are presented as existing only in the symmetric (anti-symmetric) component of the diagrams. This is obviously not consistent with the published composite/regression studies of “convectively coupled Kelvin waves,” which illustrate the asymmetric nature of these waves. The cause of this inconsistency is revealed in this note and a revised method of presenting the power spectrum diagrams is proposed. When this revised method is used, “convectively coupled Kelvin waves” do show anti-symmetric components, and “convectively coupled mixed Rossby-gravity waves (also known as Yanai waves)” do show a hint of symmetric components. These results bolster a published proposal that these waves should be called “chimeric Kelvin waves,” “chimeric mixed Rossby-gravity waves,” etc. This revised method of presenting power spectrum diagrams offers an additional means of comparing the GCM output with observations by calling attention to the capability of GCMs to correctly simulate the asymmetric characteristics of equatorial waves.

Analysis and Modeling of the Arctic Oscillation Using a Simple Barotropic Model with Baroclinic Eddy Forcing.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, H. L.

2003-06-01

In this study, a numerical simulation of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) is conducted using a simple barotropic model that considers the barotropic-baroclinic interactions as the external forcing. The model is referred to as a barotropic S model since the external forcing is obtained statistically from the long-term historical data, solving an inverse problem. The barotropic S model has been integrated for 51 years under a perpetual January condition and the dominant empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes in the model have been analyzed. The results are compared with the EOF analysis of the barotropic component of the real atmosphere based on the daily NCEP-NCAR reanalysis for 50 yr from 1950 to 1999.According to the result, the first EOF of the model atmosphere appears to be the AO similar to the observation. The annular structure of the AO and the two centers of action at Pacific and Atlantic are simulated nicely by the barotropic S model. Therefore, the atmospheric low-frequency variabilities have been captured satisfactorily even by the simple barotropic model.The EOF analysis is further conducted to the external forcing of the barotropic S model. The structure of the dominant forcing shows the characteristics of synoptic-scale disturbances of zonal wavenumber 6 along the Pacific storm track. The forcing is induced by the barotropic-baroclinic interactions associated with baroclinic instability.The result suggests that the AO can be understood as the natural variability of the barotropic component of the atmosphere induced by the inherent barotropic dynamics, which is forced by the barotropic-baroclinic interactions. The fluctuating upscale energy cascade from planetary waves and synoptic disturbances to the zonal motion plays the key role for the excitation of the AO.

Rossby wave instability in astrophysical discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.

2014-08-01

A brief review is given of the Rossby wave instability in astrophysical discs. In non-self-gravitating discs, around for example a newly forming stars, the instability can be triggered by an axisymmetric bump at some radius r0 in the disc surface mass-density. It gives rise to exponentially growing non-axisymmetric perturbation (\\propto \\exp \\,({ { i}}m\\phi ) , m = 1,2,…) in the vicinity of r0 consisting of anticyclonic vortices. These vortices are regions of high pressure and consequently act to trap dust particles which in turn can facilitate planetesimal growth in proto-planetary discs. The Rossby vortices in the discs around stars and black holes may cause the observed quasi-periodic modulations of the disc's thermal emission.

The role of gap edge instabilities in setting the depth of planet gaps in protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallam, P. D.; Paardekooper, S.-J.

2017-08-01

It is known that an embedded massive planet will open a gap in a protoplanetary disc via angular momentum exchange with the disc material. The resulting surface density profile of the disc is investigated for one-dimensional and two-dimensional disc models and, in agreement with previous work, it is found that one-dimensional gaps are significantly deeper than their two-dimensional counterparts for the same initial conditions. We find, by applying one-dimensional torque density distributions to two-dimensional discs containing no planet, that the excitement of the Rossby wave instability and the formation of Rossby vortices play a critical role in setting the equilibrium depth of the gap. Being a two-dimensional instability, this is absent from one-dimensional simulations and does not limit the equilibrium gap depth there. We find similar gap depths between two-dimensional gaps formed by torque density distributions, in which the Rossby wave instability is present, and two-dimensional planet gaps, in which no Rossby wave instability is present. This can be understood if the planet gap is maintained at marginal stability, even when there is no obvious Rossby wave instability present. Further investigation shows the final equilibrium gap depth is very sensitive to the form of the applied torque density distribution, and using improved one-dimensional approximations from three-dimensional simulations can go even further towards reducing the discrepancy between one- and two-dimensional models, especially for lower mass planets. This behaviour is found to be consistent across discs with varying parameters.

Effects of subsurface ocean dynamics on instability waves in the tropical Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, Sean P.; Allen, Myles R.; Anderson, David L. T.; Llewellyn-Jones, David T.

1998-08-01

Tropical instability waves in a primitive equation model of the tropical Pacific Ocean, forced with analyzed wind stresses updated daily, show unexpectedly close phase correspondence with observation through the latter half of 1992. This suggests that these waves are not pure instabilities developing from infinitesimal disturbances, but that their phases and phase speeds are at least partially determined by the wind stress forcing. To quantify and explain this observation, we perfomed several numerical experiments, which indicate that remotely forced Rossby waves can influence both the phase and phase speed of tropical instability waves. We suggest that a remote wind forcing determines the high model/observation phase correspondence of tropical instability waves through a relatively realistic simulation of equatorial Kelvin and Rossby wave activity.

Subtropical westerly jet waveguide and winter persistent heavy rainfall in south China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Feng; Li, Chun

2017-07-01

Using observed daily precipitation and National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data, what induced winter large spatial persistent heavy rainfall (PHR) events in south China was examined, based on composite analyses of 30 large spatial PHR events during 1951-2015. The results showed that wave trains within North Africa-Asia (NAA) westerly jet existed in upper troposphere during these PHR processes. The wave trains shared the characteristic of a Rossby wave. The Rossby wave originated from northwest Europe, entered into the NAA jet through strong cold air advection to form convergence over the Mediterranean, and then propagated eastward along subtropical NAA jet. The Rossby wave propagated toward Southeast Asia and caused strong divergence in the upper troposphere. The strong divergence in the upper troposphere induced vertical convection and favored large spatial PHR events in south China. In addition, the enhanced India-Burma trough and subtropical high in the northwestern Pacific supplied enough water vapor transportation. This mechanism would be useful to the medium-range forecast of such winter rainfall processes over south China.

Rapid Water Transport by Long-Lasting Modon Eddy Pairs in the Southern Midlatitude Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Chris W.; Miller, Peter I.

2017-12-01

Water in the ocean is generally carried with the mean flow, mixed by eddies, or transported westward by coherent eddies at speeds close to the long baroclinic Rossby wave speed. Modons (dipole eddy pairs) are a theoretically predicted exception to this behavior, which can carry water to the east or west at speeds much larger than the Rossby wave speed, leading to unusual transports of heat, nutrients, and carbon. We provide the first observational evidence of such rapidly moving modons propagating over large distances. These modons are found in the midlatitude oceans around Australia, with one also seen in the South Atlantic west of the Agulhas region. They can travel at more than 10 times the Rossby wave speed of 1-2 cm s-1 and typically persist for about 6 months carrying their unusual water mass properties with them, before splitting into individual vortices, which can persist for many months longer.

Experimental quantification of nonlinear time scales in inertial wave rotating turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarom, Ehud; Salhov, Alon; Sharon, Eran

2017-12-01

We study nonlinearities of inertial waves in rotating turbulence. At small Rossby numbers the kinetic energy in the system is contained in helical inertial waves with time dependence amplitudes. In this regime the amplitude variations time scales are slow compared to wave periods, and the spectrum is concentrated along the dispersion relation of the waves. A nonlinear time scale was extracted from the width of the spectrum, which reflects the intensity of nonlinear wave interactions. This nonlinear time scale is found to be proportional to (U.k ) -1, where k is the wave vector and U is the root-mean-square horizontal velocity, which is dominated by large scales. This correlation, which indicates the existence of turbulence in which inertial waves undergo weak nonlinear interactions, persists only for small Rossby numbers.

Warm Season Subseasonal Variability and Climate Extremes in the Northern Hemisphere: The Role of Stationary Rossby Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Siegfried; Wang, Hailan; Suarez, Max

2010-01-01

This study examines the nature of boreal summer subseasonal atmospheric variability based on the new NASA Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) for the period 1979-2010. An analysis of the June, July and August subseasonal 250hPa v-wind anomalies shows distinct Rossby wave-like structures that appear to be guided by the mean jets. On monthly subseasonal time scales, the leading waves (the first 10 rotated empirical orthogonal functions or REOFs of the 250hPa v-wind) explain about 50% of the Northern Hemisphere vwind variability, and account for more than 30% (60%) of the precipitation (surface temperature) variability over a number of regions of the northern middle and high latitudes, including the U.S. northern Great Plains, parts of Canada, Europe, and Russia. The first REOF in particular, consists of a Rossby wave that extends across northern Eurasia where it is a dominant contributor to monthly surface temperature and precipitation variability, and played an important role in the 2003 European and 2010 Russian heat waves. While primarily subseasonal in nature, the Rossby waves can at times have a substantial seasonal mean component. This is exemplified by REOF 4 which played a major role in the development of the most intense anomalies of the U.S. 1988 drought (during June) and the 1993 flooding (during July), though differed in the latter event by also making an important contribution to the seasonal mean anomalies. A stationary wave model (SWM) is used to reproduce some of the basic features of the observed waves and provide insight into the nature of the forcing. In particular, the responses to a set of idealized forcing functions are used to map the optimal forcing patterns of the leading waves. Also, experiments to reproduce the observed waves with the SWM using MERRA-based estimates of the forcing indicate that the wave forcing is dominated by sub-monthly vorticity transients.

Investigation of Tropical Transport with UARS Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunkerton, Timothy J.

1999-01-01

Measurements of trace constituents obtained by instruments aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) have been used to study transport processes associated with the quasi-biennial oscillation, laterally propagating Rossby waves, and upward propagating Kelvin waves in the tropical and subtropical upper troposphere and stratosphere. Mean vertical motions, vertical diffusivities and in-mixing rates were inferred from observations of the 'tape recorder' signal in near-equatorial stratospheric water vapor. The effect of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) on tracer distributions in the upper half of the stratosphere was seen in a spectacular 'staircase' pattern, predominantly in the winter hemisphere, revealing the latitudinally asymmetric nature of QBO transport due to induced mean meridional circulations and modulation of lateral mixing associated with planetary Rossby waves. The propagation of Rossby waves across the equator in the westerly phase of the QBO was seen in tracer fields and corroborating United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO) analyses; a modeling study of the effect of these waves on typical QBO wind profiles was performed. Water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere was found to exhibit signatures of the tropical intraseasonal oscillation (TIO) and faster Kelvin waves in the two regions, respectively.

A note on free and forced Rossby wave solutions: The case of a straight coast and a channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graef, Federico

2017-03-01

The free Rossby wave (RW) solutions in an ocean with a straight coast when the offshore wavenumber of incident (l1) and reflected (l2) wave are equal or complex are discussed. If l1 = l2 the energy streams along the coast and a uniformly valid solution cannot be found; if l1,2 are complex it yields the sum of an exponentially decaying and growing (away from the coast) Rossby wave. The channel does not admit these solutions as free modes. If the wavenumber vectors of the RWs are perpendicular to the coast, the boundary condition of no normal flow is trivially satisfied and the value of the streamfunction does not need to vanish at the coast. A solution that satisfies Kelvin's theorem of time-independent circulation at the coast is proposed. The forced RW solutions when the ocean's forcing is a single Fourier component are studied. If the forcing is resonant, i.e. a free Rossby wave (RW), the linear response will depend critically on whether the wave carries energy perpendicular to the channel or not. In the first case, the amplitude of the response is linear in the direction normal to the channel, y, and in the second it has a parabolic profile in y. Examples of these solutions are shown for channels with parameters resembling the Mozambique Channel, the Tasman Sea, the Denmark Strait and the English Channel. The solutions for the single coast are unbounded, except when the forcing is a RW trapped against the coast. If the forcing is non-resonant, exponentially decaying or trapped RWs could be excited in the coast and both the exponentially ;decaying; and exponentially ;growing; RW could be excited in the channel.

QUASI-BIENNIAL OSCILLATIONS IN THE SOLAR TACHOCLINE CAUSED BY MAGNETIC ROSSBY WAVE INSTABILITIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zaqarashvili, Teimuraz V.; Carbonell, Marc; Oliver, Ramon

2010-11-20

Quasi-biennial oscillations (QBOs) are frequently observed in solar activity indices. However, no clear physical mechanism for the observed variations has been suggested so far. Here, we study the stability of magnetic Rossby waves in the solar tachocline using the shallow water magnetohydrodynamic approximation. Our analysis shows that the combination of typical differential rotation and a toroidal magnetic field with a strength of {>=}10{sup 5} G triggers the instability of the m = 1 magnetic Rossby wave harmonic with a period of {approx}2 years. This harmonic is antisymmetric with respect to the equator and its period (and growth rate) depends onmore » the differential rotation parameters and magnetic field strength. The oscillations may cause a periodic magnetic flux emergence at the solar surface and consequently may lead to the observed QBO in solar activity features. The period of QBOs may change throughout a cycle, and from cycle to cycle, due to variations of the mean magnetic field and differential rotation in the tachocline.« less

Observations of Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves forced by Extratropical Wave Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiladis, G. N.; Biello, J. A.; Straub, K. H.

2012-12-01

It is well established by observations that deep tropical convection can in certain situations be forced by extratropical Rossby wave activity. Such interactions are a well-known feature of regions of upper level westerly flow, and in particular where westerlies and equatorward wave guiding by the basic state occur at low enough latitudes to interact with tropical and subtropical moisture sources. In these regions convection is commonly initiated ahead of upper level troughs, characteristic of forcing by quasi-geostrophic dynamics. However, recent observational evidence indicates that extratropical wave activity is also associated with equatorial convection even in regions where there is a "critical line" to Rossby wave propagation at upper levels, that is, where the zonal phase speed of the wave is equal to the zonal flow speed. A common manifestation of this type of interaction involves the initiation of convectively coupled Kelvin waves, as well as mixed Rossby-gravity (MRG) waves. These waves are responsible for a large portion of the convective variability within the ITCZ over the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic sectors, as well as within the Amazon Basin of South America. For example, Kelvin waves originating within the western Pacific ITCZ are often triggered by Rossby wave activity propagating into the Australasian region from the South Indian Ocean extratropics. At other times, Kelvin waves are seen to originate along the eastern slope of the Andes. In the latter case the initial forcing is sometimes linked to a low-level "pressure surge," initiated by wave activity propagating equatorward from the South Pacific storm track. In yet other cases, such as over Africa, the forcing appears to be related to wave activity in the extratropics which is not necessarily propagating into low latitudes, but appears to "project" onto the Kelvin structure, in line with past theoretical and modeling studies. Observational evidence for extratropical forcing of Kelvin and MRG waves will be presented, and the seasonality of these statistical associations will be discussed. Extratropical forcing of equatorial waves appears to be most efficient during the solstice seasons by waves originating within the winter hemisphere and interacting with convection in the summer hemisphere. A companion presentation by J. Biello will examine the theoretical basis for these interactions.

Surfing the Pacific Island chains: linking internal wave energetics to coral reef benthic community patterns.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Painter Jones, Matilda; Green, Mattias; Gove, Jamison; Williams, Gareth

2017-04-01

The ocean is saturated with internal waves at tidal frequency. The energy associated with conversion from barotropic to baroclinic can enhance mixing and upwelling at sites of generation and dissipation, which in turn can drive primary production. Hotspots of internal wave generation are located at sudden changes in topography with the Hawaiian archipelago identified as an area of intense internal wave activity. The role of internal waves as a driver of benthic reef community is unexplored and could be key to coral reefs survival in the unknown future. Using a Pacific wide map of internal wave flux and barotropic-to-baroclinic conversion at an unprecedented 1/30th degree resolution, energy budgets were developed for four islands to evaluate dissipation and generation of internal waves. Spatiotemporal variations in benthic community structure were plotted around each island and related to changes in internal wave energetics using a boosted regression tree. Contrasting spatial patterns and species assemblages were seen around islands with distinct internal wave regimes. The relative importance and influence of internal waves on coral reef ecosystems is evaluated.

Observations of planetary mixed Rossby-gravity waves in the upper stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Randel, William J.; Boville, Byron A.; Gille, John C.

1990-01-01

Observational evidence is presented for planetary scale (zonal wave number 1-2) mixed Rossby-gravity (MRG) waves in the equatorial upper stratosphere (35-50 km). These waves are detected in LIMS measurements as coherently propagating temperature maxima of amplitude 0.1-0.3 K, which are antisymmetric (out of phase) about the equator, centered near 10-15 deg north and south latitude. These features have vertical wavelengths of order 10-15 km, periods near 2-3 days, and zonal phase velocities close to 200 m/s. Both eastward and westward propagating waves are found, and the observed vertical wavelengths and meridional structures are in good agreement with the MRG dispersion relation. Theoretical estimates of the zonal accelerations attributable to these waves suggest they do not contribute substantially to the zonal momentum balance in the middle atmosphere.

The dynamics of magnetic Rossby waves in spherical dynamo simulations: A signature of strong-field dynamos?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, K.; Teed, R. J.; Jones, C. A.

2018-03-01

We investigate slow magnetic Rossby waves in convection-driven dynamos in rotating spherical shells. Quasi-geostrophic waves riding on a mean zonal flow may account for some of the geomagnetic westward drifts and have the potential to allow the toroidal field strength within the planetary fluid core to be estimated. We extend the work of Hori et al. (2015) to include a wider range of models, and perform a detailed analysis of the results. We find that a predicted dispersion relation matches well with the longitudinal drifts observed in our strong-field dynamos. We discuss the validity of our linear theory, since we also find that the nonlinear Lorentz terms influence the observed waveforms. These wave motions are excited by convective instability, which determines the preferred azimuthal wavenumbers. Studies of linear rotating magnetoconvection have suggested that slow magnetic Rossby modes emerge in the magnetostrophic regime, in which the Lorentz and Coriolis forces are in balance in the vorticity equation. We confirm this to be predominant balance for the slow waves we have detected in nonlinear dynamo systems. We also show that a completely different wave regime emerges if the magnetic field is not present. Finally we report the corresponding radial magnetic field variations observed at the surface of the shell in our simulations and discuss the detectability of these waves in the geomagnetic secular variation.

Identification of Stratospheric Waves in Ozone in the Tropics from OMI High Spectral Resolution Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziemke, J. R.; Liu, X.; Bhartia, P. K.

2007-01-01

Previous studies using Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) measurements have identified several types of tropical waves in the stratosphere. These waves include Kelvin waves, mixed Rossby-gravity waves, equatorial Rossby waves, and global normal modes. All of these detected waves occur when their zonal phase speeds are opposite the zonal winds in the low-mid stratosphere associated with the Quasi-biennial Oscillation (QBO). Peak-to-peak amplitudes in all cases are typically 5 DU. While total ozone data from TOMS is sensitive in detecting these tropical waves, they provide each day only a single horizontal cross-sectional map. The high spatial and spectral resolution of the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) provides a unique means to evaluate 3D structure in these waves including their propagation characteristics. Ozone profiles retrieved from OMI radiances for wavelengths 270-310 nm are utilized to examine the nature of these wave disturbances extending from the lower to upper stratosphere.

The variability, structure and energy conversion of the northern hemisphere traveling waves simulated in a Mars general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huiqun; Toigo, Anthony D.

2016-06-01

Investigations of the variability, structure and energetics of the m = 1-3 traveling waves in the northern hemisphere of Mars are conducted with the MarsWRF general circulation model. Using a simple, annually repeatable dust scenario, the model reproduces many general characteristics of the observed traveling waves. The simulated m = 1 and m = 3 traveling waves show large differences in terms of their structures and energetics. For each representative wave mode, the geopotential signature maximizes at a higher altitude than the temperature signature, and the wave energetics suggests a mixed baroclinic-barotropic nature. There is a large contrast in wave energetics between the near-surface and higher altitudes, as well as between the lower latitudes and higher latitudes at high altitudes. Both barotropic and baroclinic conversions can act as either sources or sinks of eddy kinetic energy. Band-pass filtered transient eddies exhibit strong zonal variations in eddy kinetic energy and various energy transfer terms. Transient eddies are mainly interacting with the time mean flow. However, there appear to be non-negligible wave-wave interactions associated with wave mode transitions. These interactions include those between traveling waves and thermal tides and those among traveling waves.

Three-dimensional structures of equatorial waves and the resulting super-rotation in the atmosphere of a tidally locked hot Jupiter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsai, Shang-Min; Gu, Pin-Gao; Dobbs-Dixon, Ian

Three-dimensional (3D) equatorial trapped waves excited by stellar isolation and the resulting equatorial super-rotating jet in a vertical stratified atmosphere of a tidally locked hot Jupiter are investigated. Taking the hot Jupiter HD 189733b as a fiducial example, we analytically solve linear equations subject to stationary stellar heating with a uniform zonal-mean flow included. We also extract wave information in the final equilibrium state of the atmosphere from our radiative hydrodynamical simulation for HD 189733b. Our analytic wave solutions are able to qualitatively explain the 3D simulation results. Apart from previous wave studies, investigating the vertical structure of waves allowsmore » us to explore new wave features such as the wavefronts tilts related to the Rossby-wave resonance as well as dispersive equatorial waves. We also attempt to apply our linear wave analysis to explain some numerical features associated with the equatorial jet development seen in the general circulation model by Showman and Polvani. During the spin-up phase of the equatorial jet, the acceleration of the jet can be in principle boosted by the Rossby-wave resonance. However, we also find that as the jet speed increases, the Rossby-wave structure shifts eastward, while the Kelvin-wave structure remains approximately stationary, leading to the decline of the acceleration rate. Our analytic model of jet evolution implies that there exists only one stable equilibrium state of the atmosphere, possibly implying that the final state of the atmosphere is independent of initial conditions in the linear regime. Limitations of our linear model and future improvements are also discussed.« less

PMP-2 Report: Equatorial Wave Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirota, I.

1982-01-01

The activities of the pre-MAP project 2 (PMP-2) from 1978 through 1981 are described. The following topics relating to the equatorial middle atmosphere are discussed briefly: (1) the semi-annual oscillation and Kelvin waves; (2) planetary Rossby waves; (3) upper mesospheric waves; and (4) gravity waves.

Synoptic-scale Rossby waves and the geographic distribution of lateral transport routes between the tropics and the extratropics in the lower stratosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horinouchi, Takeshi; Sassi, Fabrizio; Boville, Byron A.

2000-11-01

Atmospheric transport between the tropics and the extratropics, in the lowest part of the stratosphere during Northern Hemisphere winter, is investigated. The role of synoptic-scale disturbances that propagate laterally into the tropics is examined using the middle atmosphere version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model Version 3 general circulation model. In the lower stratosphere, synoptic-scale Rossby waves propagate vigorously from the northern (i.e., winter) extratropics through two ``westerly ducts,'' where the westerly zonal mean winds near the equator are favorable to Rossby wave propagation. The waves break in the westerly ducts and modify the mean potential vorticity (PV) structure to connect subtropical and equatorial regions of sharp PV gradients. Frequent wave breaking and the wave -induced PV structure create distinct routes where transport occurs vigorously between the tropics and the northern extratropics. Interhemispheric transport also occurs through regions associated with the westerly ducts. In the Southern (summer) Hemisphere lower stratosphere, synoptic-scale disturbances propagate mainly as ``tongues'' of PV elongated from extratropical disturbances. The transport between the tropics and the southern extratropics has a strong geographic preference but is dominated by the monsoon circulation, as was shown for the upper troposphere by Chen [1995]. PV tongues and other transient anomalies are of secondary importance.

Intraseasonal sea surface warming in the western Indian Ocean by oceanic equatorial Rossby waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rydbeck, Adam V.; Jensen, Tommy G.; Nyadjro, Ebenezer S.

2017-05-01

A novel process is identified whereby equatorial Rossby (ER) waves maintain warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies against cooling by processes related to atmospheric convection in the western Indian Ocean. As downwelling ER waves enter the western Indian Ocean, SST anomalies of +0.15°C develop near 60°E. These SST anomalies are hypothesized to stimulate convective onset of the Madden-Julian Oscillation. The upper ocean warming that manifests in response to downwelling ER waves is examined in a mixed layer heat budget using observational and reanalysis products, respectively. In the heat budget, horizontal advection is the leading contributor to warming, in part due to an equatorial westward jet of 80 cm s-1 associated with downwelling ER waves. When anomalous currents associated with ER waves are removed in the budget, the warm intraseasonal temperature anomaly in the western Indian Ocean is eliminated in observations and reduced by 55% in reanalysis.

Monsoon rainfall over India in June and link with northwest tropical pacific - June ISMR and link with northwest tropical pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surendran, Sajani; Gadgil, Sulochana; Rajendran, Kavirajan; Varghese, Stella Jes; Kitoh, Akio

2018-03-01

Recent years have witnessed large interannual variation of all-India rainfall (AIR) in June, with intermittent large deficits and excesses. Variability of June AIR is found to have the strongest link with variation of rainfall over northwest tropical Pacific (NWTP), with AIR deficit (excess) associated with enhancement (suppression) of NWTP rainfall. This association is investigated using high-resolution Meteorological Research Institute model which shows high skill in simulating important features of Asian summer monsoon, its variability and the inverse relationship between NWTP rainfall and AIR. Analysis of the variation of NWTP rainfall shows that it is associated with a change in the latitudinal position of subtropical westerly jet over the region stretching from West of Tibetan Plateau (WTP) to NWTP and the phase of Rossby wave steered in it with centres over NWTP and WTP. In years with large rainfall excess/deficit, the strong link between AIR and NWTP rainfall exists through differences in Rossby wave phase steered in the jet. The positive phase of the WTP-NWTP pattern, with troughs over WTP and west of NWTP, tends to be associated with increased rainfall over NWTP and decreased AIR. This scenario is reversed in the opposite phase. Thus, the teleconnection between NWTP rainfall and AIR is a manifestation of the difference in the phase of Rossby wave between excess and deficit years, with centres over WTP and NWTP. This brings out the importance of prediction of phase of Rossby waves over WTP and NWTP in advance, for prediction of June rainfall over India.

Influence of QBO on stratospheric Kelvin and Mixed Rossby gravity waves in high-top CMIP5 models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indah Solihah, Karina; Lubis, Sandro W.; Setiawan, Sonni

2018-05-01

It is well established that quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) has a substantial influence on Kelvin and mixed Rossby gravity (MRG) wave activity in the tropical lower stratosphere. In this study, we examined how QBO influences Kelvin and MRG wave activity in the lower stratosphere, based on nine high-top CMIP5 models. The results show that the Kelvin and MRG wave signals are stronger in the models with QBO, and relatively weaker in the models without QBO. The results are consistent with established theory, whereby upward-propagating Kelvin waves occurs more frequently during the easterly QBO phase, while upward-propagating MRG waves occurs during the westerly QBO phase. Without the QBO, the mean flow exhibits a near-zero easterly wind, which prevents the waves from propagating and penetrating into the stratosphere. Our analysis also shows that models with the QBO tend to have more robust signatures (in terms of amplitude and phase speed) of Kelvin and MRG waves.

Intraseasonal to interannual variations in the tropical wave activity revealed in reanalyses and their potential impact on the QBO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Young-Ha; Yoo, Changhyun

2017-04-01

We investigate activities of tropical waves represented in reanalysis products. The wave activities are quantified by the Eliassen-Palm (EP) flux at 100 hPa, after decomposed into the following four components: equatorially trapped Kelvin waves and mixed Rossby-gravity waves, gravity waves, and Rossby waves. Monthly EP fluxes of the four waves exhibit considerable temporal variations at intraseasonal and interannual, along with seasonal, time scales. These variations are discussed with the tropical large-scale variabilities, including the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), the El Ninõ-Southern Oscillation, and the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). We find that during boreal winter, the interannual variation of Kelvin wave activity is in phase with that of the MJO amplitude, while such a simultaneous variation cannot be seen in other seasons. The gravity wave is dominated by a semi-annual cycle, while the departure from its semi-annual cycle is largely correlated with the QBO phase in the stratosphere. Potential impacts of the variations in the wave activity upon the QBO properties will be assessed using a simple one-dimensional QBO model.

Discovery Of A Rossby Wave In Jupiter's South Equatorial Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon-Miller, Amy A.; Choi, D. S.; Rogers, J. H.; Gierasch, P. J.

2012-01-01

A detailed study of the chevron-shaped dark spots on the strong southern equatorial wind jet near 7.5 deg S planetographic latitude shows variations in velocity with longitude and time. The chevrons move with velocities near the maximum wind jet velocity of approx.140 m/s, as deduced by the history of velocities at this latitude and the magnitude of the symmetric wind jet near 7 deg N latitude. Their repetitive nature is consistent with an inertia-gravity wave (n = 75-100) with phase speed up to 25 m/s, relative to the local flow, but the identity of this wave mode is not well constrained. However, high spatial resolution movies from Cassini images show that the chevrons oscillate in latitude with a approx.7-day period. This oscillating motion has a wavelength of approx.20 deg and a speed of approx.100 m/s, following a pattern similar to that seen in the Rossby wave plumes of the North Equatorial Zone, and possibly reinforced by it, though they are not perfectly in phase. The transient anticyclonic South Equatorial Disturbance (SED) may be a similar wave feature, but moves at slower velocity. All data show chevron latitude variability, but it is unclear if this Rossby wave is present during other epochs, without time series movies that fully delineate it. In the presence of multiple wave modes, the difference in dominant cloud appearance between 7 deg N and 7.5 deg S may be due to the presence of the Great Red Spot, either through changes in stratification and stability or by acting as a wave boundary.

Intraseasonal variability and tides in Makassar Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susanto, R. Dwi; Gordon, Arnold L.; Sprintall, Janet; Herunadi, Bambang

2000-05-01

Intraseasonal variability and tides along the Makassar Strait, the major route of Indonesian throughflow, are investigated using spectral and time-frequency analyses which are applied to sea level, wind and mooring data. Semidiurnal and diurnal tides are dominant features, with higher (lower) semidiurnal (diurnal) energy in the north compared to the south. Sea levels and mooring data display intraseasonal variability which are probably a response to remotely forced Kelvin waves from the Indian Ocean through Lombok Strait and to Rossby waves from the Pacific Ocean. Sea levels in Tarakan and Balikpapan and Makassar mooring velocities reveal intraseasonal features with periods of 48-62 days associated with Rossby waves from the Sulawesi Sea. Kelvin wave features with periods of 67-100 days are seen in Bali (Lombok Strait), at the mooring sites and in Balikpapan, however, they are not seen in Tarakan, which implies that these waves diminish after passing through the Makassar Strait.

The DEBOT Model, a New Global Barotropic Ocean Tidal Model: Test Computations and an Application in Related Geophysical Disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Einspigel, D.; Sachl, L.; Martinec, Z.

2014-12-01

We present the DEBOT model, which is a new global barotropic ocean model. The DEBOT model is primarily designed for modelling of ocean flow generated by the tidal attraction of the Moon and the Sun, however it can be used for other ocean applications where the barotropic model is sufficient, for instance, a tsunami wave propagation. The model has been thoroughly tested by several different methods: 1) synthetic example which involves a tsunami-like wave propagation of an initial Gaussian depression and testing of the conservation of integral invariants, 2) a benchmark study with another barotropic model, the LSGbt model, has been performed and 3) results of realistic simulations have been compared with data from tide gauge measurements around the world. The test computations prove the validity of the numerical code and demonstrate the ability of the DEBOT model to simulate the realistic ocean tides. The DEBOT model will be principaly applied in related geophysical disciplines, for instance, in an investigation of an influence of the ocean tides on the geomagnetic field or the Earth's rotation. A module for modelling of the secondary poloidal magnetic field generated by an ocean flow is already implemented in the DEBOT model and preliminary results will be presented. The future aim is to assimilate magnetic data provided by the Swarm satellite mission into the ocean flow model.

Scale-dependent Ocean Wave Turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glazman, R. E.

1995-01-01

Wave turbulence is a common feature of nonlinear wave motions observed when external forcing acts during a long period of time, resulting in developed spectral cascades of energy, momentum, and other conserved integrals. In the ocean, wave turbulence occurs on various scales from capillary ripples, and those of baroclinic inertia-gravity, to Rossby waves. Oceanic wave motions are discussed.

Long-lived planetary vortices and their evolution: Conservative intermediate geostrophic model.

PubMed

Sutyrin, Georgi G.

1994-06-01

Large, long-lived vortices, surviving during many turnaround times and far longer than the dispersive linear Rossby wave packets, are abundant in planetary atmospheres and oceans. Nonlinear effects which prevent dispersive decay of intense cyclones and anticyclones and provide their self-propelling propagation are revised here using shallow water equations and their balanced approximations. The main physical mechanism allowing vortical structures to be long-lived in planetary fluid is the quick fluid rotation inside their cores which prevents growth in the amplitude of asymmetric circulation arising due to the beta-effect. Intense vortices of both signs survive essentially longer than the linear Rossby wave packet if their azimuthal velocity is much larger than the Rossby wave speed. However, in the long-time evolution, cyclonic and anticyclonic vortices behave essentially differently that is illustrated by the conservative intermediate geostrophic model. Asymmetric circulation governing vortex propagation is described by the azimuthal mode m=1 for the initial value problem as well as for steadily propagating solutions. Cyclonic vortices move west-poleward decaying gradually due to Rossby wave radiation while anticyclonic ones adjust to non-radiating solitary vortices. Slow weakening of an intense cyclone with decreasing of its size and shrinking of the core is described assuming zero azimuthal velocity outside the core while drifting poleward. The poleward tendency of the cyclone motion relative to the stirring flow corresponds to characteristic trajectories of tropical cyclones in the Earth's atmosphere. The asymmetry in dispersion-nonlinear properties of cyclones and anticyclones is thought to be one of the essential reasons for the observed predominance of anticyclones among long-lived vortices in the atmospheres of the giant planets and also among intrathermoclinic eddies in the ocean.

Dynamical relationship between wind speed magnitude and meridional temperature contrast: Application to an interannual oscillation in Venusian middle atmosphere GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Masaru; Takahashi, Masaaki

2018-03-01

We derive simple dynamical relationships between wind speed magnitude and meridional temperature contrast. The relationship explains scatter plot distributions of time series of three variables (maximum zonal wind speed UMAX, meridional wind speed VMAX, and equator-pole temperature contrast dTMAX), which are obtained from a Venus general circulation model with equatorial Kelvin-wave forcing. Along with VMAX and dTMAX, UMAX likely increases with the phase velocity and amplitude of a forced wave. In the scatter diagram of UMAX versus dTMAX, points are plotted along a linear equation obtained from a thermal-wind relationship in the cloud layer. In the scatter diagram of VMAX versus UMAX, the apparent slope is somewhat steep in the high UMAX regime, compared with the low UMAX regime. The scatter plot distributions are qualitatively consistent with a quadratic equation obtained from a diagnostic equation of the stream function above the cloud top. The plotted points in the scatter diagrams form a linear cluster for weak wave forcing, whereas they form a small cluster for strong wave forcing. An interannual oscillation of the general circulation forming the linear cluster in the scatter diagram is apparent in the experiment of weak 5.5-day wave forcing. Although a pair of equatorial Kelvin and high-latitude Rossby waves with a same period (Kelvin-Rossby wave) produces equatorward heat and momentum fluxes in the region below 60 km, the equatorial wave does not contribute to the long-period oscillation. The interannual fluctuation of the high-latitude jet core leading to the time variation of UMAX is produced by growth and decay of a polar mixed Rossby-gravity wave with a 14-day period.

Activity of convective coupled equatorial wave in tropical Tropopause layer in reanalysis and high-top CMIP5 models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harza, Alia; Lubis, Sandro W.; Setiawan, Sonni

2018-05-01

The activity of convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs), including Kelvin waves, Mixed Rossby-Gravity (MRG), and Equatorial Rossby (ER), in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) is investigated in the Reanalysis and nine high-top CMIP5 models using the zonal wave number-frequency spectral analysis with equatorially symmetric-antisymmetric decomposition. We found that the TTL activities in the high-top CMIP5 models show significant difference among the high-top CMIP5 models with respect to the observation. The MIROC and HadGEM2-CC models work best in simulating Kelvin wave in the TTL, while the HadGEM2-CC and MPI-ESM-LR models work best in simulating MRG waves. The ER waves in TTL are best simulated in the MRI-CGCM model. None of the models are good in simulating all waves at once. It is concluded that the broad range of wave activity found in the different CMIP5 models depend on the convective parameterization used by each model and the representation of the tropical stratosphere variability, including the QBO.

Jovian Planetary Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, J.; Deming, D.

1997-07-01

We have found over two dozen discrete, linearly-propagating, periodic features in 5-{\\micron} images of Jovian cloud opacities (J. Harrington et al. 1996, Icarus 124, 32--44). Numerous spatially-sinusoidal temperature oscillations also appear in several passbands between 7 and 19 {\\microns} (D. Deming et al. 1997, Icarus 126, 301--312). Both types of Jovian planetary-scale features are zonally-oriented. They have always been detected when sought (1989, '91, '92, '93), and some individual features persist 100 Earth days or longer. These features are superficially consistent with Rossby waves, but they do not follow a simplistic dispersion relation based on cloud-top wind speeds. Planetary wavenumbers are never larger than 15, consistent with predictions based on the Rhines scale for Jupiter. There are many outstanding phenomenological questions: Where and how are the waves driven? How are waves at different atmospheric levels related? What are their true dispersion properties? How long do they last? We are continuing observations and will conduct a search of the Hubble Space Telescope archive for the \\sim 1{°ee} meridional cloud-belt deviations expected for Rossby waves. We are in the process of correlating wave detections of various types, times, and wavelengths with each other. Our goal is to constrain atmospheric stratification and vertical energy transport. Because Rossby waves propagate vertically, these features may probe conditions at the interface between the meteorological atmosphere and the planetary interior. Work supported by NASA Planetary Astronomy RTOP 196-41-54. Work performed while J. H. held a National Research Council - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Research Associateship.

Rapid ocean-atmosphere response to Southern Ocean freshening during the last glacial period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turney, Christian; Jones, Richard; Phipps, Steven; Thomas, Zoë; Hogg, Alan; Kershaw, Peter; Fogwill, Christopher; Palmer, Jonathan; Bronk Ramsey, Christopher; Adolphi, Florian; Muscheler, Raimund; Hughen, Konrad; Staff, Richard; Grosvenor, Mark; Golledge, Nicholas; Rasmussen, Sune; Hutchinson, David; Haberle, Simon; Lorrey, Andrew; Boswijk, Gretel

2017-04-01

Contrasting Greenland and Antarctic temperature trends during the late last glacial period (60,000 to 11,703 years ago) are thought to be driven by imbalances in the rate of formation of North Atlantic and Antarctic Deep Water (the 'bipolar seesaw'), with cooling in the north leading the onset of warming in the south. Some events, however, appear to have occurred independently of changes in deep water formation but still have a southern expression, implying that an alternative mechanism may have driven some global climatic changes during the glacial. Testing these competing hypotheses is challenging given the relatively large uncertainties associated with correlating terrestrial, marine and ice core records of abrupt change. Here we exploit a bidecadally-resolved 14C calibration dataset obtained from New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) to undertake high-precision alignment of key climate datasets spanning 28,400 to 30,400 years ago. We observe no divergence between terrestrial and marine 14C datasets implying limited impact of freshwater hosing on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). However, an ice-rafted debris event (SA2) in Southern Ocean waters appears to be associated with dramatic synchronous warming over the North Atlantic and contrasting precipitation patterns across the low latitudes. Using a fully coupled climate system model we undertook an ensemble of transient meltwater simulations and find that a southern salinity anomaly can trigger low-latitude temperature changes through barotropic and baroclinic oceanic waves that are atmospherically propagated globally via a Rossby wave train, consistent with contemporary modelling studies. Our results suggest the Antarctic ice sheets and Southern Ocean dynamics may have contributed to some global climatic changes through rapid ocean-atmospheric teleconnections, with implications for past (and future) change.

Atmospheric Circulation Patterns over East Asia and Their Connection with Summer Precipitation and Surface Air Temperature in Eastern China during 1961-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuping; Hou, Wei; Feng, Guolin

2018-04-01

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and Chinese observational data during 1961-2013, atmospheric circulation patterns over East Asia in summer and their connection with precipitation and surface air temperature in eastern China as well as associated external forcing are investigated. Three patterns of the atmospheric circulation are identified, all with quasi-barotropic structures: (1) the East Asia/Pacific (EAP) pattern, (2) the Baikal Lake/Okhotsk Sea (BLOS) pattern, and (3) the eastern China/northern Okhotsk Sea (ECNOS) pattern. The positive EAP pattern significantly increases precipitation over the Yangtze River valley and favors cooling north of the Yangtze River and warming south of the Yangtze River in summer. The warm sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean suppress convection over the northwestern subtropical Pacific through the Ekman divergence induced by a Kelvin wave and excite the EAP pattern. The positive BLOS pattern is associated with below-average precipitation south of the Yangtze River and robust cooling over northeastern China. This pattern is triggered by anomalous spring sea ice concentration in the northern Barents Sea. The anomalous sea ice concentration contributes to a Rossby wave activity flux originating from the Greenland Sea, which propagates eastward to North Pacific. The positive ECNOS pattern leads to below-average precipitation and significant warming over northeastern China in summer. The reduced soil moisture associated with the earlier spring snowmelt enhances surface warming over Mongolia and northeastern China and the later spring snowmelt leads to surface cooling over Far East in summer, both of which are responsible for the formation of the ECNOS pattern.

Vorticity Transport and Wave Emission in the Protoplanetary Nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, S. S.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Higher order numerical algorithms (4th order in time, 3rd order in space) are applied to the Euler/Energy equations and are used to examine vorticity transport and wave motion in a non-self gravitating, initially isentropic Keplerian disk. In this talk we will examine the response of the nebula to an isolated vortex with a circulation about equal to the rotation rate of Jupiter. The vortex is located on the 4 AU circle and the nebula is simulated from 1 to 24 AU. We show that the vortex emits pressure-supported density and Rossby-type wave packets before it decays within a few orbits. The acoustic density waves evolve into weak (non entropy preserving) shock waves that propagate over the entire disk. The Rossby waves remain in the vicinity of the initial vortex disturbance, but are rapidly damped. Temporal frequencies and spatial wavenumbers are derived using the simulation data and compared with analytical dispersion relations from the linearized Euler/Energy equations.

Vorticity Transport and Wave Emission In A Protoplanetary Disk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, S. S.; Davis, Sanford (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Higher order numerical algorithms (4th order in time, 3rd order in space) are applied to the Euler equations and are used to examine vorticity transport and wave motion in a non-self gravitating, initially isentropic Keplerian disk. In this talk we will examine the response of the disk to an isolated vortex with a circulation about equal to the rotation rate of Jupiter. The vortex is located on the 4 AU circle and the nebula is simulated from 1 to 24 AU. We show that the vortex emits pressure-supported density and Rossby-type wave packets before it decays within a few orbits. The acoustic density waves evolve into weak (non entropy preserving) shock waves that propagate over the entire disk. The Rossby waves remain in the vicinity of the initial vortex disturbance, but are rapidly damped. Temporal frequencies and spatial wavenumbers are derived from the nonlinear simulation data and correlated with analytical dispersion relations from the linearized Euler and energy equations.

Tidal energetics: Studies with a barotropic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, James Scott

The tidal energy from luni-solar gravitational forcing is dissipated principally through the dissipation of oceanic tides. Recent estimates using disparate methods, including analysis of satellite orbits and the timing of ancient eclipses, now indicate that this dissipation totals approximately 3.5 terawatts. However, the mechanisms and spatial distribution of this dissipation is not yet fully understood. In this work, three different aspects of tidal energetics are investigated with a variable resolution barotropic tidal model. The distribution of tidal energy, dissipation and energy flux are examined using high resolution models of several marginal seas: the European shelf, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Yellow and East China Seas, the South China Sea and the Bering Sea. Most modern tide models dissipate tidal energy with a quadratic friction parameterization of bottom friction. Since such dissipation depends nonlinearly on the velocity of the tidal current, these models dissipate primarily in shallow seas where current magnitudes are high. Without assimilating observational data, such tidal models have unreasonably high levels of tidal-period averaged kinetic and potential energies. I have added a linear friction parameterization to the traditional quadratic formulation and am able to obtain realistic tidal energy levels with an unassimilated model. The resulting model is used to investigate the tidal energetics of the recent geological past when sea level was 50 meters higher and 120 meters lower than at the present time. Long-period tides are of small enough amplitude that their energetics are an almost negligible part of the total tidal energy budget. However, the behavior of these tides yields insights into the response of the ocean to large scale forcing. We have modeled the lunar fortnightly (M f) and lunar monthly (Mm) tidal components and determined that the ratio of the Mf potential-to-kinetic energy ratio to that of Mm is about 3.9, consistent with values expected for long Rossby wave dynamics. Also, we obtain quality (Q) values for the Mf and Mm tides of 5.9 and 6.2 respectively which is consistent with recent inferences of basin circulation responses of Q of about 5.5 for 5-day synoptic forcing.

The Effect of Surface Topography on the Nonlinear Dynamics of Rossby Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abarzhi, S. I.; Desjardins, O.; Pitsch, H.

2003-01-01

Boussinesq convection in rotating systems attracts a sustained attention of the fluid dynamics community, because it has intricate non-linear dynamics (Cross & Hohenberg 1993) and plays an important role in geophysical and astrophysical applications, such as the motion of the liquid outer core of Earth, the Red Spot in Jupiter, the giant cells in the Sun etc. (Alridge et al. 1990). A fundamental distinction between the real geo- and astrophysical problems and the idealized laboratory studies is that natural systems are inhomogeneous (Alridge et al. 1990). Heterogeneities modulate the flow and influence significantly the dynamics of convective patterns (Alridge et al. 1990; Hide 1971). The effect of modulations on pattern formation and transition to turbulence in Boussinesq convection is far from being completely understood (Cross & Hohenberg 1993; Aranson & Kramer 2002). It is generally accepted that in the liquid outer core of the Earth the transport of the angular momentum and internal heat occurs via thermal Rossby waves (Zhang et al. 2001; Kuang & Bloxham 1999). These waves been visualized in laboratory experiments in rotating liquid-filled spheres and concentric spherical shells (Zhang et al. 2001; Kuang & Bloxham 1999). The basic dynamical features of Rossby waves have been reproduced in a cylindrical annulus, a system much simpler than the spherical ones (Busse & Or 1986; Or & Busse 1987). For convection in a cylindrical annulus, the fluid motion is two-dimensional, and gravity is replaced by a centrifugal force, (Busse & Or 1986; Or & Busse 1987). Hide (1971) has suggested that the momentum and heat transport in the core might be influenced significantly by so-called bumps, which are heterogeneities on the mantle-core boundary. To model the effect of surface topography on the transport of momentum and energy in the liquid outer core of the Earth, Bell & Soward (1996), Herrmann & Busse (1998) and Westerburg & Busse (2001) have studied the nonlinear dynamics of thermal Rossby waves in a cylindrical annulus with azimuthally modulated height.

Gravity and Rossby Wave Signatures in the Tropical Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere Based on Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ), 1998-2007

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M.; Allen, Amber L.; Lee, Sukyoung; Miller, Sonya K.; Witte, Jacquelyn C.

2011-01-01

Prior investigations attempted to determine the relative influence of advection and convective processes on ozone and water vapor distributions in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) through analyses of tracers, related physical parameters (e.g., outgoing long-wave radiation, precipitable water, and temperature), or with models. In this study, stable laminae in Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesonde Network (SHADOZ) ozone profIles from 1998 to 2007 are interpreted in terms of gravity waves (GW) or Rossby waves (RW) that are identified with vertical and quasi-horizontal displacements, respectively. Using the method of Pierce and Grant (1998) as applied by Thompson et al. (2007a, 2007b, 2010, 2011), amplitudes and frequencies in ozone laminae are compared among representative SHADOZ sites over Africa and the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans. GW signals maximize in the TTL and lower stratosphere. Depending on site and season, GW are identified in up to 90% of the soundings. GW are most prevalent over the Pacific and eastern Indian oceans, a distribution consistent with vertically propagating equatorial Kelvin waves. Ozone laminae from RW occur more often below the tropical tropopause and with lower frequency 20%). Gravity wave and Rossby wave indices (GWI, RWI) are formulated to facilitate analysis of interannual variability of wave signatures among sites. GWI is positively correlated with a standard ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) index over American Samoa (14degS, 171degW) and negatively correlated at Watukosek, Java (7.5degS, 114degE), Kuala Lumpur (3degN, 102degE), and Ascension Island (80degS, 15degW). Generally, the responses of GW and RW to ENSO are consistent with prior studies.

The Occurrence of Tidal Hybrid Kelvin-Edge Waves in the Global Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, H.; Buijsman, M. C.; Yankovsky, A. E.; Zhang, T.; Jeon, C. H.

2017-12-01

This study presents the analysis of hybrid Kelvin-edge waves on the continental shelves in a global ocean model. Our objective is to find areas where the transition occurs from Kelvin waves to hybrid Kelvin-edge waves. The change in continental shelf width may convert a Kelvin wave into a hybrid Kelvin-edge wave. In this process the group velocity reaches a minimum and tidal energy is radiated on and/or offshore [Zhang 2016]. We extract M2 SSH (Sea Surface Height) and velocity from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) and calculate barotropic energy fluxes. We analyze these three areas: the Bay of Biscay, the Amazon Shelf and North West Africa. In these three regions, the continental shelf widens in the propagation direction and the alongshore flux changes its direction towards the coast. A transect is taken at different points in these areas to compute the dispersion relations of the waves on the continental shelf. In model simulations, we change the bathymetry of the Bay of Biscay to study the behavior of the hybrid Kelvin-edge waves. BibliographyZhang, T., and A. E Yankovsky. (2016), On the nature of cross-isobath energy fluxes in topographically modified barotropic semidiurnal Kelvin waves, J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 121, 3058-3074, doi:10.1002/2015JC011617.

Rossby Waves in the Protoplanetary Nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheehan, Daniel P.

1998-01-01

Fluid waves and instabilities are considered critical to the evolution of protoplanetary nebulae, particularly for their roles in mass, angular momentum, and energy transport. A number have been identified, however, notably absent, is an influential wave commonly found in planetary atmospheres and oceans: the planetary Rossby wave (PRW). Since, in the Earth's atmosphere, the PRW is of primary importance in shaping large-scale meteorological phenomena, it is reasonable to consider whether it might have similar importance in the protoplanetary nebula. The thrust of the research project this summer (1998) was to determine whether a nebular analog to the PRW is viable, a so-called nebular Rossby wave (NRW), and if so, to explore possible ramifications of this wave to the evolution of the nebula. This work was carried out primarily by S. Davis, J. Cuzzi and me, with significant discussions with P. Cassen. We believe we have established a good case for the NRW and as a result believe we have opened up a new and possibly interesting line of research in regard to the nebular development, in particular with regard to zonal jet formation, a potent accretion mechanism, and possible ties to vortex formation. The standard model of the protoplanetary nebula consists of a large disk of gas with about 1% entrained dust gravitationally bound to a large central mass, m(sub c) i.e., the protostar. The planet-forming region of the disk extends to roughly 100 A.U. in radius. Disk thickness, H, is believed to be on the order of 10-100 times less than disk radius. Disk lifetime is on the order of a million years.

A three-dimensional simulation of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, M.; Boville, B.A.

1992-06-15

A simulation of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) has been obtained using a three-dimensional mechanistic model of the stratosphere. The model is a simplified form of the NCAR CCM (Community Climate Model) in which the troposphere has been replaced with a specified geopotential distribution near the tropical tropopause and most of the physical parameterizations have been removed. A Kelvin wave and a Rossby-gravity wave are forced at the bottom boundary as in previous one- and two-dimensional models. The model reproduces most of the principal features of the observed QBO, as do previous models with lower dimensionality. The principal difference betweenmore » the present model and previous QBO models is that the wave propagation is explicitly represented, allowing wave-wave interactions to take place. It is found that these interactions significantly affect the simulated oscillation. The interaction of the Rossby-gravity waves with the Kelvin waves results in about twice as much easterly compared to westerly forcing being required in order to obtain a QBO. 26 refs., 12 figs.« less

Intra-seasonal sea level variability along the west coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhage, Laxmikant; Strub, P. Ted

2016-11-01

The importance of local versus distant forcing is studied for the wind-driven intra-seasonal (30-120 day) sea level anomaly (SLA) variations along the west coast of India. Significant correlations of altimeter-derived SLA on the west coast are found with the mid-basin SLA east of Sri Lanka and SLA as far as Sumatra and the equator, with increased lags, connecting with the remote forcing from the equator in the form of reflected Rossby waves. The highest correlations between SLA on the west coast and winds are found with the winds at the southern tip of India. Coherence calculations help to identify the importance of a narrow band (40-60 day) for the interactions of winds with the intra-seasonal SLA variations. A multivariate regression model, along with the coherences within this narrower band, suggest the lags of SLA on the west coast with winds to range from 0 to 2 days with the local forcing to 11-13 days with the forcing along south east coast of India. Hovmöller diagrams illustrate the propagation of signals by estimating phase speed for Rossby waves (57 cm/s) across the Indian Ocean from Sumatra and Coastal Trapped Waves (CTWs) along the west coast of India (178 cm/s). Propagation from the south-east coast of India is not as robust as Rossby waves from Sumatra.

Simulation and Prediction of Warm Season Drought in North America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Hailan; Chang, Yehui; Schubert, Siegfried D.; Koster, Randal D.

2018-01-01

This presentation presents our recent work on model simulation and prediction of warm season drought in North America. The emphasis will be on the contribution from the leading modes of subseasonal atmospheric circulation variability, which are often present in the form of stationary Rossby waves. Here we take advantage of the results from observations, reanalyses, and simulations and reforecasts performed using the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5) atmospheric and coupled General Circulation Model (GCM). Our results show that stationary Rossby waves play a key role in Northern Hemisphere (NH) atmospheric circulation and surface meteorology variability on subseasonal timescales. In particular, such waves have been crucial to the development of recent short-term warm season heat waves and droughts over North America (e.g. the 1988, 1998, and 2012 summer droughts) and northern Eurasia (e.g., the 2003 summer heat wave over Europe and the 2010 summer drought and heat wave over Russia). Through an investigation of the physical processes by which these waves lead to the development of warm season drought in North America, it is further found that these waves can serve as a potential source of drought predictability. In order to properly represent their effect and exploit this source of predictability, a model needs to correctly simulate the Northern Hemisphere (NH) mean jet streams and be able to predict the sources of these waves. Given the NASA GEOS-5 AGCM deficiency in simulating the NH jet streams and tropical convection during boreal summer, an approach has been developed to artificially remove much of model mean biases, which leads to considerable improvement in model simulation and prediction of stationary Rossby waves and drought development in North America. Our study points to the need to identify key model biases that limit model simulation and prediction of regional climate extremes, and diagnose the origin of these biases so as to inform modeling group for model improvement.

Island-Trapped Waves, Internal Waves, and Island Circulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

from the government of Palau to allow us to deliver some water and food to the officers. Governor Patris of Hatohobei State and the Coral Reef ...Island-trapped waves , internal waves , and island circulation T. M. Shaun Johnston Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California...large islands (Godfrey, 1989; Firing et al., 1999); • Westward propagating eddies and/or Rossby waves encounter large islands and produce boundary

Influence of El Niño and Indian Ocean Dipole on sea level variability in the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreenivas, P.; Gnanaseelan, C.; Prasad, K. V. S. R.

2012-01-01

Zonally oscillating seasonal equatorial winds generate pairs of upwelling and downwelling Kelvin waves in the Equatorial Indian Ocean, which then advance in to the coastal Bay of Bengal. The first (second) equatorial upwelling Kelvin wave has its origin in the western (eastern) basin, whereas the downwelling Kelvin waves originate in the central basin. The observed interannual variability of these Kelvin waves is highly governed by the associated zonal wind changes in the central and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the anomalous years. The second downwelling (upwelling) Kelvin wave is absent (weak) during El Niño (La Niña) years, whereas the second upwelling Kelvin wave strengthened during El Niño years both in the equatorial Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The large scale off equatorial Rossby waves occasionally feedback the equatorial Kelvin waves, which then strengthen the Bay of Bengal coastal Kelvin waves. The coastal Kelvin waves and the associated radiated Rossby waves from east play a dominant role in the mesoscale eddy generation in Bay of Bengal. The analysis of cyclogenesis characteristics in the bay over the past 65 years revealed that the active (suppressed) phases of cyclogenesis are coinciding with the downwelling (upwelling) planetary waves which influence the cyclone heat potential by altering the thermocline depth.

The 2010 Pakistan Flood and Russian Heat Wave: Teleconnection of Hydrometeorological Extremes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong

2012-01-01

In this paper, preliminary results are presented showing that the two record-setting extreme events during 2010 summer (i.e., the Russian heat wave-wildfires and Pakistan flood) were physically connected. It is found that the Russian heat wave was associated with the development of an extraordinarily strong and prolonged extratropical atmospheric blocking event in association with the excitation of a large-scale atmospheric Rossby wave train spanning western Russia, Kazakhstan, and the northwestern China-Tibetan Plateau region. The southward penetration of upper-level vorticity perturbations in the leading trough of the Rossby wave was instrumental in triggering anomalously heavy rain events over northern Pakistan and vicinity in mid- to late July. Also shown are evidences that the Russian heat wave was amplified by a positive feedback through changes in surface energy fluxes between the atmospheric blocking pattern and an underlying extensive land region with below-normal soil moisture. The Pakistan heavy rain events were amplified and sustained by strong anomalous southeasterly flow along the Himalayan foothills and abundant moisture transport from the Bay of Bengal in connection with the northward propagation of the monsoonal intraseasonal oscillation.

Modelled thermal and dynamical responses of the middle atmosphere to EPP-induced ozone changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karami, K.; Braesicke, P.; Kunze, M.; Langematz, U.; Sinnhuber, M.; Versick, S.

2015-11-01

Energetic particles including protons, electrons and heavier ions, enter the Earth's atmosphere over the polar regions of both hemispheres, where they can greatly disturb the chemical composition of the upper and middle atmosphere and contribute to ozone depletion in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The chemistry-climate general circulation model EMAC is used to investigate the impact of changed ozone concentration due to Energetic Particle Precipitation (EPP) on temperature and wind fields. The results of our simulations show that ozone perturbation is a starting point for a chain of processes resulting in temperature and circulation changes over a wide range of latitudes and altitudes. In both hemispheres, as winter progresses the temperature and wind anomalies move downward with time from the mesosphere/upper stratosphere to the lower stratosphere. In the Northern Hemisphere (NH), once anomalies of temperature and zonal wind reach the lower stratosphere, another signal develops in mesospheric heights and moves downward. Analyses of Eliassen and Palm (EP) flux divergence show that accelerating or decelerating of the stratospheric zonal flow is in harmony with positive and negative anomalies of the EP flux divergences, respectively. This results suggest that the oscillatory mode in the downwelling signal of temperature and zonal wind in our simulations are the consequence of interaction between the resolved waves in the model and the mean stratospheric flow. Therefore, any changes in the EP flux divergence lead to anomalies in the zonal mean zonal wind which in turn feed back on the propagation of Rossby waves from the troposphere to higher altitudes. The analyses of Rossby waves refractive index show that the EPP-induced ozone anomalies are capable of altering the propagation condition of the planetary-scale Rossby waves in both hemispheres. It is also found that while ozone depletion was confined to mesospheric and stratospheric heights, but it is capable to alter Rossby wave propagation down to tropospheric heights. In response to an accelerated polar vortex in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) late wintertime, we found almost two weeks delay in the occurrence of mean dates of Stratospheric Final Warming (SFW). These results suggest that the stratosphere is not merely a passive sink of wave activity from below, but it plays an active role in determining its own budget of wave activity.

A baroclinic quasigeostrophic open ocean model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. N.; Robinson, A. R.; Haidvogel, D. B.

1983-01-01

A baroclinic quasigeostrophic open ocean model is presented, calibrated by a series of test problems, and demonstrated to be feasible and efficient for application to realistic mid-oceanic mesoscale eddy flow regimes. Two methods of treating the depth dependence of the flow, a finite difference method and a collocation method, are tested and intercompared. Sample Rossby wave calculations with and without advection are performed with constant stratification and two levels of nonlinearity, one weaker than and one typical of real ocean flows. Using exact analytical solutions for comparison, the accuracy and efficiency of the model is tabulated as a function of the computational parameters and stability limits set; typically, errors were controlled between 1 percent and 10 percent RMS after two wave periods. Further Rossby wave tests with realistic stratification and wave parameters chosen to mimic real ocean conditions were performed to determine computational parameters for use with real and simulated data. Finally, a prototype calculation with quasiturbulent simulated data was performed successfully, which demonstrates the practicality of the model for scientific use.

Impacts of the cloud structure's latitudinal variation on the general circulation of the Venus atmosphere as modeled by the LMD-GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garate-Lopez, Itziar; Lebonnois, Sébastien

2017-04-01

A new simulation of Venus atmospheric circulation obtained with the LMD Venus GCM is described and the impact of cloud's latitudinal structure on the general circulation is analyzed. The model used here is based on that presented in Lebonnois et al. (2016). However, in the present simulation we consider the latitudinal variation of the cloud structure (Haus et al., 2014) both for the solar heating and to compute the infrared net-exchange rate matrix used in the radiative transfer module. The new cloud treatment affects mainly the balance in the angular momentum and the zonal wind distribution. Consequently, the agreement between the vertical profile of the modeled mean zonal wind and the profiles measured by different probes, is clearly improved from previous simulations in which zonal winds below the clouds were weak (roughly half the observed values). Moreover, the equatorial jet obtained at the base of the cloud deck is now more consistent with the observations. In Lebonnois et al. (2016) it was too strong compared to mid-latitudes, but in the present simulation the equatorial jet is less intense than the mid-latitude jets, in concordance with cloud-tracking measurements (Hueso et al., 2015). Since the atmospheric waves play a crucial role in the angular momentum budget of the Venus's atmospheric circulation, we analyze the wave activity by means of the Fast Fourier Transform technique studying the frequency spectrum of temperature, zonal and meridional wind fields. Modifications in the activity of the different types of waves present in the Venusian atmosphere compared to Lebonnois et al. (2016) are discussed, in terms of horizontal and vertical transport of the angular momentum by diurnal and semi-diurnal tides, barotropic and baroclinic waves, and Rossby and Kelvin type waves. Haus R., Kappel D. and Arnold G., 2014. Atmospheric thermal structure and cloud features in the southern hemisphere of Venus as retrieved from VIRTIS/VEX radiation measurements. Icarus 232, 232-248. Hueso R., Peralta J., Garate-Lopez I., et al., 2015. Six years of Venus winds at the upper cloud level from UV, visible and near infrared observations from VIRTIS on Venus express. Planet. Space Sci. 113-114, 78-99. Lebonnois S., Sugimoto N., and Gilli G., 2016. Wave analysis in the atmosphere of Venus below 100km altitude, simulated by the LMD Venus GCM. Icarus 278, 38-51.

Arctic-North Pacific Coupled Impacts on the Late Autumn Cold in North America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sung, Mi-Kyung; Kim, Baek-Min; Baik, Eun-Hyuk; Lim, Young-Kwon; Kim, Seong-Joong

2016-01-01

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is known to bring an anomalously cold (warm) period to southeastern (northwestern) North America during the cold season of its positive phase through a Rossby wave linkage. This study provides evidence that the remote connection between the North Pacific and the downstream temperature over central North America is strengthened by the warm arctic conditions over the Chukchi and East Siberian Sea, especially in the late autumn season. The modulation effect of the Arctic manifests itself as an altered Rossby wave response to a transient vorticity forcing that results from an equatorward storm track shift, which is induced collaboratively by the PDO and the warm Arctic. This observational finding is supported by two independent modeling experiments: 1) an idealized coupled GCM experiment being nudged toward the warm arctic surface condition and 2) a simple stationary wave model (SWM) experiment forced by transient eddy forcing.

Waves in a Cloudy Vortex

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

Waves in a Cloudy Vortex DAVID A. SCHECTER Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado MICHAEL T. MONTGOMERY...waves account for precessing tilts and elliptical (triangular, square, etc.) deformations of the vortex core. If the Rossby number of the cyclone ex...ceeds unity, its baroclinic VR waves can efficiently ex- Corresponding author address: Dr. David Schecter, NorthWest Research Associates, 14508 NE 20th

Evidence of Boundary Reflection of Kelvin and First-Mode Rossby Waves from Topex/Poseidon Sea Level Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boulanger, Jean-Philippe; Fu, Lee-Lueng

1996-01-01

The TOPEX/POSEIDON sea level data lead to new opportunities to investigate some theoretical mechanisms suggested to be involved in the El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon in the tropical Pacific ocean. In particular, we are interested in studying the western boundary reflection, a process crucial for the delayed action oscillator theory, by using the TOPEX/POSEIDON data from November 1992 to May 1995. We first projected the sea level data onto Kelvin and first-mode Ross waves. Then we estimated the contribution of wind forcing to these waves by using a single baroclinic mode simple wave model forced by the ERS-1 wind data. Wave propagation was clearly observed with amplitudes well explained by the wind forcing in the ocean interior. Evidence of wave reflection was detected at both the western and eastern boundaries of the tropical Pacific ocean. At the eastern boundary, Kelvin waves were seen to reflect as first-mode Rossby waves during the entire period. The reflection efficiency (in terms of wave amplitude) of the South American coasts was estimated to be 80% of that of an infinite meridional wall. At the western boundary, reflection was observed in April-August 1993, in January-June 1994, and, later, in December 1994 to February 1995. Although the general roles of these reflection events in the variability observed in the equatorial Pacific ocean are not clear, the data suggest that the reflections in January-June 1994 have played a role in the onset of the warm conditions observed in late 1994 to early 1995. Indeed, during the January-June 1994 period, as strong downwelling first-mode Rossby waves reflected into downwelling Kelvin waves, easterly wind and cold sea surface temperature anomalies located near the date line weakened and eventually reversed in June-July 1994. The presence of the warm anomalies near the date line then favored convection and westerly wind anomalies that triggered strong downwelling Kelvin waves propagating throughout the basin simultaneously with the beginning of the 1994-1995 warm conditions.

Basinwide response of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to interannual wind forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jian

2017-12-01

An eddy-resolving Ocean general circulation model For the Earth Simulator (OFES) and a simple wind-driven two-layer model are used to investigate the role of momentum fluxes in driving the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) variability throughout the Atlantic basin from 1950 to 2010. Diagnostic analysis using the OFES results suggests that interior baroclinic Rossby waves and coastal topographic waves play essential roles in modulating the AMOC interannual variability. The proposed mechanisms are verified in the context of a simple two-layer model with realistic topography and only forced by surface wind. The topographic waves communicate high-latitude anomalies into lower latitudes and account for about 50% of the AMOC interannual variability in the subtropics. In addition, the large scale Rossby waves excited by wind forcing together with topographic waves set up coherent AMOC interannual variability patterns across the tropics and subtropics. The comparisons between the simple model and OFES results suggest that a large fraction of the AMOC interannual variability in the Atlantic basin can be explained by wind-driven dynamics.

Observation and excitation of magnetohydrodynamic waves in numerical models of Earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teed, R.; Hori, K.; Tobias, S.; Jones, C. A.

2017-12-01

Several types of magnetohydrodynamic waves are theorised to operate in Earth's outer core but their detection is limited by the inability to probe the fluid core directly. Secular variation data and periodic changes in Earth's length-of-day provide evidence for the possible existence of waves. Numerical simulations of core dynamics enable us to search directly for waves and determine their properties. With this information it is possible to consider whether they can be the origin of features observed in observational data. We focus on two types of wave identified in our numerical experiments: i) torsional waves and ii) slow magnetic Rossby waves. Our models display periodic, Earth-like torsional waves that travel outwards from the tangent cylinder circumscribing the inner core. We discuss the properties of these waves and their similarites to observational data. Excitation is via a matching of the Alfvén frequency with that of small modes of convection focused at the tangent cylinder. The slow magnetic Rossby waves observed in our simulations show that these waves may account for some geomagnetic westward drifts observed at mid-latitudes. We present analysis showing excitation of waves by the convective instability and we discuss how the detection of these waves could also provide an estimate of the strength of the toroidal component of the magnetic field within the planetary fluid core.

Wake of inertial waves of a horizontal cylinder in horizontal translation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machicoane, Nathanaël; Labarre, Vincent; Voisin, Bruno; Moisy, Frédéric; Cortet, Pierre-Philippe

2018-03-01

We analyze theoretically and experimentally the wake behind a horizontal cylinder of diameter d horizontally translated at constant velocity U in a fluid rotating about the vertical axis at a rate Ω . Using particle image velocimetry measurements in the rotating frame, we show that the wake is stabilized by rotation for Reynolds number Re =U d /ν much larger than in a nonrotating fluid. Over the explored range of parameters, the limit of stability is Re ≃(275 ±25 )/Ro , with Ro =U /2 Ω d the Rossby number, indicating that the stabilizing process is governed by the Ekman pumping in the boundary layer. At low Rossby number, the wake takes the form of a stationary pattern of inertial waves, similar to the wake of surface gravity waves behind a ship. We compare this steady wake pattern to a model, originally developed by Johnson [E. R. Johnson, J. Fluid Mech. 120, 359 (1982), 10.1017/S0022112082002808], assuming a free-slip boundary condition and a weak streamwise perturbation. Our measurements show quantitative agreement with this model for Ro ≲0.3 . At larger Rossby number, the phase pattern of the wake is close to the prediction for an infinitely small line object. However, the wake amplitude and phase origin are not correctly described by the weak-streamwise-perturbation model, calling for an alternative model for the boundary condition at moderate rotation rate.

Effects of land cover change on the tropical circulation in a GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonko, Alexandra Karolina; Hense, Andreas; Feddema, Johannes Jan

2010-09-01

Multivariate statistics are used to investigate sensitivity of the tropical atmospheric circulation to scenario-based global land cover change (LCC), with the largest changes occurring in the tropics. Three simulations performed with the fully coupled Parallel Climate Model (PCM) are compared: (1) a present day control run; (2) a simulation with present day land cover and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A2 greenhouse gas (GHG) projections; and (3) a simulation with SRES A2 land cover and GHG projections. Dimensionality of PCM data is reduced by projection onto a priori specified eigenvectors, consisting of Rossby and Kelvin waves produced by a linearized, reduced gravity model of the tropical circulation. A Hotelling T 2 test is performed on projection amplitudes. Effects of LCC evaluated by this method are limited to diabatic heating. A statistically significant and recurrent signal is detected for 33% of all tests performed for various combinations of parameters. Taking into account uncertainties and limitations of the present methodology, this signal can be interpreted as a Rossby wave response to prescribed LCC. The Rossby waves are shallow, large-scale motions, trapped at the equator and most pronounced in boreal summer. Differences in mass and flow fields indicate a shift of the tropical Walker circulation patterns with an anomalous subsidence over tropical South America.

Hurricane genesis: on the breaking African easterly waves and critical layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asaadi, Ali; Brunet, Gilbert; Yau, Peter

2015-04-01

This study bring new understanding on the decades-old hurricane genesis problem that starts with westward travelling African easterly waves that can evolve into coherent cyclonic vortices depending on their strength and other nonlinear wave breaking processes. In general, observations indicate that only a small fraction of the African easterly waves that occur in a single hurricane season contribute to tropical cyclogenesis. However, this small fraction includes a large portion of named storms. In addition, a recent study by Dunkerton et al. (2009) has shown that named storms in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins are almost all associated with a cyclonic Kelvin "cat's eye" of a tropical easterly wave typical of critical layers, located equatorward of the easterly jet axis. To better understand the dynamics involved in hurricane genesis, the flow characteristics and the physical and dynamical mechanisms by which easterly waves form cat's eyes are investigated with the help of atmospheric reanalyzes and numerical simulations. We perform a climatological study of developing easterly waves covering the 1998-2001 hurricane seasons using ERA-Interim 6-hourly reanalysis data. Composite analyses for all named storms show a monotonic potential vorticity (PV) profile with weak meridional PV gradient and a cyclonic (i.e., south of the easterly jet axis) critical line for time periods of several days preceding the cat's eye formation. In addition, the developing PV anomaly composite shows a statistically significant companion wave-packet of non-developing easterly waves. A barotropic shallow water model is used to study the initial value and forced problems of disturbances on a parabolic jet and realistic profiles associated with weak basic state meridional PV gradients, leading to Kelvin cat's eye formation around the jet axis. The results highlight the synergy of the dynamical mechanisms, including wave breaking and PV redistribution within the nonlinear critical layer characterized by weak PV gradients, and the thermodynamical mechanisms such as convectively generated PV anomalies in the cat's eye formation in tropical cyclogenesis. These findings are consistent with the analytical theory of free and forced disturbances to an easterly parabolic jet (Brunet and Warn, 1990; Brunet and Haynes, 1995; Choboter et al., 2000). 1) Dunkerton, T. J., M. T. Montgomery, and Z. Wang, 2009: Tropical cyclogenesis in a tropical wave critical layer: Easterly waves. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 5587-5646. 2) Brunet, G., and T. Warn, 1990: Rossby Wave Critical Layers on a Jet. J. Atmos. Sci., 47, 1173-1178. 3) Brunet, and P. H. Haynes, 1995: The Nonlinear Evolution of Disturbances to a Parabolic Jet. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 464-477. 4) Choboter, P. F., G. Brunet, and S. A. Maslowe, 2000: Forced Disturbances in a Zero Absolute Vorticity Gradient Environment. J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 1406-1419.

Rossby wave breaking and Lagrangian structures inside the Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex during Vorcore and Concordiasi campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Camara, Alvaro; Mechoso, Carlos R.; Mancho, Ana M.; Serrano, Encarna; Ide, Kayo

2013-04-01

The trajectories in the lower stratosphere of isopycnic balloons released from Antarctica by international field campaigns during the southern springs of 2005 and 2010 showed events of latitudinal transport inside the stratospheric polar vortex, both away and towards the poleward flank of the polar night jet. The present work applies trajectory-based diagnostic techniques to examine mechanisms at work during such events. Reverse domain filling calculations of potential vorticity (PV) fields from ECMWF ERA-Interim data set during the events show irreversible filamentation of the PV fields in the inner side of the polar night jet, which is a signature of planetary (Rossby) wave breaking. Balloons motions during the events are fairly consistent with the PV filaments. Events of both large (~15° of arch length) and small (~5° of arch length) balloon displacements from the vortex edge are associated to deep and shallow penetration into the core of the elongated PV contours. The function M is applied to study the configuration of Lagrangian coherent structures during the events. A close association is found between hyperbolic points and breaking waves inside the vortex. The geometric configuration of the invariant manifolds associated with the hyperbolic points helps to understand the apparent chaotic behavior of balloons motions, and to identify and analyze balloon transport events not captured by the Reverse Domain Filling calculations. The Antarctic polar vortex edge is an effective barrier to air parcel crossings. Rossby wave breaking inside the vortex, however, can contribute to tracer mixing inside the vortex and to occasional air crossings of the edge.

Meso-beta scale numerical simulation studies of terrain-induced jet streak mass/momentum perturbations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Yuh-Lang; Kaplan, Michael L.

1993-01-01

The first section is on 3-D numerical modeling of terrain-induced circulations and covers the following: (1) additional insights into gravity wave generation mechanisms based on the control simulation; (2) ongoing nested-grid numerical simulations; (3) work to be completed during the remainder of FY-93; and (4) work objectives for FY-94. The second section is on linear theory and theoretical modeling and covers the following: (1) the free response of a uniform barotropic flow to an initially stationary unbalanced (ageostrophic) zonal wind anomaly; and (2) the free response of a uniform barotropic flow to an initially stationary balanced zonal wind anomaly.

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices in the f-plane shallow water system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sugimoto, Norihiko, E-mail: nori@phys-h.keio.ac.jp

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices is investigated numerically in a rotating shallow water system in order to focus on cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry at different values of the Rossby number (Ro). A numerical study is conducted on a model using a spectral method in an unbounded domain to estimate the gravity wave flux with high accuracy. Continuous gravity wave radiation is observed in three stages of vortical flows: co-rotating of the vortices, merging of the vortices, and unsteady motion of the merged vortex. A cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry appears at all stages at smaller Ro (≤20). Gravity waves frommore » anticyclones are always larger than those from cyclones and have a local maximum at smaller Ro (∼2) compared with that for an idealized case of a co-rotating vortex pair with a constant rotation rate. The source originating in the Coriolis acceleration has a key role in cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in gravity waves. An additional important factor is that at later stages, the merged axisymmetric anticyclone rotates faster than the elliptical cyclone due to the effect of the Rossby deformation radius, since a rotation rate higher than the inertial cutoff frequency is required to radiate gravity waves.« less

Atmospheric Transport and Mixing linked to Rossby Wave Breaking in GFDL Dynamical Core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C.; Barnes, E. A.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric transport and mixing plays an important role in the global energy balance and the distribution of health-related chemical constituents. Previous studies suggest a close linkage between large-scale transport and Rossby wave breaking (RWB). In this work, we use the GFDL spectral dynamical core to investigate this relationship and study the response of RWB-related transport in different climate scenarios. In a standard control run, we quantify the contribution of RWB to the total transport and mixing of an idealized tracer. In addition, we divide the contribution further into the two types of RWB - anticyclonic wave breaking (AWB) and cyclonic wave breaking (CWB) -- and contrast their efficiency at transport and mixing. Our results are compared to a previous study in which the transport ability of the two types of RWB is studied for individual baroclinic wave life-cycles. In a series of sensitivity runs, we study the response of RWB-related transport and mixing to various states of the jet streams. The responses of the mean strength, frequency, and the efficiency of RWB-related transport are documented and the implications for the transport and mixing in a warmer climate are discussed.

Indian Ocean Dipolelike Variability in the CSIRO Mark 3 Coupled Climate Model.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Wenju; Hendon, Harry H.; Meyers, Gary

2005-05-01

Coupled ocean-atmosphere variability in the tropical Indian Ocean is explored with a multicentury integration of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Mark 3 climate model, which runs without flux adjustment. Despite the presence of some common deficiencies in this type of coupled model, zonal dipolelike variability is produced. During July through November, the dominant mode of variability of sea surface temperature resembles the observed zonal dipole and has out-of-phase rainfall variations across the Indian Ocean basin, which are as large as those associated with the model El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In the positive dipole phase, cold SST anomaly and suppressed rainfall south of the equator on the Sumatra-Java coast drives an anticyclonic circulation anomaly that is consistent with the steady response (Gill model) to a heat sink displaced south of the equator. The northwest-southeast tilting Sumatra-Java coast results in cold sea surface temperature (SST) centered south of the equator, which forces anticylonic winds that are southeasterly along the coast, which thus produces local upwelling, cool SSTs, and promotes more anticylonic winds; on the equator, the easterlies raise the thermocline to the east via upwelling Kelvin waves and deepen the off-equatorial thermocline to the west via off-equatorial downwelling Rossby waves. The model dipole mode exhibits little contemporaneous relationship with the model ENSO; however, this does not imply that it is independent of ENSO. The model dipole often (but not always) develops in the year following El Niño. It is triggered by an unrealistic transmission of the model's ENSO discharge phase through the Indonesian passages. In the model, the ENSO discharge Rossby waves arrive at the Sumatra-Java coast some 6 to 9 months after an El Niño peaks, causing the majority of model dipole events to peak in the year after an ENSO warm event. In the observed ENSO discharge, Rossby waves arrive at the Australian northwest coast. Thus the model Indian Ocean dipolelike variability is triggered by an unrealistic mechanism. The result highlights the importance of properly representing the transmission of Pacific Rossby waves and Indonesian throughflow in the complex topography of the Indonesian region in coupled climate models.

The effect of topography on the evolution of unstable disturbances in a baroclinic atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, J. H. E.

1985-01-01

A two layer spectral quasi-geostrophic model is used to simulate the effects of topography on the equilibria, their stability, and the long term evolution of incipient unstable waves. The flow is forced by latitudinally dependent radiative heating. Dissipation is in the form of Rayleigh friction. An analytical solution is found for the propagating finite amplitude waves which result from baroclinic instability of the zonal winds when topography is absent. The appearance of this solution for wavelengths just longer than the Rossby radius of deformation and disappearance of ultra-long wavelengths is interpreted in terms of the Hopf bifurcation theory. Simple dynamic and thermodynamic criteria for the existence of periodic Rossby solutions are presented. A Floquet stability analysis shows that the waves are neutral. The nature of the form drag instability of high index equilibria is investigated. The proximity of the equilibrium shear to a resonant value is essential for the instability, provided the equilibrium occurs at a slightly stronger shear than resonance.

Dynamics of the seasonal variation of the North Equatorial Current bifurcation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhaohui; Wu, Lixin

2011-02-01

The dynamics of the seasonal variation of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) bifurcation is studied using a 1.5-layer nonlinear reduced-gravity Pacific basin model and a linear, first-mode baroclinic Rossby wave model. The model-simulated bifurcation latitude exhibits a distinct seasonal cycle with the southernmost latitude in June and the northernmost latitude in November, consistent with observational analysis. It is found that the seasonal migration of the NEC bifurcation latitude (NBL) not only is determined by wind locally in the tropics, as suggested in previous studies, but is also significantly intensified by the extratropical wind through coastal Kelvin waves. The model further demonstrates that the amplitude of the NEC bifurcation is also associated with stratification. A strong (weak) stratification leads to a fast (slow) phase speed of first-mode baroclinic Rossby waves, and thus large (small) annual range of the bifurcation latitude. Therefore, it is expected that in a warm climate the NBL should have a large range of annual migration.

The dynamical link between deep Atlantic extratropical cyclones and intense Mediterranean cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raveh-Rubin, Shira; Flaounas, Emmanouil

2017-04-01

Breaking of atmospheric Rossby waves has been previously shown to lead to intense Mediterranean cyclones, one of the most prominent environmental risks in the region. Wave breaking may be enhanced by warm conveyor belts (WCBs) associated with extratropical cyclones developing over the Atlantic Ocean. More precisely, WCBs supply the upper troposphere with air masses of low potential vorticity that, in turn, amplify ridges and thus favor Rossby wave breaking. This study identifies and validates the relevance of the mechanism that connects Atlantic cyclones and intense mature Mediterranean cyclones through ridge amplification by WCBs. Using ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalyses and a feature-based approach, we analyze the 200 most intense Mediterranean cyclones for the years 1989-2008 and show that their majority (181 cases) is indeed associated with this mechanism upstream. Results show that multiple Atlantic cyclones are associated with each case of intense Mediterranean cyclone downstream. Moreover, the associated Atlantic cyclones are particularly deep compared to climatology.

Adjoint assimilation of altimetric, surface drifter, and hydrographic data in a quasi-geostrophic model of the Azores Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrow, Rosemary; de Mey, Pierre

1995-12-01

The flow characteristics in the region of the Azores Current are investigated by assimilating TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS 1 altimeter data into the multilevel Harvard quasigeostrophic (QG) model with open boundaries (Miller et al., 1983) using an adjoint variational scheme (Moore, 1991). The study site lies in the path of the Azores Current, where a branch retroflects to the south in the vicinity of the Madeira Rise. The region was the site of an intensive field program in 1993, SEMAPHORE. We had two main aims in this adjoint assimilation project. The first was to see whether the adjoint method could be applied locally to optimize an initial guess field, derived from the continous assimilation of altimetry data using optimal interpolation (OI). The second aim was to assimilate a variety of different data sets and evaluate their importance in constraining our QG model. The adjoint assimilation of surface data was effective in optimizing the initial conditions from OI. After 20 iterations the cost function was generally reduced by 50-80%, depending on the chosen data constraints. The primary adjustment process was via the barotropic mode. Altimetry proved to be a good constraint on the variable flow field, in particular, for constraining the barotropic field. The excellent data quality of the TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) altimeter data provided smooth and reliable forcing; but for our mesoscale study in a region of long decorrelation times O(30 days), the spatial coverage from the combined T/P and ERS 1 data sets was more important for constraining the solution and providing stable flow at all levels. Surface drifters provided an excellent constraint on both the barotropic and baroclinic model fields. More importantly, the drifters provided a reliable measure of the mean field. Hydrographic data were also applied as a constraint; in general, hydrography provided a weak but effective constraint on the vertical Rossby modes in the model. Finally, forecasts run over a 2-month period indicate that the initial conditions optimized by the 20-day adjoint assimilation provide more stable, longer-term forecasts.

Evaluating Models Of The Neutral, Barotropic Planetary Boundary Layer Using Integral Measures: Part Ii. Modelling Observed Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, G. D.; Garratt, J. R.

The steady-state, horizontally homogeneous, neutral, barotropiccase forms the foundation of our theoretical understanding of the planetary boundary layer (PBL).While simple analytical models and first-order closure models simulate atmospheric observationsof this case well, more sophisticated models, in general, do not. In this paperwe examine how well three higher-order closure models, E - - l, E - l, and LRR - l,which have been especially modified for PBL applications, perform in predicting the behaviour of thecross-isobaric angle 0, the geostrophic drag coefficient Cg, and the integral of the dissipationrate over the boundary layer, as a function of the surface Rossby number Ro. For comparison we alsoexamine the performance of three first-order closure mixing-length models, two proposed byA. K. Blackadar and one by H. H. Lettau, and the performance of the standard model forsecond-order closure and a modification of it designed to reduce the overprediction of turbulence inthe upper part of the boundary layer.

Free and Forced Rossby Waves in the Western South China Sea Inferred from Jason-1 Satellite Altimetry Data

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiangyu; Xie, Qiang; He, Zhigang; Wang, Dongxiao

2008-01-01

Data from a subsurface mooring deployed in the western South China Sea shows clear intra-seasonal oscillations (ISO) at the period of 40∼70 days. Analysis of remotely-sensed sea surface height (SSH) anomalies in the same area indicates that these ISO signals propagate both eastward and westward. Time-longitude diagrams of ISO signals in SSH anomalies and wind-stress curl indicate that the eastward propagating SSH anomalies is forced by wind-stress curl. This is also confirmed by lag correlation between SSH anomalies and the wind-stress-curl index (wind stress curl averaged over 109.5°E -115°E and 12°N -13.5°N). Lag correlation of SSH anomaly suggests that the westward propagating signals are free Rossby waves. PMID:27879897

Internal Tide Generation by Steep Topography

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

acting on the barotropic tide ( Foda and Hill 1998) was incomplete. Kunze will put this work in the context of recent internal tide research and...Topographically generated internal waves in the open ocean. J. Geophys. Res., 80, 320-327. Foda , M.A., and D.F. Hill, 1998: Nonlinear energy...Bispectral analysis of energy transfer within the two-dimensional ocean internal wave field. . Phys. Oceanogr., 35, 2104-2109. Garrett, C., and E

Energetics of the martian atmosphere using the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battalio, Michael; Szunyogh, Istvan; Lemmon, Mark

2016-09-01

The energetics of the atmosphere of the northern hemisphere of Mars during the pre-winter solstice period are explored using the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) dataset (v1.0) and the eddy kinetic energy equation, with the quasi-geostrophic omega equation providing vertical velocities. Traveling waves are typically triggered by geopotential flux convergence. The effect of dust on baroclinic instability is examined by comparing a year with a global-scale dust storm (GDS) to two years without a global-scale dust storm. During the non-GDS years, results agree with that of a previous study using a general circulation model simulation. In the GDS year, waves develop a mixed baroclinic/barotropic growth phase before decaying barotropically. Though the total amount of eddy kinetic energy generated by baroclinic energy conversion is lower during the GDS year, the maximum eddy intensity is not diminished. Instead, the number of intense eddies is reduced by about 50%.

Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) Signal over Kototabang, West Sumatera Based on the Mini Automatic Weather Station (MAWS) Data Analysis Using the Wavelet Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermawan, E.

2018-04-01

This study is mainly concerned an application of Mini Automatic Weather Station (MAWS) at Kototabang, West Sumatera nearby the location of an Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) side. We are interest to use this data to investigate the propagation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). We examined of daily MAWS data for 3 years observations started from January 2001 to Mei 2004. By applying wavelet analysis, we found the MJO at Kototabang have 32 days oscillations as shown in Fig.1 below. In this study, we concentrate just for local mechanis only. We will show in this paper that at the phase of the MJO with a dipole structure to the convection anomalies, there is enhanced tropical convection over the eastern Indian Ocean and reduced convection over the western Pacific. Over the equatorial western Indian Ocean, the equatorial Rossby wave response to the west of the enhanced convection includes a region of anomalous surface divergence associated with the anomalous surface westerlies and pressure ridge. This tends to suppress ascent in the boundary layer and shuts off the deep convection, eventually leading to a convective anomaly of the opposite sign. Over the Indonesian sector, the equatorial Kelvin wave response to the east of the enhanced convection includes a region of anomalous surface convergence into the anomalous equatorial surface easterlies and pressure trough, which will tend to favour convection in this region. The Indonesian sector is also influenced by an equatorial Rossby wave response (of opposite sign) to the west of the reduced convection over the western Pacific, which also has a region of anomalous surface convergence associated with its anomalous equatorial surface easterlies and pressure trough. Hence, convective anomalies of either sign tend to erode themselves from the west and initiate a convective anomaly of opposite sign via their equatorial Rossby wave response, and expand to the east via their equatorial Kelvin wave response.

Inter-decadal variation of the Tropical Atlantic-Korea (TA-K) teleconnection pattern during boreal summer season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ham, Yoo-Geun; Hwang, YeonJi; Lim, Young-Kwon; Kwon, Minho

2017-12-01

The inter-decadal variation of the positive relationship between the tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) and Korean precipitation during boreal summer season during 1900-2010 is examined. The 15-year moving correlation between the Tropical Atlantic SST (TAtlSST) index (SST anomalies from 30°S to 30°N and 60°W to 20°E) and Korean precipitation (precipitation anomalies from 35°-40°N to 120°-130°E) during June-July-August exhibits strong inter-decadal variation, which becomes positive at the 95% confidence level after the 1980s. Intensification of the linkage between the TAtlSST index and Korean precipitation after the 1980s is attributed to global warming via the increased background SST. The increase in the background SST over the Atlantic provides background conditions that enhance anomalous convective activity by anomalous Atlantic SST warming. Therefore, the overall atmospheric responses associated with the tropical Atlantic SST warming could intensify. The correlation between the TAtlSST index and Korean precipitation also exhibits strong inter-decadal variation within 1980-2010, which is over 0.8 during early 2000s, while it is relative low (i.e., around 0.6) during the early 1980s. The enhanced co-variability between the tropical and the mid-latitude Atlantic SST during the early 2000s indicates the intensification of TAtlSST-related Rossby wave source over the mid-latitude Atlantic, which excites stationary waves propagated from the Atlantic to the Korean peninsula across northern Europe and northeast Asia. This Rossby-wave train induces a cyclonic flow over the northern edge of the Korea, which intensifies southwesterly and results in precipitation over Korea. This observed decadal difference is well simulated by the stationary wave model experiments with a prescribed TAtlSST-related Rossby wave source over the mid-latitude Atlantic.

Rossby waves, extreme fronts, and wildfires in southeastern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeder, Michael J.; Spengler, Thomas; Musgrave, Ruth

2015-03-01

The most catastrophic fires in recent history in southern Australia have been associated with extreme cold fronts. Here an extreme cold front is defined as one for which the maximum temperature at 2 m is at least 17°C lower on the day following the front. An anticyclone, which precedes the cold front, directs very dry northerlies or northwesterlies from the interior of the continent across the region. The passage of the cold front is followed by strong southerlies or southwesterlies. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts ERA-Interim Reanalyses show that this regional synoptic pattern common to all strong cold fronts, and hence severe fire conditions, is a consequence of propagating Rossby waves, which grow to large amplitude and eventually irreversibly overturn. The process of overturning produces the low-level anticyclone and dry conditions over southern Australia, while simultaneously producing an upper level trough and often precipitation in northeastern Australia.

Modeling the quasi-biennial oscillation's effect on the winter stratospheric circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Sullivan, Donal; Young, Richard E.

1992-01-01

The influence of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) on the winter middle atmosphere is modeled with a mechanistic global primitive equation model. The model's polar vortex evolution is sensitive to the lower stratosphere's tropical winds, with the polar vortex becoming more (less) disturbed as the lower stratospheric winds are more easterly (westerly). This agrees with the observed relationship between wintertime polar circulation strength and the phase of the QBO in the lower stratosphere. In these experiments it is the extratropical planetary Rossby waves that provide the tropical-extratropical coupling mechanism. More easterly tropical winds in the lower stratosphere act to confine the extratropical Rossby waves farther north and closer to the vortex at the QBO altitudes, weakening the vortex relative to the case of westerly QBO phase. While the QBO winds occur in the lower stratosphere, the anomaly in the polar vortex strength is strongest at higher levels.

Intraseasonal Variability of the Equatorial Indian Ocean Observed from Sea Surface Height, Wind, and Temperature Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Lee-Lueng

2007-01-01

The forcing of the equatorial Indian Ocean by the highly periodic monsoon wind cycle creates many interesting intraseasonal variabilities. The frequency spectrum of the wind stress observations from the European Remote Sensing Satellite scatterometers reveals peaks at the seasonal cycle and its higher harmonics at 180, 120, 90, and 75 days. The observations of sea surface height (SSH) from the Jason and Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon radar altimeters are analyzed to study the ocean's response. The focus of the study is on the intraseasonal periods shorter than the annual period. The semiannual SSH variability is characterized by a basin mode involving Rossby waves and Kelvin waves traveling back and forth in the equatorial Indian Ocean between 10(deg)S and 10(deg)N. However, the interference of these waves with each other masks the appearance of individual Kelvin and Rossby waves, leading to a nodal point (amphidrome) of phase propagation on the equator at the center of the basin. The characteristics of the mode correspond to a resonance of the basin according to theoretical models. The theory also calls for similar modes at 90 and 60 days.

Evidence for a continuous spectrum of equatorial waves in the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksen, Charles C.

1980-06-01

Seven-month records of current and temperature measurements from a moored array centered at 53°E on the equator in the Indian Ocean are consistent with a continuous spectrum of equatorially trapped internal inertial-gravity, mixed Rossby-gravity, and Kelvin waves. A model spectrum of free linear waves analogous to those for mid-latitude internal gravity waves is used to compute spectra of observed quantities at depths greater than about 2000 m. Model parameters are adjusted to fit general patterns in the observed spectra over periods from roughly 2 days to 1 month. Measurements at shallower depths presumably include forced motions which we have not attempted to model. This `straw-person' spectrum is consistent with the limited data available. The model spectru Ē (n, m, ω) = K · B(m) · C(n, ω), where Ē is an average local energy density in the equatorial wave guide which has amplitude K, wave number shape B(m) ∝ (1 + m/m*)-3, where m is vertical mode number and the bandwidth parameter m* is between 4 and 8, and frequency shape C(n, ω) ∝ [(2n + 1 + s2)½ · σ3]-1 where n is meridional mode number, and s and σ are dimensionless zonal wave number and frequency related by the usual dispersion relation. The scales are (β/cm)½ and (β · cm)½ for horizontal wave number and frequency, where cm is the Kelvin wave speed of the vertical mode m. At each frequency and vertical wave number, energy is partitioned equally among the available inertial gravity modes so that the field tends toward horizontal isotropy at high frequency. The transition between Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity motion at low frequency and inertial-gravity motion at high frequency occurs at a period of roughly 1 week. At periods in the range 1-3 weeks, the model spectrum which fits the observations suggests that mixed Rossby-gravity motion dominates; at shorter periods gravity motion dominates. The model results are consistent with the low vertical coherence lengths observed (roughly 80 m). Horizontal coherence over 2 km is consistent with isotropic energy flux. Evidence for net zontal energy flux is not found in this data, and the presence of a red wave number shape suggests that net flux will be difficult to observe from modest moored arrays. The equatorial wave spectrum does not match across the diurnal and semidiurnal tides to the high-frequency internal wave spectrum (the latter is roughly 1 decade higher).

The influence of planetary-wave transience on horizontal air motions in the stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salby, Murry L.

1992-01-01

The influence of transience of the planetary-wave field on the horizontal air motions and tracer distributions in the stratosphere was investigated in equivalent barotropic calculations. Two classes of transience are considered: a monochromatic traveling wave, representative of discrete components such as the 5- and 16-day waves, and a second-order stochastic process representative of broadband variability. The response to each of these forms of unsteady forcing is investigated in terms of the characteristic time scale of the transience. Results are presented, and the implications these results have on stratospheric behavior are discussed.

Sea surface salinity and temperature-based predictive modeling of southwestern US winter precipitation: improvements, errors, and potential mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, T.; Schmitt, R. W.; Li, L.

2017-12-01

Using 69 years of historical data from 1948-2017, we developed a method to globally search for sea surface salinity (SSS) and temperature (SST) predictors of regional terrestrial precipitation. We then applied this method to build an autumn (SON) SSS and SST-based 3-month lead predictive model of winter (DJF) precipitation in southwestern United States. We also find that SSS-only models perform better than SST-only models. We previously used an arbitrary correlation coefficient (r) threshold, |r| > 0.25, to define SSS and SST predictor polygons for best subset regression of southwestern US winter precipitation; from preliminary sensitivity tests, we find that |r| > 0.18 yields the best models. The observed below-average precipitation (0.69 mm/day) in winter 2015-2016 falls within the 95% confidence interval of the prediction model. However, the model underestimates the anomalous high precipitation (1.78 mm/day) in winter 2016-2017 by more than three-fold. Moisture transport mainly attributed to "pineapple express" atmospheric rivers (ARs) in winter 2016-2017 suggests that the model falls short on a sub-seasonal scale, in which case storms from ARs contribute a significant portion of seasonal terrestrial precipitation. Further, we identify a potential mechanism for long-range SSS and precipitation teleconnections: standing Rossby waves. The heat applied to the atmosphere from anomalous tropical rainfall can generate standing Rossby waves that propagate to higher latitudes. SSS anomalies may be indicative of anomalous tropical rainfall, and by extension, standing Rossby waves that provide the long-range teleconnections.

Understanding the interdecadal variabilities of East Asian summer precipitation: from a perspective of joint influence of oceanic forcings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z.; Sun, X.; Yang, X. Q.

2017-12-01

East Asian summer precipitation (EASP) is highly complicated in both temporal and spatial variabilities at interdecadal time scales, with various time periods and anomalous spatial distribution patterns. The joint influences of three dominant interdecadal signals, i.e., Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and Indian Ocean Basin Mode (IOBM), are revealed to be responsible for most of the interdecadal variabilities of EASP in this study, which, however, are not the simply linear combinations of their individual climate effects. Specifically, when PDO and AMO are in antiphase, SST anomalies of the same signs appear in both North Pacific and North Atlantic, the Asian westerly jet (AWJ) is accelerated and acts as a waveguide, favoring a zonally orientated Rossby wave train from North Atlantic to northern East Asia across the mid-high latitude Eurasia. Correspondingly, interdecadal precipitation anomalies exhibit a meridional tripole mode over East China. When PDO and AMO are in phase with oppositely signed SST anomalies in North Pacific and North Atlantic, the waveguide mechanism doesn't work since AWJ is significantly reduced, and the Rossby wave train from North Atlantic travels to South Asia along the great circle path, causing anomalous Indian summer monsoon precipitation (ISMP). In turn, by triggering another Rossby wave trains along both the mid-latitudes and coastal regions of East Asia, the ISMP anomalies induce a meridional dipole mode of interdecadal precipitation anomalies over East China. Through the ISMP and the same dynamical processes, IOBM is more important for the interdecadal precipitation anomalies over northern East Asia.

Observation of Tropical Cyclone-Induced Shallow Water Currents in Taiwan Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Junqiang; Qiu, Yun; Zhang, Shanwu; Kuang, Fangfang

2017-06-01

The data from three stations equipped with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) deployed in the shallow water of the Taiwan Strait (TWS) were used to study the shallow coastal ocean response to five quasi-continuous tropical cyclone (TC) events in the late summer 2006. We revealed that, in the forced stage, when the large and strong TC (Bilis) transited, the geostrophic currents were formed which dominated the whole event, while the strong but relatively small one (Saomai) or the weak one (Bopha) primarily leaded to the generation of Ekman currents. In the relaxation stage, the barotropic subinertial waves and/or the baroclinic near-inertial oscillations (NIOs) were triggered. Typically, during the transit of the Saomai, subinertial waves were induced which demonstrated a period of 2.8-4.1 days and a mean alongshore phase velocity of 14.9 ± 3.2 m/s in the form of free-barotropic continental shelf waves. However, the NIOs are only notable in the area in which the water column is stably stratified and also where the wind stress is dominated by the clockwise component and accompanied by high-frequency (near-inertial) variations. We also demonstrated that, due to the damping effects, the nonlinear wave-wave interaction (e.g., between NIO and semidiurnal tide in our case), together with the well-known bottom friction, led to the rapid decay of the observed TC-induced near-inertial currents, giving a typical e-folding time scale of 1-3 inertial periods. Moreover, such nonlinear wave-wave interaction was even found to play a major role during the spring tide in TWS.

The observed life cycle of a baroclinic instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Randel, W. J.; Stanford, J. L.

1985-01-01

Medium-scale waves (zonal wavenumbers 4-7) frequently dominate Southern Hemisphere summer circulation patterns. Randel and Stanford have studied the dynamics of these features, demonstrating that the medium-scale waves result from baroclinic excitation and exhibit well-defined life cycles. This study details the evolution of the medium-scale waves during a particular life cycle. The specific case chosen exhibits a high degree of zonal symmetry, prompting study based upon zonally averaged diagnostics. An analysis of the medium-scale wave energetics reveals a well-defined life cycle of baroclinic growth, maturity, and barotropic decay. Eliassen-Palm flux diagrams detail the daily wave structure and its interaction with the zonally-averaged flow.

Winter cold of eastern continental boundaries induced by warm ocean waters.

PubMed

Kaspi, Yohai; Schneider, Tapio

2011-03-31

In winter, northeastern North America and northeastern Asia are both colder than other regions at similar latitudes. This has been attributed to the effects of stationary weather systems set by elevated terrain (orography), and to a lack of maritime influences from the prevailing westerly winds. However, the differences in extent and orography between the two continents suggest that further mechanisms are involved. Here we show that this anomalous winter cold can result in part from westward radiation of large-scale atmospheric waves--nearly stationary Rossby waves--generated by heating of the atmosphere over warm ocean waters. We demonstrate this mechanism using simulations with an idealized general circulation model, with which we show that the extent of the cold region is controlled by properties of Rossby waves, such as their group velocity and its dependence on the planetary rotation rate. Our results show that warm ocean waters contribute to the contrast in mid-latitude winter temperatures between eastern and western continental boundaries not only by warming western boundaries, but also by cooling eastern boundaries.

The enso signal in the lower stratosphere: propagation via rossby waves.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvo, N.; Garcia Herrera, R.; Garcia, R.; Gallego, D.; Gimeno, L.; Hernandez, E.; Ribera, P.

2003-04-01

The ENSO signal on the lower stratosphere has been analyzed through the study of the relationship between SST in the Tropical Pacific and lower stratospheric temperatures from the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) using the t4 channel, which is sensitive to lower stratospheric temperature. Lagged point correlations have been calculated between the Niño3.4 index and MSU t4 monthly anomaly series at each grid point for the whole globe from January 1979 through December 2000. Correlation values are very similar in both tropics and extratropics, but their signs are opposite: positive in extratropical regions and negative in the tropics. Moreover, the significant correlation signal is longer lasting at middle latitudes, from lag 9 to lag 6, and much shorter in the Tropics, where it is significant only at lags 0 and 3. In the extratropical area, four regions are significant: Eurasia, the Southern Indian Ocean, and the North and South Pacific Oceans. The signal in Eurasia is the first to be observed (at lag 9) and it could be considered as a predictor of extreme ENSO events. The Pacific Ocean shows the PNA and PSA patterns. There, the signal appears earlier in the Southern Hemisphere (lag 6) because wind conditions at boreal summer (usually lag 6) do not favour the propagation of Rossby waves into the stratosphere. Further, the shape of the correlation patterns suggests that only planetary waves are able to propagate the ENSO signal into the stratosphere. In the tropics, the ENSO signal takes the form of a pair of Rossby gyres, observed in the Pacific Ocean at lags 0 and 3 as two regions of significant correlation located symmetricaly north and south of the Equator. The same analysis has been carried out for a period without any extreme events (SST anomalies in the Niño3.4 region smaller than 1 standard desviation), in which case no signal is observed in the lower stratosphere. This suggests that only strong ENSO (defined by anomalies larger than 1 standard desviation in the Niño3.4 area) produce a signal in the stratosphere. On the other hand, the signal does not appear to show any influence from the QBO. Taken together, all these results show that Rossby waves play a central role in the propagation of the ENSO signal into the stratosphere.

Island-trapped Waves, Internal Waves, and Island Circulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

c), which is about 20 times the local Coriolis frequency. This result indicates large Rossby number, strain, and vorticity in the wake, all of which...submarine topography- i.e., seamounts and ridges, which extend into the thermocline. Lee wave effects may be quite important locally, but not resolved or...Baines. Topographic Effects in Stratified Flows. Cambridge Press, 1995. M.-H. Chang, T. Y. Tang, C.-R. Ho, and S.-Y. Chao. Kuroshio-induced wake in the

Seasonal variability of convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) in recent high-top CMIP5 models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Dzaki; Lubis, Sandro W.; Setiawan, Sonni

2018-05-01

Tropical weather system is controlled by periodic atmospheric disturbances ranging from daily to subseasonal time scales. One of the most prominent atmospheric disturbances in the tropics is convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs). CCEWs are excited by latent heating due to a large-scale convective system and have a significant influence on weather system. They include atmospheric equatorial Kelvin wave, Mixed Rossby Gravity (MRG) wave, Equatorial Rossby (ER) wave and Tropical Depression (TD-type) wave. In this study, we will evaluate the seasonal variability of CCEWs activity in nine high-top CMIP5 models, including their spatial distribution in the troposphere. Our results indicate that seasonal variability of Kelvin waves is well represented in MPI-ESM-LR and MPI-ESM-MR, with maximum activity occurring during boreal spring. The seasonal variability of MRG waves is well represented in CanESM2, HadGEM2-CC, IPSL-CM5A-LR and IPSL-CM5A-MR, with maximum activity observed during boreal summer. On the other hand, ER waves are well captured by IPSL-CM5A-LR and IPSL-CM5A-MR and maximize during boreal fall; while TD-type waves, with maximum activity observed during boreal summer, are well observed in CanESM2, HadGEM2-CC, IPSL-CM5A-LR and IPSL-CM5A-MR. Our results indicate that the skill of CMIP5 models in representing seasonal variability of CCEWs highly depends on the convective parameterization and the spatial or vertical resolution used by each model.

The family of anisotropically scaled equatorial waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

RamíRez GutiéRrez, Enver; da Silva Dias, Pedro Leite; Raupp, Carlos; Bonatti, Jose Paulo

2011-04-01

In the present work we introduce the family of anisotropic equatorial waves. This family corresponds to equatorial waves at intermediate states between the shallow water and the long wave approximation model. The new family is obtained by using anisotropic time/space scalings on the linearized, unforced and inviscid shallow water model. It is shown that the anisotropic equatorial waves tend to the solutions of the long wave model in one extreme and to the shallow water model solutions in the other extreme of the parameter dependency. Thus, the problem associated with the completeness of the long wave model solutions can be asymptotically addressed. The anisotropic dispersion relation is computed and, in addition to the typical dependency on the equivalent depth, meridional quantum number and zonal wavenumber, it also depends on the anisotropy between both zonal to meridional space and velocity scales as well as the fast to slow time scales ratio. For magnitudes of the scales compatible with those of the tropical region, both mixed Rossby-gravity and inertio-gravity waves are shifted to a moderately higher frequency and, consequently, not filtered out. This draws attention to the fact that, for completeness of the long wave like solutions, it is necessary to include both the anisotropic mixed Rossby-gravity and inertio-gravity waves. Furthermore, the connection of slow and fast manifolds (distinguishing feature of equatorial dynamics) is preserved, though modified for the equatorial anisotropy parameters used δ ∈ < 1]. New possibilities of horizontal and vertical scale nonlinear interactions are allowed. Thus, the anisotropic shallow water model is of fundamental importance for understanding multiscale atmosphere and ocean dynamics in the tropics.

Attributing Tropical Cyclogenesis to Equatorial Waves in the Western North Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreck, Carl J., III; Molinari, John; Mohr, Karen I.

2009-01-01

The direct influences of equatorial waves on the genesis of tropical cyclones are evaluated. Tropical cyclogenesis is attributed to an equatorial wave when the filtered rainfall anomaly exceeds a threshold value at the genesis location. For an attribution threshold of 3 mm/day, 51% of warm season western North Pacific tropical cyclones are attributed to tropical depression (TD)-type disturbances, 29% to equatorial Rossby waves, 26% to mixed Rossby-Gravity waves, 23% to Kelvin waves, 13% to the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), and 19% are not attributed to any equatorial wave. The fraction of tropical cyclones attributed to TD-type disturbances is consistent with previous findings. Past studies have also demonstrated that the MJO significantly modulates tropical cyclogenesis, but fewer storms are attributed to the MJO than any other wave type. This disparity arises from the difference between attribution and modulation. The MJO produces broad regions of favorable conditions for cyclogenesis, but the MJO alone might not determine when and where a storm will develop within these regions. Tropical cyclones contribute less than 17% of the power in any portion of the equatorial wave spectrum because tropical cyclones are relatively uncommon equatorward of 15deg latitude. In regions where they are active, however, tropical cyclones can contribute more than 20% of the warm season rainfall and up to 50% of the total variance. Tropical cyclone-related anomalies can significantly contaminate wave-filtered precipitation at the location of genesis. To mitigate this effect, the tropical cyclone-related rainfall anomalies were removed before filtering in this study.

Observations of the UTLS: An analysis of the double tropopause and its relationship to Rossby waves and the tropopause inversion layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peevey, Tanya

The upper troposphere lower stratosphere (UTLS) is a region of minimum temperatures that contains the tropopause. As a transition region between the troposphere and the stratosphere, the UTLS contains various processes that facilitate stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE) which can redistribute radiatively important species such as water vapor or ozone. One potential marker for STE is the double tropopause (DT). Therefore this study seeks to further understand how DTs form and how they could enhance the current understanding of some STE processes in the UTLS. Using data from the High Resolution Dynamic Limb Sounder (HIRDLS), a data set with high vertical and horizontal resolution, newly discovered DT structures are found over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans that suggest a relationship between the DT and both storm tracks and Rossby waves. The association between DTs and storm tracks is examined by further analyzing the recently discovered and unexpected relationship between the DT and the tropopause inversion layer (TIL) in a developing baroclinic disturbance. Results show an increase in the number of DTs when the lapse rate of the extratropical TIL is less than -2°C/km, i.e. when the TIL is stronger and the local stability is higher. Composites of ERA-Interim DT profiles for three different TIL strengths shows that the vertical motion and relative vorticity both decrease as the TIL increases, which suggests the warm conveyor belt as a mechanism. This is investigated further with a case study analysis of a developing extratropical cyclone in the Pacific Ocean. Additionally, an analysis of DTs in relation to the large scale flow responsible for storm development shows a strong correlation between monthly Rossby wave activity, ozone laminae and DT variability. Further examination shows that if these waves break a DT will be found with a wave breaking event about 30% of the time in the eastern Pacific and eastern Atlantic oceans, both regions of poleward wave breaking. These results highlight a new and more complicated DT structure that is a product of both large scale dynamics and small scale vertical motions, thus adding new information to the current understanding of the UTLS.

Oceanographic applications of the Kalman filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbieri, R. W.; Schopf, P. S.

1982-01-01

The Kalman filter is a data-processing algorithm with a distinguished history in systems theory. Its application to oceanographic problems is in the embryo stage. The behavior of the filter is demonstrated in the context of an internal equatorial Rossby wave propagation problem.

Rossby and drift wave turbulence and zonal flows: The Charney-Hasegawa-Mima model and its extensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connaughton, Colm; Nazarenko, Sergey; Quinn, Brenda

2015-12-01

A detailed study of the Charney-Hasegawa-Mima model and its extensions is presented. These simple nonlinear partial differential equations suggested for both Rossby waves in the atmosphere and drift waves in a magnetically-confined plasma, exhibit some remarkable and nontrivial properties, which in their qualitative form, survive in more realistic and complicated models. As such, they form a conceptual basis for understanding the turbulence and zonal flow dynamics in real plasma and geophysical systems. Two idealised scenarios of generation of zonal flows by small-scale turbulence are explored: a modulational instability and turbulent cascades. A detailed study of the generation of zonal flows by the modulational instability reveals that the dynamics of this zonal flow generation mechanism differ widely depending on the initial degree of nonlinearity. The jets in the strongly nonlinear case further roll up into vortex streets and saturate, while for the weaker nonlinearities, the growth of the unstable mode reverses and the system oscillates between a dominant jet, which is slightly inclined to the zonal direction, and a dominant primary wave. A numerical proof is provided for the extra invariant in Rossby and drift wave turbulence-zonostrophy. While the theoretical derivations of this invariant stem from the wave kinetic equation which assumes weak wave amplitudes, it is shown to be relatively well-conserved for higher nonlinearities also. Together with the energy and enstrophy, these three invariants cascade into anisotropic sectors in the k-space as predicted by the Fjørtoft argument. The cascades are characterised by the zonostrophy pushing the energy to the zonal scales. A small scale instability forcing applied to the model has demonstrated the well-known drift wave-zonal flow feedback loop. The drift wave turbulence is generated from this primary instability. The zonal flows are then excited by either one of the generation mechanisms, extracting energy from the drift waves as they grow. Eventually the turbulence is completely suppressed and the zonal flows saturate. The turbulence spectrum is shown to diffuse in a manner which has been mathematically predicted. The insights gained from this simple model could provide a basis for equivalent studies in more sophisticated plasma and geophysical fluid dynamics models in an effort to fully understand the zonal flow generation, the turbulent transport suppression and the zonal flow saturation processes in both the plasma and geophysical contexts as well as other wave and turbulence systems where order evolves from chaos.

On the mechanism of self gravitating Rossby interfacial waves in proto-stellar accretion discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yellin-Bergovoy, Ron; Heifetz, Eyal; Umurhan, Orkan M.

2016-05-01

The dynamical response of edge waves under the influence of self-gravity is examined in an idealised two-dimensional model of a proto-stellar disc, characterised in steady state as a rotating vertically infinite cylinder of fluid with constant density except for a single density interface at some radius ?. The fluid in basic state is prescribed to rotate with a Keplerian profile ? modified by some additional azimuthal sheared flow. A linear analysis shows that there are two azimuthally propagating edge waves, kin to the familiar Rossby waves and surface gravity waves in terrestrial studies, which move opposite to one another with respect to the local basic state rotation rate at the interface. Instability only occurs if the radial pressure gradient is opposite to that of the density jump (unstably stratified) where self-gravity acts as a wave stabiliser irrespective of the stratification of the system. The propagation properties of the waves are discussed in detail in the language of vorticity edge waves. The roles of both Boussinesq and non-Boussinesq effects upon the stability and propagation of these waves with and without the inclusion of self-gravity are then quantified. The dynamics involved with self-gravity non-Boussinesq effect is shown to be a source of vorticity production where there is a jump in the basic state density In addition, self-gravity also alters the dynamics via the radial main pressure gradient, which is a Boussinesq effect. Further applications of these mechanical insights are presented in the conclusion including the ways in which multiple density jumps or gaps may or may not be stable.

Turbulent convection in an anelastic rotating sphere: A model for the circulation on the giant planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaspi, Yohai

This thesis studies the dynamics of a rotating compressible gas sphere, driven by internal convection, as a model for the dynamics on the giant planets. We develop a new general circulation model for the Jovian atmosphere, based on the MITgcm dynamical core augmenting the nonhydrostatic model. The grid extends deep into the planet's interior allowing the model to compute the dynamics of a whole sphere of gas rather than a spherical shell (including the strong variations in gravity and the equation of state). Different from most previous 3D convection models, this model is anelastic rather than Boussinesq and thereby incorporates the full density variation of the planet. We show that the density gradients caused by convection drive the system away from an isentropic and therefore barotropic state as previously assumed, leading to significant baroclinic shear. This shear is concentrated mainly in the upper levels and associated with baroclinic compressibility effects. The interior flow organizes in large cyclonically rotating columnar eddies parallel to the rotation axis, which drive upgradient angular momentum eddy fluxes, generating the observed equatorial superrotation. Heat fluxes align with the axis of rotation, contributing to the observed flat meridional emission. We show the transition from weak convection cases with symmetric spiraling columnar modes similar to those found in previous analytic linear theory, to more turbulent cases which exhibit similar, though less regular and solely cyclonic, convection columns which manifest on the surface in the form of waves embedded within the superrotation. We develop a mechanical understanding of this system and scaling laws by studying simpler configurations and the dependence on physical properties such as the rotation period, bottom boundary location and forcing structure. These columnar cyclonic structures propagate eastward, driven by dynamics similar to that of a Rossby wave except that the restoring planetary vorticity gradient is in the opposite direction, due to the spherical geometry in the interior. We further study these interior dynamics using a simplified barotropic annulus model, which shows that the planetary vorticity radial variation causes the eddy angular momentum flux divergence, which drives the superrotating equatorial flow. In addition we study the interaction of the interior dynamics with a stable exterior weather layer, using a quasigeostrophic two layer channel model on a beta plane, where the columnar interior is therefore represented by a negative beta effect. We find that baroclinic instability of even a weak shear can drive strong, stable multiple zonal jets. For this model we find an analytic nonlinear solution, truncated to one growing mode, that exhibits a multiple jet meridional structure, driven by the nonlinear interaction between the eddies. Finally, given the density field from our 3D convection model we derive the high order gravitational spectra of Jupiter, which is a measurable quantity for the upcoming JUNO mission to Jupiter. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)

Nonlinear waves of a nonlocal modified KdV equation in the atmospheric and oceanic dynamical system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Xiao-yan; Liang, Zu-feng; Hao, Xia-zhi

2018-07-01

A new general nonlocal modified KdV equation is derived from the nonlinear inviscid dissipative and equivalent barotropic vorticity equation in a β-plane. The nonlocal property is manifested in the shifted parity and delayed time reversal symmetries. Exact solutions of the nonlocal modified KdV equation are obtained including periodic waves, kink waves, solitary waves, kink- and/or anti-kink-cnoidal periodic wave interaction solutions, which can be utilized to describe various two-place and time-delayed correlated events. As an illustration, a special approximate solution is applied to theoretically capture the salient features of two correlated dipole blocking events in atmospheric dynamical systems.

Shallow Water Quasi-Geostrophic Theory on the Sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schubert, Wayne H.; Taft, Richard K.; Silvers, Levi G.

2009-02-01

Quasi-geostrophic theory forms the basis for much of our understanding of mid-latitude atmospheric dynamics. The theory is typically presented in either its f-plane form or its β-plane form. However, for many applications, including diagnostic use in global climate modeling, a fully spherical version would be most useful. Such a global theory does in fact exist and has for many years, but few in the scientific community seem to have ever been aware of it. In the context of shallow water dynamics, it is shown that the spherical version of quasigeostrophic theory is easily derived (re-derived) based on a partitioning of the flow between nondivergent and irrotational components, as opposed to a partitioning between geostrophic and ageostrophic components. In this way, the invertibility principle is expressed as a relation between the streamfunction and the potential vorticity, rather than between the geopotential and the potential vorticity. This global theory is then extended by showing that the invertibility principle can be solved analytically using spheroidal harmonic transforms, an advancement that greatly improves the usefulness of this "forgotten" theory. When the governing equation for the time evolution of the potential vorticity is linearized about a state of rest, a simple Rossby-Haurwitz wave dispersion relation is derived and examined. These waves have a horizontal structure described by spheroidal harmonics, and the Rossby-Haurwitz wave frequencies are given in terms of the eigenvalues of the spheroidal harmonic operator. Except for sectoral harmonics with low zonal wavenumber, the quasi-geostrophic Rossby-Haurwitz frequencies agree very well with those calculated from the primitive equations. One of the many possible applications of spherical quasi-geostrophic theory is to the study of quasi-geostrophic turbulence on the sphere. In this context, the theory is used to derive an anisotropic Rhines barrier in three-dimensional wavenumber space.

On the seasonal variability of the Canary Current and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vélez-Belchí, Pedro; Pérez-Hernández, M. Dolores; Casanova-Masjoan, María.; Cana, Luis; Hernández-Guerra, Alonso

2017-06-01

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is continually monitored along 26°N by the RAPID-MOCHA array. Measurements from this array show a 6.7 Sv seasonal cycle for the AMOC, with a 5.9 Sv contribution from the upper mid-ocean. Recent studies argue that the dynamics of the eastern Atlantic is the main driver for this seasonal cycle; specifically, Rossby waves excited south of the Canary Islands. Using inverse modeling, hydrographic, mooring, and altimetry data, we describe the seasonal cycle of the ocean mass transport around the Canary Islands and at the eastern boundary, under the influence of the African slope, where eastern component of the RAPID-MOCHA array is situated. We find a seasonal cycle of -4.1 ± 0.5 Sv for the oceanic region of the Canary Current, and +3.7 ± 0.4 Sv at the eastern boundary. This seasonal cycle along the eastern boundary is in agreement with the seasonal cycle of the AMOC that requires the lowest contribution to the transport in the upper mid-ocean to occur in fall. However, we demonstrate that the linear Rossby wave model used previously to explain the seasonal cycle of the AMOC is not robust, since it is extremely sensitive to the choice of the zonal range of the wind stress curl and produces the same results with a Rossby wave speed of zero. We demonstrate that the seasonal cycle of the eastern boundary is due to the recirculation of the Canary Current and to the seasonal cycle of the poleward flow that characterizes the eastern boundaries of the oceans.

Role of Interaction between Magnetic Rossby Waves and Tachocline Differential Rotation in Producing Solar Seasons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dikpati, Mausumi; McIntosh, Scott W.; Bothun, Gregory; Cally, Paul S.; Ghosh, Siddhartha S.; Gilman, Peter A.; Umurhan, Orkan M.

2018-02-01

We present a nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic shallow-water model for the solar tachocline (MHD-SWT) that generates quasi-periodic tachocline nonlinear oscillations (TNOs) that can be identified with the recently discovered solar “seasons.” We discuss the properties of the hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic Rossby waves that interact with the differential rotation and toroidal fields to sustain these oscillations, which occur due to back-and-forth energy exchanges among potential, kinetic, and magnetic energies. We perform model simulations for a few years, for selected example cases, in both hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic regimes and show that the TNOs are robust features of the MHD-SWT model, occurring with periods of 2–20 months. We find that in certain cases multiple unstable shallow-water modes govern the dynamics, and TNO periods vary with time. In hydrodynamically governed TNOs, the energy exchange mechanism is simple, occurring between the Rossby waves and differential rotation. But in MHD cases, energy exchange becomes much more complex, involving energy flow among six energy reservoirs by means of eight different energy conversion processes. For toroidal magnetic bands of 5 and 35 kG peak amplitudes, both placed at 45° latitude and oppositely directed in north and south hemispheres, we show that the energy transfers responsible for TNO, as well as westward phase propagation, are evident in synoptic maps of the flow, magnetic field, and tachocline top-surface deformations. Nonlinear mode–mode interaction is particularly dramatic in the strong-field case. We also find that the TNO period increases with a decrease in rotation rate, implying that the younger Sun had more frequent seasons.

Changing risks of resonance in extreme weather events for higher atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntingford, Chris; Mitchell, Dann; Osprey, Scott

2015-04-01

A recent paper by Petoukhov et al (2013) demonstrates that many of the recent major extreme events in the NH may have been caused by resonant conditions driving very high meridional winds around slowly moving centres-of-action. Besides high amplitudes of planetary wave numbers 6,7 and 8, additional features are identified through 4 further conditions that trigger system resonance. These make the potential for high amplitude waves more likely as well as the possibility of more persistent events. A concern is that human-induced climate change could create conditions more conducive to tropospheric Rossby wave resonance, thereby forcing any periods of extreme weather to become more commonplace and longer lasting. Whilst the CMIP5 ensemble provides much information on expected changes, to fully address changing probabilities of extreme event occurrence - which by definition are relatively rare - is, though, best approached through a massive ensemble modeling framework. The climateprediction-dot-net citizen-science massive ensemble GCM modeling framework provides order 104 simulations for sea-surface temperature, sea-ice extent and atmospheric gas composition representative of both pre-industrial and contemporary conditions. Here we present what these families of simulations imply in terms of the changing likelihood of conditions for mid-latitude resonance, and implications for amplitudes of Rossby waves

Investigation of conditions for the generation and propagation of low-frequency disturbances in the troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mordvinov, V. I.; Devyatova, E. V.; Kochetkova, O. S.; Oznobikhina, O. A.

2013-01-01

Low-frequency disturbances responsible for the excitation of torsional oscillations—variations in the zonal mean flow intensity with a characteristic scale of 15-20 days—propagating along the meridian at mid and low latitudes of both hemispheres are investigated [1]. As data observed over the eastern parts of continents and the western parts of oceans are processed with the lag correlation statistics, traveling waves intersecting the eastern parts of continents from northwest to southeast and then returning to the north along the ocean coasts are identified. In this case, trains of anomalies oriented in the zonal direction periodically appear and are destructed in the western parts of continents. The simulation of the propagation of disturbances in the quasi-geostrophic approximation made it possible to explain the specific features of lag correlation statistics over continents by the dispersion of two-dimensional Rossby waves from traveling sources. The turnover of disturbances over Asia and wave trains to the west from the pole were reproduced. Torsional oscillations caused by the dispersion of two-dimensional Rossby waves have a characteristic form of inclined bands in the latitude-time diagram, whose steepness is controlled by the velocity of displacement of the vorticity source along the meridian.

Framing topographic Rossby waves in the Southern Adriatic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonaldo, Davide; Orlic, Mirko; Bergamasco, Andrea; Benetazzo, Alvise; Carniel, Sandro

2017-04-01

Topographic Rossby Waves (TRWs) are oscillatory phenomena associated with modulations induced by seabed morphology in the potential vorticity field. These features could be confined to a single layer or could involve the whole water column, and they are controlled by a combination of the bathymetric gradient and the uniform rotation in the same way as planetary Rossby waves are controlled by the meridional modulation of the Coriolis parameter. In terms of deep-sea circulation, TRWs provide a fundamental contribution by radiating large amounts of energy along and off a continental shelf. Under favorable conditions TRWs can be triggered by a number of factors, such as intense vorticity injections from the wind or the bathymetric perturbations - e.g., a promontory or a canyon crossing the path of a current. In this work we combine observational data and numerical model fields for detecting the presence of TRWs along the Southern Adriatic Margin (SAM, Eastern Mediterranean Sea) and investigating their dynamics during an episode of dense water downflow in spring 2012. Starting from the observation of high-intensity velocity pulses with a period of approximately 2 days, we carry out a sequence of operations on the results of a high-resolution, ocean currents-waves coupled numerical modelling experiment aiming to reproduce dense water formation and migration in the Adriatic Sea in winter-spring 2012. First, we apply a wavelet analysis to modelled velocity time series at several locations off the Italian coast and along the SAM in order to identify the spatial and temporal extent of the pulsing episodes. Then, the properties of the oscillations are assessed via rotary analysis; the propagation of the band-filtered signal along the continental margin is characterized by extracting wave length and propagation velocity, therefore allowing the comparison against theoretical dispersion relations associated with the bathymetry of the SAM. Our results show that the observed modulation was indeed related to a perturbation system propagating south-eastward along the Italian coast and amplified as a train of TRWs along the shelf break and on the continental slope, thus providing, to the best of our knowledge, the first evidence of the existence of such waves on the SAM. This work paves the way to further investigations of these waves and their implications on dense water dynamics and related impacts on the benthic environments.

Persistent and energetic bottom-trapped topographic Rossby waves observed in the southern South China Sea.

PubMed

Shu, Yeqiang; Xue, Huijie; Wang, Dongxiao; Chai, Fei; Xie, Qiang; Cai, Shuqun; Chen, Rongyu; Chen, Ju; Li, Jian; He, Yunkai

2016-04-14

Energetic fluctuations with periods of 9-14 days below a depth of 1400 m were observed in the southern South China Sea (SCS) from 5 years of direct measurements. We interpreted such fluctuations as topographic Rossby waves (TRWs) because they obey the dispersion relation. The TRWs persisted from May 24, 2009 to August 23, 2013, and their bottom current speed with a maximum of ~10 cm/s was one order of magnitude greater than the mean current and comparable to the tidal currents near the bottom. The bottom-trapped TRWs had an approximate trapping depth of 325 m and reference wavelength of ~82 km, which were likely excited by eddies above. Upper layer current speed that peaked approximately every 2 months could offer the energy sources for the persistent TRWs in the southern SCS. Energetic bottom-trapped TRWs may have a comparable role in deep circulation to tides in areas with complex topography.

Persistent and energetic bottom-trapped topographic Rossby waves observed in the southern South China Sea

PubMed Central

Shu, Yeqiang; Xue, Huijie; Wang, Dongxiao; Chai, Fei; Xie, Qiang; Cai, Shuqun; Chen, Rongyu; Chen, Ju; Li, Jian; He, Yunkai

2016-01-01

Energetic fluctuations with periods of 9–14 days below a depth of 1400 m were observed in the southern South China Sea (SCS) from 5 years of direct measurements. We interpreted such fluctuations as topographic Rossby waves (TRWs) because they obey the dispersion relation. The TRWs persisted from May 24, 2009 to August 23, 2013, and their bottom current speed with a maximum of ~10 cm/s was one order of magnitude greater than the mean current and comparable to the tidal currents near the bottom. The bottom-trapped TRWs had an approximate trapping depth of 325 m and reference wavelength of ~82 km, which were likely excited by eddies above. Upper layer current speed that peaked approximately every 2 months could offer the energy sources for the persistent TRWs in the southern SCS. Energetic bottom-trapped TRWs may have a comparable role in deep circulation to tides in areas with complex topography. PMID:27075644

Transport out of the lower stratospheric Arctic vortex by Rossby wave breaking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waugh, D. W.; Plumb, R. A.; Atkinson, R. J.; Schoeberl, M. R.; Lait, L. R.; Newman, P. A.; Loewenstein, M.; Toohey, D. W.; Avallone, L. M.; Webster, C. R.

1994-01-01

The fine-scale structure in lower stratospheric tracer transport during the period of the two Arctic Airborne Stratospheric Expeditions (January and February 1989; December 1991 to March 1992) is investigated using contour advection with surgery calculations. These calculations show that Rossby wave breaking is an ongoing occurrence during these periods and that air is ejected from the polar vortex in the form of long filamentary structures. There is good qualitative agreement between these filaments and measurements of chemical tracers taken aboard the NASA ER-2 aircraft. The ejected air generally remains filamentary and is stretched and mixed with midlatitude air as it is wrapped around the vortex. This process transfers vortex air into midlatitudes and also produces a narrow region of fine-scale filaments surrounding the polar vortex. Among other things, this makes it difficult to define a vortex edge. The calculations also show that strong stirring can occur inside as well as outside the vortex.

Low-latitude variability of ice cloud properties and cloud thermodynamic phase observed by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahn, B. H.; Yue, Q.; Davis, S. M.; Fetzer, E. J.; Schreier, M. M.; Tian, B.; Wong, S.

2016-12-01

We will quantify the time and space dependence of ice cloud effective radius (CER), optical thickness (COT), cloud top temperature (CTT), effective cloud fraction (ECF), and cloud thermodynamic phase (ice, liquid, or unknown) with the Version 6 Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) satellite observational data set from September 2002 until present. We show that cloud frequency, CTT, COT, and ECF have substantially different responses to ENSO variations. Large-scale changes in ice CER are also observed with a several micron tropics-wide increase during the 2015-2016 El Niño and similar decreases during the La Niña phase. We show that the ice CER variations reflect fundamental changes in the spatial distributions and relative frequencies of different ice cloud types. Lastly, the high spatial and temporal resolution variability of the cloud fields are explored and we show that these data capture a multitude of convectively coupled tropical waves such as Kelvin, westward and eastward intertio-gravity, equatorial Rossby, and mixed Rossby-gravity waves.

Observations by GLORIA of stirring and mixing in the UTLS following Rossby wave breaking in winter 2015/2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ungermann, Joern; Friedl-Vallon, Felix; Höpfner, Michael; Preusse, Peter; Riese, Martin

2016-04-01

The Gimbaled Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) is an airborne infrared limb-imager combining a 2-D infrared detector with a Fourier transform spectrometer. It was operated aboard the German Gulfstream G550 research aircraft HALO during a series of simultaneous campaigns (POLSTRACC, SALSA, GWLCYCLE, GWEX) during the winter of 2015/2016 over Europe and the Arctic. This poster shows a set of GLORIA observations and analyses of 2-D trace gas cross-sections in the extratropical upper troposphere / lower stratosphere (UTLS). The spatially highly-resolved temperature, H2O, O3 and HNO3 data reveal an intricate layered structure in the extratropical Transition Layer (exTL). This heterogeneous structure was caused by Rossby wave breaking and is similar to the state found during previous measurements in summer 2012 over Europe. This study presents first analyses of the stirring and stratosphere-troposphere-exchange by means of backward-trajectory calculation.

Anatomy of North Pacific Decadal Variability.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Niklas; Miller, Arthur J.; Pierce, David W.

2002-03-01

A systematic analysis of North Pacific decadal variability in a full-physics coupled ocean-atmosphere model is executed. The model is an updated and improved version of the coupled model studied by Latif and Barnett. Evidence is sought for determining the details of the mechanism responsible for the enhanced variance of some variables at 20-30-yr timescales. The possible mechanisms include a midlatitude gyre ocean-atmosphere feedback loop, stochastic forcing, remote forcing, or sampling error.Decadal variability in the model is expressed most prominently in anomalies of upper-ocean streamfunction, sea surface temperature (SST), and latent surface heat flux in the Kuroshio-Oyashio extension (KOE) region off Japan. The decadal signal off Japan is initiated by changes in strength and position of the Aleutian low. The atmospheric perturbations excite SST anomalies in the central and eastern North Pacific (with opposing signs and canonical structure). The atmospheric perturbations also change the Ekman pumping over the North Pacific, which excites equivalent barotropic Rossby waves that carry thermocline depth perturbations toward the west. This gyre adjustment results in a shift in the border between subtropical and subpolar gyres after about five years. This process consequently excites SST anomalies (bearing the same sign as the central North Pacific) in the KOE region. The SST anomalies are generated by subsurface temperature anomalies that are brought to the surface during winter by deep mixing and are damped by air-sea winter heat exchange (primarily latent heat flux). This forcing of the atmosphere by the ocean in the KOE region is associated with changes of winter precipitation over the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The polarity of SST and Ekman pumping is such that warm central and cool eastern Pacific anomalies are associated with a deep thermocline, a poleward shift of the border between subtropical and subpolar gyres, and warm SST anomalies and an increase of rain in the KOE region.The preponderance of variance at decadal timescales in the KOE results from the integration of stochastic Ekman pumping along Rossby wave trajectories. The Ekman pumping is primarily due to atmospheric variability that expresses itself worldwide including in the tropical Pacific. A positive feedback between the coupled model KOE SST (driven by the ocean streamfunction) and North Pacific Ekman pumping is consistent with the enhanced variance of the coupled model at 20-30-yr periods. However, the time series are too short to unambiguously distinguish this positive feedback hypothesis from sampling variability. No evidence is found for a midlatitude gyre ocean-atmosphere delayed negative feedback loop.Comparisons with available observations confirm the seasonality of the forcing, the up to 5-yr time lag between like-signed central North Pacific and KOE SST anomalies, and the associated damping of SST in the KOE region by the latent heat flux. The coupled model results also suggest that observed SST anomalies in the KOE region may be predictable from the history of the wind-stress curl over the North Pacific.

Anomalous tropical planetary wave activity during 2015/2016 quasi biennial oscillation disruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Karanam Kishore; Mathew, Sneha Susan; Subrahmanyam, K. V.

2018-01-01

In the present communication, a record breaking duration (23 months) of the eastward phase of the QBO at 20 hPa is reported and details of the tropical wave activity during the recent anomalous QBO event are discussed. Two-dimensional Fourier analysis revealed the presence of 30-40 and 10-15 day westward propagating wave number 1 structures at 40 hPa pressure level over the equator. A combination of the mid-latitude Rossby waves and the 30-40 day oscillations seems to be the most probable mechanism for the observed disruption of the QBO.

Convective and Wave Signatures in Ozone Profiles Over the Equatorial Americas: Views from TC4 (2007) and SHADOZ

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M.; MacFarlane, Alaina M.; Morris, Gary A.; Yorks, John E.; Miller, Sonya K.; Taubman, Brett F.; Verver, Ge; Voemel, Holger; Avery, Melody A.; Hair, Johnathan W.;

On Liapunov and Exponential Stability of Rossby-Haurwitz Waves in Invariant Sets of Perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skiba, Yuri N.

2018-01-01

In this work, the stability of the Rossby-Haurwitz (RH) waves from the subspace H1\\oplus Hn is considered (n≥2 ) where Hk is the subspace of the homogeneous spherical polynomials of degree k. A conservation law for arbitrary perturbations of the RH wave is derived, and all perturbations are divided into three invariant sets M-n , M0n and M+n in which the mean spectral number χ (ψ ^' }) of any perturbation ψ ^' } is less than, equal to or greater than n(n+1) , respectively. In turn, the set M0n is divided into the invariant subsets Hn and M0n{\\setminus } Hn . Quotient spaces and norms of the perturbations are introduced, a hyperbolic law for the perturbations belonging to the sets M-n and M+n is derived, and a geometric interpretation of variations in the kinetic energy of perturbations is given. It is proved that any non-zonal RH wave from H1\\oplus Hn (n≥2 ) is Liapunov unstable in the invariant set M-n . Also, it is shown that a stationary RH wave from H1\\oplus Hn may be exponentially unstable only in the invariant set M0n{\\setminus } Hn , while any perturbation of the invariant set Hn conserves its form with time and hence is neutral. Since a Legendre polynomial flow aPn(μ ) and zonal RH wave - ω μ +aPn(μ ) are particular cases of the RH waves of H1\\oplus Hn , the major part of the stability results obtained here is also true for them.

Problems of simulation of large, long-lived vortices in the atmospheres of the giant planets (jupiter, saturn, neptune)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nezlin, Michael V.; Sutyrin, Georgi G.

1994-01-01

Large, long-lived vortices are abundant in the atmospheres of the giant planets. Some of them survive a few orders of magnitude longer than the dispersive linear Rossby wave packets, e.g. the Great Red Spot (GRS), Little Red Spot (LRS) and White Ovals (WO) of Jupiter, Big Bertha, Brown Spot and Anne's Spot of Saturn, the Great Dark Spot (GDS) of Neptune, etc. Nonlinear effects which prevent their dispersion spreading are the main subject of our consideration. Particular emphasis is placed on determining the dynamical processes which may explain the remarkable properties of observed vortices such as anticyclonic rotation in preference to cyclonic one and the uniqueness of the GRS, the largest coherent vortex, along the perimeter of Jupiter at corresponding latitude. We review recent experimental and theoretical studies of steadily translating solitary Rossby vortices (anticyclones) in a rotating shallow fluid. Two-dimensional monopolar solitary vortices trap fluid which is transported westward. These dualistic structures appear to be vortices, on the one hand, and solitary “waves”, on the other hand. Owing to the presence of the trapped fluid, such solitary structures collide inelastically and have a memory of the initial disturbance which is responsible for the formation of the structure. As a consequence, they have no definite relationship between the amplitude and characteristic size. Their vortical properties are connected with geostrophic advection of local vorticity. Their solitary properties (nonspreading and stationary translation) are due to a balance between Rossby wave dispersion and nonlinear effects which allow the anticyclones, with an elevation of a free surface, to propagate faster than the linear waves, without a resonance with linear waves, i.e. without wave radiation. On the other hand, cyclones, with a depression of a free surface, are dispersive and nonstationary features. This asymmetry in dispersion-nonlinear properties of cyclones and anticyclones is thought to be one of the essential reasons for the observed predominance of anticyclones among the long-lived vortices in the atmospheres of the giant planets and also among the intrathermocline oceanic eddies. The effects of shear flows and differences between the properties of monopolar vortices in planetary flows and various laboratory experiments are discussed. General geostrophic (GG) theory of Rossby vortices is presented. It differs essentially from the traditional quasi-geostrophic (QG) and intermediate-geostrophic (IG) approximations by the account of (i) all scales between the deformation radius and the planetary scale and (ii) the arbitrary amplitudes of vortices. It is shown that, unlike QG- and IG-models, the GG-model allows for explaining the mentioned cyclonic-anticyclonic asymmetry not only in planetary flows, but also in laboratory modeling with vessels of near paraboloidal form.

Projection operators for the Rossby and Poincare waves in a beta-plane approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebedkina, Anastasia; Ivan, Karpov; Sergej, Leble

2013-04-01

Study of the wave structure variations of atmospheric parameters is a due to a solving of number practical problems associated with the weather and the state of the environment requires knowledge of the spectral characteristics of atmospheric waves. Modern methods, for identification of wave disturbances in the atmosphere, based on the harmonic analysis of observations. The success of these application is determined by the presence of sets of experimental data obtained in the long-term (over the period of the wave) of the atmosphere on a large number of independent observation stations. Currently, the system of observation in the atmosphere, both terrestrial and satellite, unevenly covers the surface of the Earth and, despite the length of observation, doesn't solve the problem of identification of waves. Thus, the problem of identification wave disturbances conflicts fundamental difficulties, and solution needs in a new methods for the analysis of observations. The work complete a procedure to construct a projection operators for large-scale waves in the atmosphere. Advantage of this method is the ability to identify type of wave and its characteristics only on the base of a time series of observations. It means that the problem of waves identification can be solved on the basis of only one station observations. In the method assumed that the observed spatial and temporal structure of the atmosphere is determined by the superposition of different type waves. For each type of waves involved in this superposition, dispersion and polarization relations (between the components of the wave vector of the field) expect as known. Based on these assumptions, we can construct projection operators on the initial superposition state on the linear basis of vectors corresponding to the known type of atmospheric waves. The action of the design on the superposition state, which, in fact, is the result of observations, determine the amplitude and phase of the waves of a known type. The idea to use the polarization relations for the classification of waves originated in radio physics in the works of A. A. Novikov. In the theory of the electromagnetic field polarization relations is traditionally included in the analysis of wave phenomena. In the theory of acoustic-gravity waves, projection operators were introduced in a works of S. B. Leble. The object of study is a four-dimentional vector (components of the velocity, pressure and temperature). Based on these assumptions, we can construct the projection operators for superposition state on the linear basis, corresponding to the well-known type of waves. In this paper we consider procedure for construction of a projection operators for planetary Rossby and Poincare waves in the Earth's atmosphere in the approximation of the "beta-plane". In a result of work we constructed projection operators in this approximation for Poincare and Rossby waves. The tests for operators shown, that separation of the contribution of corresponding waves from source of the wave field is possible. Estimation accuracy of the operators and results of applying operators to the data TEC presented.

Numerical Simulation of Internal Waves in the Andaman Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Sachiko; Devendra Rao, Ambarukhana

2017-04-01

The interactions of barotropic tides with irregular bottom topography generate internal waves with high amplitude known as large-amplitude internal waves (LAIW) in the Andaman Sea. These waves are an important phenomena in the ocean due to their influence on the density structure and energy transfer into the region. These waves are also important in submarine acoustics, underwater navigation, offshore structures, ocean mixing, biogeochemical processes, etc. over the shelf-slope region. In the present study, energetics analysis of M2 internal tides over the Andaman Sea is carried out in detail by using a three-dimensional MIT general circulation ocean model (MITgcm). In-situ observations of temperature, conductivity and currents with high temporal resolution are used to validate the model simulations. From the spectral energy estimate of density, it is found that the peak estimate is associated with the semi-diurnal frequency at all the depths in both observations and model simulations. The baroclinic velocity characteristics, suggests that a multi-mode features of baroclinic tides are present at the buoy location. To understand the generation and propagation of internal tides over this region, energy flux and barotropic-to-baroclinic M2 tidal energy conversion rates are examined. The model simulation suggests that the internal tide is generated at multiple sites and propagate off of their respective generation sources. Most of the energy propagation in the Andaman Sea follows the 1000m isobath. The maximum horizontal kinetic energy follows the energy flux pattern over the domain and the available potential energy is found to be maximum in the north of the Andaman Sea.

Models for Convectively Coupled Tropical Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majda, A. J.

2001-05-01

\\small{The tropical Western Pacific is a key area with large input on short-term climate. There are many recent observations of convective complexes feeding into equatorially trapped planetary waves [5], [6] which need a theoretical explanation and also are poorly treated in contemporary General Circulation Models (GCM's). This area presents wonderful new research opportunities for applied mathematicians interested in nonlinear waves interacting over many spatio-temporal scales. This talk describes some ongoing recent activities of the speaker related to these important issues. A simplified intermediate model for analyzing and parametrizing convectively coupled tropical waves is introduced in [2]. This model has two baroclinic modes of vertical structure, a direct heating mode and a stratiform mode. The key essential parameter in these models is the area fraction occupied by deep convection, σ c. The unstable convectively coupled waves that emerge from perturbation of a radiative convective equilibrium are discussed in detail through linearized stability analysis. Without any mean flow, for an overall cooling rate of 1 K/day as the area fraction parameter increases from σ c=0.001 to σ c=0.0014 the waves pass from a regime with stable moist convective damping (MCD) to a regime of ``stratiform'' instability with convectively coupled waves propagating at speeds of roughly 15~m~s-1,instabilities for a band wavelengths in the super-cluster regime, O(1000) to O(2000) km, and a vertical structure in the upper troposphere lags behind that in the lower troposphere - thus, these convectively coupled waves in the model reproduce several key features of convectively coupled waves in the troposphere processed from recent observational data by Wheeler and Kiladis ([5], [6]). As the parameter σ c is increased further to values such as σ c=0.01, the band of unstable waves increase and spreads toward mesoscale wavelengths of O(100) km while the same wave structure and quantitative features mentioned above are retained wave structure and quantitative features mentioned above are retained for O(1000) km. A detailed analysis of the temporal development of instability of these convectively coupled waves is presented here. In the first stage of instability, a high CAPE region generates deep convection and front-to-rear ascending flow with enhanced vertical shear in a stratiform wake region. Thus, these intermediate models may be useful prototypes for studying the parametrization of upscale convective momentum transport due to organized convection [4], [3]. In the second stage of instability, detailed analysis of the CAPE budget establishes that the effects of the second baroclinic mode in the stratiform wake produce new CAPE, which regenerates the first half of the wake cycle. Finally, since these convectively coupled stratiform waves do not require a barotropic mean flow, a barotropic mean flow which alters the surface fluxes, is added to study the effect of their stability. These effects of a barotropic mean flow are secondary; an easterly mean flow enhances instability of the eastward propagating convectively coupled waves and diminishes the instability of the westward propagating waves through a WISHE mechanism. Finally, new models for treating the equatorial wave guide [1], [8] which are intermediate between full meriodonal resolution and the equatorial long wave approximation will be discussed. If time permits, the use of these models in efficient numerical schemes which allow for cloud resolving modeling [7], but also include large scale interaction in the equatorial wave guide will be outlined [8].}

Vacillations induced by interference of stationary and traveling planetary waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salby, Murry L.; Garcia, Rolando R.

1987-01-01

The interference pattern produced when a traveling planetary wave propagates over a stationary forced wave is explored, examining the interference signature in a variety of diagnostics. The wave field is first restricted to a diatomic spectrum consisting of two components: a single stationary wave and a single monochromatic traveling wave. A simple barotropic normal mode propagating over a simple stationary plane wave is considered, and closed form solutions are obtained. The wave fields are then restricted spatially, providing more realistic structures without sacrificing the advantages of an analytical solution. Both stationary and traveling wave fields are calculated numerically with the linearized Primitive Equations in a realistic basic state. The mean flow reaction to the fluctuating eddy forcing which results from interference is derived. Synoptic geopotential behavior corresponding to the combined wave and mean flow fields is presented, and the synoptic signature in potential vorticity on isentropic surfaces is examined.

Enhanced vertical mixing within mesoscale eddies due to high frequency winds in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardona, Yuley; Bracco, Annalisa

The South China Sea is a marginal basin with a complex circulation influenced by the East Asian Monsoon, river discharge and intricate bathymetry. As a result, both the mesoscale eddy field and the near-inertial energy distribution display large spatial variability and they strongly influence the oceanic transport and mixing. With an ensemble of numerical integrations using a regional ocean model, this work investigates how the temporal resolution of the atmospheric forcing fields modifies the horizontal and vertical velocity patterns and impacts the transport properties in the basin. The response of the mesoscale circulation in the South China Sea is investigated under three different forcing conditions: monthly, daily and 6-hourly momentum and heat fluxes. While the horizontal circulation does not display significant differences, the representation of the vertical velocity field displays high sensitivity to the frequency of the wind forcing. If the wind field contains energy at the inertial frequency or higher (daily and 6-hourly cases), then submesoscale fronts, vortex Rossby waves and near inertial waves are excited as ageostrophic expression of the vigorous eddy field. Those quasi- and near-inertial waves dominate the vertical velocity field in the mixed layer (vortex Rossby waves) and below the first hundred meters (near inertial waves) and they are responsible for the differences in the vertical transport properties under the various forcing fields as quantified by frequency spectra, vertical velocity profiles and vertical dispersion of Lagrangian tracers.

Modeling Study of Mesospheric Planetary Waves: Genesis and Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayr, H. G.; Mengel, J. G.; Talaat, E. L.; Porter, H. S.; Chan, K. L.

2003-01-01

In preparation for the measurements from the TIMED mission and coordinated ground based observations, we discuss results for the planetary waves (PWs) that appear in our Numerical Spectral Model (NSM). The present model accounts for a tropospheric heat source in the zonal mean (m = 0), which reproduces qualitatively the observed zonal jets near the tropopause and the accompanying reversal in the latitudinal temperature variations. We discuss the PWs that are solely generated internally, i.e., without the explicit excitation sources related to tropospheric convection or topography. Our analysis shows that PWs are not produced when the zonally averaged heat source into the atmosphere is artificially suppressed, and that the PWs generally are significantly weaker when the tropospheric source is not applied. Instabilities associated with the zonal mean temperature, pressure and wind fields, which still need to be explored, are exciting PWs that have amplitudes in the mesosphere comparable to those observed. Three classes of PWs are generated in the NSM. (1) Rossby waves, (2) Rossby gravity waves propagating westward at low latitudes, and (3) Eastward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves. A survey of the PWs reveals that the largest wind amplitudes tend to occur below 80 km in the winter hemisphere, but above that altitude they occur in the summer hemisphere where the amplitudes can approach 50 meters per second. It is shown that the non-migrating tides in the mesosphere, generated by non-linear coupling between migrating tides and PWs, are significantly larger for the model with the tropospheric heat source.

Revisiting the Rossby Haurwitz wave test case with contour advection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Robert K.; Dritschel, David G.

2006-09-01

This paper re-examines a basic test case used for spherical shallow-water numerical models, and underscores the need for accurate, high resolution models of atmospheric and ocean dynamics. The Rossby-Haurwitz test case, first proposed by Williamson et al. [D.L. Williamson, J.B. Drake, J.J. Hack, R. Jakob, P.N. Swarztrauber, A standard test set for numerical approximations to the shallow-water equations on the sphere, J. Comput. Phys. (1992) 221-224], has been examined using a wide variety of shallow-water models in previous papers. Here, two contour-advective semi-Lagrangian (CASL) models are considered, and results are compared with previous test results. We go further by modifying this test case in a simple way to initiate a rapid breakdown of the basic wave state. This breakdown is accompanied by the formation of sharp potential vorticity gradients (fronts), placing far greater demands on the numerics than the original test case does. We also go further by examining other dynamical fields besides the height and potential vorticity, to assess how well the models deal with gravity waves. Such waves are sensitive to the presence or not of sharp potential vorticity gradients, as well as to numerical parameter settings. In particular, large time steps (convenient for semi-Lagrangian schemes) can seriously affect gravity waves but can also have an adverse impact on the primary fields of height and velocity. These problems are exacerbated by a poor resolution of potential vorticity gradients.

Nature of global large-scale sea level variability in relation to atmospheric forcing: A modeling study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukumori, Ichiro; Raghunath, Ramanujam; Fu, Lee-Lueng

1998-03-01

The relation between large-scale sea level variability and ocean circulation is studied using a numerical model. A global primitive equation model of the ocean is forced by daily winds and climatological heat fluxes corresponding to the period from January 1992 to January 1994. The physical nature of sea level's temporal variability from periods of days to a year is examined on the basis of spectral analyses of model results and comparisons with satellite altimetry and tide gauge measurements. The study elucidates and diagnoses the inhomogeneous physics of sea level change in space and frequency domain. At midlatitudes, large-scale sea level variability is primarily due to steric changes associated with the seasonal heating and cooling cycle of the surface layer. In comparison, changes in the tropics and high latitudes are mainly wind driven. Wind-driven variability exhibits a strong latitudinal dependence in itself. Wind-driven changes are largely baroclinic in the tropics but barotropic at higher latitudes. Baroclinic changes are dominated by the annual harmonic of the first baroclinic mode and is largest off the equator; variabilities associated with equatorial waves are smaller in comparison. Wind-driven barotropic changes exhibit a notable enhancement over several abyssal plains in the Southern Ocean, which is likely due to resonant planetary wave modes in basins semienclosed by discontinuities in potential vorticity. Otherwise, barotropic sea level changes are typically dominated by high frequencies with as much as half the total variance in periods shorter than 20 days, reflecting the frequency spectra of wind stress curl. Implications of the findings with regards to analyzing observations and data assimilation are discussed.

Large-scale Rossby Normal Modes during Some Recent Northern Hemisphere Winters

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

day wave has been observed ubiquitously in the troposphere (Madden, 1978) and in the middle atmosphere during winter (Forbes et al., 1995), as well as...assimilate version 2.2 limb retrievals of temperature, water vapor and ozone from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on NASA’s Aura satellite and...aspects of the wintertime meteorology have been documented: the tropospheric pre-conditioning of a SSW (Coy et al., 2009); the role of gravity wave

Global-Local Interactions Modulate Tropical Moisture Exports to the Ohio River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doss-Gollin, J.; Farnham, D. J.; Lall, U.

2016-12-01

Regional-scale extreme rainfall and flooding are temporally and spatially associated with the occurrence of tropical moisture exports (TMEs) in the Ohio River Basin (ORB). TMEs are related to but not synonymous with atmospheric rivers, which refer to specific filiamentary organizational processes. TMEs to the ORB may be driven by strong, persistent ridging over the Eastern United States and troughing over the Central United States, creating favorable conditions for southerly flow and moisture transport from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. However, the strong inter-annual variation in TME activity over the ORB suggests dependence on global-scale features of the atmospheric circulation. We suggest that this synoptic dipole pattern may be viewed as the passage of one or more high-wavenumber, transient Rossby waves. We build a multi-level hierarchical Bayesian model in which the probability distribution of TME entering the ORB is a function of the phase and amplitude of the traveling waves. In turn, the joint distribution of the phase and amplitude of this wave is modulated by hemispheric-scale features of the atmospheric and oceanic circulation, and the amplitude and synchronization of quasi-stationary Rossby waves with wavenumber 1-4. Our approach bridges information about different features of the atmospheric circulation which inform the predictability of TME at multiple time scales and develops existing understanding of the atmospheric drivers of TMEs beyond existing composite and EOF studies.

Easterly and westerly wind events in the equatorial Pacific ocean and their oceanic response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puy, martin; Lengaigne, matthieu; Vialard, jerome; Guilyardi, eric

2014-05-01

Intraseasonal wind variability is known to influence the onset and evolution of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), in particular through the occurrence of Westerly Wind Events (WWEs) in the western Equatorial Pacific. For predictability purposes, it is important to identify the large scale atmospheric controls of the occurrences of those WWEs. We hence carefully assess the link between equatorial WWEs and large-scale atmospheric waves. We find that WWEs preferably occur during convectively active phases associated to equatorial atmospheric Rossby waves (74% against 15% if the distribution was random) and to the MJO (60% against 15%). We also find that WWEs that occur in relation with those atmospheric waves tend to be stronger. The results also show that WWEs that occur in relation with the MJO tend to be longer than others, and tend to have a larger impact on SST, both on the eastern edge of the warm pool and in the eastern Pacific. We further show that the central and eastern equatorial Pacific is home to frequent easterly wind events (EWEs). These EWEs are further shown to be influenced by atmospheric Rossby waves and the MJO, but to a lesser extent than WWEs. We will discuss the potential influence of EWEs on the ENSO cycle, and propose a modeling strategy to test the influence of these EWEs / WWEs on the ENSO evolution.

Intraseasonal variability of the West African monsoon and African easterly waves during boreal summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alaka, Ghassan J., Jr.

Substantial subseasonal variability in African easterly wave (AEW) activity and cyclogenesis frequency occurs in the main hurricane development region of the Atlantic during boreal summer. A complete understanding of intraseasonal variability in the Atlantic and west Africa during boreal summer requires analysis of how the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) modulates the west African monsoon and consequently AEWs. Because the MJO is predictable a few weeks in advance, understanding how and why the MJO impacts the west African monsoon may have a profound influence on Atlantic tropical cyclone prediction. This study documents the MJO influence on the west African monsoon system during boreal summer using a variety of reanalysis and satellite datasets. This study aims to identify and explain the MJO teleconnection to the west African monsoon, and the processes that induce precipitation and AEW variability in this region. Intraseasonal west African and Atlantic convective anomalies on 30-90 day timescales are likely induced by equatorial Kelvin and Rossby waves generated in the Indian Ocean and west Pacific by the MJO. Previous studies have hypothesized that an area including the Darfur mountains and the Ethiopian highlands is an initiation region for AEWs. It is shown here that the initial MJO influence on precipitation and AEW activity in the African monsoon appears to occur in these regions, where eddy kinetic energy (EKE) anomalies first appear in advance of MJO-induced periods of enhanced and suppressed AEW activity. In the initiation region, upper tropospheric temperature anomalies are reduced, the atmosphere moistens by horizontal advection, and an eastward extension of the African easterly jet occurs in advance of the MJO wet phase of the African monsoon, when AEW activity is also enhanced. These factors all support strong precursor disturbances in the initiation region that seed the African easterly jet and contribute to downstream development of AEWs. Opposite behavior occurs in advance of the MJO dry phase. Moisture and eddy kinetic energy (EKE) budgets are examined to provide further insight as to how the MJO modulates and initiates precipitation and AEW variability in this region. In particular, meridional moisture advection anomalies foster moistening in the initiation region by anomalous flow acting across the mean moisture gradient. Additionally, positive (negative) upstream EKE tendency anomalies in advance of the MJO convective maximum (minimum) over tropical north Africa suggest wave growth (decay) near the entrance of the AEJ, while enhanced (suppressed) conversion of eddy available potential energy (EAPE) to EKE and barotropic conversion maintains downstream AEW growth (decay).

The generation and propagation of internal gravity waves in a rotating fluid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maxworthy, T.; Chabert Dhieres, G.; Didelle, H.

1984-01-01

The present investigation is concerned with an extension of a study conducted bu Maxworthy (1979) on internal wave generation by barotropic tidal flow over bottom topography. A short series of experiments was carried out during a limited time period on a large (14-m diameter) rotating table. It was attempted to obtain, in particular, information regarding the plan form of the waves, the exact character of the flow over the obstacle, and the evolution of the waves. The main basin was a dammed section of a long free surface water tunnel. The obstacle was towed back and forth by a wire harness connected to an electronically controlled hydraulic piston, the stroke and period of which could be independently varied. Attention is given to the evolution of the wave crests, the formation of solitary wave groups the evolution of the three-dimensional wave field wave shapes, the wave amplitudes, and particle motion.

The relationship between African easterly waves and equatorial waves and the influence from the Southern Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Methven, John; Guiying, Yang; Hodges, Kevin; Woolnough, Steve

2017-04-01

There is strong intraseasonal and interannual variability in African easterly waves (AEWs). AEWs are crucial to precipitation across West Africa, but also generate positive vorticity centres that sometimes develop into tropical storms which can in turn spin-up into hurricanes in the easterlies across the North Atlantic. In this paper we show that there are connections between African easterly waves (AEWs), equatorial Rossby (R1 and R2) waves and westward-moving mixed Rossby gravity (WMRG) waves and that the conditions for propagation of equatorial waves may have a major influence on AEW and hence tropical cyclone variability. Two analysis approaches are taken using ERA-Interim data from 1979-2010: i) positive vorticity centres within AEWs are tracked at 600 hPa over West Africa to the Atlantic region and ii) the re-analysis data is filtered using a broad frequency and zonal wavenumber band and the filtered meridional wind is projected onto the horizontal structure functions derived from equatorial wave theory. The tracked vorticity centres are part of AEWs and are found to move along with features in the meridional wind projecting onto R1 and R2 waves. In contrast, the structures projecting onto WMRG waves move westwards at a faster rate. The projection is calculated independently on each pressure level to create composite cross-sections of each wave mode in the zonal-height plane, shown relative to the 600 hPa vorticity centres. The R2 waves tilt in the sense necessary for baroclinic growth and amplify from east to west, indicating that R2 horizontal structure captures the baroclinic wave component of AEWs. The composites show that the R2 structures have a wavelength matching the spacing between vorticity centres, while R1 and WMRG waves are longer. Intriguingly, the WMRG component has very strong cross-equatorial flow immediately to the east of positive vorticity centres developing on the AEJ. Although the WMRG propagates faster to the west and gets ahead of the original vorticity centre, the next AEW vorticity centre to the east develops with cross-equatorial flow in the same phase. This flow brings moist air from the southern hemisphere at low levels on the eastern flank of the vorticity centre, while there is an upper tropospheric "return flow" into the southern hemisphere above. Thus, there is a strong cross-equatorial component to the developing tropical storm outflow. WMRG waves may aid the initiation and development of AEW vorticity centres. Over West Africa, regressions show that the eastward group propagation of a WMRG packet precedes the genesis of vorticity centres on the AEJ. In years with stronger AEW activity, the upper tropospheric easterlies are stronger at the equator and extend further into the southern hemisphere. It is shown that stronger easterlies provide a waveguide for SH westward-moving Rossby waves in the upper troposphere to penetrate into the tropics, exciting equatorial WMRG waves and hence stronger AEW activity via the lower tropospheric cross-equatorial flow associated with WMRG waves.

Observations of the 5-day wave in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, D. L.; Hays, P. B.; Skinner, W. R.

1994-01-01

The 5-day planetary wave has been detected in the winds measured by the High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (50-110 km). The appearances of the 5-day wave are transient, with a lifetime of 10-20 days in the two-year data set. The structures of selected 5-day wave events are in generally good agreement with the (1,1) Rossby normal mode for both zonal and meridional components. A climatology of the 5-day wave is presented for an altitude of 95 km and latitudes mainly between 40 deg S and 40 deg N.

Genesis of Twin Tropical Cyclones as Revealed by a Global Mesoscale Model: The Role of Mixed Rossby Gravity Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Bo-Wen; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lin, Yuh-Lang; Laing, Arlene

2012-01-01

In this study, it is proposed that twin tropical cyclones (TCs), Kesiny and 01A, in May 2002 formed in association with the scale interactions of three gyres that appeared as a convectively-coupled mixed Rossby gravity (ccMRG) wave during an active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). This is shown by analyzing observational data and performing simulations using a global mesoscale model. A 10-day control run is initialized at 0000 UTC 1 May 2002 with grid-scale condensation but no cumulus parameterizations. The ccMRG wave was identified as encompassing two developing and one non-developing gyres, the first two of which intensified and evolved into the twin TCs. The control run is able to reproduce the evolution of the ccMRG wave and the formation of the twin TCs about two and five days in advance as well as their subsequent intensity evolution and movement within an 8-10 day period. Five additional 10-day sensitivity experiments with different model configurations are conducted to help understand the interaction of the three gyres. These experiments suggest the improved lead time in the control run may be attributed to the realistic simulation of the ccMRG wave with the following processes: (I) wave deepening associated with wave shortening and/or the intensification of individual gyres, (2) poleward movement of gyres that may be associated with bOlll1dary layer processes, (3) realistic simulation of moist processes at regional scales in association with each of the gyres, and (4) the vertical phasing of low- and mid-level cyclonic circulations associated with a specific gyre.

Rossby Wave Propagation into the Northern Hemisphere Stratosphere: The Role of Zonal Phase Speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domeisen, Daniela I. V.; Martius, Olivia; Jiménez-Esteve, Bernat

2018-02-01

Sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events are to a dominant part induced by upward propagating planetary waves. While theory predicts that the zonal phase speed of a tropospheric wave forcing affects wave propagation into the stratosphere, its relevance for SSW events has so far not been considered. This study shows in a linear wave diagnostic and in reanalysis data that phase speeds tend eastward as waves propagate upward, indicating that the stratosphere preselects eastward phase speeds for propagation, especially for zonal wave number 2. This also affects SSW events: Split SSW events tend to be preceded by anomalously eastward zonal phase speeds. Zonal phase speed may indeed explain part of the increased wave flux observed during the preconditioning of SSW events, as, for example, for the record 2009 SSW event.

Role of equatorial waves in tropical cyclogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreck, Carl J., III

Tropical cyclones typically form within preexisting wavelike disturbances that couple with convection. Using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) multisatellite rainfall estimates, this study determines the relative number of tropical cyclones that can be attributed to various wave types, including the Madden--Julian oscillation (MJO), Kelvin waves, equatorial Rossby (ER) waves, mixed Rossby--gravity (MRG) waves, and tropical depression (TD)-type disturbances. Tropical cyclogenesis is attributed to an equatorial wave's convection when the filtered rainfall anomaly exceeds a threshold value at the genesis location. More storms are attributed to TD-type disturbances than to any other wave type in all of the Northern Hemisphere basins. In the Southern Hemisphere, however, ER waves and TD-type disturbances are equally important as precursors. Fewer storms are attributed to MRG waves, Kelvin waves, and the MJO in every basin. Although relatively few storms are attributed to the MJO, tropical cyclogenesis is 2.6 times more likely in its convective phase compared with its suppressed phase. This modulation arises in part because each equatorial wave type is amplified within MJO's convective phase. The amplification significantly increases the probability that these waves will act as tropical cyclone precursors. A case study from June 2002 illustrates the effects of a series of Kelvin waves on two tropical cyclone formations. These waves were embedded in the convective phase of the MJO. Together, the MJO and the Kelvin waves preconditioned the low-level environment for cyclogenesis. The first Kelvin wave weakened the trade easterlies, while the subsequent waves created monsoon westerlies near the equator. These westerlies provided the background cyclonic vorticity within which both storms developed. The effects of tropical cyclone-related rainfall anomalies are also investigated. In the wavenumber--frequency spectrum for rainfall, tropical cyclones can inflate the power for shorter wavelength westward propagating waves by up to 27%. This spectrum contains signals from all longitudes, but the greatest contamination occurs in regions like the Philippines where tropical cyclones are most frequent. Here, tropical cyclones contribute more than 40% of the rainfall variance in each filter band. To mitigate these effects, tropical cyclone-related anomalies were removed before filtering in this study.

Objective Estimates of Westward Rossby Wave and Eddy Propagation from Sea Surface Height Analyses

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-17

Urban (2003), Calibration and ver- ification of Jason-1 using global along-track residuals with TOPEX, Mar. Geod ., 26, 305-317. Chclton, D. B...deep ocean processes in operational systems. Mar. Geod ., 27, 433 451, doi:10.l080/01490410490902007. Zlotnicki, V, L.-L. Fu, and W. Patzert (1989

Modulation of Subseasonal Tropical Cyclone Genesis In The Western North Pacific By Wave Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jianyun; Cheung, Kevin K. W.

2017-04-01

Tropical cyclone (TC) activity is well known to possess variability on multiple timescales, ranging from inter-decadal to intraseasonal. In this study, the subseasonal variability of TC genesis in the western North Pacific (WNP) is examined during summer (May-October) for the period of 1979-2015. In particular, clustering of TC activity within subseasonal timescale is the focus. First, three phases (active, normal and inactive phases) of TC clustering are defined based on the statistics of genesis frequency. Then the modes of subseasonal modulation of these three phases by intraseasonal (30-60-day) oscillation (ISO), biweekly (10-20-day) oscillation (BWO), and the convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEW), including Rossby, Kelvin, and mixed Rossby-gravity and tropical depression-type waves are considered. It is found that the embedding large-scale circulation is significantly different between the inactive phase and the other phases. Further, the intensities and propagation phases of the ISO, BWO and CCEW play different roles to modulate TC genesis frequency during the active and normal phase. Considering the lag correlation of these subseasonal modulation modes and TC genesis, it is possible to construct a statistical model for the purpose of extended-range forecasting of subseasonal variability of TC occurrence over the WNP.

Quasi-biweekly oscillations of the South Asian monsoon and its co-evolution in the upper and lower troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, Sebastián; Webster, Peter J.; Toma, Violeta; Chang, Hai-Ru

2017-11-01

The Upper Tropospheric Quasi-Biweekly Oscillation (UQBW) of the South Asian monsoon is studied using the potential vorticity field on the 370 K isentrope. The UQBW is shown to be a common occurrence in the upper troposphere during the monsoon, and its typical evolution is described. We suggest that the UQBW is a phenomenon of both the middle and tropical latitudes, owing its existence to the presence of the planetary-scale upper-tropospheric monsoon anticyclone. The UQBW is first identified as Rossby waves originating in the northern flank of the monsoon anticyclone. These Rossby waves break when reaching the Pacific Ocean, and their associated cyclonic PV anomalies move southward to the east of Asia and then westward across the Indian Ocean and Africa advected by the monsoon anticyclone. A strong correlation, or co-evolution, between the UQBW and quasi-biweekly oscillations in the lower troposphere (QBW) is also found. In particular, analysis of vertically-integrated horizontal moisture transport, 850 hPa geopotential, and outgoing long-wave radiation show that the UQBW is usually observed at the same time as, and co-evolves with, the lower tropospheric QBW over South Asia. We discuss the nature of the UQBW, and its possible physical link with the QBW.

Regarding tracer transport in Mars' winter atmosphere in the presence of nearly stationary, forced planetary waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffrey L.; Haberle, R. M.; Houben, Howard C.

1993-01-01

Large-scale transport of volatiles and condensates on Mars, as well as atmospheric dust, is ultimately driven by the planet's global-scale atmospheric circulation. This circulation arises in part from the so-called mean meridional (Hadley) circulation that is associated with rising/poleward motion in low latitudes and sinking/equatorward motion in middle and high latitudes. Intimately connected to the mean circulation is an eddy-driven component due to large-scale wave activity in the planet's atmosphere. During winter this wave activity arises both from traveling weather systems (i.e., barotropic and baroclinic disturbances) and from 'forced' disturbances (e.g., the thermal tides and surface-forced planetary waves). Possible contributions to the effective (net) transport circulation from forced planetary waves are investigated.

Synoptic Traveling Weather Systems on Mars: Effects of Radiatively-Active Water Ice Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery L.; Kahre, Melinda A.; Haberle, Robert; Atsuki Urata, Richard

2016-10-01

Atmospheric aerosols on Mars are critical in determining the nature of its thermal structure, its large-scale circulation, and hence the overall climate of the planet. We conduct multi-annual simulations with the latest version of the NASA Ames Mars global climate model (GCM), gcm2.3+, that includes a modernized radiative-transfer package and complex water-ice cloud microphysics package which permit radiative effects and interactions of suspended atmospheric aerosols (e.g., water ice clouds, water vapor, dust, and mutual interactions) to influence the net diabatic heating. Results indicate that radiatively active water ice clouds profoundly affect the seasonal and annual mean climate. The mean thermal structure and balanced circulation patterns are strongly modified near the surface and aloft. Warming of the subtropical atmosphere at altitude and cooling of the high latitude atmosphere at low levels takes place, which increases the mean pole-to-equator temperature contrast (i.e., "baroclinicity"). With radiatively active water ice clouds (RAC) compared to radiatively inert water ice clouds (nonRAC), significant changes in the intensity of the mean state and forced stationary Rossby modes occur, both of which affect the vigor and intensity of traveling, synoptic period weather systems. Such weather systems not only act as key agents in the transport of heat and momentum beyond the extent of the Hadley circulation, but also the transport of trace species such as water vapor, water ice-clouds, dust and others. The northern hemisphere (NH) forced Rossby waves and resultant wave train are augmented in the RAC case: the modes are more intense and the wave train is shifted equatorward. Significant changes also occur within the subtropics and tropics. The Rossby wave train sets up, combined with the traveling synoptic-period weather systems (i.e., cyclones and anticyclones), the geographic extent of storm zones (or storm tracks) within the NH. A variety of circulation features will be presented which indicate contrasts between the RAC and nonRAC cases, and which highlight key effects radiatively-active clouds have on physical and dynamical processes active in the current climate of Mars.

Synoptic Traveling Weather Systems on Mars: Effects of Radiatively-Active Water Ice Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery; Kahre, Melinda; Haberle, Robert; Urata, Richard

2017-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols on Mars are critical in determining the nature of its thermal structure, its large-scale circulation, and hence the overall climate of the planet. We conduct multi-annual simulations with the latest version of the NASA Ames Mars global climate model (GCM), gcm2.3+, that includes a modernized radiative-transfer package and complex water-ice cloud microphysics package which permit radiative effects and interactions of suspended atmospheric aerosols (e.g., water ice clouds, water vapor, dust, and mutual interactions) to influence the net diabatic heating. Results indicate that radiatively active water ice clouds profoundly affect the seasonal and annual mean climate. The mean thermal structure and balanced circulation patterns are strongly modified near the surface and aloft. Warming of the subtropical atmosphere at altitude and cooling of the high latitude atmosphere at low levels takes place, which increases the mean pole-to-equator temperature contrast (i.e., "baroclinicity"). With radiatively active water ice clouds (RAC) compared to radiatively inert water ice clouds (nonRAC), significant changes in the intensity of the mean state and forced stationary Rossby modes occur, both of which affect the vigor and intensity of traveling, synoptic period weather systems. Such weather systems not only act as key agents in the transport of heat and momentum beyond the extent of the Hadley circulation, but also the transport of trace species such as water vapor, water ice-clouds, dust and others. The northern hemisphere (NH) forced Rossby waves and resultant wave train are augmented in the RAC case: the modes are more intense and the wave train is shifted equatorward. Significant changes also occur within the subtropics and tropics. The Rossby wave train sets up, combined with the traveling synoptic period weather systems (i.e., cyclones and anticyclones), the geographic extent of storm zones (or storm tracks) within the NH. A variety of circulation features will be presented which indicate contrasts between the RAC and nonRAC cases, and which highlight key effects radiatively-active clouds have on physical and dynamical processes active in the current climate of Mars.

Synoptic Traveling Weather Systems on Mars: Effects of Radiatively-Active Water Ice Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery; Kahre, Melinda; Haberle, Robert; Urata, Richard

2017-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols on Mars are critical in determining the nature of its thermal structure, its large-scale circulation, and hence the overall climate of the planet. We conduct multi-annual simulations with the latest version of the NASA Ames Mars global climate model (GCM), gcm2.3+, that includes a modernized radiative-transfer package and complex water-ice cloud microphysics package which permit radiative effects and interactions of suspended atmospheric aerosols (e.g., water ice clouds, water vapor, dust, and mutual interactions) to influence the net diabatic heating. Results indicate that radiatively active water ice clouds profoundly affect the seasonal and annual mean climate. The mean thermal structure and balanced circulation patterns are strongly modified near the surface and aloft. Warming of the subtropical atmosphere at altitude and cooling of the high latitude atmosphere at low levels takes place, which increases the mean pole-to-equator temperature contrast (i.e., "baroclinicity"). With radiatively active water ice clouds (RAC) compared to radiatively inert water ice clouds (nonRAC), significant changes in the intensity of the mean state and forced stationary Rossby modes occur, both of which affect the vigor and intensity of traveling, synoptic period weather systems.Such weather systems not only act as key agents in the transport of heat and momentum beyond the extent of the Hadley circulation, but also the transport of trace species such as water vapor, water ice-clouds, dust and others. The northern hemisphere (NH) forced Rossby waves and resultant wave train are augmented in the RAC case: the modes are more intense and the wave train is shifted equatorward. Significant changes also occur within the subtropics and tropics. The Rossby wave train sets up, combined with the traveling synoptic period weather systems (i.e., cyclones and anticyclones), the geographic extent of storm zones (or storm tracks) within the NH. A variety of circulation features will be presented which indicate contrasts between the RAC and nonRAC cases, and which highlight key effects radiatively-active clouds have on physical and dynamical processes active in the current climate of Mars.

Inertial modes and their transition to turbulence in a differentially rotating spherical gap flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoff, Michael; Harlander, Uwe; Andrés Triana, Santiago; Egbers, Christoph

2016-04-01

We present a study of inertial modes in a spherical shell experiment. Inertial modes are Coriolis-restored linear wave modes, often arise in rapidly-rotating fluids (e.g. in the Earth's liquid outer core [1]). Recent experimental works showed that inertial modes exist in differentially rotating spherical shells. A set of particular inertial modes, characterized by (l,m,ˆω), where l, m is the polar and azimuthal wavenumber and ˆω = ω/Ωout the dimensionless frequency [2], has been found. It is known that they arise due to eruptions in the Ekman boundary layer of the outer shell. But it is an open issue why only a few modes develop and how they get enhanced. Kelley et al. 2010 [3] showed that some modes draw their energy from detached shear layers (e.g. Stewartson layers) via over-reflection. Additionally, Rieutord et al. (2012) [4] found critical layers within the shear layers below which most of the modes cannot exist. In contrast to other spherical shell experiments, we have a full optical access to the flow. Therefore, we present an experimental study of inertial modes, based on Particle-Image-Velocimetry (PIV) data, in a differentially rotating spherical gap flow where the inner sphere is subrotating or counter-rotating at Ωin with respect to the outer spherical shell at Ωout, characterized by the Rossby number Ro = (Ωin - Ωout)/Ωout. The radius ratio of η = 1/3, with rin = 40mm and rout = 120mm, is close to that of the Earth's core. Our apparatus is running at Ekman numbers (E ≈ 10-5, with E = ν/(Ωoutrout2), two orders of magnitude higher than most of the other experiments. Based on a frequency-Rossby number spectrogram, we can partly confirm previous considerations with respect to the onset of inertial modes. In contrast, the behavior of the modes in the counter-rotation regime is different. We found a triad interaction between three dominant inertial modes, where one is a slow axisymmetric Rossby mode [5]. We show that the amplitude of the most dominant mode (l,m,ˆω) = (3,2,˜ 0.71) is increasing with increasing |Ro| until a critical Rossby number Rocrit. Accompanying with this is an increase of the zonal mean flow outside the tangent cylinder, leading to enhanced angular momentum transport. At the particular Rocrit, the wave mode, and the entire flow, breaks up into smaller-scale turbulence [6], together with a strong increase of the zonal mean flow inside the tangent cylinder. We found that the critical Rossby number scales approximately with E1/5. References [1] Aldridge, K. D.; Lumb, L. I. (1987): Inertial waves identified in the Earth's fluid outer core. Nature 325 (6103), S. 421-423. DOI: 10.1038/325421a0. [2] Greenspan, H. P. (1968): The theory of rotating fluids. London: Cambridge U.P. (Cambridge monographs on mechanics and applied mathematics). [3] Kelley, D. H.; Triana, S. A.; Zimmerman, D. S.; Lathrop, D. P. (2010): Selection of inertial modes in spherical Couette flow. Phys. Rev. E 81 (2), 26311. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.81.026311. [4] Rieutord, M.; Triana, S. A.; Zimmerman, D. S.; Lathrop, D. P. (2012): Excitation of inertial modes in an experimental spherical Couette flow. Phys. Rev. E 86 (2), 026304. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.86.026304. [5] Hoff, M., Harlander, U., Egbers, C. (2016): Experimental survey of linear and nonlinear inertial waves and wave instabilities in a spherical shell. J. Fluid Mech., (in print) [6] Kerswell, R. R. (1999): Secondary instabilities in rapidly rotating fluids: inertial wave breakdown. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 382, S. 283-306. DOI: 10.1017/S0022112098003954.

Bianchi class A models in Sàez-Ballester's theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Socorro, J.; Espinoza-García, Abraham

2012-08-01

We apply the Sàez-Ballester (SB) theory to Bianchi class A models, with a barotropic perfect fluid in a stiff matter epoch. We obtain exact classical solutions à la Hamilton for Bianchi type I, II and VIh=-1 models. We also find exact quantum solutions to all Bianchi Class A models employing a particular ansatz for the wave function of the universe.

Seasonal variability of Internal tide energetics in the western Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, S.; Rao, A. D.

2017-12-01

The Internal Waves (IWs) are generated by the flow of barotropic tide over the rapidly varying and steep topographic features like continental shelf slope, seamounts, etc. These waves are an important phenomena in the ocean due to their influence on the density structure and energy transfer into the region. Such waves are also important in submarine acoustics, underwater navigation, offshore structures, ocean mixing and biogeochemical processes, etc. over the shelf-slope region. The seasonal variability of internal tides in the western Bay of Bengal is examined by using three-dimensional MITgcm model. The numerical simulations are performed for different periods covering August-September, 2013; November-December, 2013 and March-April, 2014 representing monsoon, post-monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons respectively during which high temporal resolution observed data sets are available. The model is initially validated through the spectral estimate of density and the baroclinic velocities. From the estimate, it is found that its peak is associated with the semi-diurnal frequency at all the depths in both observations and model simulations for November-December and March-April. However in August, the estimate is found to be maximum near the inertial frequency at all available depths. EOF analysis suggests that about 70-80% of the total variance comes from Mode-1 semi-diurnal internal tide in both observations as well as in the model simulations. The phase speed, group speed and wavelength are found to be maximum for post-monsoon season compared to other two seasons. To understand the generation and propagation of internal tides over this region, barotropic-to-baroclinic M2 tidal energy conversion and energy flux are examined. The barotropic-to-baroclinic conversion occurs intensively along the shelf-slope regions and propagate towards the coast. The model simulated energy dissipation rate infers that its maximum occurs at the generation sites and hence the local mixing due to internal tide is maximum at these sites. The spatial distribution of available potential energy is found to be maximum in November (20kg/m2) in northern BoB and minimum in August (14kg/m2). The detailed energy budget calculation are made for all the seasons and results are analysed.

Impact of viscous boundary layers on the emission of lee-waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renaud, Antoine; Venaille, Antoine; Bouchet, Freddy

2017-04-01

Oceans large-scale structures such as jets and vortices can lose their energy into small-scale turbulence. Understanding the physical mechanisms underlying those energy transfers remains a major theoretical challenge. Here we propose an approach that shed new light on the role of bottom topography in this problem. At a linear level, one efficient way of extracting energy and momentum from the mean-flow above topography undulations is the radiation of lee-waves. The generated lee-waves are well described by inviscid theory which gives a prediction for the energy-loss rate at short time [1]. Using a quasi-linear approach we describe the feedback of waves on the mean-flow occurring mostly close to the bottom topography. This can thereafter impact the lee-waves radiation and thus modify the energy-loss rate for the mean-flow. In this work, we consider the Boussinesq equations with periodic boundary conditions in the zonal direction. Taking advantage of this idealized geometry, we apply zonally-symmetric wave-mean interaction theory [2,3]. The novelty of our work is to discuss the crucial role of dissipative effects, such as molecular or turbulent viscosities, together with the importance of the boundary conditions (free-slip vs no-slip). We provide explicite computations in the case of the free evolution of an initially barotropic flow above a sinusoidal topography with free-slip bottom boundary condition. We show how the existence of the boundary layer for the wave-field can enhance the streaming close to the topography. This leads to the emergence of boundary layer for the mean-flow impacting the energy-loss rate through lee-wave emissions. Our results are compared against direct numerical simulations using the MIT general circulation model and are found to be in good agreement. References [1] S.L. Smith, W.R. Young, Conversion of the Barotropic Tide, JPhysOcean 2002 [2] 0. Bühler, Waves and Mean Flows, second edition, Cambridge university press 2014 [3] J. Muraschko et al, On the application of WKB theory for the simulation of the weakly nonlinear dynamics of gravity waves, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc. 2013

Low-Frequency Oceanographic Variability Near Flemish Cap and Sackville Spur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Layton, Chantelle; Greenan, Blair J. W.; Hebert, Dave; Kelley, Dan E.

2018-03-01

To address a need for science-based advice on issues of resource exploration, two oceanographic moorings were placed on the abyssal slope of northwest Flemish Cap from July 2013 to July 2014. These yielded some of the first long-term moored measurements of velocity, temperature, and salinity in the region. Hydrographic and lowered-ADCP measurements made during mooring deployment and recovery reveal that the deep Labrador Current flows approximately along isobaths between water depths of 1,200 and 2,200 m. However, these snapshots differ significantly, with stronger currents observed during the deployment survey. The mooring data, obtained near the 1,500 m isobath, reveal a complex temporal variation of the current. The velocity spectrum is dominated by a peak at a period of approximately 21 days, with power increasing with depth in the water column and varying through the year. In other boundary-current studies, variations in the several-week band have been attributed to baroclinic topographic Rossby waves, but with just two widely spaced moorings, we cannot infer the wave number and test for such waves using the dispersion relationship. However, an indirect estimate of wave number can be made by examining the variation of spectral power with depth, and doing this yields results that are reasonably consistent with a linear theory of baroclinic topographic Rossby waves for water of constant stratification over a planar slope. This agreement is somewhat surprising, given the simplicity of the theory and the complexity of the domain, but it appears to offer a clear indication of the importance of baroclinic vorticity dynamics in this region.

Warm-Core Intensification Through Horizontal Eddy Heat Transports into the Eye

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Scott A.; Montgomery, Michael T.; Fulton, John; Nolan, David S.; Starr, David OC (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A simulation of Hurricane Bob (1991) using the PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale model with a finest mesh spacing of 1.3 km is used to diagnose the heat budget of the hurricane. Heat budget terms, including latent and radiative heating, boundary layer forcing, and advection terms were output directly from the model for a 6-h period with 2-min frequency. Previous studies of warm core formation have emphasized the warming associated with gentle subsidence within the eye. The simulation of Hurricane Bob confirms subsidence warming as a major factor for eye warming, but also shows a significant contribution from horizontal advective terms. When averaged over the area of the eye, subsidence is found to strongly warm the mid-troposphere (2-9 km) while horizontal advection warms the mid to upper troposphere (5-13 km) with about equal magnitude. Partitioning of the horizontal advective terms into azimuthal mean and eddy components shows that the mean radial circulation does not, as expected, generally contribute to this warming, but that it is produced almost entirely by the horizontal eddy transport of heat into the eye. A further breakdown of the eddy components into azimuthal wave numbers 1, 2, and higher indicates that the warming is dominated by wave number 1 asymmetries, with smaller coming from higher wave numbers. Warming by horizontal eddy transport is consistent with idealized modeling of vortex Rossby waves and work is in progress to identify and clarify the role of vortex Rossby waves in warm-core intensification in both the full-physics model and idealized models.

The East Atlantic - West Russia Teleconnection in the North Atlantic: Climate Impact and Relation to Rossby Wave Propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Young-Kwon

2014-01-01

Large-scale winter teleconnection of the East Atlantic - West Russia (EA-WR) over the Atlantic and surrounding regions is examined in order to quantify its impacts on temperature and precipitation and identify the physical mechanisms responsible for its existence. A rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) analysis of the upper-tropospheric monthly height field captures successfully the EA-WR pattern and its interannual variation, with the North Atlantic Oscillation as the first mode. EA-WRs climate impact extends from eastern North America to Eurasia. The positive (negative) EA-WR produces positive (negative) temperature anomalies over the eastern US, western Europe and Russia east of Caspian Sea, with negative (positive) anomalies over eastern Canada, eastern Europe including Ural Mountains and the Middle East. These anomalies are largely explained by lower-tropospheric temperature advections. Positive (negative) precipitation anomalies are found over the mid-latitude Atlantic and central Russia around 60E, where lower-level cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation anomaly is dominant. The eastern Canada and the western Europe are characterized by negative (positive) precipitation anomalies.The EA-WR is found to be closely associated with Rossby wave propagation. Wave activity fluxes show that it is strongly tied to large-scale stationary waves. Furthermore, a stationary wave model (SWM) forced with vorticity transients in the mid-latitude Atlantic (approximately 40N) or diabatic heat source over the subtropical Atlantic near the Caribbean Sea produces well-organized EA-WR-like wave patterns, respectively. Sensitivity tests with the SWM indicate improvement in the simulation of the EA-WR when the mean state is modified to have a positive NAO component that enhances upper-level westerlies between 40-60N.

Genesis of Twin Tropical Cyclones as Revealed by a Global Mesoscale Model: The Role of Mixed Rossby Gravity Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Bo-Wen; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lin, Yuh-Lang; Laing, Arlene

2012-01-01

In this study, it is proposed that twin tropical cyclones (TCs), Kesiny and 01A, in May 2002 formed in association with the scale interactions of three gyres that appeared as a convectively coupled mixed Rossby gravity (ccMRG) wave during an active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). This is shown by analyzing observational data, including NCEP reanalysis data and METEOSAT 7 IR satellite imagery, and performing numerical simulations using a global mesoscale model. A 10-day control run is initialized at 0000 UTC 1 May 2002 with grid-scale condensation but no sub-grid cumulus parameterizations. The ccMRG wave was identified as encompassing two developing and one non-developing gyres, the first two of which intensified and evolved into the twin TCs. The control run is able to reproduce the evolution of the ccMRG wave and thus the formation of the twin TCs about two and five days in advance as well as their subsequent intensity evolution and movement within an 8-10 day period. Five additional 10-day sensitivity experiments with different model configurations are conducted to help understand the interaction of the three gyres, leading to the formation of the TCs. These experiments suggest the improved lead time in the control run may be attributed to the realistic simulation of the ccMRG wave with the following processes: (1) wave deepening (intensification) associated with a reduction in wavelength and/or the intensification of individual gyres, (2) poleward movement of gyres that may be associated with boundary layer processes, (3) realistic simulation of moist processes at regional scales in association with each of the gyres, and (4) the vertical phasing of low- and mid-level cyclonic circulations associated with a specific gyre.

Modeling Study of Planetary Waves in the Mesosphere Lower Thermosphere (MLT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mengel, J. G.; Mayr, H. g.; Drob, D.; Porter, H. S.; Hines, C. O.

2003-01-01

For comparison with measurements from the TIMED satellite and coordinated ground based observations, we present results from our Numerical Spectral Model (NSM) that incorporates the Doppler Spread Parameterization (Hines, 1997) for small-scale gravity waves (GWs). We discuss the planetary waves (PWs) that are purely generated by dynamical interactions, i.e., without explicitly specifying excitation sources related for example to tropospheric convection or topography. With tropospheric heating that reproduces the observed zonal jets near the tropopause and the accompanying reversal in the latitudinal temperature variation, which is conducive to baroclinic instability, long period PWs are produced that propagate up into the stratosphere to affect the wave driven equatorial oscillations (QBO and SAO) extending into the upper mesosphere. The PWs in the model that dominate higher up in the MLT region, however, are to a large extent produced by instabilities under the influence of the zonal circulation and temperature variations in the middle atmosphere and they are amplified by GW interactions. Three classes of PWs are generated there. (1) Rossby waves that slowly propagate westward but are carried by the zonal mean (m = 0) winds to produce eastward and westward propagating PWs respectively in the winter and summer hemispheres below 80 km. Depending on the zonal wave number and magnitudes of the zonal winds under the influence of the equatorial oscillations, the PWs typically have periods between 2 and 20 days and their horizontal wind amplitudes can exceed 40 m/s in the lower mesosphere. (2) Rossby gravity waves that propagate westward at low latitudes, having periods around 2 days for zonal wave numbers m = 2 to 4. (3) Eastward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves generated in the upper mesosphere with periods between 2 and 3 days for m = 1 & 2. The seasonal variations of the PWs reveal that the largest wind amplitudes tend to occur below 80 km in the winter hemisphere, but above that altitude in the summer hemisphere to approach magnitudes as large as 50 m/s.

Tropical Convection's Roles in Tropical Tropopause Cirrus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boehm, Matthew T.; Starr, David OC.; Verlinde, Johannes; Lee, Sukyoung

2002-01-01

The results presented here show that tropical convection plays a role in each of the three primary processes involved in the in situ formation of tropopause cirrus. First, tropical convection transports moisture from the surface into the upper troposphere. Second, tropical convection excites Rossby waves that transport zonal momentum toward the ITCZ, thereby generating rising motion near the equator. This rising motion helps transport moisture from where it is detrained from convection to the cold-point tropopause. Finally, tropical convection excites vertically propagating tropical waves (e.g. Kelvin waves) that provide one source of large-scale cooling near the cold-point tropopause, leading to tropopause cirrus formation.

Group-kinetic theory and modeling of atmospheric turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tchen, C. M.

1989-01-01

A group kinetic method is developed for analyzing eddy transport properties and relaxation to equilibrium. The purpose is to derive the spectral structure of turbulence in incompressible and compressible media. Of particular interest are: direct and inverse cascade, boundary layer turbulence, Rossby wave turbulence, two phase turbulence; compressible turbulence, and soliton turbulence. Soliton turbulence can be found in large scale turbulence, turbulence connected with surface gravity waves and nonlinear propagation of acoustical and optical waves. By letting the pressure gradient represent the elementary interaction among fluid elements and by raising the Navier-Stokes equation to higher dimensionality, the master equation was obtained for the description of the microdynamical state of turbulence.

Climate Analysis of Evaporation Ducts in the South China Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

variations that involve anomalies in extratropical and tropical atmospheric longwave patterns. Figure 43 shows the 200 mb GPH anomalies for the extreme...where the two figures overlap, especially in the extratropics (but with the 200 mb anomalies being slightly further to the west than those at 850 mb...barotropic structure. The global anomalies (Figure 43) show clear anomalous extratropical wave trains (e.g., the alternating positive and negative anomalies

Preventing Jupiter's Great Red Spot from Turning Itself Inside-Out

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shetty, Sushil; Asay-Davis, Xylar; Marcus, Philip

2002-11-01

Previous simulations of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) have failed to reproduce its most prominent feature: its hollowness. Unlike most laboratory 2D vortices, where vorticity is peaked at the center, the GRS has nearly no fluid motion in its interior. The coherent fluid motion is confined to a narrow ring at the outer edge of the GRS that moves counter-clockwise around the vortex. Simulations show that isolated 2D vortices that are as hollow as the GRS are violently unstable, turning themselves inside-out within a few rotations of the vortex. How than can one explain the long-lived, stable GRS? The answer is that the GRS is not isolated but instead embedded in a system of east-west jet streams. The eastward jet streams correspond to strong (potential) vorticity gradients which act as guides for Rossby waves. We show that the interaction between the GRS and the Rossby waves stabilize the GRS. Furthermore, we show that the hollowness of the GRS is near its critical limit, so that if it were any more hollow it would become unstable. We suggest a plausible mechanism through which this critical hollowness is maintained.

A propagating freshwater mode in the Arctic Ocean with multidecadal time scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmith, Torben; Malskær Olsen, Steffen; Margrethe Ringgaard, Ida

2017-04-01

We apply Principal Oscillatory Pattern analysis to the Arctic Ocean fresh water content as simulated in a 500 year long control run with constant preindustrial forcing with the EC-Earth global climate model. Two modes emerge from this analysis. One mode is a standing mode with decadal time scale describing accumulation and release of fresh water in the Beaufort Gyre, known in the literature as the Beaufort Gyre flywheel. In addition, we identify a propagating mode with a time scale around 80 years, propagating along the rim of the Canadian Basin. This mode has maximum variability of the fresh water content in the Transpolar Drift and represents the bulk of the total variability of the fresh water content in the Arctic Ocean and also projects on the fresh water through the Fram Strait. Therefore, potentially, it can introduce a multidecadal variability to the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. We will discuss the physical origin of this propagating mode. This include planetary-scale internal Rossby waves with multidecadal time scale, due to the slow variation of the Coriolis parameter at these high latitudes, as well as topographic steering of these Rossby waves.

Warm-Core Intensification of a Hurricane Through Horizontal Eddy Heat Transports Inside the Eye

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Scott A.; Montgomery, Michael T.; Fulton, John; Nolan, David S.

2001-01-01

A simulation of Hurricane Bob (1991) using the PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale model with a finest mesh spacing of 1.3 km is used to diagnose the heat budget of the hurricane. Heat budget terms, including latent and radiative heating, boundary layer forcing, and advection terms were output directly from the model for a 6-h period with 2-min frequency. Previous studies of warm core formation have emphasized the warming associated with gentle subsidence within the eye. The simulation of Hurricane Bob also identifies subsidence warming as a major factor for eye warming, but also shows a significant contribution from horizontal advective terms. When averaged over the area of the eye, excluding the eyewall (at least in an azimuthal mean sense), subsidence is found to strongly warm the mid-troposphere (2-9 km) while horizontal advection warms the mid to upper troposphere (5-13 km) with about equal magnitude. Partitioning of the horizontal advective terms into azimuthal mean and eddy components shows that the mean radial circulation cannot, as expected, generally contribute to this warming, but that it is produced almost entirely by the horizontal eddy transport of heat into the eye. A further breakdown of the eddy components into azimuthal wave numbers 1, 2, and higher indicates that the warming is dominated by wave number 1 asymmetries, with smaller contributions coming from higher wave numbers. Warming by horizontal eddy transport is consistent with idealized modeling of vortex Rossby waves and work is in progress to identify and clarify the role of vortex Rossby waves in warm-core intensification in both the full-physics model and idealized models.

Agradient velocity, vortical motion and gravity waves in a rotating shallow-water model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutyrin Georgi, G.

2004-07-01

A new approach to modelling slow vortical motion and fast inertia-gravity waves is suggested within the rotating shallow-water primitive equations with arbitrary topography. The velocity is exactly expressed as a sum of the gradient wind, described by the Bernoulli function,B, and the remaining agradient part, proportional to the velocity tendency. Then the equation for inverse potential vorticity,Q, as well as momentum equations for agradient velocity include the same source of intrinsic flow evolution expressed as a single term J (B, Q), where J is the Jacobian operator (for any steady state J (B, Q) = 0). Two components of agradient velocity are responsible for the fast inertia-gravity wave propagation similar to the traditionally used divergence and ageostrophic vorticity. This approach allows for the construction of balance relations for vortical dynamics and potential vorticity inversion schemes even for moderate Rossby and Froude numbers assuming the characteristic value of |J(B, Q)| = to be small. The components of agradient velocity are used as the fast variables slaved to potential vorticity that allows for diagnostic estimates of the velocity tendency, the direct potential vorticity inversion with the accuracy of 2 and the corresponding potential vorticity-conserving agradient velocity balance model (AVBM). The ultimate limitations of constructing the balance are revealed in the form of the ellipticity condition for balanced tendency of the Bernoulli function which incorporates both known criteria of the formal stability: the gradient wind modified by the characteristic vortical Rossby wave phase speed should be subcritical. The accuracy of the AVBM is illustrated by considering the linear normal modes and coastal Kelvin waves in the f-plane channel with topography.

Temporal Clustering of Regional-Scale Extreme Precipitation Events in Southern Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, Yannick; Giannakaki, Paraskevi; Von Waldow, Harald; Chevalier, Clément; Pfhal, Stephan; Martius, Olivia

2017-04-01

Temporal clustering of extreme precipitation events on subseasonal time scales is a form of compound extremes and is of crucial importance for the formation of large-scale flood events. Here, the temporal clustering of regional-scale extreme precipitation events in southern Switzerland is studied. These precipitation events are relevant for the flooding of lakes in southern Switzerland and northern Italy. This research determines whether temporal clustering is present and then identifies the dynamics that are responsible for the clustering. An observation-based gridded precipitation dataset of Swiss daily rainfall sums and ECMWF reanalysis datasets are used. To analyze the clustering in the precipitation time series a modified version of Ripley's K function is used. It determines the average number of extreme events in a time period, to characterize temporal clustering on subseasonal time scales and to determine the statistical significance of the clustering. Significant clustering of regional-scale precipitation extremes is found on subseasonal time scales during the fall season. Four high-impact clustering episodes are then selected and the dynamics responsible for the clustering are examined. During the four clustering episodes, all heavy precipitation events were associated with an upperlevel breaking Rossby wave over western Europe and in most cases strong diabatic processes upstream over the Atlantic played a role in the amplification of these breaking waves. Atmospheric blocking downstream over eastern Europe supported this wave breaking during two of the clustering episodes. During one of the clustering periods, several extratropical transitions of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic contributed to the formation of high-amplitude ridges over the Atlantic basin and downstream wave breaking. During another event, blocking over Alaska assisted the phase locking of the Rossby waves downstream over the Atlantic.

The ocean-atmosphere response to wind-induced thermocline changes in the tropical South Western Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manola, Iris; Selten, F. M.; de Ruijter, W. P. M.; Hazeleger, W.

2015-08-01

In the Indian Ocean basin the sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are most sensitive to changes in the oceanic depth of the thermocline in the region of the Seychelles Dome. Observational studies have suggested that the strong SST variations in this region influence the atmospheric evolution around the basin, while its impact could extend far into the Pacific and the extra-tropics. Here we study the adjustments of the coupled atmosphere-ocean system to a winter shallow doming event using dedicated ensemble simulations with the state-of-the-art EC-Earth climate model. The doming creates an equatorial Kelvin wave and a pair of westward moving Rossby waves, leading to higher SST 1-2 months later in the Western equatorial Indian Ocean. Atmospheric convection is strengthened and the Walker circulation responds with reduced convection over Indonesia and cooling of the SST in that region. The Pacific warm pool convection shifts eastward and an oceanic Kelvin wave is triggered at thermocline depth. The wave leads to an SST warming in the East Equatorial Pacific 5-6 months after the initiation of the Seychelles Dome event. The atmosphere responds to this warming with weak anomalous atmospheric convection. The changes in the upper tropospheric divergence in this sequence of events create large-scale Rossby waves that propagate away from the tropics along the atmospheric waveguides. We suggest to repeat these types of experiments with other models to test the robustness of the results. We also suggest to create the doming event in June so that the East-Pacific warming occurs in November when the atmosphere is most sensitive to SST anomalies and El Niño could possibly be triggered by the doming event under suitable conditions.

Experimental observation of steady inertial wave turbulence in deep rotating flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarom, Ehud; Sharon, Eran

2015-11-01

We present experimental evidence of inertial wave turbulence in deep rotating fluid. Experiments were performed in a rotating cylindrical water tank, where previous work showed statistics similar to 2D turbulence (specifically an inverse energy cascade). Using Fourier analysis of high resolution data in both space (3D) and time we show that most of the energy of a steady state flow is contained around the inertial wave dispersion relation. The nonlinear interaction between the waves is manifested by the widening of the time spectrum around the dispersion relation. We show that as the Rossby number increases so does the spectrum width, with a strong dependence on wave number. Our results suggest that in some parameters range, rotating turbulence velocity field can be represented as a field of interacting waves (wave turbulence). Such formalism may provide a better understanding of the flow statistics. This work was supported by the Israel Science Foundation, Grant No. 81/12.

Finite Element Barotropic Model for the Indian and Western Pacific OceanBasin: Tidal Model Data Comparisons and Sensitivities

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-11

From - To) 01/11/2018 Final Technical Report June 01 2016 - Dec 30 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Sa. CONTRACT NUMBER Finite - Element Barotropic Model...grid finite - element barotropic fully hydrodynamic model in order to understand the shallow-water dynamics of the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean...dissipative dissipative processes are explored. 15. SUBJECTTERMS finite - element , unstructured grid, barotropic tides, bathymetry, internal tide

Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves in Reanalysis and CMIP5 Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castanheira, J. M.; Marques, C. A. F.

2014-12-01

Convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) are a result of the interplay between the physics and dynamics in the tropical atmosphere. As a result of such interplay, tropical convection appears often organized into synoptic to planetary-scale disturbances with time scales matching those of equatorial shallow water waves. CCEWs have broad impacts within the tropics, and their simulation in general circulation models is still problematic. Several studies showed that dispersion of those waves characteristics fit the dispersion curves derived from the Matsuno's (1966) solutions of the shallow water equations on the equatorial beta plane, namely, Kelvin, equatorial Rossby, mixed Rossby-gravity, and inertio-gravity waves. However, the more common methodology used to identify those waves is yet controversial. In this communication a new methodology for the diagnosis of CCEWs will be presented. It is based on a pre-filtering of the geopotential and horizontal wind, using 3--D normal modes functions of the adiabatic linearized equations of a resting atmosphere, followed by a space--time spectral analysis to identify the spectral regions of coherence. The methodology permits a direct detection of various types of equatorial waves, compares the dispersion characteristics of the coupled waves with the theoretical dispersion curves and allows an identification of which vertical modes are more involved in the convection. Moreover, the proposed methodology is able to show the existence of free dry waves and moist coupled waves with a common vertical structure, which is in conformity with the effect of convective heating/cooling on the effective static stability, as traduced in the gross moist stability concept. The methodology is also sensible to Doppler shifting effects. The methodology has been applied to the ERA-Interim horizontal wind and geopotential height fields and to the interpolated Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) data produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The same type of data (i.e. u, v, Φ and OLR) from CMIP5 historical experiments (1976-2005) were analyzed. The obtained results provide examples of the aforementioned effects and points deficiencies in the models.

Vertical tilts of tropospheric waves - Observations and theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebisuzaki, Wesley

1991-01-01

Two methods are used to investigate the vertical tilts of planetary waves as functions of zonal wavenumber and frequency. The vertical tilts are computed by cross-spectral analysis of the geopotential heights at different pressures. In the midlatitude troposphere, the eastward-moving waves had a westward tilt with height, as expected, but the westward-moving waves with frequencies higher than 0.2/d showed statistically significant eastward vertical tilts. For a free Rossby wave, this implies that the Eliassen-Palm flux is downward along with its energy propagation. A downward energy propagation suggests an upper-level source of these waves. It is proposed that the eastward-tilting waves were forced by the nonlinear interaction of stationary waves and baroclinically unstable cyclone-scale waves. The predicted vertical tilt and phase speed were consistent with the observations. In addition, simulations of a general circulation model were analyzed. In the control run, eastward-tilting waves disappeared when the sources of stationary waves were removed. This is consistent with the present theory.

African Easterly Jet: Barotropic Instability, Waves, and Cyclogenesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Man-Li C; Reale, Oreste; Schubert, Siegfried D.; Suarez, Max J.; Thorncroft, Chris D.

2012-01-01

This study investigates the structure of the African easterly jet, focusing on instability processes on a seasonal and subseasonal scale, with the goal of identifying features that could provide increased predictability of Atlantic tropical cyclogenesis. The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) is used as the main investigating tool. MERRA is compared with other reanalyses datasets from major operational centers around the world and was found to describe very effectively the circulation over the African monsoon region. In particular, a comparison with precipitation datasets from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project shows that MERRA realistically reproduces seasonal precipitation over that region. The verification of the generalized Kuo barotropic instability condition computed from seasonal means is found to have the interesting property of defining well the location where observed tropical storms are detected. This property does not appear to be an artifact of MERRA and is present also in the other adopted reanalysis datasets. Therefore, the fact that the areas where the mean flow is unstable seems to provide a more favorable environment for wave intensification, could be another factor to include-in addition to sea surface temperature, vertical shear, precipitation, the role of Saharan air, and others-among large-scale forcings affecting development and tropical cyclone frequency. In addition, two prominent modes of variability are found based on a spectral analysis that uses the Hilbert-Huang transform: a 2.5-6-day mode that corresponds well to the African easterly waves and also a 6-9-day mode that seems to be associated with tropical- extratropical interaction.

The dynamics of the Jovian White Ovals and the Great Red Spot in the presence of the East-West zonal flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youssef, Ashraf

We characterize the history of Jupiter's three White Ovals as four distinct epochs: Formation (1939-41), Kármán Vortex Street (1941-94), Pre- Merger (1994-97), and Merger (1997-98). We use a quasi-geostrophic model. During Formation, the three anti-cyclonic White Ovals were created through the break up of a band of clouds that circled the planet at ~34°S. The Kármán Vortex Street Epoch is marked by longitudinal oscillations of the vortices. We show that for the White Ovals to oscillate and not merge, they must be in a Kármán vortex street, where the row of White Ovals is staggered with a row of cyclones slightly to their north. The Pre- Merger Epoch is marked by the White Ovals travelling as a closely spaced group. We found that if the eastern jet to the south of the row of White Ovals is a sharp gradient in background potential vorticity, it forms a Rossby wave that traps the White Ovals. During the Merger Epoch, in early 1998, the trapped White Ovals BC and DE approached a cyclone to their east, and they merged. Our numerical simulations show that the cyclone between BC and DE was forced to exchange places with DE for the merger to occur. We determine the energy requirements for exchange. The numerical simulations of the Great Red Spot (GRS) cannot reproduce its quiet central region unless it too is trapped by a Rossby wave. In order for the GRS to be a high speed circumferential jet surrounding a quiet center, it must be a hollow vortex with a minimum of potential vorticity at the center and a maximum at the edge. The GRS with sufficient hollowness is unstable to fragmentation and redistribution of its potential vorticity to a distribution which is peaked at the center rather than hollow. If the GRS rests in the trough of a Rossby wave, we show that a sufficiently hollow GRS is stabilized.

Numerical study of interfacial solitary waves propagating under an elastic sheet

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhan; Părău, Emilian I.; Milewski, Paul A.; Vanden-Broeck, Jean-Marc

2014-01-01

Steady solitary and generalized solitary waves of a two-fluid problem where the upper layer is under a flexible elastic sheet are considered as a model for internal waves under an ice-covered ocean. The fluid consists of two layers of constant densities, separated by an interface. The elastic sheet resists bending forces and is mathematically described by a fully nonlinear thin shell model. Fully localized solitary waves are computed via a boundary integral method. Progression along the various branches of solutions shows that barotropic (i.e. surface modes) wave-packet solitary wave branches end with the free surface approaching the interface. On the other hand, the limiting configurations of long baroclinic (i.e. internal) solitary waves are characterized by an infinite broadening in the horizontal direction. Baroclinic wave-packet modes also exist for a large range of amplitudes and generalized solitary waves are computed in a case of a long internal mode in resonance with surface modes. In contrast to the pure gravity case (i.e without an elastic cover), these generalized solitary waves exhibit new Wilton-ripple-like periodic trains in the far field. PMID:25104909

Fitting dynamic models to the Geosat sea level observations in the tropical Pacific Ocean. I - A free wave model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Lee-Lueng; Vazquez, Jorge; Perigaud, Claire

1991-01-01

Free, equatorially trapped sinusoidal wave solutions to a linear model on an equatorial beta plane are used to fit the Geosat altimetric sea level observations in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The Kalman filter technique is used to estimate the wave amplitude and phase from the data. The estimation is performed at each time step by combining the model forecast with the observation in an optimal fashion utilizing the respective error covariances. The model error covariance is determined such that the performance of the model forecast is optimized. It is found that the dominant observed features can be described qualitatively by basin-scale Kelvin waves and the first meridional-mode Rossby waves. Quantitatively, however, only 23 percent of the signal variance can be accounted for by this simple model.

Nonlinear dynamics near the stability margin in rotating pipe flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Z.; Leibovich, S.

1991-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of marginally unstable wave packets in rotating pipe flow is studied. These flows depend on two control parameters, which may be taken to be the axial Reynolds number R and a Rossby number, q. Marginal stability is realized on a curve in the (R, q)-plane, and the entire marginal stability boundary is explored. As the flow passes through any point on the marginal stability curve, it undergoes a supercritical Hopf bifurcation and the steady base flow is replaced by a traveling wave. The envelope of the wave system is governed by a complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. The Ginzburg-Landau equation admits Stokes waves, which correspond to standing modulations of the linear traveling wavetrain, as well as traveling wave modulations of the linear wavetrain. Bands of wavenumbers are identified in which the nonlinear modulated waves are subject to a sideband instability.

Barotropic instability with divergence - Theory and applications to Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobrovolskis, Anthony R.; Diner, David J.

1990-01-01

IR images of Venus reveal a curious double-lobed hot spot in the polar region. Elson (1982) has suggested that this dipole represents a barotropic instability associated with a high-latitude jet. Unfortunately, the classical theory of barotropic instability cannot predict temperature variations. This paper generalizes the theory to include horizontal divergence, vertical motions, and temperature variations, and applies it to the stratosphere of Venus. The fastest-growing barotropic instability in the nominal model matches the observed dipole in period and horizontal temperature pattern. The accompanying wind variations are comparable to the speed of the mean jet, indicating strong nonlinear effects. It is concluded that the Venus dipole may represent the self-limited stage of a barotropic instability with divergence.

A high-resolution OGCM simulation of the Tropical Pacific Ocean during the 1985-1994 TOGA period. Part I: Long equatorial waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boulanger, J. P.; Delecluse, F.; Maes, C.; Levy, C.

1995-01-01

A high resolution oceanic general circulation model of the three topical oceans is used to investigate long equatorial wave activity in the Pacific Ocean during the 1985-1994 TOGA period. Zonal wind stress forcing and simulated dynamic height are interpreted using techniques previously applied to data. Kelvin and first Rossby waves are observed propagating during all the period. A seasonal cycle and interannual anomalies are computed for each long equatorial wave. The east Pacific basin is mainly dominated by seasonal cycle variations while strong interannual anomalies are observed west of the dateline. Long wave interannual anomalies are then compared to wave coefficients simulated by a simple wind-forced model. Our results outline the major role played by wind forcing on interannual time scales in generating long equatorial waves. However, near both eastern and western boundaries, some differences can be attributed to long wave reflections. A comparison to wave coefficients calculated from GEOSAT sea-level data gives some insight of the model behavior.

Local Dynamics of Baroclinic Waves in the Martian Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavulich, M. J.; Szunyogh, I.; Gyarmati, G.; Wilson, R.

2010-12-01

In this presentation, the spatio-temporal evolution of baroclinic waves in the GFDL Mars GCM is investigated. The study employs diagnostic techniques that were developed to analyze the life cycles of baroclinic waves in the terrestrial atmosphere. These techniques include a Hilbert-transform-based method to extract the packets of Rossby wave envelopes at the jet level, the eddy kinetic energy equation for the full atmospheric column, and ensemble-based diagnostics. The results show that, similar to the terrestrial atmosphere, coherent westward-propagating wave packets can be detected in the Martian atmosphere. These wave packets are composed of waves of wavenumber 2 through 5, in contrast to the wavenumber 4 through 9 waves that contribute the upper-tropospheric wave packets of the terrestrial atmosphere. Additionally, as in the terrestrial atmosphere, the dominant part of the eddy kinetic energy is generated in regions of baroclinic energy conversion, which are strongly localized in both space and time. Implications of the results for predictability of the state of the Martian atmosphere are also discussed.

On a generating mechanism for Yanai waves and the 25-day oscillation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Brian G.; Meyers, Steven D.; O'Brien, James J.

1995-01-01

A spectral Chebyshev-collocation method applied to the linear, 1.5 layer reduced-gravity ocean model equations is used to study the dynamics of Yanai (or mixed Rossby-gravity) wave packets. These are of interest because of the observations of equatorial instability waves (which have the characteristics of Yanai waves) and their role in the momentum and heat budgets in the tropics. A series of experiments is performed to investigate the generation of the waves by simple cross-equatorial wind stress forcings in various configurations and the influence of a western boundary on the waves. They may be generated in the interior ocean as well as from a western boundary. The observations from all the oceans indicate that the waves have a preferential period and wavelength of around 25 days and 1000 km respectively. These properties are also seen in the model results and a plausible explanation is provided as being due to the dispersive properties of Yanai waves.

Generation of large-scale intrusions at baroclinic fronts: an analytical consideration with a reference to the Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmina, Natalia

2016-12-01

Analytical solutions are found for the problem of instability of a weak geostrophic flow with linear velocity shear accounting for vertical diffusion of buoyancy. The analysis is based on the potential-vorticity equation in a long-wave approximation when the horizontal scale of disturbances is considered much larger than the local baroclinic Rossby radius. It is hypothesized that the solutions found can be applied to describe stable and unstable disturbances of the planetary scale with respect, in particular, to the Arctic Ocean, where weak baroclinic fronts with typical temporal variability periods on the order of several years or more have been observed and the β effect is negligible. Stable (decaying with time) solutions describe disturbances that, in contrast to the Rossby waves, can propagate to both the west and east, depending on the sign of the linear shear of geostrophic velocity. The unstable (growing with time) solutions are applied to explain the formation of large-scale intrusions at baroclinic fronts under the stable-stable thermohaline stratification observed in the upper layer of the Polar Deep Water in the Eurasian Basin. The suggested mechanism of formation of intrusions can be considered a possible alternative to the mechanism of interleaving at the baroclinic fronts due to the differential mixing.

Transport induced by mean-eddy interaction: II. Analysis of transport processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ide, Kayo; Wiggins, Stephen

2015-03-01

We present a framework for the analysis of transport processes resulting from the mean-eddy interaction in a flow. The framework is based on the Transport Induced by the Mean-Eddy Interaction (TIME) method presented in a companion paper (Ide and Wiggins, 2014) [1]. The TIME method estimates the (Lagrangian) transport across stationary (Eulerian) boundaries defined by chosen streamlines of the mean flow. Our framework proceeds after first carrying out a sequence of preparatory steps that link the flow dynamics to the transport processes. This includes the construction of the so-called "instantaneous flux" as the Hovmöller diagram. Transport processes are studied by linking the signals of the instantaneous flux field to the dynamical variability of the flow. This linkage also reveals how the variability of the flow contributes to the transport. The spatio-temporal analysis of the flux diagram can be used to assess the efficiency of the variability in transport processes. We apply the method to the double-gyre ocean circulation model in the situation where the Rossby-wave mode dominates the dynamic variability. The spatio-temporal analysis shows that the inter-gyre transport is controlled by the circulating eddy vortices in the fast eastward jet region, whereas the basin-scale Rossby waves have very little impact.

An analysis on the generation of Rossby waves and gravity waves in the MLT region based on satellite and whole atmosphere model data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasui, R.; Sato, K.; Miyoshi, Y.

2016-12-01

In the middle atmosphere, gravity waves (GWs), tides (TWs) and Rossby waves (RWs) are dominant. By interacting with the mean flow and driving the atmospheric global circulation, these waves maintain the thermal structure which is partly much different from that expected from a radiative balance. GWs are mainly generated in the troposphere and play important roles in the mesosphere. Planetary-scale RWs are dominant in the mesosphere, which are called quasi-two day waves in the summer hemisphere or 4-day waves in the winter hemisphere. However, the momentum budget of the middle atmosphere has not thoroughly examined particularly for the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). In this study, the momentum budget in the MLT region is examined in terms of respective contribution by these waves by using a satellite data and a whole atmosphere model data. Analyzed data are the temperature and geopotential height data from Aura MLS observation as a satellite data and the neutral atmosphere data from the Ground-to-topside model of Atmosphere and Ionosphere for Aeronomy (GAIA), which is a whole atmosphere model. The analyzed period is about 11 years from 8 August 2004 to 19 June 2015. For the RW component, EPFD is significantly positive in the summer mesosphere. Strong upward EPF above the positive EPFD region is extended up to 110 km in the lower thermosphere. By potential vorticity (PV) analysis, it seems that RWs associated with this strong upward EPF are radiated from the PV maximum in the summer mesosphere. This PV maximum is caused by increase in both static stability and relative vorticity due to parameterized GW forcing in GAIA model. Interestingly, there are significant resolved GW components having strong EPF and EPFD. In the summer MLT region, eastward GWs with downward EPF are dominant particularly above the PV maximum. The frequency of Richardson number (Ri) smaller than 1/4 is higher in this region, suggesting that the GW are generated by shear instability in the summer MLT region.

Spectra of Baroclinic Inertia-Gravity Wave Turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glazman, Roman E.

1996-01-01

Baroclinic inertia-gravity (IG) waves form a persistent background of thermocline depth and sea surface height oscillations. They also contribute to the kinetic energy of horizontal motions in the subsurface layer. Measured by the ratio of water particle velocity to wave phase speed, the wave nonlinearity may be rather high. Given a continuous supply of energy from external sources, nonlinear wave-wave interactions among IG waves would result in inertial cascades of energy, momentum, and wave action. Based on a recently developed theory of wave turbulence in scale-dependent systems, these cascades are investigated and IG wave spectra are derived for an arbitrary degree of wave nonlinearity. Comparisons with satellite-altimetry-based spectra of surface height variations and with energy spectra of horizontal velocity fluctuations show good agreement. The well-known spectral peak at the inertial frequency is thus explained as a result of the inverse cascade. Finally, we discuss a possibility of inferring the internal Rossby radius of deformation and other dynamical properties of the upper thermocline from the spectra of SSH (sea surface height) variations based on altimeter measurements.

Rotating-fluid experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geisler, J. E.; Pitcher, E. J.; Malone, R. C.

1983-01-01

In order to determine features of rotating fluid flow that are dependent on the geometry, rotating annulus-type experiments are carried out with a numerical model in spherical coordinates. Rather than constructing and testing a model expressly for this purpose, it is found expedient to modify an existing general circulation model of the atmosphere by removing the model physics and replacing the lower boundary with a uniform surface. A regime diagram derived from these model experiments is presented; its major features are interpreted and contrasted with the major features of rotating annulus regime diagrams. Within the wave regime, a narrow region is found where one or two zonal wave numbers are dominant. The results reveal no upper symmetric regime; wave activity at low rotation rates is thought to be maintained by barotropic rather than baroclinic processes.

Simultaneous generation and scattering of internal tides by ocean floor topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, Manikandan

2015-11-01

Internal waves play a significant role in the global energy budget of the ocean, with internal tides potentially contributing to the conversion of a large amount of mechanical energy into heat in the deep ocean. Several studies in the past decade have investigated internal tide generation and internal tide scattering by ocean floor topography, but by treating them as two separate, independent processes. In this talk, we use the recently developed Green function model (Mathur et al., J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 119, 2165-2182, 2014), sans the WKB approximation, to quantify the extent to which internal tide generation (scattering) that results from barotropic (baroclinic) forcing on small- and large-scale topography in uniform and nonuniform stratifications is modified by the presence of a background baroclinic (barotropic) tide. Results on idealized topography, stratification and forcing will first be presented, followed by a discussion on the relevance of our studies in the real ocean scenario. The author thanks the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India for financial support under the Monsoon Mission Grant MM/2014/IND-002.

Two applications of potential vorticity thinking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Walter A.

1987-01-01

The phenomena of dissipative destabilization of external Rossby waves and the acceleration of the zonal mean jet during baroclinic life cycles are described in terms of potential vorticity. The main principle of the potential temperature variations at rigid boundaries have the same effect on the interior flow as do sheets of potential vorticity located just within the boundaries. It is noted that the potential vorticity theory is useful for understanding the dynamical behavior of meterological phenomena.

Optimal Spectral Decomposition (OSD) for Ocean Data Assimilation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

tropical North Atlantic from the Argo float data (Chu et al. 2007 ), and temporal and spatial variability of global upper-ocean heat content (Chu 2011...O. V. Melnichenko, and N. C. Wells, 2007 : Long baro- clinic Rossby waves in the tropical North Atlantic observed fromprofiling floats. J...Harrison, and D. Stammer , D., Eds., Vol. 2, ESA Publ. WPP- 306, doi:10.5270/OceanObs09.cwp.86. Tang, Y., and R. Kleeman, 2004: SST assimilation

Anomaly General Circulation Models.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarra, Antonio

The feasibility of the anomaly model is assessed using barotropic and baroclinic models. In the barotropic case, both a stationary and a time-dependent model has been formulated and constructed, whereas only the stationary, linear case is considered in the baroclinic case. Results from the barotropic model indicate that a relation between the stationary solution and the time-averaged non-linear solution exists. The stationary linear baroclinic solution can therefore be considered with some confidence. The linear baroclinic anomaly model poses a formidable mathematical problem because it is necessary to solve a gigantic linear system to obtain the solution. A new method to find solution of large linear system, based on a projection on the Krylov subspace is shown to be successful when applied to the linearized baroclinic anomaly model. The scheme consists of projecting the original linear system on the Krylov subspace, thereby reducing the dimensionality of the matrix to be inverted to obtain the solution. With an appropriate setting of the damping parameters, the iterative Krylov method reaches a solution even using a Krylov subspace ten times smaller than the original space of the problem. This generality allows the treatment of the important problem of linear waves in the atmosphere. A larger class (nonzonally symmetric) of basic states can now be treated for the baroclinic primitive equations. These problem leads to large unsymmetrical linear systems of order 10000 and more which can now be successfully tackled by the Krylov method. The (R7) linear anomaly model is used to investigate extensively the linear response to equatorial and mid-latitude prescribed heating. The results indicate that the solution is deeply affected by the presence of the stationary waves in the basic state. The instability of the asymmetric flows, first pointed out by Simmons et al. (1983), is active also in the baroclinic case. However, the presence of baroclinic processes modifies the dominant response. The most sensitive areas are identified; they correspond to north Japan, the Pole and Greenland regions. A limited set of higher resolution (R15) experiments indicate that this situation is still present and enhanced at higher resolution. The linear anomaly model is also applied to a realistic case. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).

Interannual coherent variability of SSTA and SSHA in the Tropical Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, J. Q.

2012-01-01

Sea surface height derived from the multiple ocean satellite altimeter missions (TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, ERS, Envisat et al.) and sea surface temperature from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) over 1993-2008 are analyzed to investigate the coherent patterns between the interannual variability of the sea surface and subsurface in the Tropical Indian Ocean, by jointly adopting Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Extended Associate Pattern Analysis (EAPA) methods. Results show that there are two dominant coherent modes with the nearly same main period of about 3-5 yr, accounting for 86 % of the total covariance in all, but 90° phase difference between them. The primary pattern is characterized by a east-west dipole mode associated with the mature phase of ENSO, and the second presents a sandwich mode having one sign anomalies along Sumatra-Java coast and northeast of Madagascar, whilst an opposite sign between the two regions. The robust correlations of the sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) with sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the leading modes indicate a strong interaction between them, though the highest correlation coefficient appears with a time lag. And there may be some physical significance with respect to ocean dynamics implied in SSHA variability. Analyzing results show that the features of oceanic waves with basin scale, of which the Rossby wave is prominent, are apparent in the dominant modes. It is further demonstrated from the EAPA that the equatorial eastward Kelvin wave and off-equatorial westward Rossby wave as well as their reflection in the east and west boundary, respectively, are important dynamic mechanisms in the evolution of the two leading coherent patterns. Results of the present study suggest that the upper ocean thermal variations on the timescale of interannual coherent with the ocean dynamics in spatial structure and temporal evolution are mainly attributed to the ocean waves.

Initiation Processes of the Tropical Intraseasonal Variability Simulated in an Aqua-Planet Experiment: What is the Intrinsic Mechanism for MJO Onset?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takasuka, Daisuke; Satoh, Masaki; Miyakawa, Tomoki; Miura, Hiroaki

2018-04-01

To understand the intrinsic onset mechanism of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), we simulated a set of initiation processes of MJO-like disturbances in 10 year aqua-planet experiments using a global atmospheric model with a 56 km horizontal mesh and an explicit cloud scheme. Under a condition with a zonally nonuniform sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropics, we reproduced MJO-like disturbances over the western warm pool region. The lagged-composite analysis of detected MJO-like disturbances clarifies the time sequence of three-dimensional dynamic and moisture fields prior to the onset. We found that midtropospheric moistening, a condition that is favorable for deep convection, is particularly obvious in the initiation region 5-9 days before onset. The moistening is caused by two-dimensional horizontal advection due to cross-equatorial shallow circulations associated with mixed Rossby-gravity waves, as well as anomalous poleward flows of a negative Rossby response to suppressed convection. When the midtroposphere is sufficiently moistened, lower tropospheric signals of circumnavigating Kelvin waves trigger active convection. The surface latent heat flux (LHF) feedback contributes to the initial stages of convective organization, while the cloud-radiation feedback contributes to later stages. Sensitivity experiments suggest that circumnavigating Kelvin waves regulate the period of MJO-like disturbances because of efficient convective triggering and that the LHF feedback contributes to rapid convective organization. However, the experiments also reveal that both conditions are not necessary for the existence of MJO-like disturbances. Implications for the relevance of these mechanisms for MJO onset are also discussed.

A comprehensive analysis of coherent rainfall patterns in China and potential drivers. Part I: Interannual variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephan, Claudia Christine; Klingaman, Nicholas Pappas; Vidale, Pier Luigi; Turner, Andrew George; Demory, Marie-Estelle; Guo, Liang

2018-06-01

Interannual rainfall variability in China affects agriculture, infrastructure and water resource management. To improve its understanding and prediction, many studies have associated precipitation variability with particular causes for specific seasons and regions. Here, a consistent and objective method, Empirical Orthogonal Teleconnection (EOT) analysis, is applied to 1951-2007 high-resolution precipitation observations over China in all seasons. Instead of maximizing the explained space-time variance, the method identifies regions in China that best explain the temporal variability in domain-averaged rainfall. The EOT method is validated by the reproduction of known relationships to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO): high positive correlations with ENSO are found in eastern China in winter, along the Yangtze River in summer, and in southeast China during spring. New findings include that wintertime rainfall variability along the southeast coast is associated with anomalous convection over the tropical eastern Atlantic and communicated to China through a zonal wavenumber-three Rossby wave. Furthermore, spring rainfall variability in the Yangtze valley is related to upper-tropospheric midlatitude perturbations that are part of a Rossby wave pattern with its origin in the North Atlantic. A circumglobal wave pattern in the northern hemisphere is also associated with autumn precipitation variability in eastern areas. The analysis is objective, comprehensive, and produces timeseries that are tied to specific locations in China. This facilitates the interpretation of associated dynamical processes, is useful for understanding the regional hydrological cycle, and allows the results to serve as a benchmark for assessing general circulation models.

Influence of wintertime large-scale circulation on the explosively developing cyclones over the western North Pacific and their downstream effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshiike, Satoki; Kawamura, Ryuichi

2009-07-01

The relationships between large-scale wintertime circulation and extratropical cyclones that develop explosively (the so-called bomb cyclones) over the western North Pacific are investigated using Japanese long-term reanalysis project data. On a monthly basis, the East Asian winter monsoon variability strongly modulates the bomb cyclone activity in terms of its geographical distribution. When the monsoon is strong, the bomb cyclone activity tends to concentrate in the vicinity of the Kuroshio Current and the Kuroshio Extension near Japan, while when the monsoon is weak, it disperses over the broader areas. The enhancement of the monsoon increases the heat and moisture supply from warm currents, facilitating unstable conditions within the atmospheric boundary layer and intensifying baroclinicity in the lower troposphere. These factors are believed to play a role in inducing bomb cyclones, particularly along the warm currents. On submonthly timescales, the stationary Rossby wave propagation along the South Asian waveguide serves as a prominent trigger for the rapid reinforcement of synoptic-scale disturbances around Japan. When a pronounced bomb cyclone comes to its mature stage northeast of Japan, it is capable of exciting stationary Rossby waves downstream from the Asian jet exit region as vorticity forcing. The stationary wave packets developing southeastward across the North Pacific Ocean basin induce surface cyclogenesis in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands by leading to the equatorward advection of higher potential vorticity from the midlatitudes, bringing about the occurrence of kona storms, which cause weather hazards in Hawaii.

Physical Mechanisms for the Maintenance of GCM-Simulated Madden-Julian Oscillation over the Indian Ocean and Pacific

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deng, Liping; Wu, Xiaoqing

2011-05-05

The kinetic energy budget is conducted to analyze the physical processes responsible for the improved Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) simulated by the Iowa State University general circulation models (ISUGCM). The modified deep convection scheme that includes the revised convection closure, convection trigger condition and convective momentum transport (CMT) enhances the equatorial (10oS-10oN) MJO-related perturbation kinetic energy (PKE) in the upper troposphere and leads to more robust and coherent eastward propagating MJO signal. In the MJO source region-the Indian Ocean (45oE-120oE), the upper-tropospheric MJO PKE is maintained by the vertical convergence of wave energy flux and the barotropic conversion through the horizontalmore » shear of mean flow. In the convectively active region-the western Pacific (120oE-180o), the upper-tropospheric MJO PKE is supported by the convergence of horizontal and vertical wave energy fluxes. Over the central-eastern Pacific (180o-120oW), where convection is suppressed, the upper-tropospheric MJO PKE is mainly due to the horizontal convergence of wave energy flux. The deep convection trigger condition produces stronger convective heating which enhances the perturbation available potential energy (PAPE) production and the upward wave energy fluxes, and leads to the increased MJO PKE over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. The trigger condition also enhances the MJO PKE over the central-eastern Pacific through the increased convergence of meridional wave energy flux from the subtropical latitudes of both hemispheres. The revised convection closure affects the response of mean zonal wind shear to the convective heating over the Indian Ocean and leads to the enhanced upper-tropospheric MJO PKE through the barotropic conversion. The stronger eastward wave energy flux due to the increase of convective heating over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific by the revised closure is favorable to the eastward propagation of MJO and the convergence of horizontal wave energy flux over the central-eastern Pacific. The convection-induced momentum tendency tends to decelerate the upper-tropospheric wind which results in a negative work to the PKE budget in the upper troposphere. However, the convection momentum tendency accelerates the westerly wind below 800 hPa over the western Pacific, which is partially responsible for the improved MJO simulation.« less

The Effect of Barotropic and Baroclinic Tides on Coastal Stratification and Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suanda, S. H.; Feddersen, F.; Kumar, N.

2017-12-01

The effects of barotropic and baroclinic tides on subtidal stratification and vertical mixing are examined with high-resolution, three-dimensional numerical simulations of the Central Californian coastal upwelling region. A base simulation with realistic atmospheric and regional-scale boundary forcing but no tides (NT) is compared to two simulations with the addition of predominantly barotropic local tides (LT) and with combined barotropic and remotely generated, baroclinic tides (WT) with ≈ 100 W m-1 onshore baroclinic energy flux. During a 10 day period of coastal upwelling when the domain volume-averaged temperature is similar in all three simulations, LT has little difference in subtidal temperature and stratification compared to NT. In contrast, the addition of remote baroclinic tides (WT) reduces the subtidal continental shelf stratification up to 50% relative to NT. Idealized simulations to isolate barotropic and baroclinic effects demonstrate that within a parameter space of typical U.S. West Coast continental shelf slopes, barotropic tidal currents, incident energy flux, and subtidal stratification, the dissipating baroclinic tide destroys stratification an order of magnitude faster than barotropic tides. In WT, the modeled vertical temperature diffusivity at the top (base) of the bottom (surface) boundary layer is increased up to 20 times relative to NT. Therefore, the width of the inner-shelf (region of surface and bottom boundary layer overlap) is increased approximately 4 times relative to NT. The change in stratification due to dissipating baroclinic tides is comparable to the magnitude of the observed seasonal cycle of stratification.

Seasonal varability of the Canary Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vélez-Belchí, P.; Hernandez-Guerra, A.; Pérez-Hernández, M. D.

2016-02-01

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is recognized as an important component of the climate system, contributing to the relatively mild climate of northwest Europe. Due to its importance, the strength of the AMOC is continually monitored along 26ºN with several moorings, east of the Bahamas, in the Middle Atlantic Ridge and south of the Canary islands, known as the RAPID array. The measurements of the RAPID array show a 6 Sv seasonal cycle for the AMOC, and recent studies have pointed out the dynamics of the eastern Atlantic as the main driver for this seasonal cycle, specifically, rossby waves excited south of the Canary Islands.Due to the important role of the eastern Atlantic, in this study we describe the seasonal cycle of the Canary Current (CC) and the Canary Upwelling Current (CUC), using hydrographic data from two cruises carried out in a box around the Canary Islands, the region where the eastern component of the RAPID array is placed. CTD, VMADCP and LADCP data were combined with inverse modeling in order to determine absolute geostrophic transports in the Canary Islands region in fall and spring. During spring, the overall transport of Canary Current and the CUC was southward. In the Lanzarote Passage (LP), between the Canary Islands and Africa, the CUC transported 0.6±0.20 Sv southward, while the Canary Current transported 1.0±0.40 Sv in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. During fall, the CUC transported 2.8±0.4Sv northward, while the CC transported 2.9±0.60 Sv southward in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. The seasonal cycle observed has and amplitude of 3.4Sv for the CUC and 1.9Sv for the CC. Data from a mooring in the LP and the hydrographic data was used to calibrate geostrophic transport estimated using altimetry data. The amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the geostrophic transport obtained using the calibrated altimetry data (Figure 1) was quite similar to the seasonal cycle of the Eastern Atlantic contribution to the AMOC, as measured by the RAPID array. To understand the relationship between the seasonal cycle found in the CC and CUC, and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the AMOC transport associated with Rossby waves, a sensitivity study of the Rossby wave model is included.

Seasonal cycle of the Canary Current.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vélez-Belchí, P.; Hernandez-Guerra, A.; Pérez-Hernández, M. D.

2015-12-01

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is recognized as an important component of the climate system, contributing to the relatively mild climate of northwest Europe. Due to its importance, the strength of the AMOC is continually monitored along 26ºN with several moorings east of the Bahamas, in the Middle Atlantic Ridge and south of the Canary islands, known as the RAPID array. The measurements of the RAPID array show a 6 Sv seasonal cycle for the AMOC, and recent studies have pointed out the dynamics of the eastern Atlantic as the main driver for this seasonal cycle, specifically, rossby waves excited south of the Canary Islands. Due to the important role of the eastern Atlantic, in this study we describe the seasonal cycle of the Canary Current (CC) and the Canary Upwelling Current (CUC) using hydrographic data from two cruises carried out in a box around the Canary Islands, the region where the eastern component of the RAPID array is placed. CTD, VMADCP and LADCP data were combined with inverse modeling in order to determine absolute geostrophic transports in the Canary Islands region in fall and spring. During spring, the overall transport of Canary Current and the CUC was southward. In the Lanzarote Passage (LP), between the Canary Islands and Africa, the CUC transported 0.6±0.20 Sv southward, while the Canary Current transported 1.0±0.40 Sv in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. During fall, the CUC transported 2.8±0.4Sv northward, while the CC transported 2.9±0.60 Sv southward in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. The seasonal cycle observed has an amplitude of 3.4Sv for the CUC and 1.9Sv for the CC. Data from a mooring in the LP and the hydrographic data was used to calibrate geostrophic transport estimated using altimetry data. The amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the geostrophic transport obtained using the calibrated altimetry data (Figure 1) was quite similar to the seasonal cycle of the Eastern Atlantic contribution to the AMOC, as measured by the RAPID array. To understand the relationship between the seasonal cycle found in the CC and CUC, and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the AMOC transport associated with Rossby waves, a sensitivity study of the Rossby wave model is included.

The tropical tropopause inversion layer: variability and modulation by equatorial waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilch Kedzierski, Robin; Matthes, Katja; Bumke, Karl

2016-09-01

The tropical tropopause layer (TTL) acts as a transition layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere over several kilometers, where air has both tropospheric and stratospheric properties. Within this region, a fine-scale feature is located: the tropopause inversion layer (TIL), which consists of a sharp temperature inversion at the tropopause and the corresponding high static stability values right above, which theoretically affect the dispersion relations of atmospheric waves like Rossby or inertia-gravity waves and hamper stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE). Therefore, the TIL receives increasing attention from the scientific community, mainly in the extratropics so far. Our goal is to give a detailed picture of the properties, variability and forcings of the tropical TIL, with special emphasis on small-scale equatorial waves and the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO).We use high-resolution temperature profiles from the COSMIC satellite mission, i.e., ˜ 2000 measurements per day globally, between 2007 and 2013, to derive TIL properties and to study the fine-scale structures of static stability in the tropics. The situation at near tropopause level is described by the 100 hPa horizontal wind divergence fields, and the vertical structure of the QBO is provided by the equatorial winds at all levels, both from the ERA-Interim reanalysis.We describe a new feature of the equatorial static stability profile: a secondary stability maximum below the zero wind line within the easterly QBO wind regime at about 20-25 km altitude, which is forced by the descending westerly QBO phase and gives a double-TIL-like structure. In the lowermost stratosphere, the TIL is stronger with westerly winds. We provide the first evidence of a relationship between the tropical TIL strength and near-tropopause divergence, with stronger (weaker) TIL with near-tropopause divergent (convergent) flow, a relationship analogous to that of TIL strength with relative vorticity in the extratropics.To elucidate possible enhancing mechanisms of the tropical TIL, we quantify the signature of the different equatorial waves on the vertical structure of static stability in the tropics. All waves show, on average, maximum cold anomalies at the thermal tropopause, warm anomalies above and a net TIL enhancement close to the tropopause. The main drivers are Kelvin, inertia-gravity and Rossby waves. We suggest that a similar wave modulation will exist at mid- and polar latitudes from the extratropical wave modes.

Wave theory in rotating systems: Schrödinger equations bridge the gaps between the equatorial β-plane and the spherical earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paldor, N.

2017-12-01

The concise and elegant wave theory developed on the equatorial β-plane by Matsuno (1966, M66 hereafter) is based on the formulation of a Schrödinger equation associated with the governing Linear Rotating Shallow Water Equations (LRSWE). The theory yields explicit expressions for the dispersion relations and meridional amplitude structures of all zonally propagating waves - Rossby, Inertia-Gravity, Kelvin and Yanai. In contrast, the spherical wave theory of Longuet-Higgins (1968) is a collection of asymptotic expansions in many sub-ranges e.g. large, small (and even negative) Lamb Number; high and low frequency; low-latitudes, etc. that rests upon extensive numerical solutions of several Ordinary Differential Equations. The difference between the two theories is highlighted by their lengths. The essential elements of the former planar study are completely revealed in just 3-4 pages including the derivation of explicit formulae for the phase speeds and amplitude meridional structures. In comtrast, the latter spherical theory contains 97 pages and the results of the numerical calculations are summarized in 30 pages of tables filled with numerical values and about 31 figures, each of which containing many separate curves! In my talk I will re-visit the wave problem on a sphere by developing several Schrödinger equations that approximate the governing eigenvalue equation associated with zonally propagating waves. Each of the Schrödinger equations approximates the original second order Ordinary Differential Equation in a different range of the 3 parameters: Lamb-Number, frequency and zonal wavenumber. As in M66, each of the Schrödinger equations yields explicit expressions for the dispersion relations and meridional amplitude structure of Rossby and Inertia-Gravity waves. In addition, the analysis shows that Yanai wave exists on a sphere even tough the zonal velocity is regular everywhere there (in contrast to the β-plane where the zonal velocity is singular everywhere) and that Kelvin waves do not exist as a separate mode (but the eastward propagating n=0 Inertia-Gravity is nearly non-dispersive). References Longuet-Higgins, M. S. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London; 262, 511-607; 1968 Matsuno, T.; J. Met. Soc. Japan. 44(1), 25-43; 1966

The Relative Frequency of Rossby Wave Train Triggering Mechanisms Associated with Downstream Development Over Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

subsequent to the beginning of the transformation stage. Means ± standard deviation of SLP are listed for each step of transformation, and for the...labeled every 6 dam, and solid contours are SLP every 4 hPa (unpublished figure provided by H. Archambault...53.  A 1-day SLP anomaly (color shading, hPa) from the NCEP operational dataset for 31 Oct 2010. (Image provided by the NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences

Active Stabilization of Aeromechanical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-05

rotatingUsing the linearized forms of the equations of motion in the stall the compressed reverse flow comes from the annular space upstream and...and temperatures of the two opposite flows, I tential. This is a baroclinic instability deforms the ring into a wavy motion . I~dol)_ This front was...1989. Fig. 14, and 1990a, Fig, 17). The wavy motion of the S (2+ () front is then developed into Rossby waves, the velocity field If we define of which

Ocean Spectral Data Assimilation Without Background Error Covariance Matrix

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

float data (Chu et al. 2007 ), and 97 temporal and spatial variability of the global upper ocean heat content (Chu 2011) from the data 98 of the Global...Melnichenko OV, Wells NC ( 2007 ) Long baroclinic Rossby waves in the 558 tropical North Atlantic observed from profiling floats. J Geophys Res...Hall, J, Harrison D.E. and Stammer , D., Eds., ESA Publication WPP-610 306. 611 612 Tang Y, Kleeman R (2004) SST assimilation experiments in a

Intraseasonal sea surface warming in the western Indian Ocean by oceanic equatorial Rossby waves

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-09

using observational and reanalysis products , respectively. In the heat budget, horizontal advection is the leading contributor to warming, in part due to...warming and cooling in these studies . SST is observed to maximize just ahead of MJO convection. After convection begins, SST rapidly cools and reaches a...minimum ~5 days later. However, several studies have observed a certain class of MJO events that deviate from the previously observed relationship of

Using altimetry to help explain patchy changes in hydrographic carbon measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, Keith B.; Key, Robert M.; Gnanadesikan, Anand; Sarmiento, Jorge L.; Aumont, Olivier; Bopp, Laurent; Doney, Scott C.; Dunne, John P.; Glover, David M.; Ishida, Akio; Ishii, Masao; Jacobson, Andrew R.; Lo Monaco, Claire; Maier-Reimer, Ernst; Mercier, Herlé; Metzl, Nicolas; PéRez, Fiz F.; Rios, Aida F.; Wanninkhof, Rik; Wetzel, Patrick; Winn, Christopher D.; Yamanaka, Yasuhiro

2009-09-01

Here we use observations and ocean models to identify mechanisms driving large seasonal to interannual variations in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved oxygen (O2) in the upper ocean. We begin with observations linking variations in upper ocean DIC and O2 inventories with changes in the physical state of the ocean. Models are subsequently used to address the extent to which the relationships derived from short-timescale (6 months to 2 years) repeat measurements are representative of variations over larger spatial and temporal scales. The main new result is that convergence and divergence (column stretching) attributed to baroclinic Rossby waves can make a first-order contribution to DIC and O2 variability in the upper ocean. This results in a close correspondence between natural variations in DIC and O2 column inventory variations and sea surface height (SSH) variations over much of the ocean. Oceanic Rossby wave activity is an intrinsic part of the natural variability in the climate system and is elevated even in the absence of significant interannual variability in climate mode indices. The close correspondence between SSH and both DIC and O2 column inventories for many regions suggests that SSH changes (inferred from satellite altimetry) may prove useful in reducing uncertainty in separating natural and anthropogenic DIC signals (using measurements from Climate Variability and Predictability's CO2/Repeat Hydrography program).

Results of a zonally truncated three-dimensional model of the Venus middle atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, M.

1992-01-01

Although the equatorial rotational speed of the solid surface of Venus is only 4 m s(exp-1), the atmospheric rotational speed reaches a maximum of approximately 100 m s(exp-1) near the equatorial cloud top level (65 to 70 km). This phenomenon, known as superrotation, is the central dynamical problem of the Venus atmosphere. We report here the results of numerical simulations aimed at clarifying the mechanism for maintaining the equatorial cloud top rotation. Maintenance of an equatorial rotational speed maximum above the surface requires waves or eddies that systematically transport angular momentum against its zonal mean gradient. The zonally symmetric Hadley circulation is driven thermally and acts to reduce the rotational speed at the equatorial cloud top level; thus wave or eddy transport must counter this tendency as well as friction. Planetary waves arising from horizontal shear instability of the zonal flow (barotropic instability) could maintain the equatorial rotation by transporting angular momentum horizontally from midlatitudes toward the equator. Alternatively, vertically propagating waves could provide the required momentum source. The relative motion between the rotating atmosphere and the pattern of solar heating, which as a maximum where solar radiation is absorbed near the cloud tops, drives diurnal and semidiurnal thermal tides that propagate vertically away from the cloud top level. The effect of this wave propagation is to transport momentum toward the cloud top level at low latitudes and accelerate the mean zonal flow there. We employ a semispectral primitive equation model with a zonal mean flow and zonal wavenumbers 1 and 2. These waves correspond to the diurnal and semidiurnal tides, but they can also be excited by barotropic or baroclinic instability. Waves of higher wavenumbers and interactions between the waves are neglected. Symmetry about the equator is assumed, so the model applies to one hemisphere and covers the altitude range 30 to 110 km. Horizontal resolution is 1.5 deg latitude, and vertical resolution is 1.5 km. Solar and thermal infrared heating, based on Venus observations and calculations drive the model flow. Dissipation is accomplished mainly by Rayleigh friction, chosen to produce strong dissipation above 85 km in order to absorb upward propagating waves and limit extreme flow velocities there, yet to give very weak Rayleigh friction below 70 km; results in the cloud layer do not appear to be sensitive to the Rayleigh friction. The model also has weak vertical diffusion, and very weak horizontal diffusion, which has a smoothing effect on the flow only at the two grid points nearest the pole.

Spectral transfers and zonal flow dynamics in the generalized Charney-Hasegawa-Mima model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lashmore-Davies, C.N.; Thyagaraja, A.; McCarthy, D.R.

2005-12-15

The mechanism of four nonlinearly interacting drift or Rossby waves is used as the basic process underlying the turbulent evolution of both the Charney-Hasegawa-Mima-equation (CHME) and its generalized modification (GCHME). Hasegawa and Kodama's concept of equivalent action (or quanta) is applied to the four-wave system and shown to control the distribution of energy and enstrophy between the modes. A numerical study of the GCHME is described in which the initial state contains a single finite-amplitude drift wave (the pump wave), and all the modulationally unstable modes are present at the same low level (10{sup -6} times the pump amplitude). Themore » simulation shows that at first the fastest-growing modulationally unstable modes dominate but reveals that at a later time, before pump depletion occurs, long- and short-wavelength modes, driven by pairs of fast-growing modes, grow at 2{gamma}{sub max}. The numerical simulation illustrates the development of a spectrum of turbulent modes from a finite-amplitude pump wave.« less

The Energy Cascade Associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castanheira, J. M.; Marques, C. A. F.

2017-12-01

The North Atlantic Oscillation or Arctic Oscillation (NAO/AO), in a more hemispheric expression, is the dominant mode of variability of the extratropical atmospheric circulation. In the literature which analyses the association of low frequency variability of the NAO/AO with other climate variables, it is very common to find the idea of circulation and climate impacts of the NAO/AO. It is usually suggested that the NAO influences the position of North Atlantic storm tracks and the related transport of heat and moisture. However, in spite of the long time since the NAO variability mode was uncovered (Walker and Bliss, 1932), its underlying dynamical mechanisms are not well understood yet. In fact, it is not yet consensual that the NAO influences the position of the storm tracks, being possible that the relationship is in the opposite way with the storm track activity influencing de NAO. In this communication we will present an analysis of anomalies of the energy cascade associated with the NAO. A detailed version of the Lorenz energy cycle, which decomposes the energy flows into baroclinic and barotropic terms and into zonal mean and eddy components, was applied to the 6-hourly ERA-I reanalysis for the period of 1979 to 2016. The obtained results show that the positive NAO phase is preceded by an significant increase of synoptic baroclinic eddy activity. The eddy available potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and transferred to barotropic synoptic eddies. Then, the kinetic energy is transferred upscale into the barotropic planetary waves, which reproduce the NAO pattern. Therefore, we conclude that the synoptic baroclinic eddy activity forces the NAO variability. No clear signal was found for a modulating role of the NAO in the baroclinic eddy activity.

Nutrient Pumping/Advection by Propagating Rossby Waves in the Kuroshio Extension

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

sea-elevation changes or SLA variance levels are a maximum as eddies and meanders cross a mean route. This boundary in terms of Chl- a levels (lower...and elevated Chl- a levels ) is south of the KE jet. Kuroshio Extension meanders and rings carry different water types across a mean Kuroshio Extension...Fig. 5A). The ring or eddy currents may also redistribute the surface Chl- a levels , drawing out plumes of locally increased Chl-a from regions of

Analysis and High-Resolution Modeling of Tropical Cyclogenesis During the TCS-08 and TPARC Field Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-13

synoptic and dynamic aspects of cyclogenesis, a multi-nested WRF model (with 2 km resolution in the innermost mesh) will be used to simulate both...intraseasonal and interannual variability of TC activity in the WNP. For the data assimilation task, WRF 3DVar assimilation system will be employed...simulated using WRF . This genesis is associated with Rossby wave energy dispersion of a pre- existing TC Bills (2000). Using the reanalysis data as an

A Multi-Scale Analysis of Tropical Cyclogenesis Within the Critical Layer of Tropical Easterly Waves in the Atlantic and Western North Pacific Sectors

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Electra Doppler Radar (ELDORA), dropwindsonde capability, a Doppler wind lidar , and the ability to collect flight-level data] flew aircraft research...ELDORA Electra Doppler Radar ECMWF European Center for Medium-range Weather Prediction Forecasts ER Equatorial Rossby ERA-40 ECMWF Reanalysis Data...2006) use Dual Doppler radar and rain gauge data to evaluate the performance of the TRMM TMI V6 rainfall algorithm. They 23 conclude that: “In

Southern Hemisphere origins for interannual variations of Tibetan Plateau snow cover in boreal summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Z.

2017-12-01

The climate response to the Tibetan Plateau (TP) snow cover (TPSC) has been receiving extensive concern. However, relatively few studies have devoted to revealing the potential factors that can contribute to the TPSC variability on the interannual time scale. Especially during the boreal summer, snow cover can persist over the TP at high elevations, which exerts profound influences on the local and remote climate change. The present study finds that May Southern Hemisphere (SH) annular mode (SAM), the dominating mode of atmospheric circulation variability in the SH extratropics, exhibits a significant positive relationship with the boreal summer TPSC interannual variability. Observational analysis and numerical experiments manifest that the signal of May SAM can be "prolonged" by a meridional Indian Ocean tripole (IOT) sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) via atmosphere-ocean interaction. The IOT SSTA pattern persists into the following summer and excites anomalous local-scale zonal vertical circulation. Subsequently, a positive (or negative) tropical dipole rainfall (TDR) mode is induced with deficient (or sufficient) precipitation in tropical western Indian Ocean and sufficient (or deficient) precipitation in eastern Indian Ocean-Maritime continent. Rossby wave source diagnosis reveals that the wave energies, generated by the latent heat release of the TDR mode, propagate northward into western TP. As a response, abnormal cyclonic circulation and upward movement are triggered and prevail over western TP, providing favorable dynamical conditions for more TPSC, and vice versa. Hence, the IOT SSTA plays an "ocean bridge" role and the TDR mode acts as an "atmosphere bridge" role in the process of May SAM impacting the following summer TPSC variability. The results of our work may provide new insight about the cross-equatorial propagation of the SAM influence. Keywords Southern Hemisphere annular mode; Tibetan Plateau snow cover; Rossby wave source

Cloud morphology and dynamics in Saturn's northern polar region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antuñano, Arrate; del Río-Gaztelurrutia, Teresa; Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín; Rodríguez-Aseguinolaza, Javier

2018-01-01

We present a study of the cloud morphology and motions in the north polar region of Saturn, from latitude ∼ 70°N to the pole based on Cassini ISS images obtained between January 2009 and November 2014. This region shows a variety of dynamical structures: the permanent hexagon wave and its intense eastward jet, a large field of permanent ;puffy; clouds with scales from 10 - 500 km, probably of convective origin, local cyclone and anticyclones vortices with sizes of ∼1,000 km embedded in this field, and finally the intense cyclonic polar vortex. We report changes in the albedo of the clouds that delineate rings of circulation around the polar vortex and the presence of ;plume-like; activity in the hexagon jet, in both cases not accompanied with significant variations in the corresponding jets. No meridional migration is observed in the clouds forming and merging in the field of puffy clouds, suggesting that their mergers do not contribute to the maintenance of the polar vortex. Finally, we analyze the dominant growing modes for barotropic and baroclinic instabilities in the hexagon jet, showing that a mode 6 barotropic instability is dominant at the latitude of the hexagon.

Gravitational wave signals and cosmological consequences of gravitational reheating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artymowski, Michał; Czerwińska, Olga; Lalak, Zygmunt; Lewicki, Marek

2018-04-01

Reheating after inflation can proceed even if the inflaton couples to Standard Model (SM) particles only gravitationally. However, particle production during the transition between de-Sitter expansion and a decelerating Universe is rather inefficient and the necessity to recover the visible Universe leads to a non-standard cosmological evolution initially dominated by remnants of the inflaton field. We remain agnostic to the specific dynamics of the inflaton field and discuss a generic scenario in which its remnants behave as a perfect fluid with a general barotropic parameter w. Using CMB and BBN constraints we derive the allowed range of inflationary scales. We also show that this scenario results in a characteristic primordial Gravitational Wave (GW) spectrum which gives hope for observation in upcoming runs of LIGO as well as in other planned experiments.

ANALYTICAL SOLUTION FOR WAVES IN PLANETS WITH ATMOSPHERIC SUPERROTATION. II. LAMB, SURFACE, AND CENTRIFUGAL WAVES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peralta, J.; López-Valverde, M. A.; Imamura, T.

2014-07-01

This paper is the second in a two-part study devoted to developing tools for a systematic classification of the wide variety of atmospheric waves expected on slowly rotating planets with atmospheric superrotation. Starting with the primitive equations for a cyclostrophic regime, we have deduced the analytical solution for the possible waves, simultaneously including the effect of the metric terms for the centrifugal force and the meridional shear of the background wind. In those cases where the conditions for the method of the multiple scales in height are met, these wave solutions are also valid when vertical shear of the backgroundmore » wind is present. A total of six types of waves have been found and their properties were characterized in terms of the corresponding dispersion relations and wave structures. In this second part, we study the waves' solutions when several atmospheric approximations are applied: Lamb, surface, and centrifugal waves. Lamb and surface waves are found to be quite similar to those in a geostrophic regime. By contrast, centrifugal waves turn out to be a special case of Rossby waves that arise in atmospheres in cyclostrophic balance. Finally, we use our results to identify the nature of the waves behind atmospheric periodicities found in polar and lower latitudes of Venus's atmosphere.« less

Investigation of Rossby-number similarity in the neutral boundary layer using large-eddy simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ohmstede, W.D.; Cederwall, R.T.; Meyers, R.E.

One special case of particular interest, especially to theoreticians, is the steady-state, horizontally homogeneous, autobarotropic (PLB), hereafter referred to as the neutral boundary layer (NBL). The NBL is in fact a 'rare' atmospheric phenomenon, generally associated with high-wind situations. Nevertheless, there is a disproportionate interest in this problem because Rossby-number similarity theory provides a sound approach for addressing this issue. Rossby-number similarity theory has rather wide acceptance, but because of the rarity of the 'true' NBL state, there remains an inadequate experimental database for quantifying constants associated with the Rossby-number similarity concept. Although it remains a controversial issue, it hasmore » been proposed that large-eddy simulation (LES) is an alternative to physical experimentation for obtaining basic atmospherc 'data'. The objective of the study reported here is to investigate Rossby-number similarity in the NBL using LES. Previous studies have not addressed Rossby-number similarity explicitly, although they made use of it in the interpretation of their results. The intent is to calculate several sets of NBL solutions that are ambiguous relative to the their respective Rossby numbers and compare the results for similarity, or the lack of it. 14 refs., 1 fig.« less

Dust-trapping Rossby vortices in protoplanetary disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meheut, H.; Meliani, Z.; Varniere, P.; Benz, W.

2012-09-01

Context. One of the most challenging steps in planet formation theory is the one leading to the formation of planetesimals of kilometre size. A promising scenario involves the existence of vortices able to concentrate a large amount of dust and grains in their centres. Up to now this scenario has mostly been studied in 2D razor thin disks. A 3D study including, simultaneously, the formation and resulting dust concentration of the vortices with vertical settling, is still missing. Aims: The Rossby wave instability self-consistently forms 3D vortices, which have the unique quality of presenting a large-scale vertical velocity in their centre. Here we aim to study how this newly discovered effect can alter the dynamic evolution of the dust. Methods: We performed global 3D simulations of the RWI in a radially and vertically stratified disk using the code MPI-AMRVAC. After the growth phase of the instability, the gas and solid phases are modelled by a bi-fluid approach, where the dust is considered as a fluid without pressure. Both the drag force of the gas on the dust and the back reaction of the dust on the gas are included. Multiple grain sizes from 1 mm to 5 cm are used with a constant density distribution. Results: We obtain in a short timescale a high concentration of the largest grains in the vortices. Indeed, in 3 rotations the dust-to-gas density ratio grows from 10-2 to unity leading to a concentration of mass up to that of Mars in one vortex. The presence of the radial drift is also at the origin of a dust pile-up at the radius of the vortices. Lastly, the vertical velocity of the gas in the vortex causes the sedimentation process to be reversed, the mm size dust is lifted and higher concentrations are obtained in the upper layer than in the midplane. Conclusions: The Rossby wave instability is a promising mechanism for planetesimal formation, and the results presented here can be of particular interest in the context of future observations of protoplanetary disks.

Short-term Climate Simulations of African Easterly Waves with a Global Mesoscale Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, B. W.

2015-12-01

Recent high-resolution global model simulations ( Shen et al., 2010a, 2010b, 2012; 2013), which were conducted to examine the role of multiscale processes associated with tropical waves in the predictability of mesoscale tropical cyclones (TCs), suggested that a large-scale system (e.g., tropical waves) can provide determinism on the prediction of TC genesis, making it possible to extend the lead time of genesis predictions. Selected cases include the relationship between (i) TC Nargis (2008) and an Equatorial Rossby wave; (ii) Hurricane Helene (2006) and an intensifying African Easterly Wave (AEW); (iii) Twin TCs (2002) and a mixed Rossby-gravity wave during an active phase of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO); (iv) Hurricane Sandy (2012) and tropical waves during an active phase of the MJO. In this talk, thirty-day simulations with different model configurations are presented to examine the model's ability to simulate AEWs and MJOs and their association with tropical cyclogenesis. I will first discuss the simulations of the initiation and propagation of 6 consecutive AEWs in late August 2006 and the mean state of the African easterly jet (AEJ) over both Africa and downstream in the tropical Atlantic. By comparing our simulations with NCEP analysis and satellite data (e.g., TRMM), it is shown that the statistical characteristics of individual AEWs are realistically simulated with larger errors in the 5th and th AEWs. Results from the sensitivity experiments suggest the following: 1) accurate representations of non-linear interactions between the atmosphere and land processes are crucial for improving the simulations of the AEWs and the AEJ; 2) improved simulations of an individual AEW and its interaction with local environments (e.g., the Guinea Highlands) could provide determinism for hurricane formation downstream. Of interest is the potential to extend the lead time for predicting hurricane formation (e.g., a lead time of up to 22 days) as the 4th AEW is realistically simulated; 3) however, the dependence of AEW simulations on accurate dynamic and surface initial conditions and boundary conditions poses a challenge in simulating their modulation on hurricane activity. In addition to the simulations of AEWs, I will also present the 30-day simulations of selected MJO cases.

3D MHD Simulations of Waves Excited in an Accretion Disk by a Rotating Magnetized Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.

2014-01-01

We present results of global 3D MHD simulations of warp and density waves in accretion disks excited by a rotating star with a misaligned dipole magnetic field. A wide range of cases are considered. We find for example that if the star's magnetosphere corotates approximately with the inner disk, then a strong one-arm bending wave or warp forms. The warp corotates with the star and has a maximum amplitude (|zω|/r ~ 0.3) between the corotation radius and the radius of the vertical resonance. If the magnetosphere rotates more slowly than the inner disk, then a bending wave is excited at the disk-magnetosphere boundary, but it does not form a large-scale warp. In this case the angular rotation of the disk [Ω(r,z = 0)] has a maximum as a function of r so that there is an inner region where dΩ/dr > 0. In this region we observe radially trapped density waves in approximate agreement with the theoretical prediction of a Rossby wave instability in this region.

Spectral analyses, climatology, and interannual variability of Nimbus-7 TOMS version 6 total column ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, J. L.; Ziemke, J. R.; Mcpeters, R. D.; Krueger, A. J.; Bhartia, P. K.

1995-01-01

This reference publication presents selected results from space-time spectral analyses of 13 years of version 6 daily global ozone fields from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). One purpose is to illustrate more quantitatively the well-known richness of structure and variation in total ozone. A second purpose is to provide, for use by modelers and for comparison with other analysts' work, quantitative measures of zonal waves 1, 2, 3, and medium-scale waves 4-7 in total ozone. Their variations throughout the year and at a variety of latitudes are presented, from equatorial to polar regions. The 13-year averages are given, along with selected individual years which illustrate year-to-year variability. The largest long wave amplitudes occur in the polar winters and early springs of each hemisphere, and are related to strong wave amplification during major warning events. In low attitudes total ozone wave amplitudes are an order of magnitude smaller than at high latitudes. However, TOMS fields contain a number of equatorial dynamical features, including Rossby-gravity and Kelvin waves.

Theories on formation of an anomalous anticyclone in western North Pacific during El Niño: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tim; Wang, Bin; Wu, Bo; Zhou, Tianjun; Chang, Chih-Pei; Zhang, Renhe

2017-12-01

The western North Pacific anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC) is an important atmospheric circulation system that conveys El Niño impact on East Asian climate. In this review paper, various theories on the formation and maintenance of the WNPAC, including warm pool atmosphere-ocean interaction, Indian Ocean capacitor, a combination mode that emphasizes nonlinear interaction between ENSO and annual cycle, moist enthalpy advection/Rossby wave modulation, and central Pacific SST forcing, are discussed. It is concluded that local atmosphere-ocean interaction and moist enthalpy advection/Rossby wave modulation mechanisms are essential for the initial development and maintenance of the WNPAC during El Niño mature winter and subsequent spring. The Indian Ocean capacitor mechanism does not contribute to the earlier development but helps maintain the WNPAC in El Niño decaying summer. The cold SST anomaly in the western North Pacific, although damped in the summer, also plays a role. An interbasin atmosphere-ocean interaction across the Indo-Pacific warm pool emerges as a new mechanism in summer. In addition, the central Pacific cold SST anomaly may induce the WNPAC during rapid El Niño decaying/La Niña developing or La Niña persisting summer. The near-annual periods predicted by the combination mode theory are hardly detected from observations and thus do not contribute to the formation of the WNPAC. The tropical Atlantic may have a capacitor effect similar to the tropical Indian Ocean.

The evolution of an unsteady translating nonlinear rossby-wave critical layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, Peter H.; Cowley, Stephen J.

When a monochromatic Rossby wave is forced on a flow which is slowly varying in time, the location of the critical line, where the phase speed of the wave is equal to that of the flow, also slowly changes. It is shown that this translation can play an important role in the vorticity balance near the critical line. The behavior of the translating critical layer is analyzed for various values of y, a parameter which measures the relative importance of nonlinear advection and translation. First, the vorticity equation in the critical layer is solved numerically in an important special case, where the velocity field in the critical layer is independent of the vorticity distribution and constant in time. The solutions reveal a number of new aspects of the behavior which are introduced by the translation, including the formation of a wake behind the critical layer, and the possibility of "trapping" of fluid particles in the critical layer if y exceeds a threshold value. Viewed in a frame of reference moving with the critical line the vorticity distribution may tend to a steady state, except in a "vorticity front" far downstream in the wake. If streamlines in the critical layer are open this steady state may be a predominantly inviscid one; if they are closed a steady state is possible only with non-zero dissipation. For both the unsteady and steady flows the translation allows the "logarithmic phase jump" across the critical layer, 4, to be non-zero and negative. Hence, even when the viscosity is vanishingly small, the critical layer can act as a strong "absorber" of Eliassen-Palm wave activity. Second, steady-state solutions are obtained numerically for a case when the velocity field in the critical layer is not independent of the vorticity distribution there. The interaction restricts the formation of closed streamlines, and an asymptotic open-streamline solution for large y can be found. The critical layer again acts an absorber of wave activity, but with decreasing eNectiveness as y increases.

Equatorial magnetic Rossby waves — evidence for a thin, strongly-buoyant stratified layer in earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knezek, Nicholas; Buffett, Bruce

2017-04-01

A low density stratified layer at the top of Earth's core has been proposed by many authors on the basis of chemical and thermodynamic arguments and has implications for Earth's thermal history, core energetics, and core-mantle interactions. Past studies claiming to detect a layer using perturbations in seismic wave speeds are contentious due to the extremely small magnitude of the detected signal. Recently, several studies have instead argued for the existence of a stratified layer by hypothesizing that oscillations in the observed geomagnetic field arise from waves propagating in the layer. In particular, 60 year oscillations in dipole strength have been attributed to global MAC waves, and 8 year oscillations of secular acceleration have been attributed to equatorially-trapped waves. We use a new hybrid finite-volume and Fourier numerical method we developed to model magnetohydrodynamic waves in a thin layer and show that a thin, strongly buoyant layer can produce equatorially-trapped waves with similar structures and periods to the observed 8 year signal. Using these simulated wave structures, we provide additional evidence for the existence of several propagating wave modes and place constraints on estimates for the wave periods, stratified layer thickness, and strength of buoyancy within the layer.

Free and forced Rossby normal modes in a rectangular gulf of arbitrary orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graef, Federico

2016-09-01

A free Rossby normal mode in a rectangular gulf of arbitrary orientation is constructed by considering the reflection of a Rossby mode in a channel at the head of the gulf. Therefore, it is the superposition of four Rossby waves in an otherwise unbounded ocean with the same frequency and wavenumbers perpendicular to the gulf axis whose difference is equal to 2mπ/W, where m is a positive integer and W the gulf's width. The lower (or higher) modes with small m (or large m) are oscillatory (evanescent) in the coordinate along the gulf; these are elucidated geometrically. However for oceanographically realistic parameter values, most of the modes are evanescent. When the gulf is forced at the mouth with a single Fourier component, the response is in general an infinite sum of modes that are needed to match the value of the streamfunction at the gulf's entrance. The dominant mode of the response is the resonant one, which corresponds to forcing with a frequency ω and wavenumber normal to the gulf axis η appropriate to a gulf mode: η =- β sin α/(2ω) ± Mπ/W, where α is the angle between the gulf's axis and the eastern direction (+ve clockwise) and M the resonant's mode number. For zonal gulfs ω drops out of the resonance condition. For the special cases η = 0 in which the free surface goes up and down at the mouth with no flow through it, or a flow with a sinusoidal profile, resonant modes can get excited for very specific frequencies (only for non-zonal gulfs in the η = 0 case). The resonant mode is around the annual frequency for a wide range of gulf orientations α ∈ [40°, 130°] or α ∈ [220°, 310°] and gulf widths between 150 and 200 km; these include the Gulf of California and the Adriatic Sea. If η is imaginary, i.e. a flow with an exponential profile, there is no resonance. In general less modes get excited if the gulf is zonally oriented.

Vertical structure and characteristics of 23-60 day (zonal) oscillations over the tropical latitudes during the winter months of 1986 - Results of equatorial wave campaign-II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raghavarao, R.; Suhasini, R.; Sridharan, R.; Krishnamurthy, B. V.; Nagpal, O. P.

1990-01-01

Results are presented of the equatorial wave campaign-II, a meteorological rocket study which was part of the Indian Middle Atmosphere Program. The equatorial wave campaign-II was conducted from Shar, India (13.7 deg N, 80.2 deg E) from January 15-February 28, 1986. By means of high altitude balloon and the RH-200 meteorological rocket, winds were measured from ground level up to 60 km altitude once each day during the 45-day period. The oscillation frequencies of the deviations in the east-west component of the winds from their mean at each 1-km height interval are obtained by the maximum entropy method. The phases and amplitudes of these frequencies are determined by use of the least squares method on the wind variation time series. Enhanced wave activity is shown to take place in the troposphere and lower mesosphere. The tropospheric waves observed suggest themselves to be Rossby waves of extratropical origin penetrating to tropical latitudes. The observed stratospheric/mesospheric waves appear to emanate from a source around the stratopause.

Mesoscale dynamics in the Lofoten Basin - a sub-Arctic "hot spot" of oceanic variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkov, D. L.; Belonenko, T. V.; Foux, V. R.

2012-12-01

A sub-Arctic "hot spot" of intense mesoscale variability is observed in the Lofoten Basin (LB) - a topographic depression with a maximum depth of about 3250 m, located in the Norwegian Sea. The standard deviation of sea surface height (SSH), measured with satellite altimetry, reaches nearly 15 cm in the center of the basin (Figure 1a). Using a space-time lagged correlation analysis of altimetry data, we discover a cyclonic propagation of the mesoscale SSH anomalies around the center of the LB with time-averaged phase speeds of 2-4 km/day, strongly linked to bottom topography (Figure 1c). The fact that surface drifter trajectories do not exhibit cyclonic circulation in the LB (Figure 1b) suggests that, at least in the upper ocean, satellite altimetry observes only the propagation of form without the corresponding transfer of mass. Linearly propagating wavelike disturbances that do not trap fluid inside are related to planetary or Rossby waves. Variations in topography may lead to the concentration of wave energy in certain regions or wave trapping. The dispersion analysis suggests that the observed wavelike cyclonic propagation of SSH anomalies in the LB is the manifestation of baroclinic topographic Rossby waves, that we term "the basin waves" in order to distinguish them from the other types of topographic waves, such as shelf or trench waves. We identify two modes of basin waves in the LB: a di-pole mode and a quadri-pole mode. The wavelength of each mode is about 500 km. The frequency of these modes is not constant and the phase speed varies from about 2 to 8 km/day. We show that the cyclonically rotating basin waves are responsible for the observed amplification of SSH variability in the LB. Because the baroclinic basin waves in the LB are probably associated with large vertical displacements of the thermocline and due to possible wave breaking events, they can play an important role in the mixing of the inflowing Atlantic Water with ambient water masses.(a) Standard deviation of SSH (cm) in the Nordic seas. Bottom topography is shown by 1000, 2000, and 3000 m isobaths. Abbreviations: GB - Greenland Basin, LB - Lofoten Basin, NB - Norwegian Basin, NwAC - Norwegian Atlantic Current, VP - Vøring Plateau. The study region is bounded by the blue rectangle. (b) Trajectories of 100 surface drifters (blue curves) that were present in the study region from September 1996 to August 2010 and their geostrophic velocity vectors (red arrows) averaged over 1°×0.25° (longitude × latitude) bins. (c) MDT_CNES_CLS09 mean dynamic topography (color, cm) and the velocities of eddy propagation (arrows). Two ellipsoidal contours, along which the dispersion relation was analyzed, are shown.

Connections Among the Spatial and Temporal Structures in Tidal Currents, Internal Bores, and Surficial Sediment Distributions Over the Shelf off Palos Verdes, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noble, Marlene A.; Rosenberger, Kurt J.; Xu, Jingping; Signell, Richard P.; Steele, Alex

2009-01-01

The topography of the Continental Shelf in the central portion of the Southern California Bight has rapid variations over relatively small spatial scales. The width of the shelf off the Palos Verdes peninsula, just northwest of Los Angeles, California, is only 1 to 3 km. About 7 km southeast of the peninsula, the shelf within San Pedro Bay widens to about 20 km. In 2000, the Los Angeles County Sanitation District began deploying a dense array of moorings in this complex region of the central Southern California Bight to monitor local circulation patterns. Moorings were deployed at 13 sites on the Palos Verdes shelf and within the northwestern portion of San Pedro Bay. At each site, a mooring supported a string of thermistors and an adjacent bottom platform housed an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler. These instruments collected vertical profiles of current and temperature data continuously for one to two years. The variable bathymetry in the region causes rapid changes in the amplitudes and spatial structures of barotropic tidal currents, internal tidal currents, and in the associated nonlinear baroclinic currents that occur at approximate tidal frequencies. The largest barotropic tidal constituent is M2, the principal semidiurnal tide. The amplitude of this tidal current changes over fairly short along-shelf length scales. Tidal-current amplitudes are largest in the transition region between the two shelves; they increase from about 5 cm/s over the northern San Pedro shelf to nearly 10 cm/s on the southern portion of the Palos Verdes Shelf. Tidal-current amplitudes are then reduced to less than 2 cm/s over the very narrow section of the northern Palos Verdes shelf that lies just 6 km upcoast of the southern sites. Models suggest that the amplitude of the barotropic M2 tidal currents, which propagate toward the northwest primarily as a Kelvin wave, is adjusting to the short topographic length scales in the region. Semidiurnal sea-level oscillations are, as expected, independent of these topographic variations; they have a uniform amplitude and phase structure over the entire region. Because the cross-shelf angle of the seabed over most of the Palos Verdes shelf is 1 to 3 degrees, which is critical for the local generation and/or enhancement of nonlinear characteristics in semidiurnal internal tides, some internal tidal-current events have strong asymmetric current oscillations that are enhanced near the seabed. Near-bottom currents in these events are directed primarily offshore with amplitudes that exceed 30 cm/s. The spatial patterns in these energetic near-bottom currents have fairly short-length scales. They are largest over the inner shelf and in the transition region between the Palos Verdes and San Pedro shelves. This spatial pattern is similar to that found in the barotropic tidal currents. Because these baroclinic currents have an approximate tidal frequency, an asymmetric vertical structure, and a somewhat stable phase, they can produce a non-zero depth-mean flow for periods of a few months. These baroclinic currents can interact with the barotropic tidal current and cause an apparent increase (or decrease) in the estimated barotropic tidal-current amplitude. The apparent amplitude of the barotropic tidal current may change by 30 to 80 percent or more in a current record that is less than three months long. The currents and surficial sediments in this region are in dynamic equilibrium in that the spatial patterns in bottom stresses generated by near-bed currents from surface tides, internal tides, and internal bores partly control the spatial patterns in the local sediments. Coarser sediments are found in the regions with enhanced bottom stresses (that is, over the inner shelf and in the region between the Palos Verdes and San Pedro shelves). Finer sediments are found over the northwestern portion of the Palos Verdes shelf, where near-bottom currents are relatively weak. The nonlinear asymmetries in the i

Localized rapid warming of West Antarctic subsurface waters by remote winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spence, Paul; Holmes, Ryan M.; Hogg, Andrew Mcc.; Griffies, Stephen M.; Stewart, Kial D.; England, Matthew H.

2017-08-01

The highest rates of Antarctic glacial ice mass loss are occurring to the west of the Antarctica Peninsula in regions where warming of subsurface continental shelf waters is also largest. However, the physical mechanisms responsible for this warming remain unknown. Here we show how localized changes in coastal winds off East Antarctica can produce significant subsurface temperature anomalies (>2 °C) around much of the continent. We demonstrate how coastal-trapped barotropic Kelvin waves communicate the wind disturbance around the Antarctic coastline. The warming is focused on the western flank of the Antarctic Peninsula because the circulation induced by the coastal-trapped waves is intensified by the steep continental slope there, and because of the presence of pre-existing warm subsurface water offshore. The adjustment to the coastal-trapped waves shoals the subsurface isotherms and brings warm deep water upwards onto the continental shelf and closer to the coast. This result demonstrates the vulnerability of the West Antarctic region to a changing climate.

Generation of periodic intrusions at Suruga Bay when the Kuroshio follows a large meandering path

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsumata, Takaaki

2016-07-01

We measured the vertical profiles of currents at the eastern mouth of the Suruga Bay using a moored acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). Currents vertical profiles were found to be mostly barotropic in structure when intrusions occurred at the eastern mouth of the bay. Warm-water intrusions at the Suruga Bay and sea level elevations at the bay and at islands on the Izu Ridge located off the bay have the same period of 26 days. The temporal variation in the sea levels occurs in response to Kuroshio frontal waves, and the two phases are consistent. The sea level rise propagates from Hachijo Island to the Suruga Bay via Miyake Island and Kozu Island, i.e., from off the Suruga Bay to in or near the bay. The perturbation of the sea level along the Izu Ridge occurs as waves with a period of 26 days, a wavelength of 500 km, and a phase speed of 23 cm/sec. The propagated waves and those of the Kuroshio frontal waves have the same features. This means that the periodic inflows at the eastern mouth of the Suruga Bay are caused by the passage of Kuroshio frontal waves off the bay.

Mechanisms driving the global and seasonal structure of the 16-day planetary wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, V.; Chang, L. C.; Liu, H.; Palo, S. E.

2013-12-01

Past observations have shown that the effects of the quasi 16-day planetary wave, representing the second symmetric Rossby normal mode, are prevalent throughout the middle atmosphere and occasionally, some portions of the upper atmosphere. In the presented work, we investigate the mechanisms driving the propagation of the quasi 16-day planetary wave from a source in the lower atmosphere to higher altitudes by using the NCAR Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME-GCM). The quasi 16-day planetary wave is simulated in the model by introducing perturbations in geopotential height at the lower boundary of the model and comparing it to a control run. Analysis of the model runs over the course of a year show that the background zonal winds play an important role in driving seasonal changes in the quasi 16-day planetary wave structure. Derived quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity gradient and Eliassen-Palm flux from the model output also show that the penetration of the wave into regions of mean wind instability can drive wave amplification in certain regions. The model results are compared to the quasi 16-day wave structure derived from TIMED-SABER observations to identify similarities/differences between the model and observations, and provide further insight into the mechanisms driving the wave propagation.

Oscillating and static universes from a single barotropic fluid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kehayias, John; Scherrer, Robert J.

We consider cosmological solutions to general relativity with a single barotropic fluid, where the pressure is a general function of the density, p=f(ρ). We derive conditions for static and oscillating solutions and provide examples, extending earlier work to these simpler and more general single-fluid cosmologies. Generically we expect such solutions to suffer from instabilities, through effects such as quantum fluctuations or tunneling to zero size. We also find a classical instability (“no-go” theorem) for oscillating solutions of a single barotropic perfect fluid due to a necessarily negative squared sound speed.

Oscillating and static universes from a single barotropic fluid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kehayias, John; Scherrer, Robert J., E-mail: john.kehayias@vanderbilt.edu, E-mail: robert.scherrer@vanderbilt.edu

We consider cosmological solutions to general relativity with a single barotropic fluid, where the pressure is a general function of the density, p = f(ρ). We derive conditions for static and oscillating solutions and provide examples, extending earlier work to these simpler and more general single-fluid cosmologies. Generically we expect such solutions to suffer from instabilities, through effects such as quantum fluctuations or tunneling to zero size. We also find a classical instability (''no-go'' theorem) for oscillating solutions of a single barotropic perfect fluid due to a necessarily negative squared sound speed.

Calling computers names in Swedish

DOE PAGES

Carlsson, Johan

2017-11-01

I very much enjoyed reading Jim Fleming’s article on Carl-Gustaf Rossby and the seminal contributions Rossby made to meteorology. Furthermore, the otherwise excellent article has two errors. Something must have gotten lost in translation to cause Fleming to claim that “Rossby pursued numerical weather prediction in Sweden in an era in which there was no Swedish word for digital computer.” With applied mathematician Germund Dahlquist, Rossby developed a weather model for the Binär Elektronisk Sekvens Kalkylator (BESK; Binary Electronic Sequence Calculator). Designed and built in Sweden, BESK was the world’s fastest computer when it became operational in 1953. From Septembermore » 1954, BESK weather simulations enabled routine 24-hour national forecasts.« less

Calling computers names in Swedish

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlsson, Johan

I very much enjoyed reading Jim Fleming’s article on Carl-Gustaf Rossby and the seminal contributions Rossby made to meteorology. Furthermore, the otherwise excellent article has two errors. Something must have gotten lost in translation to cause Fleming to claim that “Rossby pursued numerical weather prediction in Sweden in an era in which there was no Swedish word for digital computer.” With applied mathematician Germund Dahlquist, Rossby developed a weather model for the Binär Elektronisk Sekvens Kalkylator (BESK; Binary Electronic Sequence Calculator). Designed and built in Sweden, BESK was the world’s fastest computer when it became operational in 1953. From Septembermore » 1954, BESK weather simulations enabled routine 24-hour national forecasts.« less

Equatorial dynamics in a 2 {1}/{2}- layer model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCreary, Julian P.; Yu, Zuojun

A nonlinear, 2 {1}/{2}- layer model is used to study the dynamics of wind-driven equatorial ocean circulation, including the generation of mean flows and instabilities. The model allows water to entrain into, and detrain from, the upper layer, and as a consequence the temperatures of the two active layers can vary. The model ocean basin is rectangular, extends 100° zonally, and for most solutions has open boundaries at 15°S and 15°N. All solutions are forced by a switched-on wind field that is an idealized version of the Pacific trades: the wind is westward, uniform in the meridional direction (so it has no curl), located primarily in the central and eastern oceans, and in most cases it has an amplitude of 0.5 dyn cm -2. For reasonable choices of parameters, solutions adjust to have a realistic equatorial circulation with a westward surface jet, an eastward undercurrent, and with upwelling and cool sea surface temperature in the eastern ocean. Most of the meridional circulation (81% of the transport) is part of a closed tropical circulation cell, in which water upwells in the eastern, equatorial ocean and downwells elsewhere in the basin; the rest participates in a mid-latitude circulation cell with lower-layer water entering the basin and upper-layer water leaving it through the open boundaries. Three basic types of unstable disturbances are generated in the eastern ocean: two of them are antisymmetric about the equator, one being surface-trapped with a period of about 21 days (f 1), and the other predominantly a lower-layer oscillation with periods ranging from 35 to 53 days (f 2) that causes the undercurrent to meander; the third is symmetric with a period of about 28 days (f 0) and a structure like that of a first-meridional-mode Rossby wave. The amplitudes of the disturbances are sensitive to model parameters, and as parameter values are varied systematically solutions appear to follow variations of the quasi-periodic route to turbulence, one of the common transitions to chaotic behavior. Realistic mean flows develop only when detrainment and lower-layer cooling are present in the model physics, processes that are necessary for the generation of a tropical circulation cell: without detrainment, water accumulutes in the upper layer until entrainment ceases and the model adjusts to Sverdrup balance, which is a state of rest for a wind without curl; without cooling, the temperature of the lower layer slowly rises until it approaches that of the upper layer. The mean-momentum budget for the upper layer shows that the model's Reynolds-stress terms are not a significant part of the momentum balance, having a maximum amplitude only about 19% of the wind stress. In contrast, the mean-heat budget demonstrates that eddy heating warms the cold tongue significantly, with an amplitude as large as the heating through the surface. Interestingly, the time-averaged continuity equations indicate that the instabilities tend to increase the upward tilt of the upper-layer interface toward the equator. When layer temperatures are kept fixed only a weak version of disturbance f 1 develops, indicating that the equatorial temperature front is an important aspect of instability dynamics. In fact, a frontal instability does exist in the model; it involves the conversion of mean to eddy potential energy, but it is the mean energy associated with the variable upper-layer temperature field, rather than with tilted layer interfaces, as is the case for traditional baroclinic instability. Perturbation-energy budgets suggest that frontal, barotropic and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are energy sources for the disturbances, whereas traditional baroclinic instability is an energy sink. The two, fastest growing, antisymmetric, unstable-wave solutions to a linearized version of the model correspond closely to disturbances f 1 and f 2 from the nonlinear model, and perturbation-energy budgets for these waves indicate that their energy sources are primarily frontal instability and lower-layer barotropic instability, respectively.

Arctic sea-ice melting: Effects on hydroclimatic variability and on UV-induced carbon cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulzberger, Barbara

2016-04-01

Since 1980 both the perennial and the multiyear central Arctic sea ice areas have declined by approximately 13 and 15% per decade, respectively (IPCC, 2013). Arctic sea-ice melting has led to an increase in the amplitude of the Northern Hemisphere jet stream and, as a consequence, in more slowly moving Rossby waves which results in blocking of weather patterns such as heat waves, droughts, cold spells, and heavy precipitation events (Francis and Vavrus, 2012). Changing Rossby waves account for more than 30% of the precipitation variability over several regions of the northern middle and high latitudes, including the US northern Great Plains and parts of Canada, Europe, and Russia (Schubert et al., 2011). From 2007 to 2013, northern Europe experienced heavy summer precipitation events that were unprecedented in over a century, concomitant with Arctic sea ice loss (Screen, 2013). Heavy precipitation events tend to increase the runoff intensity of terrigenous dissolved organic matter (tDOM) (Haaland et al., 2010). In surface waters tDOM is subject to UV-induced oxidation to produce atmospheric CO2. Mineralization of DOM also occurs via microbial respiration. However, not all chemical forms of DOM are available to bacterioplankton. UV-induced transformations generally increase the bioavailability of tDOM (Sulzberger and Durisch-Kaiser, 2009). Mineralization of tDOM is an important source of atmospheric CO2 and this process is likely to contribute to positive feedbacks on global warming (Erickson et al., 2015). However, the magnitudes of these potential feedbacks remain unexplored. This paper will discuss the following items: 1.) Links between Arctic sea-ice melting, heavy precipitation events, and enhanced tDOM runoff. 2.) UV-induced increase in the bioavailability of tDOM. 3.) UV-mediated feedbacks on global warming. References Erickson, D. J. III, B. Sulzberger, R. G. Zepp, A. T. Austin (2015), Effects of stratospheric ozone depletion, solar UV radiation, and climate change on biogeochemical cycling: interactions and feedbacks, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 14(1), 127-148. Francis, J. A., S. J. Vavrus (2012), Evidence linking Arctic amplification to extreme weather in mid-latitudes, Geophysical Research Letters, 39, doi: 10.1029/2012GL051000. Haaland, S., D. Hongve, H. Laudon, G. Riise, R. D. Vogt (2010), Quantifying the drivers of the increasing colored organic matter in boreal surface waters, Environmental Science & Technology, 44(8), 2975-2980. IPCC Climate Change 2013 - The Physical Science Bases (2013). Schubert, S., H. Wang, M. Suarez (2011), Warm season subseasonal variability and climate extremes in the Northern Hemisphere: The role of stationary Rossby waves, Journal of Climate, 24(18), 4773-4792. Screen, J. A. (2013), Influence of Arctic sea ice on European summer precipitation, Environmental Research Letters, 8(4), doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044015. Sulzberger, B., E. Durisch-Kaiser (2009), Chemical characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM): A prerequisite for understanding UV-induced changes of DOM absorption properties and bioavailability, Aquatic Sciences, 71(2), 104-126.

The influence of regional Arctic sea-ice decline on stratospheric and tropospheric circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenna, Christine; Bracegirdle, Thomas; Shuckburgh, Emily; Haynes, Peter

2016-04-01

Arctic sea-ice extent has rapidly declined over the past few decades, and most climate models project a continuation of this trend during the 21st century in response to greenhouse gas forcing. A number of recent studies have shown that this sea-ice loss induces vertically propagating Rossby waves, which weaken the stratospheric polar vortex and increase the frequency of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs). SSWs have been shown to increase the probability of a negative NAO in the following weeks, thereby driving anomalous weather conditions over Europe and other mid-latitude regions. In contrast, other studies have shown that Arctic sea-ice loss strengthens the polar vortex, increasing the probability of a positive NAO. Sun et al. (2015) suggest these conflicting results may be due to the region of sea-ice loss considered. They find that if only regions within the Arctic Circle are considered in sea-ice projections, the polar vortex weakens; if only regions outwith the Arctic Circle are considered, the polar vortex strengthens. This is because the anomalous Rossby waves forced in the former/latter scenario constructively/destructively interfere with climatological Rossby waves, thus enhancing/suppressing upward wave propagation. In this study, we investigate whether Sun et al.'s results are robust to a different model. We also divide the regions of sea-ice loss they considered into further sub-regions, in order to examine the regional differences in more detail. We do this by using the intermediate complexity climate model, IGCM4, which has a well resolved stratosphere and does a good job of representing stratospheric processes. Several simulations are run in atmosphere only mode, where one is a control experiment and the others are perturbation experiments. In the control run annually repeating historical mean surface conditions are imposed at the lower boundary, whereas in each perturbation run the model is forced by SST perturbations imposed in a specific region (one perturbation experiment combines all regions). These regions correspond to sea-ice loss hotspots such as the Barents-Kara Seas and the Bering Sea. The differences between the control and perturbation runs yields the effects of the imposed sea-ice loss on the polar vortex. To detect and count SSWs for each run, we use the World Meteorological Organisation's definition of an SSW (a reversal in zonal mean zonal wind at 10 hPa and 60° N, and a reversal in zonal mean meridional temperature gradient at 10 hPa between 60° N and 90° N). The poster will present and discuss the initial results of this study. Implications of the results for future change in the lower latitude mid-troposphere will be discussed. References Sun, L., C. Deser, and R. A. Tomas, 2015: Mechanisms of Stratospheric and Tropospheric Circulation Response to Projected Arctic Sea Ice Loss. J. Climate, 28, 7824-7845, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0169.1.

Observations of Equatorial Kelvin Waves and their Convective Coupling with the Atmosphere/Ocean Surface Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conry, Patrick; Fernando, H. J. S.; Leo, Laura; Blomquist, Byron; Amelie, Vincent; Lalande, Nelson; Creegan, Ed; Hocut, Chris; MacCall, Ben; Wang, Yansen; Jinadasa, S. U. P.; Wang, Chien; Yeo, Lik-Khian

2016-11-01

Intraseasonal disturbances with their genesis in the equatorial Indian Ocean (IO) are an important component of global climate. The disturbances, which include Madden-Julian Oscillation and equatorial Kelvin and Rossby waves in the atmosphere and ocean, carry energy which affects El Niño, cyclogenesis, and monsoons. A recent field experiment in IO (ASIRI-RAWI) observed disturbances at three sites across IO with arrays of instruments probing from surface layer to lower stratosphere. During the field campaign the most pronounced planetary-scale disturbances were Kelvin waves in tropical tropopause layer. In Seychelles, quasi-biweekly westerly wind bursts were documented and linked to the Kelvin waves aloft, which breakdown in the upper troposphere due to internal shear instabilities. Convective coupling between waves' phase in upper troposphere and surface initiates rapid (turbulent) vertical transport and resultant wind bursts at surface. Such phenomena reveal linkages between planetary-scale waves and small-scale turbulence in the surface layer that can affect air-sea property exchanges and should be parameterized in atmosphere-ocean general circulation models. Funded by ONR Grants N00014-14-1-0279 and N00014-13-1-0199.

Autumn Cooling of Western East Antarctica Linked to the Tropical Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clem, Kyle R.; Renwick, James A.; McGregor, James

2018-01-01

Over the past 60 years, the climate of East Antarctica cooled while portions of West Antarctica were among the most rapidly warming regions on the planet. The East Antarctic cooling is attributed to a positive trend in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and a strengthening of the westerlies, while West Antarctic warming is tied to zonally asymmetric circulation changes forced by the tropics. This study finds recent (post-1979) surface cooling of East Antarctica during austral autumn to also be tied to tropical forcing, namely, an increase in La Niña events. The recent increase in La Niña conditions forces a Rossby wave into the Southern Hemisphere that increases anticyclonic circulation over the South Atlantic. The South Atlantic anticyclone is associated with cold air advection, weakened northerlies, and increased sea ice concentrations across the western East Antarctic coast, which has increased the rate of cooling at Novolazarevskaya and Syowa stations after 1979. This enhanced cooling over western East Antarctica is tied more broadly to a zonally asymmetric temperature trend pattern across East Antarctica during autumn that is consistent with a tropically forced Rossby wave rather than a SAM pattern; the positive SAM pattern is associated with ubiquitous cooling across East Antarctica, which is not seen in temperature observations after 1979. We conclude that El Niño-Southern Oscillation-related circulation anomalies, particularly zonal asymmetries that locally enhance meridional wind, are an important component of East Antarctic climate variability during autumn, and future changes in tropical Pacific climate will likely have implications for East Antarctica.

Large-scale dynamics associated with clustering of extratropical cyclones affecting Western Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto, Joaquim G.; Gómara, Iñigo; Masato, Giacomo; Dacre, Helen F.; Woollings, Tim; Caballero, Rodrigo

2015-04-01

Some recent winters in Western Europe have been characterized by the occurrence of multiple extratropical cyclones following a similar path. The occurrence of such cyclone clusters leads to large socio-economic impacts due to damaging winds, storm surges, and floods. Recent studies have statistically characterized the clustering of extratropical cyclones over the North Atlantic and Europe and hypothesized potential physical mechanisms responsible for their formation. Here we analyze 4 months characterized by multiple cyclones over Western Europe (February 1990, January 1993, December 1999, and January 2007). The evolution of the eddy driven jet stream, Rossby wave-breaking, and upstream/downstream cyclone development are investigated to infer the role of the large-scale flow and to determine if clustered cyclones are related to each other. Results suggest that optimal conditions for the occurrence of cyclone clusters are provided by a recurrent extension of an intensified eddy driven jet toward Western Europe lasting at least 1 week. Multiple Rossby wave-breaking occurrences on both the poleward and equatorward flanks of the jet contribute to the development of these anomalous large-scale conditions. The analysis of the daily weather charts reveals that upstream cyclone development (secondary cyclogenesis, where new cyclones are generated on the trailing fronts of mature cyclones) is strongly related to cyclone clustering, with multiple cyclones developing on a single jet streak. The present analysis permits a deeper understanding of the physical reasons leading to the occurrence of cyclone families over the North Atlantic, enabling a better estimation of the associated cumulative risk over Europe.

Modulation of equatorial Pacific westerly/easterly wind events by the Madden-Julian oscillation and convectively-coupled Rossby waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puy, Martin; Vialard, J.; Lengaigne, M.; Guilyardi, E.

2016-04-01

Synoptic wind events in the equatorial Pacific strongly influence the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) evolution. This paper characterizes the spatio-temporal distribution of Easterly (EWEs) and Westerly Wind Events (WWEs) and quantifies their relationship with intraseasonal and interannual large-scale climate variability. We unambiguously demonstrate that the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and Convectively-coupled Rossby Waves (CRW) modulate both WWEs and EWEs occurrence probability. 86 % of WWEs occur within convective MJO and/or CRW phases and 83 % of EWEs occur within the suppressed phase of MJO and/or CRW. 41 % of WWEs and 26 % of EWEs are in particular associated with the combined occurrence of a CRW/MJO, far more than what would be expected from a random distribution (3 %). Wind events embedded within MJO phases also have a stronger impact on the ocean, due to a tendency to have a larger amplitude, zonal extent and longer duration. These findings are robust irrespective of the wind events and MJO/CRW detection methods. While WWEs and EWEs behave rather symmetrically with respect to MJO/CRW activity, the impact of ENSO on wind events is asymmetrical. The WWEs occurrence probability indeed increases when the warm pool is displaced eastward during El Niño events, an increase that can partly be related to interannual modulation of the MJO/CRW activity in the western Pacific. On the other hand, the EWEs modulation by ENSO is less robust, and strongly depends on the wind event detection method. The consequences of these results for ENSO predictability are discussed.

Theory and evidence of global Rossby waves in upper main-sequence stars: r-mode oscillations in many Kepler stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saio, Hideyuki; Kurtz, Donald W.; Murphy, Simon J.; Antoci, Victoria L.; Lee, Umin

2018-02-01

Asteroseismic inference from pressure modes (p modes) and buoyancy, or gravity, modes (g modes) is ubiquitous for stars across the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Until now, however, discussion of r modes (global Rossby waves) has been rare. Here we derive the expected frequency ranges of r modes in the observational frame by considering the visibility of these modes. We find that the frequencies of r modes of azimuthal order m appear as groups at slightly lower frequency than m times the rotation frequency. Comparing the visibility curves for r modes with Fourier amplitude spectra of Kepler light curves of upper main-sequence B, A, and F stars, we find that r modes are present in many γ Dor stars (as first discovered by Van Reeth et al.), spotted stars, and so-called heartbeat stars, which are highly eccentric binary stars. We also find a signature of r modes in a frequently bursting Be star observed by Kepler. In the amplitude spectra of moderately to rapidly rotating γ Dor stars, r-mode frequency groups appear at lower frequency than prograde g-mode frequency groups, while in the amplitude spectra of spotted early A to B stars, groups of symmetric (with respect to the equator) r-mode frequencies appear just below the frequency of a structured peak that we suggest represents an approximate stellar rotation rate. In many heartbeat stars, a group of frequencies can be fitted with symmetric m = 1 r modes, which can be used to obtain rotation frequencies of these stars.

Met UM Upper-tropospheric summer jet teleconnections: A model assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joao Carvalho, Maria; Rodriguez, Jose; Milton, Sean

2017-04-01

The upper tropospheric jet stream has been documented to act as a waveguide (Hoskins and Ambrizzi, 1993) and supporting quasi-stationary Rossby waves (Schubert et al. 2011). These have been associated with remote effects in surface level weather such as rainfall anomalies in the East Asian Summer Monsoon as well as extreme temperature events. The goal of this work was to analyse the intraseasonal to interannual upper level boreal summer jet variability and its coupling with low level atmospheric dynamics within the Met Office Unified Model using climate runs. Using the Wallace and Gutzler (1981) proposed approach to find teleconnection patterns on the 200 hPa level wind, lead-lag correlation and Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis on the upper-level jet and relating the results with surface weather variables as well as dynamical variables, it was found that the model presents too strong jet variability, particularly in the tropical region and. In addition, the model presents high teleconnectivity hotspots with higher importance in areas such as the Mediterranean and Caspian Sea which are important source areas for Rossby Waves. Further to this, the model was found to produce an area of teleconnectivity between the tropical Atlantic and western Africa which is not observed in the reanalysis but coexists with long lasting precipitation biases. As comparison for the model results, ERA-Interim circulation and wind data and the TRMM precipitation dataset were used. In order to assess the relative importance of relevant model parameters in the biases and process errors, work is currently underway using perturbed model parameter ensembles.

Midterm Periodicity Analysis of the Mount Wilson Magnetic Indices Using the Synchrosqueezing Transform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Song; Wang, Feng; Deng, Hui

2017-08-10

A novel time–frequency technique, called the synchrosqueezing transform (SST), is used to investigate the midterm periodic variations of magnetic fields on the solar surface. The Magnetic Plage Strength Index (MPSI) and the Mount Wilson Sunspot Index (MWSI), measured daily by the Mount Wilson Observatory between 1970 January 19 and 2012 January 22, are selected. Short-, mid, and longer-term periodicities are represented and decomposed by the SST with hardly any mode mixing. This demonstrates that the SST is a useful time–frequency analysis technique to characterize the periodic modes of helioseismic data. Apart from the fundamental modes of the annual periodicity, ∼27more » day rotational cycle and ∼11 year solar cycle, the SST reveals several midterm periodicities in the two magnetic activity indices, specifically, ∼157 days (i.e., Rieger-type periodicity), and ∼1.3 and 1.7 years. The periodic modes, with 116.4 and 276.2 day periodicity in the MPSI, 108.5 and 251.6 day periodicity in the MWSI, and 157.7 day periodicity in the two indices, are in better accord with those significant periodicities derived from the Rossby waves theoretical model. This study suggests that the modes are caused by Rossby waves. For the 1.30 and 1.71 year periodicity of the MPSI, and the 1.33 and 1.67 year periodicity of the MWSI, our analysis infers that they are related to those periodicities with the same timescale in the interior of the Sun and in the high atmospheric layers.« less

Stratified spin-up in a sliced, square cylinder

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munro, R. J.; Foster, M. R.

We previously reported experimental and theoretical results on the linear spin-up of a linearly stratified, rotating fluid in a uniform-depth square cylinder [M. R. Foster and R. J. Munro, “The linear spin-up of a stratified, rotating fluid in a square cylinder,” J. Fluid Mech. 712, 7–40 (2012)]. Here we extend that analysis to a “sliced” square cylinder, which has a base-plane inclined at a shallow angle α. Asymptotic results are derived that show the spin-up phase is achieved by a combination of the Ekman-layer eruptions (from the perimeter region of the cylinder's lid and base) and cross-slope-propagating stratified Rossby waves.more » The final, steady state limit for this spin-up phase is identical to that found previously for the uniform depth cylinder, but is reached somewhat more rapidly on a time scale of order E{sup −1/2}Ω{sup −1}/log (α/E{sup 1/2}) (compared to E{sup −1/2}Ω{sup −1} for the uniform-depth cylinder), where Ω is the rotation rate and E the Ekman number. Experiments were performed for Burger numbers, S, between 0.4 and 16, and showed that for S≳O(1), the Rossby modes are severely damped, and it is only at small S, and during the early stages, that the presence of these wave modes was evident. These observations are supported by the theory, which shows the damping factors increase with S and are numerically large for S≳O(1)« less

Stationary Planetary Waves in the Mars Winter Atmosphere as seen by the Radio Science Experiment MaRS on Mars Express

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tellmann, Silvia; Pätzold, Martin; Häusler, Bernd; Tyler, Leonard G.; Hinson, David P.

2015-11-01

Stationary (Rossby) Waves are excited by the interaction of the zonally varying topography with the strong eastward winter jets. They lead to distinctive longitudinal temperature variations which contribute significantly to the asymmetry of the seasonal polar CO2 ice caps and are also important for the dust redistribution in the planetary atmosphere.Radio Science profiles from the Mars Express Radio Science Experiment MaRS at northern and southern high latitudes are used to gain insight into winter stationary wave structures on both hemispheres.Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) radio occultation measurements from the same season and year with their exceptionally good longitudinal and temporal coverage can be used to estimate the influence of transient eddies. Transient waves are especially important in the northern winter hemisphere.Wave number 2 stationary waves, driven by topography, are dominant in the northern winter latitudes while the wave number 1 wave is the most significant wave number during southern winter. The wave amplitudes peak around winter solstice on both hemispheres.Radio occultation measurements provide the unique opportunity to determine simultaneous measurements of temperature and geopotential height structures. Assuming geostrophic balance, these measurements can be used to determine meridional winds and eddy heat fluxes which provide further insight into the contribution of stationary waves to the heat exchange between the poles and the lower latitudes.

Meridional Overturning Circulation Transport Variability at 34.5°S During 2009-2017: Baroclinic and Barotropic Flows and the Dueling Influence of the Boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meinen, Christopher S.; Speich, Sabrina; Piola, Alberto R.; Ansorge, Isabelle; Campos, Edmo; Kersalé, Marion; Terre, Thierry; Chidichimo, Maria Paz; Lamont, Tarron; Sato, Olga T.; Perez, Renellys C.; Valla, Daniel; van den Berg, Marcel; Le Hénaff, Matthieu; Dong, Shenfu; Garzoli, Silvia L.

2018-05-01

Six years of simultaneous moored observations near the western and eastern boundaries of the South Atlantic are combined with satellite winds to produce a daily time series of the basin-wide meridional overturning circulation (MOC) volume transport at 34.5°S. The results demonstrate that barotropic and baroclinic signals at both boundaries cause significant transport variations, and as such must be concurrently observed. The data, spanning 20 months during 2009-2010 and 4 years during 2013-2017, reveal a highly energetic MOC record with a temporal standard deviation of 8.3 Sv, and strong variations at time scales ranging from a few days to years (peak-to-peak range = 54.6 Sv). Seasonal transport variations are found to have both semiannual (baroclinic) and annual (Ekman and barotropic) timescales. Interannual MOC variations result from both barotropic and baroclinic changes, with density profile changes at the eastern boundary having the largest impact on the year-to-year variations.

Expressions for tidal conversion at seafloor topography using physical space integrals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schorghofer, Norbert

2010-12-01

The barotropic tide interacts with seafloor topography to generate internal gravity waves. Equations for streamfunction and power conversion are derived in terms of integrals over the topography in spatial coordinates. The slope of the topography does not need to be small. Explicit equations are derived up to second order in slope for general topography, and conversion by a bell-shaped topography is calculated analytically to this order. A concise formalism using Hilbert transforms is developed, the minimally converting topographic shape is discussed, and a numerical scheme for the evaluation of power conversion is designed that robustly deals with the singular integrand.

The Energetics of Transient Eddies in the Martian Northern Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battalio, Joseph Michael; Szunyogh, Istvan; Lemmon, Mark T.

2016-10-01

The energetics of northern hemisphere transient waves in the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation is analyzed. Three periods between the fall and spring equinoxes (Ls=200°-230°, 255°-285°, and 330°-360°) during three Mars Years are selected to exemplify the fall, winter, and spring wave activity. Fall and spring eddy energetics is similar with some inter-annual and inter-seasonal variability, but winter eddy kinetic energy and its transport are strongly reduced in intensity as a result of the solsticial pause in eddy activity. Barotropic energy conversion acts as a sink of eddy kinetic energy throughout the northern hemisphere eddy period with little reduction in amplitude during the solsticial pause. Baroclinic energy conversion acts as a source in fall and spring but disappears during the winter period as a result of the stabilized vertical shear profile of the westerly jet around winter solstice.

Motions in the interiors and atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. II - Barotropic instabilities and normal modes of an adiabatic planet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingersoll, A. P.; Miller, R. L.

1986-01-01

A rotating and adiabatic inviscid fluid planet possesses low frequency motions that are barotropic, quasi-geostrophic and quasi-columnar. The limiting curvature at which flow becomes unstable upon projection onto the planetary surface is negative, with an amplitude that is 3-4 times that for thin atmospheres, in planets in which density linearly decreases to zero at the surface. This result is shown to hold for all quasi-columnar perturbations. Both the phase speed of the normal mode oscillations and the barotropic stability criterion have features in common with Saturn and Jupiter oscillations.

Diagnosis of boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation in high resolution NCEP climate forecast system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abhik, S.; Mukhopadhyay, P.; Krishna, R. P. M.; Salunke, Kiran D.; Dhakate, Ashish R.; Rao, Suryachandra A.

2016-05-01

The present study examines the ability of high resolution (T382) National Centers for Environmental Prediction coupled atmosphere-ocean climate forecast system version 2 (CFS T382) in simulating the salient spatio-temporal characteristics of the boreal summertime mean climate and the intraseasonal variability. The shortcomings of the model are identified based on the observation and compared with earlier reported biases of the coarser resolution of CFS (CFS T126). It is found that the CFS T382 reasonably mimics the observed features of basic state climate during boreal summer. But some prominent biases are noted in simulating the precipitation, tropospheric temperature (TT) and sea surface temperature (SST) over the global tropics. Although CFS T382 primarily reproduces the observed distribution of the intraseasonal variability over the Indian summer monsoon region, some difficulty remains in simulating the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) characteristics. The simulated eastward propagation of BSISO decays rapidly across the Maritime Continent, while the northward propagation appears to be slightly slower than observation. However, the northward propagating BSISO convection propagates smoothly from the equatorial region to the northern latitudes with observed magnitude. Moreover, the observed northwest-southeast tilted rain band is not well reproduced in CFS T382. The warm mean SST bias and inadequate simulation of high frequency modes appear to be responsible for the weak simulation of eastward propagating BSISO. Unlike CFS T126, the simulated mean SST and TT exhibit warm biases, although the mean precipitation and simulated BSISO characteristics are largely similar in both the resolutions of CFS. Further analysis of the convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs) indicates that model overestimates the gravest equatorial Rossby waves and underestimates the Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves. Based on analysis of CCEWs, the study further explains the possible reasons behind the realistic simulation of northward propagating BSISO in CFS T382, even though the model shows substantial biases in simulating mean state and other BSISO modes.

Is the oceanic heat flux on the central Amundsen sea shelf caused by barotropic or baroclinic currents?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalén, Ola; Assmann, Karen M.; Wåhlin, Anna K.; Ha, Ho Kyung; Kim, Tae Wan; Lee, Sang Hoon

2016-01-01

The glaciers that drain the West Antarctic Ice Sheet into the Amundsen Sea are accelerating and experiencing increased basal melt of the floating ice shelves. Warm and salty deep water has been observed to flow southward in deep troughs leading from the shelf break to the inner shelf area where the glaciers terminate. It has been suggested that the melting induced by this warm water is responsible for the acceleration of the glaciers. Here we investigate the structure of the currents and the associated heat flow on the shelf using in-situ observations from 2008 to 2014 in Dotson Trough, the main channel in the western part of the Amundsen Sea shelf, together with output from a numerical model. The model is generally able to reproduce the observed velocities and temperatures in the trough, albeit with a thicker warm bottom layer. In the absence of measurements of sea surface height we define the barotropic component of the flow as the vertical average of the velocity. It is shown that the flow is dominated by warm barotropic inflows on the eastern side and colder and fresher barotropic outflows on the western side. The transport of heat appears to be primarily induced by this clockwise barotropic circulation in the trough, contrary to earlier studies emphasizing a bottom-intensified baroclinic inflow as the main contributor.

Saturn's north polar cyclone and hexagon at depth revealed by Cassini/VIMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baines, Kevin H.; Momary, Thomas W.; Fletcher, Leigh N.; Showman, Adam P.; Roos-Serote, Maarten; Brown, Robert H.; Buratti, Bonnie J.; Clark, Roger N.; Nicholson, Philip D.

2009-12-01

A high-speed cyclonic vortex centered on the north pole of Saturn has been revealed by the visual-infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) onboard the Cassini-Huygens Orbiter, thus showing that the tropospheres of both poles of Saturn are occupied by cyclonic vortices with winds exceeding 135 m/s. High-spatial-resolution (~200 km per pixel) images acquired predominantly under night-time conditions during Saturn's polar winter - using a thermal wavelength of 5.1 μm to obtain time-lapsed imagery of discrete, deep-seated (>2.1-bar) cloud features viewed in silhouette against Saturn's internally generated thermal glow - show a classic cyclonic structure, with prograde winds exceeding 135 m/s at its maximum near 88.3° (planetocentric) latitude, and decreasing to <30 m/s at 89.7° near the vortex center and<20 m/s at 80.5°. High-speed winds, exceeding 125 m/s, were also measured for cloud features at depth near 76° (planetocentric) latitude within the polar hexagon consistent with the idea that the hexagon itself, which remains nearly stationary, is a westward (retrograde) propagating Rossby wave - as proposed by Allison (1990, Science 247, 1061-1063) - with a maximum wave speed near 2-bars pressure of ~125 m/s. Winds are ~25 m/s stronger than observed by Voyager, suggesting temporal variability. Images acquired of one side of the hexagon in dawn conditions as the polar winter wanes shows the hexagon is still visible in reflected sunlight nearly 28 years since its discovery, that a similar 3-lane structure is observed in reflected and thermal light, and that the cloudtops may be typically lower in the hexagon than in nearby discrete cloud features outside of it. Clouds are well-correlated in visible and 5.1 μm images, indicating little windshear above the ~2-bar level. The polar cyclone is similar in size and shape to its counterpart at the south pole; a primary difference is the presence of a small (<600 km in diameter) nearly pole-centered cloud, perhaps indicative of localized upwelling. Many dozens of discrete, circular cloud features dot the polar region, with typical diameters of 300-700 km. Equatorward of 87.8°N, their compact nature in the high-wind polar environment suggests that vertical shear in horizontal winds may be modest on 1000 km scales. These circular clouds may be anticyclonic vortices produced by baroclinic instabilities, barotropic instabilities, moist convection or other processes. The existence of cyclones at both poles of Saturn indicates that cyclonic circulation may be an important dynamical style in planets with significant atmospheres.

Saturn's north polar cyclone and hexagon at depth revealed by Cassini/VIMS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baines, K.H.; Momary, T.W.; Fletcher, L.N.; Showman, A.P.; Roos-Serote, M.; Brown, R.H.; Buratti, B.J.; Clark, R.N.; Nicholson, P.D.

2009-01-01

A high-speed cyclonic vortex centered on the north pole of Saturn has been revealed by the visual-infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) onboard the Cassini-Huygens Orbiter, thus showing that the tropospheres of both poles of Saturn are occupied by cyclonic vortices with winds exceeding 135 m/s. High-spatial-resolution (~200 km per pixel) images acquired predominantly under night-time conditions during Saturn's polar winter-using a thermal wavelength of 5.1 ??m to obtain time-lapsed imagery of discrete, deep-seated (>2.1-bar) cloud features viewed in silhouette against Saturn's internally generated thermal glow-show a classic cyclonic structure, with prograde winds exceeding 135 m/s at its maximum near 88.3?? (planetocentric) latitude, and decreasing to <30 m/s at 89.7?? near the vortex center and<20 m/s at 80.5??. High-speed winds, exceeding 125 m/s, were also measured for cloud features at depth near 76?? (planetocentric) latitude within the polar hexagon consistent with the idea that the hexagon itself, which remains nearly stationary, is a westward (retrograde) propagating Rossby wave - as proposed by Allison (1990, Science 247, 1061-1063) - with a maximum wave speed near 2-bars pressure of ~125 m/s. Winds are ~25 m/s stronger than observed by Voyager, suggesting temporal variability. Images acquired of one side of the hexagon in dawn conditions as the polar winter wanes shows the hexagon is still visible in reflected sunlight nearly 28 years since its discovery, that a similar 3-lane structure is observed in reflected and thermal light, and that the cloudtops may be typically lower in the hexagon than in nearby discrete cloud features outside of it. Clouds are well-correlated in visible and 5.1 ??m images, indicating little windshear above the ~2-bar level. The polar cyclone is similar in size and shape to its counterpart at the south pole; a primary difference is the presence of a small (<600 km in diameter) nearly pole-centered cloud, perhaps indicative of localized upwelling. Many dozens of discrete, circular cloud features dot the polar region, with typical diameters of 300-700 km. Equatorward of 87.8??N, their compact nature in the high-wind polar environment suggests that vertical shear in horizontal winds may be modest on 1000 km scales. These circular clouds may be anticyclonic vortices produced by baroclinic instabilities, barotropic instabilities, moist convection or other processes. The existence of cyclones at both poles of Saturn indicates that cyclonic circulation may be an important dynamical style in planets with significant atmospheres. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A 3D, finite element model for baroclinic circulation on the Vancouver Island continental shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walters, R.A.; Foreman, M.G.G.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the development and application of a 3-dimensional model of the barotropic and baroclinic circulation on the continental shelf west of Vancouver Island, Canada. A previous study with a 2D barotropic model and field data revealed that several tidal constituents have a significant baroclinic component (the K1 in particular). Thus we embarked on another study with a 3D model to study the baroclinic effects on the residual and several selected tidal constituents. The 3D model uses a harmonic expansion in time and a finite element discretization in space. All nonlinear terms are retained, including quadratic bottom stress, advection and wave transport (continuity nonlinearity). The equations are solved as a global and a local problem, where the global problem is the solution of the wave equation formulation of the shallow water equations, and the local problem is the solution of the momentum equation for the vertical velocity profile. These equations are coupled to the advection-diffusion equation for density so that density gradient forcing is included in the momentum equations. However, the study presented here describes diagnostic calculations for the baroclinic residual circulation only. The model is sufficiently efficient that it encourages sensitivity testing with a large number of model runs. In this sense, the model is akin to an extension of analytical solutions to the domain of irregular geometry and bottom topography where this parameter space can be explored in some detail. In particular, the consequences of the sigma coordinate system used by the model are explored. Test cases using an idealized representation of the continental shelf, shelf break and shelf slope, lead to an estimation of the velocity errors caused by interpolation errors inherent in the sigma coordinate system. On the basis of these estimates, the computational grid used in the 2D model is found to have inadequate resolution. Thus a new grid is generated with increased accuracy in the region of the shelf break. However, even with increased resolution, spurious baroclinic circulation seaward of the shelf break and in the vicinity of Juan de Fuca canyon remained a significant problem when the pressure gradient terms were evaluated using the ?? coordinate system and using a realistic density profile. With the new grid, diagnostic calculations of the barotropic and baroclinic residual circulation are performed using forcing from the observed ??t (density) field and from the gradient of this field. ?? 1992.

Influence of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Planetary Wave Resonance and Extreme Weather Events.

PubMed

Mann, Michael E; Rahmstorf, Stefan; Kornhuber, Kai; Steinman, Byron A; Miller, Sonya K; Coumou, Dim

2017-03-27

Persistent episodes of extreme weather in the Northern Hemisphere summer have been shown to be associated with the presence of high-amplitude quasi-stationary atmospheric Rossby waves within a particular wavelength range (zonal wavenumber 6-8). The underlying mechanistic relationship involves the phenomenon of quasi-resonant amplification (QRA) of synoptic-scale waves with that wavenumber range becoming trapped within an effective mid-latitude atmospheric waveguide. Recent work suggests an increase in recent decades in the occurrence of QRA-favorable conditions and associated extreme weather, possibly linked to amplified Arctic warming and thus a climate change influence. Here, we isolate a specific fingerprint in the zonal mean surface temperature profile that is associated with QRA-favorable conditions. State-of-the-art ("CMIP5") historical climate model simulations subject to anthropogenic forcing display an increase in the projection of this fingerprint that is mirrored in multiple observational surface temperature datasets. Both the models and observations suggest this signal has only recently emerged from the background noise of natural variability.

A new numerical model of the middle atmosphere. I - Dynamics and transport of tropospheric source gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, Rolando R.; Stordal, Frode; Solomon, Susan; Kiehl, Jeffrey T.

1992-01-01

Attention is given to a new model of the middle atmosphere which includes, in addition to the equations governing the zonal mean state, a potential vorticity equation for a single planetary-scale Rossby wave, and an IR radiative transfer code for the stratosphere and lower mesosphere, which replaces the Newtonian cooling parameterization used previously. It is shown that explicit computation of the planetary-scale wave field yields a more realistic representation of the zonal mean dynamics and the distribution of trace chemical species. Wave breaking produces a well-mixed 'surf zone' equatorward of the polar night vortex and drives a meridional circulation with downwelling on the poleward side of the vortex. This combination of mixing and downwelling produces shallow meridional gradients of trace gases in the subtropics and middle latitudes, and very steep gradients at the edge of the polar vortex. Computed distributions of methane and nitrous oxide are shown to agree well with observations.

Control of tropical instability waves in the Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, M. R.; Lawrence, S. P.; Murray, M. J.; Mutlow, C. T.; Stockdale, T. N.; Llewellyn-Jones, D. T.; Anderson, D. L. T.

Westward-propagating waves with periods of 20-30 days and wavelengths of ˜ 1,100km are a prominent feature of sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) in the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They have been attributed to instabilities due to current shear. We compare SST observations from the spaceborne Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) and TOGA-TAO moored buoys with SSTs from a model of the tropical Pacific forced with observed daily windstress data. The phases of the strongest “Tropical Instability Waves” (TIWs) in the model are in closer correspondence with those observed than we would expect if these waves simply developed from infinitesimal disturbances (in which case their phases would be arbitrary). If we filter out the intraseasonal component of the windstress, all phase-correspondence is lost. We conclude that the phases of these waves are not arbitrary, but partially determined by the intraseasonal winds. The subsurface evolution of the model suggests a possible control mechanism is through interaction with remotely-forced subsurface Kelvin and Rossby waves. This is supported by an experiment which shows how zonal wind bursts in the west Pacific can modify the TIW field, but other mechanisms, such as local feedbacks, are also possible.

Nonlinear internal waves in the Gulf of Guinea: observations and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baquet, Emeric; Pichon, Annick; Raynaud, Stephane; Carton, Xavier

2017-04-01

Nonlinear internal waves are known hazards to offshore operations. They have been observed at different locations around the world and have been studied for a long time in Southeast Asia. However in West Africa, they are less documented. This research presents original data of currentmeters in northeastern part of the Gulf of Guinea, in the vicinity of offshore oil platforms. Nonlinear internal waves were observed. Their characteristics were determined under the assumptions of the weakly nonlinear and non-hydrostatic Korteweg-de Vries equation. Their directions of propagation were studied to determine generation zones. The monthly distribution was shown to assess seasonal variability. Their main generation mechanism was the barotropic tides over the shelf break, but other processes were at work too. The seasonal variability due to the monsoon, river discharges also played a part in the nonlinear internal wave dynamics. Since several processes, of different time and space scales, are at work, interactions between them must be investigated. Thus, a two-layered numerical model was used to reproduce nonlinear internal waves. Sensitivity experiments were made, in order to investigate the balance between nonlinearities, Coriolis and non-hydrostatic dispersions. The impact of non-uniform bathymetry and the presence of another flow in addition to the tides were also tested.

Meteorological tsunamis along the East Coast of the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabinovich, A.

2012-12-01

Tsunami-like intense sea level oscillations are common along the East Coast of the United States. They are generated by various types of atmospheric disturbances, including hurricanes, frontal passages, tornados, trains of atmospheric gravity waves, pressure jumps, squalls, and gales, that each set up a local, time-limited barotropic response in the affected body of water. These meteorologically induced waves have the same temporal and spatial scales as their seismically generated counterparts and inflict comparable destructions. Observed around the globe, these devastating waves are known locally as "abiki" in Nagaski Bay (Japan), "rissaga" in Spain, "šćiga" along the Croation Coast bordering the Adriatic Sea, "milghuba" in Malta, and "marrobbio" in Italy. Collectively, they may be considered as "meteorological tsunamis" or "meteotsunamis." The updated NOAA tide gauge network with 1 min sampling enabled us to examine resonant amplifications of specific events observed in 2007-2012 and physical properties of meteotsunamis impacting the United States East Coast in general. Of particular interest and focus was the "derecho" event of June 29 - July 2, 2012.

Development of a particle method of characteristics (PMOC) for one-dimensional shock waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Y.-H.

2018-03-01

In the present study, a particle method of characteristics is put forward to simulate the evolution of one-dimensional shock waves in barotropic gaseous, closed-conduit, open-channel, and two-phase flows. All these flow phenomena can be described with the same set of governing equations. The proposed scheme is established based on the characteristic equations and formulated by assigning the computational particles to move along the characteristic curves. Both the right- and left-running characteristics are traced and represented by their associated computational particles. It inherits the computational merits from the conventional method of characteristics (MOC) and moving particle method, but without their individual deficiencies. In addition, special particles with dual states deduced to the enforcement of the Rankine-Hugoniot relation are deliberately imposed to emulate the shock structure. Numerical tests are carried out by solving some benchmark problems, and the computational results are compared with available analytical solutions. From the derivation procedure and obtained computational results, it is concluded that the proposed PMOC will be a useful tool to replicate one-dimensional shock waves.

Critical Latitude in Tidal Dynamics Using the Kara Sea as an Example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagan, B. A.; Sofina, E. V.; Timofeev, A. A.

2018-03-01

It is well known that, within the linear nonviscous equations of tidal dynamics, the amplitudes of oscillations of the barotropic and baroclinic tidal velocity components unlimitedly increase when approaching the critical latitude. It is also known that the linear equations of tidal dynamics with a constant and specified vertical eddy viscosity indicate the occurrence of significant tidal velocity shears in the near-bottom layer, which are responsible for increasing the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation, the turbulent kinetic energy, and the thickness of the bottom boundary layer. The first circumstance—the growth of the amplitudes of oscillations of the barotropic and baroclinic tidal velocity components—is due to the elimination in the original equations of small terms, which are small everywhere except for the critical latitude zone. The second circumstance—the occurrence of significant tidal velocity shears—is due to the fact that internal tidal waves, which induce the dissipation of the baroclinic tidal energy and the diapycnal diffusion, are either not taken into account or described inadequately. It is suggested that diapycnal diffusion can lead to the degeneration (complete or partial) of tidal velocity shears, with all the ensuing consequences. The aforesaid is confirmed by simulation results obtained using the QUODDY-4 high-resolution three-dimensional finite-element hydrostatic model along the 66.25° E section, which passes in the Kara Sea across the critical latitude.

RIEGER-TYPE PERIODICITY DURING SOLAR CYCLES 14–24: ESTIMATION OF DYNAMO MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH IN THE SOLAR INTERIOR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gurgenashvili, Eka; Zaqarashvili, Teimuraz V.; Kukhianidze, Vasil

2016-07-20

Solar activity undergoes a variation over timescales of several months known as Rieger-type periodicity, which usually occurs near maxima of sunspot cycles. An early analysis showed that the periodicity appears only in some cycles and is absent in other cycles. But the appearance/absence during different cycles has not been explained. We performed a wavelet analysis of sunspot data from the Greenwich Royal Observatory and the Royal Observatory of Belgium during cycles 14–24. We found that the Rieger-type periods occur in all cycles, but they are cycle dependent: shorter periods occur during stronger cycles. Our analysis revealed a periodicity of 185–195more » days during the weak cycles 14–15 and 24 and a periodicity of 155–165 days during the stronger cycles 16–23. We derived the dispersion relation of the spherical harmonics of the magnetic Rossby waves in the presence of differential rotation and a toroidal magnetic field in the dynamo layer near the base of the convection zone. This showed that the harmonics of fast Rossby waves with m = 1 and n = 4, where m ( n ) indicates the toroidal (poloidal) wavenumbers, perfectly fit with the observed periodicity. The variation of the toroidal field strength from weaker to stronger cycles may lead to the different periods found in those cycles, which explains the observed enigmatic feature of the Rieger-type periodicity. Finally, we used the observed periodicity to estimate the dynamo field strength during cycles 14–24. Our estimations suggest a field strength of ∼40 kG for the stronger cycles and ∼20 kG for the weaker cycles.« less

ROSSBY WAVE INSTABILITY AT DEAD ZONE BOUNDARIES IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL RESISTIVE MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICAL GLOBAL MODELS OF PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyra, Wladimir; Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark, E-mail: wlyra@jpl.nasa.gov, E-mail: mordecai@amnh.org

It has been suggested that the transition between magnetorotationally active and dead zones in protoplanetary disks should be prone to the excitation of vortices via Rossby wave instability (RWI). However, the only numerical evidence for this has come from alpha disk models, where the magnetic field evolution is not followed, and the effect of turbulence is parameterized by Laplacian viscosity. We aim to establish the phenomenology of the flow in the transition in three-dimensional resistive-magnetohydrodynamical models. We model the transition by a sharp jump in resistivity, as expected in the inner dead zone boundary, using the PENCIL CODE to simulatemore » the flow. We find that vortices are readily excited in the dead side of the transition. We measure the mass accretion rate finding similar levels of Reynolds stress at the dead and active zones, at the {alpha} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup -2} level. The vortex sits in a pressure maximum and does not migrate, surviving until the end of the simulation. A pressure maximum in the active zone also triggers the RWI. The magnetized vortex that results should be disrupted by parasitical magneto-elliptic instabilities, yet it subsists in high resolution. This suggests that either the parasitic modes are still numerically damped or that the RWI supplies vorticity faster than they can destroy it. We conclude that the resistive transition between the active and dead zones in the inner regions of protoplanetary disks, if sharp enough, can indeed excite vortices via RWI. Our results lend credence to previous works that relied on the alpha-disk approximation, and caution against the use of overly reduced azimuthal coverage on modeling this transition.« less

Atmospheric Rivers across Multi-scales of the Hydrologic cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, H.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) are defined as filamentary structures with strong water vapor transport in the atmosphere, moving as much water as is discharged by the Amazon River. As a large-scale phenomenon, ARs are embedded in the planetary-scale Rossby waves and account for the majority of poleward moisture transport in the midlatitudes. On the other hand, AR is the fundamental physical mechanism leading to extreme basin-scale precipitation and flooding over the U.S. West Coast in the winter season. The moisture transported by ARs is forced to rise and generate precipitation when it impinges on the mountainous coastal lands. My goal is to build the connection between the multi-scale features associated with ARs with their impacts on local hydrology, with particular focus on the U.S. West Coast. Moving across the different scales I have: (1) examined the planetary-scale dynamics in the upper-troposphere, and established a robust relationship between the two regimes of Rossby wave breaking and AR-precipitation and streamflow along the West Coast; (2) quantified the contribution from the tropics/subtropics to AR-related precipitation intensity and found a significant modulation from the large-scale thermodynamics; (3) developed a water tracer tool in a land surface model to track the lifecycle of the water collected from AR precipitation over the terrestrial system, so that the role of catchment-scale factors in modulating ARs' hydrological consequences could be examined. Ultimately, the information gather from these studies will indicate how the dynamic and thermodynamic changes as a response to climate change could affect the local flooding and water resource, which would be helpful in decision making.

A possible mechanism of interleaving at weak baroclinic fronts under stable-stable stratification in the Arctic Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmina, Natalia; Izvekova, Yulia N.

2016-04-01

Some analytical solutions are found for the problem of three-dimensional instability of a weak geostrophic flow with linear velocity shear taking into account vertical diffusion of buoyancy. The analysis is based on the potential vorticity equation in a long-wave approximation when the horizontal scale of disturbances is taken much larger than the local baroclinic radius Rossby. It is hypothesized that the solutions found can be applied to describe stable and unstable disturbances of planetary scale with respect, especially, to the Arctic basin where weak baroclinic fronts with typical temporal variability period of the order of several years or more are observed and the beta-effect is negligible. Stable (decreasing with time) solutions describe disturbances that, in contrast to the Rossby waves, can propagate both to the west and east depending on the sign of linear shear of geostrophic velocity. The unstable (growing with time) solutions are applied to describe large-scale intrusions at baroclinic fronts under stable-stable thermohaline stratification observed in the upper layer of the Polar Deep Water in the Eurasian basin. The proposed description of intrusive layering can be considered as a possible alternative to the mechanism of interleaving due to the differential mixing (Merryfield, 2002; Kuzmina et al., 2011). References Kuzmina N., Rudels B., Zhurbas V., Stipa T. On the structure and dynamical features of intrusive layering in the Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean. J. Geophys. Res., 2011, 116, C00D11, doi:10.1029/2010JC006920. Merryfield W. J. Intrusions in double-diffusively stable Arctic Waters: Evidence for differential mixing? J. Phys. Oceanogr., 2002, 32, 1452-1439.

An ensemble Kalman filter for statistical estimation of physics constrained nonlinear regression models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harlim, John, E-mail: jharlim@psu.edu; Mahdi, Adam, E-mail: amahdi@ncsu.edu; Majda, Andrew J., E-mail: jonjon@cims.nyu.edu

2014-01-15

A central issue in contemporary science is the development of nonlinear data driven statistical–dynamical models for time series of noisy partial observations from nature or a complex model. It has been established recently that ad-hoc quadratic multi-level regression models can have finite-time blow-up of statistical solutions and/or pathological behavior of their invariant measure. Recently, a new class of physics constrained nonlinear regression models were developed to ameliorate this pathological behavior. Here a new finite ensemble Kalman filtering algorithm is developed for estimating the state, the linear and nonlinear model coefficients, the model and the observation noise covariances from available partialmore » noisy observations of the state. Several stringent tests and applications of the method are developed here. In the most complex application, the perfect model has 57 degrees of freedom involving a zonal (east–west) jet, two topographic Rossby waves, and 54 nonlinearly interacting Rossby waves; the perfect model has significant non-Gaussian statistics in the zonal jet with blocked and unblocked regimes and a non-Gaussian skewed distribution due to interaction with the other 56 modes. We only observe the zonal jet contaminated by noise and apply the ensemble filter algorithm for estimation. Numerically, we find that a three dimensional nonlinear stochastic model with one level of memory mimics the statistical effect of the other 56 modes on the zonal jet in an accurate fashion, including the skew non-Gaussian distribution and autocorrelation decay. On the other hand, a similar stochastic model with zero memory levels fails to capture the crucial non-Gaussian behavior of the zonal jet from the perfect 57-mode model.« less

DOUBLE DYNAMO SIGNATURES IN A GLOBAL MHD SIMULATION AND MEAN-FIELD DYNAMOS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beaudoin, Patrice; Simard, Corinne; Cossette, Jean-François

The 11 year solar activity cycle is the most prominent periodic manifestation of the magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) large-scale dynamo operating in the solar interior, yet longer and shorter (quasi-) periodicities are also present. The so-called “quasi-biennial” signal appearing in many proxies of solar activity has been gaining increasing attention since its detection in p -mode frequency shifts, which suggests a subphotospheric origin. A number of candidate mechanisms have been proposed, including beating between co-existing global dynamo modes, dual dynamos operating in spatially separated regions of the solar interior, and Rossby waves driving short-period oscillations in the large-scale solar magnetic field producedmore » by the 11 year activity cycle. In this article, we analyze a global MHD simulation of solar convection producing regular large-scale magnetic cycles, and detect and characterize shorter periodicities developing therein. By constructing kinematic mean-field α {sup 2}Ω dynamo models incorporating the turbulent electromotive force (emf) extracted from that same simulation, we find that dual-dynamo behavior materializes in fairly wide regions of the model’s parameters space. This suggests that the origin of the similar behavior detected in the MHD simulation lies with the joint complexity of the turbulent emf and differential rotation profile, rather that with dynamical interactions such as those mediated by Rossby waves. Analysis of the simulation also reveals that the dual dynamo operating therein leaves a double-period signature in the temperature field, consistent with a dual-period helioseismic signature. Order-of-magnitude estimates for the magnitude of the expected frequency shifts are commensurate with helioseismic measurements. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that the solar quasi-biennial oscillations are associated with a secondary dynamo process operating in the outer reaches of the solar convection zone.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gurgenashvili, Eka; Zaqarashvili, Teimuraz V.; Kukhianidze, Vasil

Rieger-type periodicity has been detected in different activity indices over many solar cycles. It was recently shown that the periodicity correlates with solar activity having a shorter period during stronger cycles. Solar activity level is generally asymmetric between northern and southern hemispheres, which could suggest the presence of a similar behavior in the Rieger-type periodicity. We analyze the sunspot area/number and the total magnetic flux data for northern and southern hemispheres during solar cycles 19–23, which had remarkable north–south asymmetry. Using wavelet analysis of sunspot area and number during the north-dominated cycles (19–20), we obtained the periodicity of 160–165 daysmore » in the stronger northern hemisphere and 180–190 days in the weaker southern hemisphere. On the other hand, south-dominated cycles (21–23) display the periodicity of 155–160 days in the stronger southern hemisphere and 175–188 days in the weaker northern hemisphere. Therefore, the Rieger-type periodicity has the north–south asymmetry in sunspot area/number data during solar cycles with strong hemispheric asymmetry. We suggest that the periodicity is caused by magnetic Rossby waves in the internal dynamo layer. Using the dispersion relation of magnetic Rossby waves and observed Rieger periodicity, we estimated the magnetic field strength in the layer as 45–49 kG in more active hemispheres (north during cycles 19–20 and south during cycles 21–23) and 33–40 kG in weaker hemispheres. The estimated difference in the hemispheric field strength is around 10 kG, which provides a challenge for dynamo models. Total magnetic flux data during cycles 20–23 reveals no clear north–south asymmetry, which needs to be explained in the future.« less

Persistent landfalling atmospheric rivers over the west coast of North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Payne, Ashley E.; Magnusdottir, Gudrun

2016-11-01

Landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs) are linked to heavy precipitation and extreme flooding, and are well known along the western coast of North America. The hydrological impacts of ARs upon landfall are correlated with their duration and magnitude. In order to improve the forecast of these hydrologically significant landfalling events, a better understanding of how they differ from other landfalling events must be established through an investigation of the mechanisms leading to their development prior to landfall. A subset of persistent landfalling AR events between 30°N and 50°N is identified in 3-hourly Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications reanalysis and validated against existing data sets. These events are identified as features in the low troposphere with high moisture transport and extended geometry that persist over a limited region of the coastline for longer than 63 h (85th percentile of AR duration). A composite analysis shows that persistent events have distinct thermodynamical and dynamical characteristics compared to all AR events. They are characterized by greater moisture content, suggestive of Pineapple Express-type events, a perturbed upper level jet and anticyclonic overturning of potential vorticity contours associated with anticyclonic Rossby wave breaking. Moreover, the location of the Rossby wave breaking is shifted inland compared to all AR events. Analogue analysis of the 500 hPa geopotential height anomalies is used to find nonpersistent events with similar dynamical characteristics to persistent events. Despite their similarity to persistent events, nonpersistent analogues show very little shift toward longer duration. A comparison of the development of persistent and nonpersistent analogues shows that persistent events have much greater moisture content.

Far-Field Simulation of the Hawaiian Wake: Sea Surface Temperature and Orographic Effects(.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafner, Jan; Xie, Shang-Ping

2003-12-01

Recent satellite observations reveal far-reaching effects of the Hawaiian Islands on surface wind, cloud, ocean current, and sea surface temperature (SST) that extend leeward over an unusually long distance (>1000 km). A three-dimensional regional atmospheric model with full physics is used to investigate the cause of this long wake. While previous wind wake studies tend to focus on regions near the islands, the emphasis here is the far-field effects of SST and orography well away from the Hawaiian Islands. In response to an island-induced SST pattern, the model produces surface wind and cloud anomaly patterns that resemble those observed by satellites. In particular, anomalous surface winds are found to converge onto a zonal band of warmer water, with cloud liquid water content enhanced over it but reduced on the northern and southern sides. In the vertical, a two-cell meridional circulation develops of a baroclinic structure with the rising motion and thicker clouds over the warm water band. The model response in the wind and cloud fields supports the hypothesis that ocean atmosphere interaction is crucial for sustaining the island effects over a few thousand kilometers.Near Hawaii, mountains generate separate wind wakes in the model lee of individual islands as observed by satellites. Under orographic forcing, the model simulates the windward cloud line and the southwest-tilted cloud band leeward of the Big Island. In the far field, orographically induced wind perturbations are found to be in geostrophic balance with pressure anomalies, indicative of quasigeostrophic Rossby wave propagation. A shallow-water model is developed for disturbances trapped in the inversion-capped planetary boundary layer. The westward propagation of Rossby waves is found to increase the wake length significantly, consistent with the three-dimensional simulation.

Enhanced influence of early-spring tropical Indian Ocean SST on the following early-summer precipitation over Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Tingting; He, Shengping; Wang, Huijun; Hao, Xin

2017-04-01

The relationship between the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) and East Asian summer monsoon/precipitation has been documented in many studies. However, the precursor signals of summer precipitation in the TIO sea surface temperature (SST), which is important for climate prediction, have drawn little attention. This study identified a strong relationship between early-spring TIO SST and subsequent early-summer precipitation in Northeast China (NEC) since the late 1980s. For 1961-1986, the correlations between early-spring TIO SST and early-summer NEC precipitation were statistically insignificant; for 1989-2014, they were positively significant. Since the late 1980s, the early-spring positive TIO SST anomaly was generally followed by a significant anomalous anticyclone over Japan; that facilitated anomalous southerly winds over NEC, conveying more moisture from the North Pacific. Further analysis indicated that an early TIO SST anomaly showed robust persistence into early summer. However, the early-summer TIO SST anomaly displayed a more significant influence on simultaneous atmospheric circulation and further affected NEC precipitation since the late 1980s. In 1989-2014, the early-summer Hadley and Ferrell cell anomalies associated with simultaneous TIO SST anomaly were much more significant and extended further north to mid-latitudes, which provided a dynamic foundation for the TIO-mid-latitude connection. Correspondingly, the TIO SST anomaly could lead to significant divergence anomalies over the Mediterranean. The advections of vorticity by the divergent component of the flow effectively acted as a Rossby wave source. Thus, an apparent Rossby wave originated from the Mediterranean and propagated east to East Asia; that further influenced the NEC precipitation through modulation to the atmospheric circulation (e.g., surface wind, moisture, vertical motion).

Internal wave mode resonant triads in an arbitrarly stratified finite-depth ocean with background rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varma, Dheeraj; Mathur, Manikandan

2017-11-01

Internal tides generated by barotropic tides on bottom topography or the spatially compact near-inertial mixed layer currents excited by surface winds can be conveniently represented in the linear regime as a superposition of vertical modes at a given frequency in an arbitrarily stratified ocean of finite depth. Considering modes (m , n) at a frequency ω in the primary wave field, we derive the weakly nonlinear solution, which contains a secondary wave at 2 ω that diverges when it forms a resonant triad with the primary waves. In nonuniform stratifications, resonant triads are shown to occur when the horizontal component of the classical RTI criterion k->1 +k->2 +k->3 = 0 is satisfied along with a non-orthogonality criterion. In nonuniform stratifications with a pycnocline, infinitely more pairs of primary wave modes (m , n) result in RTI when compared to a uniform stratification. Further, two nearby high modes at around the near-inertial frequency often form a resonant triad with a low mode at 2 ω , reminiscent of the features of PSI near the critical latitude. The theoretical framework is then adapted to investigate RTI in two different scenarios: low-mode internal tide scattering over topography, and internal wave beams incident on a pycnocline. The authors thank the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India for financial support under the Monsoon Mission Grant MM/2014/IND-002.

Tidal Conversion and Mixing Poleward of the Critical Latitude (an Arctic Case Study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rippeth, Tom P.; Vlasenko, Vasiliy; Stashchuk, Nataliya; Scannell, Brian D.; Green, J. A. Mattias; Lincoln, Ben J.; Bacon, Sheldon

2017-12-01

The tides are a major source of the kinetic energy supporting turbulent mixing in the global oceans. The prime mechanism for the transfer of tidal energy to turbulent mixing results from the interaction between topography and stratified tidal flow, leading to the generation of freely propagating internal waves at the period of the forcing tide. However, poleward of the critical latitude (where the period of the principal tidal constituent exceeds the local inertial period), the action of the Coriolis force precludes the development of freely propagating linear internal tides. Here we focus on a region of sloping topography, poleward of the critical latitude, where there is significant conversion of tidal energy and the flow is supercritical (Froude number, Fr > 1). A high-resolution nonlinear modeling study demonstrates the key role of tidally generated lee waves and supercritical flow in the transfer of energy from the barotropic tide to internal waves in these high-latitude regions. Time series of flow and water column structure from the region of interest show internal waves with characteristics consistent with those predicted by the model, and concurrent microstructure dissipation measurements show significant levels of mixing associated with these internal waves. The results suggest that tidally generated lee waves are a key mechanism for the transfer of energy from the tide to turbulence poleward of the critical latitude.

High-Frequency Planetary Waves in the Polar Middle Atmosphere as seen in a data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coy, L.; Stajner, I.; DaSilva, A. M.; Joiner, J.; Rood, R. B.; Pawson, S.; Lin, S. J.

2003-01-01

This study examines the winter southern hemisphere vortex of 1998 using four times daily output from a data assimilation system to focus on the polar 2-day, wave number 2 component of the 4-day wave. The data assimilation system products are from a test version of the finite volume data assimilation system (fvDAS) being developed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and include an ozone assimilation system. Results show that the polar 2-day wave dominates during July 1998 at 70 degrees. The period of the quasi 2-day wave is somewhat shorter than 2 days (about 1.7 days) during July 1998 with an average perturbation temperature amplitude for the month of over 2.5 K. The 2-day wave propagates more slowly than the zonal mean zonal wind, consistent with Rossby wave theory, and has EP flux divergence regions associated with regions of negative horizontal potential vorticity gradients, as expected from linear instability theory. Results for the assimilation-produced ozone mixing ratio show that the 2-day wave represents a major source of ozone variation in this region. The ozone wave in the assimilation system is in good agreement with the wave seen in the POAM (Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement) ozone observations for the same time period. Some differences with linear instability theory are noted as well as spectral peaks in the ozone field, not seen in the temperature field, that may be a consequence of advection.

Simulations of Variability and Waves at Cloud Altitudes Using a Venus Middle Atmosphere General Circulation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parish, H. F.; Mitchell, J.

2017-12-01

We have developed a Venus general circulation model, the Venus Middle atmosphere Model (VMM), to simulate the atmosphere from just below the cloud deck 40 km altitude to around 100 km altitude. Our primary goal is to assess the influence of waves on the variability of winds and temperatures observed around Venus' cloud deck. Venus' deep atmosphere is not simulated directly in the VMM model, so the effects of waves propagating upwards from the lower atmosphere is represented by forcing at the lower boundary of the model. Sensitivity tests allow appropriate amplitudes for the wave forcing to be determined by comparison with Venus Express and probe measurements and allow the influence of waves on the cloud-level atmosphere to be investigated. Observations at cloud altitudes are characterized by waves with a wide variety of periods and wavelengths, including gravity waves, thermal tides, Rossby waves, and Kelvin waves. These waves may be generated within the cloud deck by instabilities, or may propagate up from the deep atmosphere. Our development of the VMM is motivated by the fact that the circulation and dynamics between the surface and the cloud levels are not well measured and wind velocities below 40 km altitude cannot be observed remotely, so we focus on the dynamics at cloud levels and above. Initial results from the VMM with a simplified radiation scheme have been validated by comparison with Pioneer Venus and Venus Express observations and show reasonable agreement with the measurements.

On the Shelf Resonances of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, D. J.

2012-02-01

A numerical model is used to investigate the resonances of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea. The model is forced at the shelf edge, first with physically realistic real values of angular velocity. The response functions at points within the region show maxima and other behaviour which imply that resonances are involved but it is difficult to be more specific. The study is then extended to complex angular velocities and the results then show a clear pattern of gravity wave and Rossby wave like resonances. The properties of the resonances are investigated and used to reinterpret the responses at real values of angular velocity. It is found that in some regions the response is dominated by modes trapped between the shelf edge and the coast or between opposing coastlines. In other regions the resonances show cooperative behaviour, possibly indicating the importance of other physical processes.

Influence of preonset land atmospheric conditions on the Indian summer monsoon rainfall variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Archana; Saha, Subodh K.; Pokhrel, Samir; Sujith, K.; Halder, Subhadeep

2015-05-01

A possible link between preonset land atmospheric conditions and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) is explored. It is shown that, the preonset positive (negative) rainfall anomaly over northwest India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran is associated with decrease (increase) in ISMR, primarily in the months of June and July, which in turn affects the seasonal mean. ISMR in the months of June and July is also strongly linked with the preonset 2 m air temperature over the same regions. The preonset rainfall/2 m air temperature variability is linked with stationary Rossby wave response, which is clearly evident in the wave activity flux diagnostics. As the predictability of Indian summer monsoon relies mainly on the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the found link may further enhance our ability to predict the monsoon, particularly during a non-ENSO year.

Wave Excitation in Accretion Disks by Protoplanets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koller, J.; Li, H.

2002-05-01

The ongoing discoveries of extrasolar planets in the recent years revealed remarkable properties and unexpected results concerning the formation process. We studied the perturbation of a protostellar accretion disk by a companion utilizing APOLLO, a fast hydro disk code well tested in the case of accretion disks without a companion (Li et al. 2001, ApJ, 551, 874). We consider limiting cases where the companion's mass is much smaller than the central protostar and resides in a circular keplerian orbit. The gravitational field of the protoplanet, embedded in a numerically thin disk, generates spiral density waves and Rossby instabilities resulting in a non-axisymmetric density distribution. We present nonlinear hydro simulations to investigate those non-axisymmetric density distribution with different disk and planet parameters in order to understand how disks respond to a fixed companion in orbit. This work has been supported by IGPP at LANL (award # 1109) and NASA (grant # NAG5-9223).

Tropical Forcing of the Summer East Atlantic Pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulff, C. Ole; Greatbatch, Richard J.; Domeisen, Daniela I. V.; Gollan, Gereon; Hansen, Felicitas

2017-11-01

The Summer East Atlantic (SEA) mode is the second dominant mode of summer low-frequency variability in the Euro-Atlantic region. Using reanalysis data, we show that SEA-related circulation anomalies significantly influence temperatures and precipitation over Europe. We present evidence that part of the interannual SEA variability is forced by diabatic heating anomalies of opposing signs in the tropical Pacific and Caribbean that induce an extratropical Rossby wave train. This precipitation dipole is related to SST anomalies characteristic of the developing El Niño-Southern Oscillation phases. Seasonal hindcast experiments forced with observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) exhibit skill at capturing the interannual SEA variability corroborating the proposed mechanism and highlighting the possibility for improved prediction of boreal summer variability. Our results indicate that tropical forcing of the SEA likely played a role in the dynamics of the 2015 European heat wave.

The Massachusetts Bay internal wave experiment, August 1998: data report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butman, Bradford; Alexander, P. Soupy; Anderson, Steven P.; Lightsom, Frances L.; Scotti, Alberto; Beardsley, Robert C.

2006-01-01

This data report presents oceanographic observations made in Massachusetts Bay (fig. 1) in August 1998 as part of the Massachusetts Bay Internal Wave Experiment (MBIWE98). MBIWE98 was carried out to characterize large-amplitude internal waves in Massachusetts Bay and to investigate the possible resuspension and transport of bottom sediments caused by these waves. This data report presents a description of the field program and instrumentation, an overview of the data through summary plots and statistics, and the time-series data in NetCDF format. The objective of this report is to make the data available in digital form and to provide summary plots and statistics to facilitate browsing of the data set. The existence of large-amplitude internal waves in Massachusetts Bay was first described by Halpern (1971). In summer when the water is stratified, packets of waves propagate westward into the bay on the flood (westward flowing) tide at about 0.5 m/s. The internal waves are observed in packets of 5-10 waves, have periods of 5-10 minutes and wavelengths of 200-400 m, and cause downward excursions of the thermocline of as much as 30 m. The waves are generated by interaction of the barotropic tide with Stellwagen Bank (Haury and others (1979). Several papers present analyses and interpretations of the data collected during the MBIWE98. Grosenbaugh and others (2002) report on the results of the horizontal array, Scotti and others (2005) describe a strategy for processing observations made by Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) in the presence of short-wavelength internal waves, Butman and others (in press) describe the effect of these waves on sediment transport, and Scotti and others (in press) describe the energetics of the internal waves.

Along-slope variability of barotropic transport in the Nordic Seas: Simplified dynamics tested against observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aaboe, S.; NøSt, O. A.; Hansen, E.

2009-03-01

The present study combines simple geostrophic considerations and observational data to examine the along-slope evolution of the barotropic transport following the continental slope in the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean. Following geostrophic theory, the transport evolution is calculated from bottom densities in five different transects within the Nordic Seas. This theoretically predicted transport evolution is compared with transports estimated directly from velocity measurements. Between the Faroe-Shetland Channel and the Svinøy section off southern Norway, across the Fram Strait (below 800 m), and between the Fram Strait and the Greenland Sea the agreement is generally good between geostrophic theory and observations. This indicates that many aspects of the barotropic flow in these regions are captured by geostrophic dynamics. Between the eastern and western Fram Strait above 800 m and between Svinøy and the eastern Fram Strait the observed flow fields differ to a large extent from the flow field predicted by geostrophic dynamics, indicating that ageostrophic dynamics play a more important role in these regions. The barotropic transport differences between the eastern and western Fram Strait contain information about the barotropic transport evolution along the entire Arctic continental slope. The good agreement between observations and theory across the strait (below 800 m) therefore indicates that the flow along the deeper part of the Arctic continental slope is well described by geostrophic dynamics. According to our results, the noticeably more baroclinic nature of the flow in the western Fram Strait, compared with the eastern strait, can then be ascribed to water mass modifications along the Arctic continental slope.

The 4-5 day mode oscillation in zonal winds of Indian middle atmosphere during MONEX-79

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, R. S.; Mukherjee, B. K.; Indira, K.; Murty, B. V. R.

1985-12-01

In the early studies based on time series of balloon observations, the existence of 4 to 5 day period waves and 10 to 20 day wind fluctuations were found in the tropical lower stratosphere, and they are identified theoretically as the mixed Rossby-gravity wave and the Kelvin wave, respectively. On the basis of these studies, it was established that the vertically propagating equatorial waves play an important role in producing the QBO (quasi-biennial oscillation) in the mean zonal wind through the mechanism of wave-zonal interaction. These studies are mainly concentrated over the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Similar prominent wave disturbances have been observed over the region east of the Indian Ocean during a quasi-biennial oscillation. Zonal winds in upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (10 to 20) km of the middle atmosphere over the Indian subcontinent may bear association with the activity of summer monsoon (June-September). Monsoon Experiment (MONEX-79) has provided upper air observations at Balasore (21 deg. 30 min.N; 85 deg. 56 min.E), during the peak of monsoon months July and August. A unique opportunity has, therefore, been provided to study the normal oscillations present in the zonal winds of lower middle atmosphere over India, which may have implication on large scale wave dynamics. This aspect is examined in the present study.

Local-area simulations of rotating compressible convection and associated mean flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurlburt, Neal E.; Brummell, N. H.; Toomre, Juri

1995-01-01

The dynamics of compressible convection within a curved local segment of a rotating spherical shell are considered in relation to the turbulent redistribution of angular momentum within the solar convection zone. Current supercomputers permit fully turbulent flows to be considered within the restricted geometry of local area models. By considering motions in a curvilinear geometry in which the Coriolos parameters vary with latitude, Rossby waves which couple with the turbulent convection are thought of as being possible. Simulations of rotating convection are presented in such a curved local segment of a spherical shell using a newly developed, sixth-order accurate code based on compact finite differences.

Record Balkan floods of 2014 linked to planetary wave resonance.

PubMed

Stadtherr, Lisa; Coumou, Dim; Petoukhov, Vladimir; Petri, Stefan; Rahmstorf, Stefan

2016-04-01

In May 2014, the Balkans were hit by a Vb-type cyclone that brought disastrous flooding and severe damage to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia. Vb cyclones migrate from the Mediterranean, where they absorb warm and moist air, to the north, often causing flooding in central/eastern Europe. Extreme rainfall events are increasing on a global scale, and both thermodynamic and dynamical mechanisms play a role. Where thermodynamic aspects are generally well understood, there is large uncertainty associated with current and future changes in dynamics. We study the climatic and meteorological factors that influenced the catastrophic flooding in the Balkans, where we focus on large-scale circulation. We show that the Vb cyclone was unusually stationary, bringing extreme rainfall for several consecutive days, and that this situation was likely linked to a quasi-stationary circumglobal Rossby wave train. We provide evidence that this quasi-stationary wave was amplified by wave resonance. Statistical analysis of daily spring rainfall over the Balkan region reveals significant upward trends over 1950-2014, especially in the high quantiles relevant for flooding events. These changes cannot be explained by simple thermodynamic arguments, and we thus argue that dynamical processes likely played a role in increasing flood risks over the Balkans.

Incompressible Modes Excited by Supersonic Shear in Boundary Layers: Acoustic CFS Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, Mikhail A.

2017-02-01

We present an instability for exciting incompressible modes (e.g., gravity or Rossby modes) at the surface of a star accreting through a boundary layer. The instability excites a stellar mode by sourcing an acoustic wave in the disk at the boundary layer, which carries a flux of energy and angular momentum with the opposite sign as the energy and angular momentum density of the stellar mode. We call this instability the acoustic Chandrasekhar-Friedman-Schutz (CFS) instability, because of the direct analogy to the CFS instability for exciting modes on a rotating star by emission of energy in the form of gravitational waves. However, the acoustic CFS instability differs from its gravitational wave counterpart in that the fluid medium in which the acoustic wave propagates (I.e., the accretion disk) typically rotates faster than the star in which the incompressible mode is sourced. For this reason, the instability can operate even for a non-rotating star in the presence of an accretion disk. We discuss applications of our results to high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting black hole and neutron star systems and dwarf nova oscillations in cataclysmic variables.

Incompressible Modes Excited by Supersonic Shear in Boundary Layers: Acoustic CFS Instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belyaev, Mikhail A., E-mail: mbelyaev@berkeley.edu

We present an instability for exciting incompressible modes (e.g., gravity or Rossby modes) at the surface of a star accreting through a boundary layer. The instability excites a stellar mode by sourcing an acoustic wave in the disk at the boundary layer, which carries a flux of energy and angular momentum with the opposite sign as the energy and angular momentum density of the stellar mode. We call this instability the acoustic Chandrasekhar–Friedman–Schutz (CFS) instability, because of the direct analogy to the CFS instability for exciting modes on a rotating star by emission of energy in the form of gravitationalmore » waves. However, the acoustic CFS instability differs from its gravitational wave counterpart in that the fluid medium in which the acoustic wave propagates (i.e., the accretion disk) typically rotates faster than the star in which the incompressible mode is sourced. For this reason, the instability can operate even for a non-rotating star in the presence of an accretion disk. We discuss applications of our results to high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting black hole and neutron star systems and dwarf nova oscillations in cataclysmic variables.« less

Vortex Rossby Waves in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judt, F.; Chen, S. S.

2007-12-01

Radar observations in hurricanes reveal inner spiraling rainbands emanating from the eyewall and propagating outward. Theoretical analysis indicated that these inner bands are azimuthally and radially propagating vortex Rossby waves (VRW). The outward propagating waves convey PV from the inner core to outer regions and thus lead to PV redistribution within a hurricane. It has been hypothesized that the outward propogating VRWs may play a role in interacting with an existing secondary PV ring in the outer region of a hurricane, which could lead to a development of concentric eyewalls. However, the lack of simultaneous observations over the inner-core and rainband regions is a major difficulty in our understanding of the complex interaction. The importance of VRWs in hurricane intensity change remains to be a question. This study aims to address the question using high- resolution model (MM5) forecasts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita during the Hurricane Rainbands and Intensity Change Experiment (RAINEX) in 2005. The two major hurricanes went through a similar rapid intensification over the Gulf of Mexico. Both RAINEX observations and model forecast fields showed that Rita developed a secondary eyewall and went through an eyewall replacement before landfall, whereas Katrina did not. We analyze the model output at 1.67 km grid-resolution with 12-min time intervals. Azimuthally and radially propagating VRWs were found in the PV, rainrate, and vertical velocity fields in both storms. In the case of Katrina, no secondary PV maximum exists due to the lack of highly circular rainbands. Thus the VRWs propagate outward smoothly over a relatively long distance. No VRW activity has been found beyond 80-100 km radius in Katrina. This result indicates that interaction between the VRWs and outer PV disturbance must take place within this region, otherwise no effect concerning the importance of VRW would occur. The stagnation radius depends on the background PV- gradient which itself can be changed by wave-redistributed PV. It is also a function of the azimuthal wavenumber. Higher wavenumbers generally propagate farther and are thus more likely to interact with outer PV disturbance in the first place. In contrast, Rita developed a PV ring in the outer rainband region. Detailed analysis of Rita is underway. The comparison between the two hurricanes may shed some lights on the interaction of VRWs and rainbands as well as its implication on hurricane intensity change.

Tidally influenced alongshore circulation at an inlet-adjacent shoreline

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, Jeff E.; Elias, Edwin P.L.; List, Jeffrey H.; Erikson, Li H.; Barnard, Patrick L.

2013-01-01

The contribution of tidal forcing to alongshore circulation inside the surfzone is investigated at a 7 km long sandy beach adjacent to a large tidal inlet. Ocean Beach in San Francisco, CA (USA) is onshore of a ∼150 km2 ebb-tidal delta and directly south of the Golden Gate, the sole entrance to San Francisco Bay. Using a coupled flow-wave numerical model, we find that the tides modulate, and in some cases can reverse the direction of, surfzone alongshore flows through two separate mechanisms. First, tidal flow through the inlet results in a barotropic tidal pressure gradient that, when integrated across the surfzone, represents an important contribution to the surfzone alongshore force balance. Even during energetic wave conditions, the tidal pressure gradient can account for more than 30% of the total alongshore pressure gradient (wave and tidal components) and up to 55% during small waves. The wave driven component of the alongshore pressure gradient results from alongshore wave height and corresponding setup gradients induced by refraction over the ebb-tidal delta. Second, wave refraction patterns over the inner shelf are tidally modulated as a result of both tidal water depth changes and strong tidal flows (∼1 m/s), with the effect from currents being larger. These tidally induced changes in wave refraction result in corresponding variability of the alongshore radiation stress and pressure gradients within the surfzone. Our results indicate that tidal contributions to the surfzone force balance can be significant and important in determining the direction and magnitude of alongshore flow.

Effects of Saharan Mineral Dust Aerosols on the Dynamics of an Idealized African Easterly Jet-African Easterly Wave System over North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grogan, Dustin Francis Phillip

The central objective of this work is to examine the direct radiative effects of Saharan mineral dust aerosols on the dynamics of African easterly waves (AEWs) and the African easterly jet (AEJ). Achieving this objective is built around two tasks that use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled to an online dust model (WRF-dust model). The first task (Chapter 2) examines the linear dynamics of AEWs; the second task (Chapter 3) examines the nonlinear evolution of AEWs and their interactions with the AEJ. In Chapter 2, the direct radiative effects of dust on the linear dynamics of AEWs are examined analytically and numerically. The analytical analysis combines the thermodynamic equation with a dust continuity equation to form an expression for the generation of eddy available potential energy (APE) by the dust field. The generation of eddy APE is a function of the transmissivity and spatial gradients of the dust, which are modulated by the Doppler-shifted frequency. The expression predicts that for a fixed dust distribution, the wave response will be largest in regions where the dust gradients are maximized and the Doppler-shifted frequency vanishes. The numerical analysis calculates the linear dynamics of AEWs using zonally averaged basic states for wind, temperature and dust consistent with summertime conditions over North Africa. For the fastest growing AEW, the dust increases the growth rate from ~15% to 90% for aerosol optical depths ranging from tau=1.0 to tau=2.5. A local energetics analysis shows that for tau=1.0, the dust increases the maximum barotropic and baroclinic energy conversions by ~50% and ~100%, respectively. The maxima in the generation of APE and conversions of energy are co-located and occur where the meridional dust gradient is maximized near the critical layer, i.e., where the Doppler-shifted frequency is small, in agreement with the prediction from the analytical analysis. In Chapter 3, the direct radiative effects of dust on the evolution of AEJ-AEW system are examined using the WRF-dust model. The model is initialized with zonal-mean distributions of wind, temperature and dust used in linear study (Chapter 2). The dust modifies the lifecycle of the AEWs in the following way: the domain-averaged eddy kinetic energy (EKE) is enhanced during the linear and nonlinear growth phases, reaching a larger peak amplitude that subsequently decays more rapidly, eventually equilibrating at lower amplitude. The increase in EKE during the growth phases is due to local increases in barotropic energy conversions in the dust plume north of the AEJ. The dust-modified, rapidly decaying phase is primarily associated with enhanced barotropic decay that occurs near the top of the plume north of the AEJ. The timing of peak EKE depends on the initial dust concentration. Throughout the evolution of the AEJ-AEW system, the dust increases the maximum zonal-mean wind speeds. The increase is due to the dust-modified mean meridional circulation during the AEW growth phase and the dust-modified wave fluxes during the AEW decay phase. During AEW growth, the dust-modified maximum wind speeds are also displaced farther southward and upward, which is due to the enhanced wave fluxes decelerating the flow more efficiently north of the AEJ. These changes to the AEJ structure affect the critical surface, which expands vertically and meridionally as the AEW grows to finite amplitude. The dust-modified effects on the evolution of the AEJ-AEW system are discussed in light of tropical cyclogenesis. By better understanding the direct radiative effects of dust on the AEJ-AEW system, we can expect improvements in the modeling, forecasting and understanding of the connection between AEWs and the meteorology over North Africa and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Moist convection: a key to tropical wave-moisture interaction in Indian monsoon intraseasonal oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Longtao; Wong, Sun; Wang, Tao; Huffman, George J.

2018-01-01

Simulation of moist convective processes is critical for accurately representing the interaction among tropical wave activities, atmospheric water vapor transport, and clouds associated with the Indian monsoon Intraseasonal Oscillation (ISO). In this study, we apply the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate Indian monsoon ISO with three different treatments of moist convective processes: (1) the Betts-Miller-Janjić (BMJ) adjustment cumulus scheme without explicit simulation of moist convective processes; (2) the New Simplified Arakawa-Schubert (NSAS) mass-flux scheme with simplified moist convective processes; and (3) explicit simulation of moist convective processes at convection permitting scale (Nest). Results show that the BMJ experiment is unable to properly reproduce the equatorial Rossby wave activities and the corresponding phase relationship between moisture advection and dynamical convergence during the ISO. These features associated with the ISO are approximately captured in the NSAS experiment. The simulation with resolved moist convective processes significantly improves the representation of the ISO evolution, and has good agreements with the observations. This study features the first attempt to investigate the Indian monsoon at convection permitting scale.

The North Atlantic-Eurasian teleconnection in summer and its effects on Eurasian climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jianping; Ruan, Chengqing

2018-02-01

A teleconnection between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Eurasian continent is suggested by statistical and dynamical analysis of the northern summer 500 hPa geopotential height field. This teleconnection, termed the Atlantic-Eurasian (AEA) teleconnection, has five centers of action, in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean, northeastern North Atlantic Ocean, Eastern Europe, the Kara Sea, and north China. The AEA index (AEAI) shows that the AEA undergoes a high degree of variability from year to year, and the AEAI has an increasing trend over the last 30 years. Our results suggest that this phenomenon is a large-scale Rossby wave train that originates in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. We support this conclusion by the methods of stationary wave ray tracing in non-uniform horizontal basic flow, wave activity flux calculations, and numerical models. The AEA and midlatitude circumglobal teleconnection pattern manifest distinct features at the hemispheric scale, despite the anomalies associated with them bear some similarities in the northeastern North Atlantic and Eastern Europe. Regional climate variations are strongly linked to this AEA along its path through northern Eurasia.

Influence of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Planetary Wave Resonance and Extreme Weather Events

PubMed Central

Mann, Michael E.; Rahmstorf, Stefan; Kornhuber, Kai; Steinman, Byron A.; Miller, Sonya K.; Coumou, Dim

2017-01-01

Persistent episodes of extreme weather in the Northern Hemisphere summer have been shown to be associated with the presence of high-amplitude quasi-stationary atmospheric Rossby waves within a particular wavelength range (zonal wavenumber 6–8). The underlying mechanistic relationship involves the phenomenon of quasi-resonant amplification (QRA) of synoptic-scale waves with that wavenumber range becoming trapped within an effective mid-latitude atmospheric waveguide. Recent work suggests an increase in recent decades in the occurrence of QRA-favorable conditions and associated extreme weather, possibly linked to amplified Arctic warming and thus a climate change influence. Here, we isolate a specific fingerprint in the zonal mean surface temperature profile that is associated with QRA-favorable conditions. State-of-the-art (“CMIP5”) historical climate model simulations subject to anthropogenic forcing display an increase in the projection of this fingerprint that is mirrored in multiple observational surface temperature datasets. Both the models and observations suggest this signal has only recently emerged from the background noise of natural variability. PMID:28345645

The seasonal march of the equatorial Pacific upper-ocean and its El Niño variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparin, Florent; Roemmich, Dean

2017-08-01

Based on two modern data sets, the climatological seasonal march of the upper-ocean is examined in the equatorial Pacific for the period 2004-2014, because of its large contribution to the total variance, its relationship to El Niño, and its unique equatorial wave phenomena. Argo provides a broadscale view of the equatorial Pacific upper-ocean based on subsurface temperature and salinity measurements for the period 2004-2015, and satellite altimetry provides synoptic observations of the sea surface height (SSH) for the period 1993-2015. Using either 11-year (1993-2003/2004-2014) time-series for averaging, the seasonal Rossby waves stands out clearly and eastward intraseasonal Kelvin wave propagation is strong enough in individual years to leave residuals in the 11-year averages, particularly but not exclusively, during El Niño onset years. The agreement of altimetric SSH minus Argo steric height (SH) residuals with GRACE ocean mass estimates confirms the scale-matching of in situ variability with that of satellite observations. Surface layer and subsurface thermohaline variations are both important in determining SH and SSH basin-wide patterns. The SH/SSH October-November maximum in the central-eastern Pacific is primarily due to a downward deflection of the thermocline (∼20 m), causing a warm subsurface anomaly (>1 °C), in response to the phasing of downwelling intraseasonal Kelvin and seasonal Rossby waves. Compared with the climatology, the stronger October-November maximum in the 2004-2014 El Niño composites is due to higher intraseasonal oscillations and interannual variability. Associated with these equatorial wave patterns along the thermocline, the western warm/fresh pool waters move zonally at interannual timescales through zonal wind stress and pressure gradient fluctuations, and cause substantial fresh (up to 0.6 psu) and warm (∼1 °C higher than the climatology) anomalies in the western-central Pacific surface-layer during the El Niño onset year, and of the opposite sign during the termination year. These El Niño-related patterns are then analyzed focusing on the case of the onset of the strong 2015/2016 episode, and are seen to be around two times larger than that in the 2004-2014 El Niño composites. The present work exploits the capabilities of Argo and altimetry to update and improve the description of the physical state of the equatorial Pacific upper-ocean, and provides a benchmark for assessing the accuracy of models in representing equatorial Pacific variability.

On the Role of Surface Friction in Tropical Intraseasonal Oscillation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Winston C.; Chen, Baode

1999-01-01

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), or the tropical intraseasonal oscillation, has attracted much attention, ever since its discovery in the early seventies for reasons of both scientific understanding and practical forecasts. Among the theoretical interpretations of the MJO, the wave-CISK (conditional instability of the second kind) mechanism is the most popular. The basic idea of the wave-CISK interpretation is that the cooperation between the low-level convergence associated with the eastward moving Kelvin wave and the cumulus convection generates an eastward moving Kelvin-wave-like mode. Later it was recognized that the MJO has an important Rossby-wave-like component. However linear analysis and numerical simulations based on it (even when conditional heating is used) have revealed two problems with the wave-CISK interpretation; i.e., excessive speed and the most preferred scale being zero or grid scale. Chao (1995) presented a discussion of these problems and attributed these problems to the particular type of expression for the cumulus heating used in the linear analyses and numerical studies (i.e., the convective heating is proportional to low-level convergence and a fixed vertical heating profile). It should be pointed out that in the relatively successful simulation of MJO with general circulation models the problem of grid scale being the most preferred scale does not appear and die problem of excessive speed is not as severe as in the linear analysis.

Quasi-biennial oscillation and tropical waves in total ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziemke, J. R.; Stanford, J. L.

1994-01-01

Westward and eastward propagating tropical waves in total ozone are investigated in 13 years (1979-1991) of version 6 total column ozone data from the Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) satellite instrument. A clear synchronization between the stratospheric quasi-biennial osciallation (QBO) zonal winds and the fast (periods less than 15 days) propagating waves in tropical TOMS data is detailed. Largest total ozone wave amplitudes (about 3-6 Dobson units) occur when their phase propagation direction is primarily opposite the Singapore QBO lower-stratospheric winds. This effect is most apparent in meridionally symmetric components. Examination of specific episodes, including cross-spectral calculations with Singapore rawinsonde wind data (10-70 hPa), reveals signatures of tropically confined eastward propagating Kelvin waves of zonal wavenumbers 1-2 during the descending eastward QBO phase, consistent with acceleration of that QBO phase by Kelvin waves. The TOMS results are also consistent with possible forcing of the westward QBO wind phase by episodes of both meridionally symmetric and asymmetric westward waves. However, in contrast to the case of eastward (Kelvin) waves the strongest westward events appear to be filtered by, rather than forcing, the westward phase of the stratospheric QBO wind. These dominant westward episodes are interpreted as meridionally symmetric westward global normal modes and tropically confined equatorial-Rossby waves 2-6. The events exhibit phase and group speeds characteristic of wave dynamics rather than simple wind advection. These results underscore the utility of the long time series and excellent horizontal coverage of TOMS data for dynamical investigations in the relatively observation-poor tropical stratosphere.

Quasi-biennial oscillation and tropical waves in total ozone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ziemke, J.R.; Stanford, J.L.

1994-11-01

Westward and eastward propagating tropical waves in total ozone are investigated in 13 years (1979-1991) of version 6 total column ozone data from the Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) satellite instrument. A clear synchronization between the stratospheric quasi-biennial osciallation (QBO) zonal winds and the fast (periods less than 15 days) propagating waves in tropical TOMS data is detailed. Largest total ozone wave amplitudes (about 3-6 Dobson units) occur when their phase propagation direction is primarily opposite the Singapore QBO lower-stratospheric winds. This effect is most apparent in meridionally symmetric components. Examination of specific episodes, including cross-spectral calculations withmore » Singapore rawinsonde wind data (10-70 hPa), reveals signatures of tropically confined eastward propagating Kelvin waves of zonal wavenumbers 1-2 during the descending eastward QBO phase, consistent with acceleration of that QBO phase by Kelvin waves. The TOMS results are also consistent with possible forcing of the westward QBO wind phase by episodes of both meridionally symmetric and asymmetric westward waves. However, in contrast to the case of eastward (Kelvin) waves the strongest westward events appear to be filtered by, rather than forcing, the westward phase of the stratospheric QBO wind. These dominant westward episodes are interpreted as meridionally symmetric westward global normal modes and tropically confined equatorial-Rossby waves 2-6. The events exhibit phase and group speeds characteristic of wave dynamics rather than simple wind advection. These results underscore the utility of the long time series and excellent horizontal coverage of TOMS data for dynamical investigations in the relatively observation-poor tropical stratosphere.« less

A model for extreme plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, S. J.; Howell, P. D.

2016-09-01

We present a mathematical model for elastoplasticity in the regime where the applied stress greatly exceeds the yield stress. This scenario is typically found in violent impact testing, where millimetre thick metal samples are subjected to pressures on the order of 10-102 GPa, while the yield stress can be as low as 10-2 GPa. In such regimes the metal can be treated as a barotropic compressible fluid in which the strength, measured by the ratio of the yield stress to the applied stress, is negligible to lowest order. Our approach is to exploit the smallness of this ratio by treating the effects of strength as a small perturbation to a leading order barotropic model. We find that for uniaxial deformations, these additional effects give rise to features in the response of the material which differ significantly from the predictions of barotropic flow.

Application of a compressible flow solver and barotropic cavitation model for the evaluation of the suction head in a low specific speed centrifugal pump impeller channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limbach, P.; Müller, T.; Skoda, R.

2015-12-01

Commonly, for the simulation of cavitation in centrifugal pumps incompressible flow solvers with VOF kind cavitation models are applied. Since the source/sink terms of the void fraction transport equation are based on simplified bubble dynamics, empirical parameters may need to be adjusted to the particular pump operating point. In the present study a barotropic cavitation model, which is based solely on thermodynamic fluid properties and does not include any empirical parameters, is applied on a single flow channel of a pump impeller in combination with a time-explicit viscous compressible flow solver. The suction head curves (head drop) are compared to the results of an incompressible implicit standard industrial CFD tool and are predicted qualitatively correct by the barotropic model.

Deep circulations under simple classes of stratification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salby, Murry L.

1989-01-01

Deep circulations where the motion field is vertically aligned over one or more scale heights are studied under barotropic and equivalent barotropic stratifications. The study uses two-dimensional equations reduced from the three-dimensional primitive equations in spherical geometry. A mapping is established between the full primitive equations and general shallow water behavior and the correspondence between variables describing deep atmospheric motion and those of shallow water behavior is established.

Free and Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves Simulated by CMIP5 Climate Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marques, Carlos A. F.; Castanheira, José M.

2015-04-01

It is well known that precipitation in the equatorial belt does not occur randomly, but is often organized into synoptic to planetary-scale disturbances with time scales smaller than a season. Several studies have shown that a large fraction of the convection variability in such disturbances is associated with dynamical Equatorial Waves, such as the Kelvin, Equatorial Rossby, Mixed Rossby-Gravity, Eastward and Westward Inertio-Gravity waves (e.g. Kiladis et al., Rev. Geophys., 2009). The horizontal structures and dispersion characteristics of such Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves (CCEWs) correspond to the solutions of the shallow water (SW) equations on an equatorial β-plane obtained by Matsuno (J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 1966). CCEWs have broad impacts within the tropics, but their simulation in general circulation models is still problematic. Using space-time spectral analyses of a proxy field for tropical convection (e.g. outgoing long wave radiation (OLR)), it has been shown the existence of spectral peaks aligned along the dispersion curves of equatorially trapped wave modes of SW theory, which have been interpreted as the effect of equatorial wave processes (e.g. Takayabu, J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 1994; Wheeler and Kiladis, JAS, 1999). However, different equatorial modes may not be well separated in the wavenumber-frequency domain due to a vertical variation of the horizontal basic flow, that may introduce Doppler shiftings and changes in the vertical heating profiles which may distort the theoretical dispersion curves (Yang et al., JAS, 2003). In this communication, we present a new methodology for the diagnosis of CCEWs, which is based on a pre-filtering of the geopotential and horizontal wind, via three-dimensional (3-D) normal mode functions of the adiabatic linearized equations of a resting atmosphere, followed by a space-time power and cross spectral analysis applied to the 3-D normal mode filtered fields and the OLR (or other fields that may be proxies of tropical convection) to identify the spectral regions of coherence. The advantage of such an approach is that the theoretical vertical as well as horizontal structure functions are taken into account in the projection method, and so the structures obtained are better defined with respect to the theoretical normal modes of a 3-D atmosphere compared to other approaches. The methodology has been applied to the (u,v,φ) and OLR fields simulated by various of the most recent climate models (CMIP5). The methodology has been also applied to the ERA-Interim geopotential and horizontal wind fields and to the interpolated OLR data produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, against which model simulations are evaluated. This new diagnosis method permits a direct detection of various types of equatorial waves, compares the dispersion characteristics of the coupled waves with the theoretical dispersion curves and allows an identification of which vertical modes are more involved in the convection. Moreover, it is able to show the existence of free dry waves and moist coupled waves with a common vertical structure, which is in conformity with the effect of convective heating/cooling on the effective static stability, as deduced from the gross moist stability concept (Kiladis et al., Rev. Geophys., 2009). The methodology is also sensitive to wave's interactions. Deficiencies found in the models' simulations should help the identification of which physical processes need to be improved in climate models.

Maintenance of Austral Summertime Upper-Tropospheric Circulation over Tropical South America: The Bolivian High-Nordeste Low System.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tsing-Chang; Weng, Shu-Ping; Schubert, Siegfried

1999-07-01

Using the NASA/GEOS reanalysis data for 1980-95, the austral-summer stationary eddies in the tropical-subtropical Southern Hemisphere are examined in two wave regimes: long and short wave (wave 1 and waves 2-6, respectively). The basic structure of the Bolivian high-Nordeste low (BH-NL) system is formed by a short-wave train across South America but modulated by the long-wave regime. The short-wave train exhibits a monsoonlike vertical phase reversal in the midtroposphere and a quarter-wave phase shift relative to the divergent circulation. As inferred from (a) the spatial relationship between the streamfunction and velocity potential and (b) the structure of the divergent circulation, the short-wave train forming the BH-NL system is maintained by South American local heating and remote African heating, while the long-wave regime is maintained by western tropical Pacific heating.The maintenance of the stationary waves in the two wave regimes is further illustrated by a simple diagnostic scheme that includes the velocity-potential maintenance equation (which links velocity potential and diabatic heating) and the streamfunction budget (which is the inverse Laplacian transform of the vorticity equation). Some simple relationships between streamfunction and velocity potential for both wave regimes are established to substantiate the links between diabatic heating and streamfunction; of particular interest is a Sverdrup balance in the short-wave regime. This simplified vorticity equation explains the vertical structure of the short-wave train associated with the BH-NL system and its spatial relationship with the divergent circulation.Based upon the diagnostic analysis of its maintenance a simple forced barotropic model is adopted to simulate the BH-NL system with idealized forcings, which imitates the real 200-mb divergence centers over South America, Africa, and the tropical Pacific. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the formation of the BH-NL system is affected not only by the African remote forcing, but also by the tropical Pacific forcing.

The dynamics of oceanic fronts. Part 1: The Gulf Stream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, T. W.

1970-01-01

The establishment and maintenance of the mean hydrographic properties of large scale density fronts in the upper ocean is considered. The dynamics is studied by posing an initial value problem starting with a near surface discharge of buoyant water with a prescribed density deficit into an ambient stationary fluid of uniform density. The full time dependent diffusion and Navier-Stokes equations for a constant Coriolis parameter are used in this study. Scaling analysis reveals three independent length scales of the problem, namely a radius of deformation or inertial length scale, Lo, a buoyance length scale, ho, and a diffusive length scale, hv. Two basic dimensionless parameters are then formed from these length scales, the thermal (or more precisely, the densimetric) Rossby number, Ro = Lo/ho and the Ekman number, E = hv/ho. The governing equations are then suitably scaled and the resulting normalized equations are shown to depend on E alone for problems of oceanic interest. Under this scaling, the solutions are similar for all Ro. It is also shown that 1/Ro is a measure of the frontal slope. The governing equations are solved numerically and the scaling analysis is confirmed. The solution indicates that an equilibrium state is established. The front can then be rendered stationary by a barotropic current from a larger scale along-front pressure gradient. In that quasisteady state, and for small values of E, the main thermocline and the inclined isopycnics forming the front have evolved, together with the along-front jet. Conservation of potential vorticity is also obtained in the light water pool. The surface jet exhibits anticyclonic shear in the light water pool and cyclonic shear across the front.

Numerical assessment of factors affecting nonlinear internal waves in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiang

2014-02-01

Nonlinear internal waves in the South China Sea exhibit diverse characteristics, which are associated with the complex conditions in Luzon Strait, such as the double ridge topography, the Earth’s rotation, variations in stratification and the background current induced by the Kuroshio. These effects are individually assessed using the MITgcm. The performance of the model is first validated through comparison with field observations. Because of in-phased ray interaction, the western ridge in Luzon Strait intensifies the semidiurnal internal tides generated from the eastern ridge, thus reinforcing the formation of nonlinear internal waves. However, the ray interaction for K1 forcing becomes anti-phased so that the K1 internal tide generation is reduced by the western ridge. Not only does the rotational dispersion suppress internal tide generation, it also inhibits nonlinear steepening and consequent internal solitary wave formation. As a joint effect, the double ridges and the rotational dispersion result in a paradoxical phenomenon: diurnal barotropic tidal forcing is dominant in Luzon Strait, but semidiurnal internal tides prevail in the deep basin of the South China Sea. The seasonal variation of the Kuroshio is consistent with the seasonal appearance of nonlinear internal waves in the South China Sea. The model results show that the westward inflow due to the Kuroshio intrusion reduces the amplitude of internal tides in the South China Sea, causing the weakening or absence of internal solitary waves. Winter stratification cannot account for the significant reduction of nonlinear internal waves, because the amplitude growth of internal tides due to increased thermocline tilting counteracts the reduced nonlinearity caused by thermocline deepening.

Analysis of wave-like oscillations in parameters of sporadic E layer and neutral atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mošna, Z.; Koucká Knížová, P.

2012-12-01

The present study mainly concerns the wave-like activity in the ionospheric sporadic E layer (Es) and in the lower lying stratosphere. The proposed analysis involves parameters describing the state of plasma in the sporadic E layer. Critical frequencies foEs and layer heights hEs were measured at the Pruhonice station (50°N, 14.5°E) during summer campaigns 2004, 2006 and 2008. Further, we use neutral atmosphere (temperature data at 10 hPa) data from the same time interval. The analysis concentrates on vertically propagating wave-like structures within distant atmospheric regions. By means of continuous wavelet transform (CWT) we have detected significant wave-like oscillation at periods covering tidal and planetary oscillation domains both in the Es layer parameters (some of them were reported earlier, for instance in works of Abdu et al., 2003; Pancheva and Mitchel, 2004; Pancheva et al., 2003; Šauli and Bourdillon, 2008) and in stratospheric temperature variations. Further analyses using cross wavelet transform (XWT) and wavelet coherence analysis (WTC) show that despite high wave-like activity in a wide period range, there are only limited coherent wave-like bursts present in both spectra. Such common coherent wave bursts occur on periods close to eigen-periods of the terrestrial atmosphere. We suppose that vertical coupling between atmospheric regions realized by vertically propagating planetary waves occurs predominantly on periods close to those of Rossby modes. Analysis of the phase shift between data from distant atmospheric regions reveals high variability and very likely supports the non-linear scenario of the vertical coupling provided by planetary waves.

Polar-Tropical Coupling in the Winter Stratosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, R.

2017-12-01

A distinct pattern of enhanced equatorial potential vorticitygradients during QBO westerly anomalies, enhanced subtropicalgradients during QBO easterlies, is used to motivate a new formulationof dynamical coupling between the tropics and winter polar vortexbased on remote transfer of finite amplitude wave activity defined interms of lateral potential vorticity displacements. While the weakpotential vorticity gradients in the surf zone imply laterallyevanescent Rossby waves, transfer of wave activity from the polarvortex edge to the subtropical barrier or to the QBO westerly phaseequatorial gradients arises from nonlocality of potential vorticityinversion and the large horizontal displacements of the vortex edge.Our approach goes beyond the traditional description of the effect ofQBO wind anomalies on linear wave propagation through the stratospherevia wave reflection at the zero wind line; linear wave theory isappealing but neglects the long horizontal and vertical wavelengthsinvolved and the inhomogeneous background potential vorticity. Aparticular issue of outstanding interest is whether and how therelatively shallow QBO anomalies can influence the deep verticallypropagating waves on the edge of the winter stratospheric polarvortex. Process studies with a mechanistic model with prescribed QBOand carefully controlled high-latitude wave forcing are analyzed,guided by a reexamination of meteorological reanalysis, to address howsuch a dynamical linkage may influence in particular the resonantexcitation of the winter vortex, and the occurrence ofvortex-splitting sudden warming events. We quantify the associatedtransfer of wave activity from vortex edge to the tropics, considerunder what conditions this becomes a significant source of easterlymomentum in the driving of the QBO itself, and how the structure ofthe Brewer-Dobson circulation varies in response to the location ofthe QBO westerly winds in any given winter.

Teleconnections Between Tropical Deforestation and Midlatitude Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avissar, R.; Werth, D.

2003-12-01

Past studies have indicated that total deforestation of Amazonia would result in an important reduction of the rainfall in that region, but that this process had no significant impact on the global temperature or precipitation and had only local implications. Here, we show that deforestation of tropical regions activates Rossby waves, which affect significantly precipitation at mid-latitudes by 'teleconnections'. In particular, we find that the deforestation of Amazonia and Central Africa severely reduces rainfall in the US Midwest during spring and summer, when water is crucial for agriculture in that region. Deforestation of South-East Asia reduces winter precipitation in the Western US and, consequently, the water storage that is released from snow melting later in the spring.

On the zero-Rossby limit for the primitive equations of the atmosphere*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Gui-Qiang; Zhang, Ping

2001-09-01

The zero-Rossby limit for the primitive equations governing atmospheric motions is analysed. The limit is important in geophysics for large-scale models (cf Lions 1996 Int. Conf. IAM 95 (Hamburg 1995) (Math. Res. vol 87) (Berlin: Akademie) pp 177-212) and is in the level of the zero relaxation limit for nonlinear partial differential equations (cf Chen et al 1994 Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 47 787-830). It is proved that, if the initial data appropriately approximate data of geostrophic type, the corresponding solutions of the simplified primitive equations approximate the solutions of the quasigeostrophic equations with order ɛ accuracy as the Rossby number ɛ goes to zero.

The Kepler Catalog of Stellar Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davenport, James R. A.

2016-09-01

A homogeneous search for stellar flares has been performed using every available Kepler light curve. An iterative light curve de-trending approach was used to filter out both astrophysical and systematic variability to detect flares. The flare recovery completeness has also been computed throughout each light curve using artificial flare injection tests, and the tools for this work have been made publicly available. The final sample contains 851,168 candidate flare events recovered above the 68% completeness threshold, which were detected from 4041 stars, or 1.9% of the stars in the Kepler database. The average flare energy detected is ˜1035 erg. The net fraction of flare stars increases with g - I color, or decreasing stellar mass. For stars in this sample with previously measured rotation periods, the total relative flare luminosity is compared to the Rossby number. A tentative detection of flare activity saturation for low-mass stars with rapid rotation below a Rossby number of ˜0.03 is found. A power-law decay in flare activity with Rossby number is found with a slope of -1, shallower than typical measurements for X-ray activity decay with Rossby number.

Equatorial Oscillation and Planetary Wave Activity in Saturn's Stratosphere Through the Cassini Epoch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerlet, S.; Fouchet, T.; Spiga, A.; Flasar, F. M.; Fletcher, L. N.; Hesman, B. E.; Gorius, N.

2018-01-01

Thermal infrared spectra acquired by Cassini/Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (CIRS) in limb-viewing geometry in 2015 are used to derive 2-D latitude-pressure temperature and thermal wind maps. These maps are used to study the vertical structure and evolution of Saturn's equatorial oscillation (SEO), a dynamical phenomenon presenting similarities with the Earth's quasi-biennal oscillation (QBO) and semi-annual oscillation (SAO). We report that a new local wind maximum has appeared in 2015 in the upper stratosphere and derive the descent rates of other wind extrema through time. The phase of the oscillation observed in 2015, as compared to 2005 and 2010, remains consistent with a ˜15 year period. The SEO does not propagate downward at a regular rate but exhibits faster descent rate in the upper stratosphere, combined with a greater vertical wind shear, compared to the lower stratosphere. Within the framework of a QBO-type oscillation, we estimate the absorbed wave momentum flux in the stratosphere to be on the order of ˜7 × 10-6 N m-2. On Earth, interactions between vertically propagating waves (both planetary and mesoscale) and the mean zonal flow drive the QBO and SAO. To broaden our knowledge on waves potentially driving Saturn's equatorial oscillation, we searched for thermal signatures of planetary waves in the tropical stratosphere using CIRS nadir spectra. Temperature anomalies of amplitude 1-4 K and zonal wave numbers 1 to 9 are frequently observed, and an equatorial Rossby (n = 1) wave of zonal wave number 3 is tentatively identified in November 2009.

Nonlinear Influence of Background Rotation on Iceberg Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meroni, A. N.; McConnochie, C. D.; Cenedese, C.; Sutherland, B. R.; Snow, K.

2017-12-01

The Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets lose mass through direct melting from ice shelves and from the calving of icebergs. Once icebergs have calved they will drift in ocean currents and gradually melt. Where and how rapidly they melt will determine where the freshwater and nutrients contained in the iceberg will be released which can then affect sea ice formation and biological activity. Standard parameterizations of iceberg melting consider the fluid velocity and temperature but not the effect of planetary rotation. Particularly for large icebergs, such as that which recently calved from the Larson C ice shelf, rotation may also be important due to the formation of Taylor columns.We present the results of laboratory experiments investigating the effect of rotation on the melting of icebergs. In particular, the possible formation of Taylor columns underneath an iceberg is investigated. At high Rossby numbers, when rotation is weak compared to advection, iceberg melting is unaffected by the background rotation rate. However, as the Rossby number is decreased, the melt rate initially increases before decreasing as the Rossby number is further decreased.This non-monotonic dependence of iceberg melting on the Rossby number is explained by considering the integrated horizontal velocity under the iceberg. For moderate Rossby numbers the Taylor column that forms only occupies a small fraction of the iceberg bottom area. Although there is near-zero relative flow in the Taylor column, which reduces the melt rate, the effective blocking by the Taylor column causes an acceleration of the flow under the remainder of the iceberg and increases the total melt rate. However, for low Rossby numbers the Taylor column occupies a larger fraction of the iceberg bottom area and the flow acceleration no longer occurs underneath the iceberg, hence it is unable to increase the melt rate. We suggest an improved parameterization of iceberg melt that includes the effects of rotation.

w-cosmological singularities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernandez-Jambrina, L.

2010-12-15

In this paper we characterize barotropic index singularities of homogeneous isotropic cosmological models [M. P. Dabrowski and T. Denkiewicz, Phys. Rev. D 79, 063521 (2009).]. They are shown to appear in cosmologies for which the scale factor is analytical with a Taylor series in which the linear and quadratic terms are absent. Though the barotropic index of the perfect fluid is singular, the singularities are weak, as it happens for other models for which the density and the pressure are regular.

Impacts of northern Tibetan Plateau on East Asian summer rainfall via modulating midlatitude transient eddies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Jiechun; Xu, Haiming; Shi, Ning; Zhang, Leying; Ma, Jing

2017-08-01

Roles of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in forming and changing the seasonal Asian climate system have been widely explored. However, little is known about modulation effects of the TP on extratropical transient eddies (TEs) and subsequent synoptic responses of the East Asian rainfall. In this study, the Community Atmosphere Model version 5.1 coupled with a slab ocean model is employed to highlight the important role of the TP in regulating the upper-tropospheric transient wave train. Comparison between sensitivity experiments with and without the TP shows that the northern TP excites a strong anomalous anticyclone, which shifts the upper-level East Asian westerly jet northward and helps transfer barotropic and baroclinic energy from the mean flow to the synoptic TE flow. The transient wave train is primarily shifted northward by northern TP and is forced to propagate southeastward along the eastern flank of the TP until reaching eastern China. Before the strengthening of monsoonal southerlies, the TP-modulated transient wave train cools the troposphere, which decreases the static stability over northern China. Meanwhile, the associated anomalous warm advection induces ascending motion, leading to excessive rainfall by releasing unstable energy as the southerly strengthens. Due to the southeastward propagation of the wave train, anomalous heavy rainfall subsequently appears over eastern China from north to south, which increases day-to-day rainfall variation in this region. Additionally, occurrence of this upper-tropospheric transient wave train associated with low-level southerly peak is substantially increased by northern TP.

Interannual variability in equatorial Kelvin waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, and relation to the background equatorial wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, J.; Nishi, N.; Fujiwara, M.; Yoneyama, K.

2016-12-01

We investigated the influence of the background wind regime on interannual variability in equatorial Kelvin waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere using the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts 40-year reanalysis data. We focused on variability in the number of Kelvin wave events as a function of the background westerly wind, given by the zonal wind index (ZWI) in the equatorial western hemisphere. The ZWI measures the strength of the upper branch of the Walker circulation in the western hemisphere. Although the ZWI is well correlated with the sea surface temperature in the Niño-3.4 region, nearly half of the peaks of positive (negative) ZWI cases occurred outside of the typical La Niña (El Niño) season (December to February), respectively. In the positive ZWI (stronger westerly) cases, both convective activity over the western Pacific and extratropical Rossby waves were enhanced. Kelvin waves over the western hemisphere appeared frequently at 200 hPa but barely reached 100 hPa due to the strong westerly wind under this level. In the negative ZWI period, on the other hand, the number of Kelvin waves at 200 hPa decreased due to the weaker convection; Kelvin waves reached 100 hPa and propagated even farther upward. We also investigated the relationship between the ZWI and the phase speed of Kelvin waves. Kelvin waves with relatively slow phase speeds are found in negative ZWI cases, but are not found in positive ZWI cases due to the westerly background wind below the altitudes where Kelvin waves commonly propagate.

The Correlation Between Tropical Convection and Upper Tropospheric Momentum Flux Convergence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'CStarr, David; Boehm, Matthew T.

2003-01-01

In this study, the relationship between tropical convection and the meridional convergence of zonal momentum flux in the tropical upper troposphere is investigated using NOAA interpolated outgoing longwave radiation data and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis wind data. In particular, a variety of correlation coefficients are calculated between the data sets, both of which are filtered to isolate disturbances with frequencies and wavenumbers consistent with the Madden-Julian oscillation. The results show regions of significant correlation during each season, with the magnitude and area covered by significant correlation coefficients varying with season. Furthermore, it is found that the correlation structures look very similar to theoretical calculations of the atmospheric response to a region of tropical heating. This result suggests that tropical waves, in particular mixed Rossby-gravity waves, play an important role in the meridional transport zonal momentum into the deep tropical upper troposphere. Finally, these findings have implications to the generation of rising motion near the tropical tropopause, which in turn has ramifications for vertical moisture transport and tropopause cirrus formation.

On the shelf resonances of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, D. J.

2012-09-01

A numerical model is used to investigate the resonances of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Arafura Sea, and the additional insights that come from extending the analysis into the complex angular velocity plane. When the model is forced at the shelf edge with physically realistic real values of the angular velocity, the response functions at points within the region show maxima and other behaviour which imply that resonances are involved but provide little additional information. The study is then extended to complex angular velocities, and the results then show a clear pattern of gravity wave and Rossby wave like resonances. The properties of the resonances are investigated and used to reinterpret the response at real values of angular velocity. It is found that in some regions the response is dominated by modes trapped between the shelf edge and the coast or between opposing coastlines. In other regions the resonances show cooperative behaviour, possibly indicating the importance of other physical processes.

Detecting atmospheric normal modes with periods less than 6 h by barometric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermolenko, S. I.; Shved, G. M.; Jacobi, Ch.

2018-04-01

The theory of atmospheric normal modes (ANMs) predicts the existence of relatively short-period gravity-inertia ANMs. Simultaneous observations of surface air-pressure variations by barometers at distant stations of the Global Geodynamics Project network during an interval of 6 months were used to detect individual gravity-inertia ANMs with periods of ∼2-5 h. Evidence was found for five ANMs with a lifetime of ∼10 days. The data of the stations, which are close in both latitude and longitude, were utilized for deriving the phases of the detected ANMs. The phases revealed wave propagation to the west and increase of zonal wavenumbers with frequency. As all the detected gravity-inertia ANMs are westward propagating, they are suggested to be generated due to the breakdown of migrating solar tides and/or large-scale Rossby waves. The existence of an ANM background will complicate the detection of the translational motions of the Earth's inner core.

Probable Causes of the Abnormal Ridge Accompanying the 2013-2014 California Drought: ENSO Precursor and Anthropogenic Warming Footprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, S-Y; Hipps, Lawrence; Gillies, Robert R.

2014-05-16

The 2013-14 California drought was accompanied by an anomalous high-amplitude ridge system. The anomalous ridge was investigated using reanalysis data and the Community Earth System Model (CESM). It was found that the ridge emerged from continual sources of Rossby wave energy in the western North Pacific starting in late summer, and subsequently intensified into winter. The ridge generated a surge of wave energy downwind and deepened further the trough over the northeast U.S., forming a dipole. The dipole and associated circulation pattern is not linked directly with either ENSO or Pacific Decadal Oscillation; instead it is correlated with a typemore » of ENSO precursor. The connection between the dipole and ENSO precursor has become stronger since the 1970s, and this is attributed to increased GHG loading as simulated by the CESM. Therefore, there is a traceable anthropogenic warming footprint in the enormous intensity of the anomalous ridge during winter 2013-14, the associated drought and its intensity.« less

Probable causes of the abnormal ridge accompanying the 2013-2014 California drought: ENSO precursor and anthropogenic warming footprint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S.-Y.; Hipps, Lawrence; Gillies, Robert R.; Yoon, Jin-Ho

2014-05-01

The 2013-2014 California drought was initiated by an anomalous high-amplitude ridge system. The anomalous ridge was investigated using reanalysis data and the Community Earth System Model (CESM). It was found that the ridge emerged from continual sources of Rossby wave energy in the western North Pacific starting in late summer and subsequently intensified into winter. The ridge generated a surge of wave energy downwind and deepened further the trough over the northeast U.S., forming a dipole. The dipole and associated circulation pattern is not linked directly with either El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) or Pacific Decadal Oscillation; instead, it is correlated with a type of ENSO precursor. The connection between the dipole and ENSO precursor has become stronger since the 1970s, and this is attributed to increased greenhouse gas loading as simulated by the CESM. Therefore, there is a traceable anthropogenic warming footprint in the enormous intensity of the anomalous ridge during winter 2013-2014 and the associated drought.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naughton, M.J.; Bourke, W.; Browning, G.L.

The convergence of spectral model numerical solutions of the global shallow-water equations is examined as a function of the time step and the spectral truncation. The contributions to the errors due to the spatial and temporal discretizations are separately identified and compared. Numerical convergence experiments are performed with the inviscid equations from smooth (Rossby-Haurwitz wave) and observed (R45 atmospheric analysis) initial conditions, and also with the diffusive shallow-water equations. Results are compared with the forced inviscid shallow-water equations case studied by Browning et al. Reduction of the time discretization error by the removal of fast waves from the solution usingmore » initialization is shown. The effects of forcing and diffusion on the convergence are discussed. Time truncation errors are found to dominate when a feature is large scale and well resolved; spatial truncation errors dominate for small-scale features and also for large scale after the small scales have affected them. Possible implications of these results for global atmospheric modeling are discussed. 31 refs., 14 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Transport with Reversed Er in Gamma -10, LAPD and the Sao Paulo Tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Sean; Morrison, P. J.; Horton, W.; Caldas, Ibere

2009-11-01

The understanding of how and when the reversed radial electric field produces an internal transport barrier is still poorly understood. There are two linked aspects to the problem: (i) the change in the plasma instabilities and thus the fluctuation spectrum from changes away from or towards the generalized Rayleigh condition for destabilizing the drift wave/ Rossby wave instabilities and (2) for a fixed fluctuation spectrum the role of the Er reversal in creating a layer where the resonant surfaces do not overlap so the condition for the onset of diffusion from overlapping resonances in phase space is not satisfied. We look at a model that is representative of the externally controlled Er shear in the G-10 Tsukuba tandem mirror and in the wall biasing experiments in the LAPD and the Sao Paulo Tokamak to ask when the effects are dominant and how they may compete with each other to determine the conditions for the transport suppression that is reported in numerous plasma experiments.

Dynamics of the Disrupted 2015-16 Quasi-Biennial Oscillation.

PubMed

Coy, Lawrence; Newman, Paul A; Pawson, Steven; Lait, Leslie R

2017-08-01

A significant disruption of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) occurred during the Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter of 2015-16. Since the QBO is the major wind variability source in the tropical lower stratosphere and influences the rate of ascent of air entering the stratosphere, understanding the cause of this singular disruption may provide new insights into the variability and sensitivity of the global climate system. Here we examine this disruptive event using global reanalysis winds and temperatures from 1980-2016. Results reveal record maxima in tropical horizontal momentum fluxes and wave forcing of the tropical zonal mean zonal wind over the NH 2015-16 winter. The Rossby waves responsible for these record tropical values appear to originate in the NH and were focused strongly into the tropics at the 40 hPa level. Two additional NH winters, 1987-88 and 2010-11 were also found to have large, tropical lower stratosphere, momentum flux divergences; however, the QBO westerlies did not change to easterlies in those cases.

The pulsating nature of large-scale Saharan dust transport as a result of interplays between mid-latitude Rossby waves and the North African Dipole Intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuevas, E.; Gómez-Peláez, A. J.; Rodríguez, S.; Terradellas, E.; Basart, S.; García, R. D.; García, O. E.; Alonso-Pérez, S.

2017-10-01

It was previously shown that during August the export of Saharan dust to the Atlantic was strongly affected by the difference of the 700-hPa geopotential height anomaly between the subtropics and the tropics over North Africa, which was termed the North African Dipole Intensity (NAFDI). In this work a more comprehensive analysis of the NAFDI is performed, focusing on the entire summer dust season (June-September), and examining the interactions between the mid-latitude Rossby waves (MLRWs) and NAFDI. Widespread and notable aerosol optical depth (AOD) monthly anomalies are found for each NAFDI-phase over the dust corridors off the Sahara, indicating that NAFDI presents intra-seasonal variability and drives dust transport over both the Mediterranean basin and the North Atlantic. Those summer months with the same NAFDI-phase show similar AOD-anomaly patterns. Variations in NAFDI-phase also control the displacement of the Saharan Heat Low (SHL) westwards or eastwards through horizontal advection of temperature over Morocco-Western Sahara or eastern Algeria-Western Libya, respectively. The connection between the SHL and the NAFDI is quantified statistically by introducing two new daily indexes that account for their respective phases (NAFDI daily index -NAFDIDI-, and SHL longitudinal shift index -SHLLSI-) and explained physically using the energy equation of the atmospheric dynamics. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between the one-day-lag SHLLSI and the NAFDIDI for an extended summer season (1980-2013) is 0.78. A positive NAFDI is associated with the West-phase of the SHL, dust sources intensification on central Algeria, and positive AOD anomalies over this region and the Subtropical North Atlantic. A negative NAFDI is associated with the East-phase of the SHL, and positive AOD anomalies over central-eastern Sahara and the central-western Mediterranean Sea. The results point out that the phase changes of NAFDI at intra-seasonal time scale are conducted by those MLRWs that penetrate deeply into the low troposphere.

Poleward Tropical Moisture Transport and its Link to Four Sequential Extreme Weather Events over North America in October 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosart, L. F.; Cordeira, J. M.; Archambault, H. M.; Moore, B. J.

2014-12-01

A case of four sequentially linked extreme weather events (EWEs) during 22 - 31 October 2007 which included wildfires in southern California, cold surges in northern and eastern Mexico, widespread heavy rain in the eastern United Sates, and heavy rains in southern Mexico is presented. These EWEs were preceded by a rapid dynamically driven rapid amplification of the upper-level flow across the North Pacific and North America associated with the formation of a large-amplitude Rossby wave train (RWT) through downstream baroclinic development involving multiple tropical and polar disturbance interactions with the North Pacific jet stream. The primary contributors to the formation of the large-amplitude RWT were two sequential upper-level polar disturbances, a diabatic Rossby vortex, western North Pacific TC Kajiki, and migratory extratropical cyclones (ECs). Deep subtropical and tropical moisture plumes resembling "atmospheric rivers" drawn poleward along warm conveyor belts into the warm sectors of these ECs played a critical role in further amplifying the downstream upper-level ridges based on an Eulerian analysis of negative potential vorticity advection by the irrotational wind and a Lagrangian trajectory analysis of tropical and subtropical moisture sources. In particular, these atmospheric rivers extending poleward from TC Kajiki and from the subtropical eastern North Pacific into the warm sectors of polar disturbance-generated ECs over the western and eastern North Pacific, respectively, bolstered latent heat release and ridge building and contributed to additional upper-level flow amplification. The EWEs occurred subsequent to anticyclonic wave breaking over western North America and the concomitant downstream formation of a meridionally elongated potential vorticity streamer over the central United States. The resulting high-amplitude flow pattern over North America favored the formation of the aforementioned EWEs by promoting an extensive meridional exchange of air masses from high and low latitudes.

Variability of Jupiter's Five-Micron Hot Spot Inventory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yanamandra-Fisher, Padma A.; Orton, G. S.; Wakefield, L.; Rogers, J. H.; Simon-Miller, A. A.; Boydstun, K.

2012-01-01

Global upheavals on Jupiter involve changes in the albedo of entire axisymmetric regions, lasting several years, with the last two occurring in 1989 and 2006. Against this backdrop of planetary-scale changes, discrete features such as the Great Red Spot (GRS), and other vortices exhibit changes on shorter spatial- and time-scales. We track the variability of the discrete equatorial 5-micron hot spots, semi-evenly spaced in longitude and confined to a narrow latitude band centered at 6.5degN (southern edge of the North Equatorial Belt, NEB), abundant in Voyager images. Tantalizingly similar patterns were observed in the visible (bright plumes and blue-gray regions), where reflectivity in the red is anti-correlated with 5-microns thermal radiance. Ortiz et al. (1998, GRL, 103) characterized the latitude and drift rates of the hot spots, including the descent of the Galileo probe at the southern edge of a 5-micron hot spot, as the superposition of equatorial Rossby waves, with phase speeds between 99 - 103m/s, relative to System III. We note that the high 5-micron radiances correlate well but not perfectly with high 8.57-micron radiances. Because the latter are modulated primarily by changes in the upper ammonia (NH3) ice cloud opacity, this correlation implies that changes in the ammonia ice cloud field may be responsible for the variability seen in the 5-m maps. During the NEB fade (2011 - early 2012), however, these otherwise ubiquitous features were absent, an atmospheric state not seen in decades. The ongoing NEB revival indicates nascent 5-m hot spots as early as April 2012, with corresponding visible dark spots. Their continuing growth through July 2012 indicates the possit.le re-establishment of Rossby waves. The South Equatorial Belt (SEB) and NEB revivals began similarly with an instability that developed into a major outbreak, and many similarities in the observed propagation of clear regions.

Wave energetics of the southern hemisphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battalio, Michael; Szunyogh, Istvan; Lemmon, Mark

2018-07-01

An assessment of the energetics of transient waves in the southern hemisphere of Mars is presented using the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) dataset (v1.0) and the eddy kinetic energy equation. The dataset is divided into four representative periods covering the summer and winter solstices, a late fall period, and an early spring period for three Mars years. Spring eddies are the most intense, with eddies during the fall being less intense due to a marginally more stable mean-temperature profile and reduced recirculation of ageostrophic geopotential fluxes compared to the spring. Eddy kinetic energy during winter is reduced in intensity as a result of the winter solstitial pause in wave activity, and eddy kinetic energy during the summer is limited. Baroclinic energy conversion acts as a source in fall and spring but disappears during the winter as a result of a stabilized vertical temperature profile. Barotropic energy conversion acts as both a source and a sink of eddy kinetic energy, being most positive during the solstitial pause. Eddies take a northwest to southeast track across the southern highlands in the fall but have a more zonal track in the spring due to stronger eddy kinetic energy advection. Wave energetics is less intense in the southern compared to the northern hemisphere as a result of a shallower baroclinically unstable vertical profile.

The 4-Day Wave as Observed from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Microwave Limb Sounder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, D. R.; Stanford, J. L.; Elson, L. S.; Fishbein, E. F.; Froidevaux, L.; Waters, J. W.

1997-01-01

The "4-day wave" is an eastward moving quasi-nondispersive feature with period near 4 days occurring near the winter polar stratopause. This paper presents evidence of the 4-day feature in Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) temperature, geopotential height, and ozone data from the late southern winters of 1992 and 1993. Space-time spectral analyses reveal a double-peaked temperature structure consisting of one peak near the stratopause and another in the lower mesosphere, with an out-of-phase relationship between the two peaks. This double- peaked structure is reminiscent of recent three-dimensional barotropic/baroclinic instability model predictions and is observed here for the first time. The height variation of the 4-day ozone signal is shown to compare well with a linear advective-photochemical tracer model. Negative regions of quasigeostrophic potential vorticity (PV) gradient and positive Eliassen-Palm flux divergence are shown to occur, consistent with instability dynamics playing a role in wave forcing. Spectral analyses of PV derived from MLS geopotential height fields reveal a 4-day signal peaking near the polar stratopause. The three-dimensional structure of the 4-day wave resembles the potential vorticity "charge" concept, wherein a PV anomaly in the atmosphere (analogous to an electrical charge in a dielectric material) induces a geopotential field, a vertically oriented temperature dipole, and circulation about the vertical axis.

Use of satellite data and modeling to assess the influence of stratospheric processes on the troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nathan, Terrence

1991-09-01

Over the past forty years, numerous linear stability studies have been performed in order to explain the origin and structure of observed waves in the atmosphere. Of these studies, only a small fraction have considered the stability of time-dependent, zonally varying flow or the influence of radiative-photochemical feedbacks on the stability of zonally uniform flow. The stability of such flows is described, and these flows may yield important information concerning the origin, structure, and transient time scales of free waves in the atmosphere. During the period 1990 to 1991, a beta-plane model that couples radiative transfer, ozone advection, and ozone photochemistry with the quasigeostrophic dynamical circulation was developed in order to study the diabatic effects of Newtonian cooling and ozone-dynamics interaction on the linear stability of free planetary waves in the atmosphere. The stability of a basic state consisting of a westward-moving wave and a zonal mean jet was examined using a linearized, nondivergent barotropic model on sphere. The sensitivity of the stability of the flow to the strength and structure of the zonal jet was emphasized. The current research is focused on the following problems: (1) examination of the finite amplitude interactions among radiation, ozone, and dynamics; and (2) examination of the role of seasonal forcing in short-term climate variability. The plans for next year are presented.

An introduction to three-dimensional climate modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washington, W. M.; Parkinson, C. L.

1986-01-01

The development and use of three-dimensional computer models of the earth's climate are discussed. The processes and interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, and sea ice are examined. The basic theory of climate simulation which includes the fundamental equations, models, and numerical techniques for simulating the atmosphere, oceans, and sea ice is described. Simulated wind, temperature, precipitation, ocean current, and sea ice distribution data are presented and compared to observational data. The responses of the climate to various environmental changes, such as variations in solar output or increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, are modeled. Future developments in climate modeling are considered. Information is also provided on the derivation of the energy equation, the finite difference barotropic forecast model, the spectral transform technique, and the finite difference shallow water waved equation model.

Internal tides in the Northern Gulf of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filonov, Anatoliy E.; LavíN, M. F.

2003-05-01

The characteristics of the internal tide in the Northern Gulf of California are described using data from two moored arrays of temperature and current sensors, one for summer and one for winter, located between Angel de la Guarda Island and the mainland. From the summer six-sensor mooring it was found that: (1) the current fluctuations are dominated by the semidiurnal frequency band, while the quarterdiurnal frequency dominated the temperature fluctuations. (2) The baroclinic semidiurnal horizontal current fluctuations are aligned with the gulf axis, and have amplitudes of 10-15 cm s-1; the vertical displacements reached 4 m in this frequency band. (3) The vertical modal structure for the temperature and velocity oscillations was dominated by the first and third modes. (4) The energy of the semidiurnal internal tide is 45% of that of the barotropic tide. (5) Vertical wave number spectra showed slightly asymmetric peaks in the high wave number components, indicating that their downflowing energy is larger than that flowing upward. From the winter two-sensor mooring, it was found that the vertical oscillations were mainly semidiurnal, with root mean square amplitudes of 7 m.

Do inertial wave interactions control the rate of energy dissipation of rotating turbulence?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortet, Pierre-Philippe; Campagne, Antoine; Machicoane, Nathanael; Gallet, Basile; Moisy, Frederic

2015-11-01

The scaling law of the energy dissipation rate, ɛ ~U3 / L (with U and L the characteristic velocity and lengthscale), is one of the most robust features of fully developed turbulence. How this scaling is affected by a background rotation is still a controversial issue with importance for geo and astrophysical flows. At asymptotically small Rossby numbers Ro = U / ΩL , i.e. in the weakly nonlinear limit, wave-turbulence arguments suggest that ɛ should be reduced by a factor Ro . Such scaling has however never been evidenced directly, neither experimentally nor numerically. We report here direct measurements of the injected power, and therefore of ɛ, in an experiment where a propeller is rotating at a constant rate in a large volume of fluid rotating at Ω. In co-rotation, we find a transition between the wave-turbulence scaling at small Ro and the classical Kolmogorov law at large Ro . The transition between these two regimes is characterized from experiments varying the propeller and tank dimensions. In counter-rotation, the scenario is much richer with the observation of an additional peak of dissipation, similar to the one found in Taylor-Couette experiments.

Ocean Classification of Dynamical Structures Detected by SAR and Spectral Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redondo, J. M.; Martinez-Benjamin, J. J.; Tellez, J. D.; Jorge, J.; Diez, M.; Sekula, E.

2016-08-01

We discuss a taxonomy of different dynamical features in the ocean surface and provide some eddy and front statistics, as well as describing some events detected by several satellites and even with additional cruise observations and measurements, in the North-west Mediterranean Sea area between 1996 and 2012. The structure of the flows are presented using self-similar traces that may be used to parametrize mixing at both limits of the Rossby Deformation Radius scale, RL. Results show the ability to identify different SAR signatures and at the same time provide calibrations for the different local configurations of vortices, spirals, Langmuir cells, oil spills and tensioactive slicks that eventually allow the study of the self-similar structure of the turbulence. Depending on the surface wind and wave level, and also on the fetch. the bathimetry, the spiral parameters and the resolution of vortical features change. Previous descriptions did not include the new wind and buoyancy features. SAR images also show the turbulence structure of the coastal area and the Regions of Fresh Water Influence (ROFI). It is noteworthy tt such complex coastal field-dependent behavior is strongly influenced by stratification and rotation of the turbulence spectrum is observed only in the range smaller than the local Rossby deformation radius, RL. The measures of diffusivity from buoy or tracer experiments are used to calibrate the behavior of different tracers and pollutants, both natural and man-made in the NW Mediterranean Sea. Thanks to different polarization and intensity levels in ASAR satellite imagery, these can be used to distinguish between natural and man-made sea surface features due to their distinct self-similar and fractal as a function of spill and slick parameters, environmental conditions and history of both oil releases and weather conditions. Eddy diffusivity map derived from SAR measurements of the ocean surface, performing a feature spatial correlation of the available images of the region are presented. Both the multi fractal discrimination of the local features and the diffusivity measurements are important to evaluate the state of the environment. The distribution of meso-scale vortices of size, the Rossby deformation scale and other dominant features can be used to distinguish features in the ocean surface. Multi-fractal analysis is then very usefull. The SAR images exhibited a large variation of natural features produced by winds, internal waves, the bathymetric distribution, by convection, rain, etc as all of these produce variations in the sea surface roughness so that the topological changes may be studied and classified. In a similar way bathimetry may be studied with the methodology described here using the coastline and the thalwegs as generators of local vertical vorticity.

Influence of the Madden-Julian oscillation and Caribbean low-level jet on east Pacific easterly waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maloney, E. D.; Whitaker, J.

2017-12-01

The east Pacific warm pool in which easterly waves (EWs) exist exhibits basic state variability associated with the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) and Caribbean low-level jet (CLLJ). This study compares and contrasts composite changes in the background environment, eddy kinetic energy EKE budget, moisture budget, and EW tracks during MJO and CLLJ events. While previous studies have shown that the MJO influences jet activity in the east Pacific, the influence of the MJO and CLLJ on EWs is not synonymous. The MJO has a more extensive influence in the main EW path along the Central American coast, while the CLLJ is a stronger modulator of the ITCZ. Anomalous low-level westerly MJO and CLLJ periods are associated with favorable conditions for EW development along the main EW path, although the impact of the MJO is more extensive. Easterly MJO and CLLJ periods support enhanced EW development along the ITCZ, although the CLLJ is a greater modulator of EW tracks in this region, likely associated with basic state changes that favor convection and its influence on the EKE budget. EW growth in the ITCZ during easterly MJO periods is more reliant on barotropic conversion as an energy source than for strong CLLJ period waves, when EAPE to EKE conversion associated with ITCZ convection is more important. A moisture budget analysis for ITCZ waves shows that strong CLLJ period waves have stronger horizontal advection in front of the wave axis relative to easterly MJO periods waves. These differences in horizontal advection are interpreted in the context of a linearized horizontal advection budget. The results highlight that the influence of these phenomena on east Pacific EWs should be considered distinct.

Estimation of oceanic subsurface mixing under a severe cyclonic storm using a coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Kumar Ravi; Nigam, Tanuja; Pant, Vimlesh

2018-04-01

A coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave model was used to examine mixing in the upper-oceanic layers under the influence of a very severe cyclonic storm Phailin over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during 10-14 October 2013. The coupled model was found to improve the sea surface temperature over the uncoupled model. Model simulations highlight the prominent role of cyclone-induced near-inertial oscillations in subsurface mixing up to the thermocline depth. The inertial mixing introduced by the cyclone played a central role in the deepening of the thermocline and mixed layer depth by 40 and 15 m, respectively. For the first time over the BoB, a detailed analysis of inertial oscillation kinetic energy generation, propagation, and dissipation was carried out using an atmosphere-ocean-wave coupled model during a cyclone. A quantitative estimate of kinetic energy in the oceanic water column, its propagation, and its dissipation mechanisms were explained using the coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave model. The large shear generated by the inertial oscillations was found to overcome the stratification and initiate mixing at the base of the mixed layer. Greater mixing was found at the depths where the eddy kinetic diffusivity was large. The baroclinic current, holding a larger fraction of kinetic energy than the barotropic current, weakened rapidly after the passage of the cyclone. The shear induced by inertial oscillations was found to decrease rapidly with increasing depth below the thermocline. The dampening of the mixing process below the thermocline was explained through the enhanced dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy upon approaching the thermocline layer. The wave-current interaction and nonlinear wave-wave interaction were found to affect the process of downward mixing and cause the dissipation of inertial oscillations.

Waves in Radial Gravity Using Magnetic Fluid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohlsen, D. R.; Hart, J. E.; Weidman, P. D.

1999-01-01

Terrestrial laboratory experiments studying various fluid dynamical processes are constrained, by being in an Earth laboratory, to have a gravitational body force which is uniform and unidirectional. Therefore fluid free-surfaces are horizontal and flat. Such free surfaces must have a vertical solid boundary to keep the fluid from spreading horizontally along a gravitational potential surface. In atmospheric, oceanic, or stellar fluid flows that have a horizontal scale of about one-tenth the body radius or larger, sphericity is important in the dynamics. Further, fluids in spherical geometry can cover an entire domain without any sidewall effects, i.e. have truly periodic boundary conditions. We describe spherical body-force laboratory experiments using ferrofluid. Ferrofluids are dilute suspensions of magnetic dipoles, for example magnetite particles of order 10 nm diameter, suspended in a carrier fluid. Ferrofluids are subject to an additional body force in the presence of an applied magnetic field gradient. We use this body force to conduct laboratory experiments in spherical geometry. The present study is a laboratory technique improvement. The apparatus is cylindrically axisymmetric. A cylindrical ceramic magnet is embedded in a smooth, solid, spherical PVC ball. The geopotential field and its gradient, the body force, were made nearly spherical by careful choice of magnet height-to-diameter ratio and magnet size relative to the PVC ball size. Terrestrial gravity is eliminated from the dynamics by immersing the "planet" and its ferrofluid "ocean" in an immiscible silicone oil/freon mixture of the same density. Thus the earth gravity is removed from the dynamics of the ferrofluid/oil interface and the only dynamically active force there is the radial magnetic gravity. The entire apparatus can rotate, and waves are forced on the ferrofluid surface by exterior magnets. The biggest improvement in technique is in the wave visualization. Fluorescing dye is added to the oil/freon mixture and an argon ion laser generates a horizontal light that can be scanned vertically. Viewed from above, the experiment is a black circle with wave deformations surrounded by a light background. A contour of the image intensity at any light sheet position gives the surface of the ferrofluid "ocean" at that "latitude". Radial displacements of the waves as a function of longitude are obtained by subtracting the contour line positions from a no-motion contour at that laser sheet latitude. The experiments are run by traversing the forcing magnet with the laser sheet height fixed and images are frame grabbed to obtain a time-series at one latitude. The experiment is then re-run with another laser-sheet height to generate a full picture of the three-dimensional wave structure in the upper hemisphere of the ball as a function of time. We concentrate here on results of laboratory studies of waves that are important in Earth's atmosphere and especially the ocean. To get oceanic scaling in the laboratory, the experiment must rotate rapidly (4-second rotation period) so that the wave speed is slow compared to the planetary rotation speed as in the ocean. In the Pacific Ocean, eastward propagating Kelvin waves eventually run into the South American coast. Theory predicts that some of the wave energy should scatter into coastal-trapped Kelvin waves that propagate north and south along the coast. Some of this coastal wave energy might then scatter into mid-latitude Rossby waves that propagate back westward. Satellite observations of the Pacific Ocean sea-surface temperature and height seem to show signatures of westward propagating mid-latitude Rossby waves, 5 to 10 years after the 1982-83 El Nino. The observational data is difficult to interpret unambiguously owing to the large range of motions that fill the ocean at shorter timescales. This series of reflections giving eastward, north- ward, and then westward traveling waves is observed cleanly in the laboratory experiments, confirming the theoretical expectations.

Northern Eurasian Heat Waves and Droughts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Siegfried; Wang, Hailan; Koster, Randal; Suarez, Max; Groisman, Pavel

2013-01-01

This article reviews our understanding of the characteristics and causes of northern Eurasian summertime heat waves and droughts. Additional insights into the nature of temperature and precipitation variability in Eurasia on monthly to decadal time scales and into the causes and predictability of the most extreme events are gained from the latest generation of reanalyses and from supplemental simulations with the NASA GEOS-5 AGCM. Key new results are: 1) the identification of the important role of summertime stationary Rossby waves in the development of the leading patterns of monthly Eurasian surface temperature and precipitation variability (including the development of extreme events such as the 2010 Russian heat wave), 2) an assessment of the mean temperature and precipitation changes that have occurred over northern Eurasia in the last three decades and their connections to decadal variability and global trends in SST, and 3) the quantification (via a case study) of the predictability of the most extreme simulated heat wave/drought events, with some focus on the role of soil moisture in the development and maintenance of such events. A literature survey indicates a general consensus that the future holds an enhanced probability of heat waves across northern Eurasia, while there is less agreement regarding future drought, reflecting a greater uncertainty in soil moisture and precipitation projections. Substantial uncertainties remain in our understanding of heat waves and drought, including the nature of the interactions between the short-term atmospheric variability associated with such extremes and the longer-term variability and trends associated with soil moisture feedbacks, SST anomalies, and an overall warming world.

Air-Sea Interaction in the Somali Current Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, T. G.; Rydbeck, A.

2017-12-01

The western Indian Ocean is an area of high eddy-kinetic energy generated by local wind-stress curl, instability of boundary currents as well as Rossby waves from the west coast of India and the equatorial wave guide as they reflect off the African coast. The presence of meso-scale eddies and coastal upwelling during the Southwest Monsoon affects the air-sea interaction on those scales. The U.S. Navy's Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) is used to understand and quantify the surface flux, effects on surface waves and the role of Sea Surface Temperature anomalies on ocean-atmosphere coupling in that area. The COAMPS atmosphere model component with 9 km resolution is fully coupled to the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) with 3.5 km resolution and the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) wave model with 10 km resolution. Data assimilation using a 3D-variational approach is included in hindcast runs performed daily since June 1, 2015. An interesting result is that a westward jet associated with downwelling equatorial Rossy waves initiated the reversal from the southward Somali Current found during the northeast monsoon to a northward flow in March 2016 more than a month before the beginning of the southwest monsoon. It is also found that warm SST anomalies in the Somali Current eddies, locally increase surface wind speed due to an increase in the atmospheric boundary layer height. This results in an increase in significant wave height and also an increase in heat flux to the atmosphere. Cold SST anomalies over upwelling filaments have the opposite impacts on air-sea fluxes.

Cluster analysis of multiple planetary flow regimes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mo, Kingtse; Ghil, Michael

1987-01-01

A modified cluster analysis method was developed to identify spatial patterns of planetary flow regimes, and to study transitions between them. This method was applied first to a simple deterministic model and second to Northern Hemisphere (NH) 500 mb data. The dynamical model is governed by the fully-nonlinear, equivalent-barotropic vorticity equation on the sphere. Clusters of point in the model's phase space are associated with either a few persistent or with many transient events. Two stationary clusters have patterns similar to unstable stationary model solutions, zonal, or blocked. Transient clusters of wave trains serve as way stations between the stationary ones. For the NH data, cluster analysis was performed in the subspace of the first seven empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). Stationary clusters are found in the low-frequency band of more than 10 days, and transient clusters in the bandpass frequency window between 2.5 and 6 days. In the low-frequency band three pairs of clusters determine, respectively, EOFs 1, 2, and 3. They exhibit well-known regional features, such as blocking, the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern and wave trains. Both model and low-pass data show strong bimodality. Clusters in the bandpass window show wave-train patterns in the two jet exit regions. They are related, as in the model, to transitions between stationary clusters.

Narrowing of the Upwelling Branch of the Brewer-Dobson Circulation and Hadley Cell in Chemistry-Climate Model Simulations of the 21st Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Feng; Stolarski, Richard S.; Pawson, Steven; Newman, Paul A.; Waugh, Darryn

2010-01-01

Changes in the width of the upwelling branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation and Hadley cell in the 21st Century are investigated using simulations from a coupled chemistry-climate model. In these model simulations the tropical upwelling region narrows in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. The narrowing of the Brewer-Dobson circulation is caused by an equatorward shift of Rossby wave critical latitudes and Eliassen-Palm flux convergence in the subtropical lower stratosphere. In the troposphere, the model projects an expansion of the Hadley cell's poleward boundary, but a narrowing of the Hadley rising branch. Model results suggest that the narrowing of the Hadley cell ascent is also eddy-driven.

Particle rings and astrophysical accretion discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.

2016-03-01

Norman Rostoker had a wide range of interests and significant impact on the plasma physics research at Cornell during the time he was a Cornell professor. His interests ranged from the theory of energetic electron and ion beams and strong particle rings to the related topics of astrophysical accretion discs. We outline some of the topics related to rings and discs including the Rossby wave instability which leads to formation of anticyclonic vortices in astrophysical discs. These vorticies are regions of high pressure and act to trap dust particles which in turn may facilitate planetesimals growth in proto-planetary disks and could be important for planet formation. Analytical methods and global 3D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations have led to rapid advances in our understanding of discs in recent years.

Heat Content and Ice Draft Variability over the Slope of the Chukchi Sea from 2016-2017 Ocean Moorings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muenchow, A.; Ryan, P. A.; Badiey, M.; Elmer, C.; Eickmeier, J.

2017-12-01

The shallow-water component of the Canada Basin Acoustic Propagation Experiment (CANAPE) will quantify how ocean properties vary at daily to seasonal time scales over the outer continental shelf of the Chukchi Sea. We here describe initial results related to a weak sound channel above warm Atlantic and below seasonally modulated surface waters. It coincides with the cold halocline layer that often slopes up- or downward at the edge of the continental shelf in response to surface forcing. Sloping topography supports isopycnal oscillations whose time scales vary from hours to months. These Kelvin or Rossby waves will become more pronounced in a increasingly dynamic, wind-forced Arctic Ocean with a diminished, thinner, and more mobile ice cover.

Enhanced Stellar Activity for Slow Antisolar Differential Rotation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandenburg, Axel; Giampapa, Mark S.

2018-03-01

High-precision photometry of solar-like members of the open cluster M67 with Kepler/K2 data has recently revealed enhanced activity for stars with a large Rossby number, which is the ratio of rotation period to the convective turnover time. Contrary to the well established behavior for shorter rotation periods and smaller Rossby numbers, the chromospheric activity of the more slowly rotating stars of M67 was found to increase with increasing Rossby number. Such behavior has never been reported before, although it was theoretically predicted to emerge as a consequence of antisolar differential rotation (DR) for stars with Rossby numbers larger than that of the Sun, because in those models the absolute value of the DR was found to exceed that for solar-like DR. Using gyrochronological relations and an approximate age of 4 Gyr for the members of M67, we compare with computed rotation rates using just the B ‑ V color. The resulting rotation–activity relation is found to be compatible with that obtained by employing the measured rotation rate. This provides additional support for the unconventional enhancement of activity at comparatively low rotation rates and the possible presence of antisolar differential rotation.

Lagrangian averaging, nonlinear waves, and shock regularization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhat, Harish S.

In this thesis, we explore various models for the flow of a compressible fluid as well as model equations for shock formation, one of the main features of compressible fluid flows. We begin by reviewing the variational structure of compressible fluid mechanics. We derive the barotropic compressible Euler equations from a variational principle in both material and spatial frames. Writing the resulting equations of motion requires certain Lie-algebraic calculations that we carry out in detail for expository purposes. Next, we extend the derivation of the Lagrangian averaged Euler (LAE-alpha) equations to the case of barotropic compressible flows. The derivation in this thesis involves averaging over a tube of trajectories etaepsilon centered around a given Lagrangian flow eta. With this tube framework, the LAE-alpha equations are derived by following a simple procedure: start with a given action, expand via Taylor series in terms of small-scale fluid fluctuations xi, truncate, average, and then model those terms that are nonlinear functions of xi. We then analyze a one-dimensional subcase of the general models derived above. We prove the existence of a large family of traveling wave solutions. Computing the dispersion relation for this model, we find it is nonlinear, implying that the equation is dispersive. We carry out numerical experiments that show that the model possesses smooth, bounded solutions that display interesting pattern formation. Finally, we examine a Hamiltonian partial differential equation (PDE) that regularizes the inviscid Burgers equation without the addition of standard viscosity. Here alpha is a small parameter that controls a nonlinear smoothing term that we have added to the inviscid Burgers equation. We show the existence of a large family of traveling front solutions. We analyze the initial-value problem and prove well-posedness for a certain class of initial data. We prove that in the zero-alpha limit, without any standard viscosity, solutions of the PDE converge strongly to weak solutions of the inviscid Burgers equation. We provide numerical evidence that this limit satisfies an entropy inequality for the inviscid Burgers equation. We demonstrate a Hamiltonian structure for the PDE.

The role of the tropical West Pacific in the extreme northern hemisphere winter of 2013/14

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, Peter; Weisheimer, Antje; Knight, Jeff; Palmer, Tim

2016-04-01

In the 2013/14 winter, the eastern USA was exceptionally cold, the Bering Strait region was exceptionally warm, California was in the midst of drought and the UK suffered severe flooding. It has been suggested that elevated SSTs in the tropical West Pacific (TWPAC) were partly to blame due to their producing a Rossby wavetrain that propagated into the extratropics. We find that seasonal forecasts with the tropical atmosphere relaxed towards a reanalysis give 2013/14 winter-mean anomalies with strong similarities to those observed in the Northern Hemisphere, indicating that low-latitude anomalies had a role in the development of the extremes. Relaxing just the TWPAC produces a strong wavetrain over the North Pacific and North America in January, but not in the winter-mean. This suggests that anomalies in this region alone had a large influence, but cannot explain the extremes through the whole winter. We also examine the response to applying the observed TWPAC SST anomalies in two atmospheric general circulation models. We find that this does produce winter-mean anomalies in the North Pacific and North America resembling those observed, but that the tropical forcing of Rossby waves due to the applied SST anomalies appears stronger than that in reanalysis, except in January. Therefore both experiments indicate that the TWPAC influence was important, but the true strength of the TWPAC influence is uncertain. None of the experiments indicate a strong systematic impact of the TWPAC anomalies on Europe.

Estimates of the Attenuation Rates of Baroclinic Tidal Energy Caused by Resonant Interactions Among Internal Waves based on the Weak Turbulence Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onuki, Y.; Hibiya, T.

2016-02-01

The baroclinic tides are thought to be the dominant energy source for turbulent mixing in the ocean interior. In contrast to the geography of the energy conversion rates from the barotropic to baroclinic tides, which has been clarified in recent numerical studies, the global distribution of the energy sink for the resulting low-mode baroclinic tides remains obscure. A key to resolve this issue is the resonant wave-wave interactions, which transfer part of the baroclinic tidal energy to the background internal wave field enhancing the local energy dissipation rates. Recent field observations and numerical studies have pointed out that parametric subharmonic instability (PSI), one of the resonant interactions, causes significant energy sink of baroclinic tidal energy at mid-latitudes. The purpose of this study is to analyze the quantitative aspect of PSI to demonstrate the global distribution of the intensity of resonant wave interactions, namely, the attenuation rate of low-mode baroclinic tidal energy. Our approach is basically following the weak turbulence theory, which is the standard theory for resonant wave-wave interactions, where techniques of singular perturbation and statistical physics are employed. This study is, however, different from the classical theory in some points; we have reformulated the weak turbulence theory to be applicable to low-mode internal waves and also developed its numerical calculation method so that the effects of stratification profile and oceanic total depth can be taken into account. We have calculated the attenuation rate of low-mode baroclinic tidal waves interacting with the background Garrett-Munk internal wave field. The calculated results clearly show the rapid attenuation of baroclinic tidal energy at mid-latitudes, in agreement with the results from field observations and also show the zonal inhomogeneity of the attenuation rate caused by the density structures associated with the subtropical gyre. This study is expected to contribute to clarify the global distribution of the dissipation rates of baroclinic tidal energy.

Mean Lagrangian drift in continental shelf waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drivdal, M.; Weber, J. E. H.

2012-04-01

The time- and depth-averaged mean drift induced by barotropic continental shelf waves (CSW's) is studied theoretically for idealized shelf topography by calculating the mean volume fluxes to second order in wave amplitude. The waves suffer weak spatial damping due to bottom friction, which leads to radiation stress forcing of the mean fluxes. In terms of the total wave energy density E¯ over the shelf region, the radiation stress tensor component S¯11 for CSW's is found to be different from that of shallow water surface waves in a non-rotating ocean. For CSW's, the ratio ¯S11/¯E depends strongly on the wave number. The mean Lagrangian flow forced by the radiation stress can be subdivided into a Stokes drift and a mean Eulerian drift current. The magnitude of the latter depends on the ratio between the radiation stress and the bottom stress acting on the mean flow. When the effect of bottom friction acts equally strong on the waves and the mean current, calculations for short CSW's show that the Stokes drift and the friction-dependent wave-induced mean Eulerian current varies approximately in anti-phase over the shelf, and that the latter is numerically the largest. For long CSW's they are approximately in phase. In both cases the mean Lagrangian current, which is responsible for the net particle drift, has its largest numerical value at the coast on the shallow part of the shelf. Enhancing the effect of bottom friction on the Eulerian mean flow, results in a general current speed reduction, as well as a change in spatial structure for long waves. Applying realistic physical parameters for the continental shelf west of Norway, calculations yield along-shelf mean drift velocities for short CSW's that may be important for the transport of biological material, neutral tracers, and underwater plumes of dissolved oil from deep water drilling accidents.

Radiation stress and mean drift in continental shelf waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Jan Erik H.; Drivdal, Magnus

2012-03-01

The time- and depth-averaged mean drift induced by barotropic continental shelf waves (CSW's) is studied theoretically for idealized shelf topography by calculating the mean volume fluxes to second order in wave amplitude. The waves suffer weak spatial damping due to bottom friction, which leads to radiation stress forcing of the mean fluxes. In terms of the total wave energy density E̅̅ over the shelf region, the radiation stress tensor component S̅11 for CSW's is found to be different from that of shallow water surface waves in a non-rotating ocean. For CSW's, the ratio S̅11/E̅ depends strongly on the wave number. The mean Lagrangian flow forced by the radiation stress can be subdivided into a Stokes drift and a mean Eulerian drift current. The magnitude of latter depends on ratio between the radiation stress and the bottom stress acting on the mean flow. When the effect of bottom friction acts equally strong on the waves and the mean current, calculations for short CSW's show that the Stokes drift and the friction-dependent wave-induced mean Eulerian current varies approximately in anti-phase over the shelf, and that the latter is numerically the largest. For long CSW's they are approximately in phase. In both cases the mean Lagrangian current, which is responsible for the net particle drift, has its largest numerical value at the coast on the shallow part of the shelf. Enhancing the effect of bottom friction on the Eulerian mean flow, results in a general current speed reduction, as well as a change in spatial structure for long waves. Applying realistic physical parameters for the continental shelf west of Norway, calculations yield along-shelf mean drift velocities for short CSW's that may be important for the transport of biological material, neutral tracers, and underwater plumes of dissolved oil from deepwater drilling accidents.

Zonal Wave Number 2 Rossby Wave (3.5-day oscillation) Over The Martian Lower Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, P.; Thokuluwa, R. K.

2013-12-01

Over the Mars, height (800-50 Pascal pressure coordinate) profiles of temperature (K), measured by radio occultation technique during the MGS (Mars Global Surveyor) mission, obtained for the period of 1-10 January 2006 at the Martian latitude of ~63N in almost all the longitudes are analyzed to study the characteristics of the 3.5-day oscillation. To avoid significant data gaps in a particular longitude sector, we selected a set of 7 Mars longitude regions with ranges of 0-30E, 35-60E, 65-95E, 190-230E, 250-280E, 290-320E, and 325-360E to study the global characteristics of the 3.5-day oscillation. The 3.5-day oscillation is not selected as a-priori but observed as a most significant oscillation during this period of 1-10 January 2006. It is observed that in the longitude of 0-30E, the 3.5-day oscillation shows statistically significant power (above the 95% confidence level white noise) from the lowest height (800 Pascal, 8 hPa) itself and up to the height of 450 Pascal level with the maximum power of ~130 K^2 at the 600 & 650 Pascal levels. It started to grow from the power of ~ 50 K^2 at the lowest height of 800 Pascal level and reached the maximum power in the height of 600-650 Pascal level and then it started to get lessened monotonously up to the height of 450 Pascal level where its power is ~ 20 K^2. Beyond this height and up to the height of 50 Pascal level, the wave amplitude is below the white noise level. As the phase of the wave is almost constant at all the height levels, it seems that the observed 3.5-day oscillation is a stationary wave with respect to the height. In the 35-60 E longitude sector, the vertical structure of the 3.5-day oscillation is similar to what observed for the 0-30 E longitude region but the power is statistically insignificant at all the heights. However in the 65-95E longitude sector, the wave grows from the lowest level (70 K^2) of 800 Pascal to its maximum power of 280 K^2 in the height of 700 Pascal level and then it started to get decreasing monotonously to the statistically significant lowest power of 20 K^2 in the height of 450 Pascal level. Similar to the 0-30E longitude region, there is no significant wave in all the heights above the 450 Pascal level. The 190-230 E region shows similar wave characteristics (both the power and height structure) as observed for the 0-30 E region. This would indicate that the here reporting 3.5 day wave might be associated with eastward propagating (observed the zonal phase speed of ~0.5 days per 30 degree longitude) wave number 2 Rossby wave as the wave shows similar characteristics in the two longitude regions of 0-30E and 190-230 E with the longitudinal interval of 180 degrees. Peculiarly, in the 250-280 E region, the wave shows maximum power (120 K^2) in the two heights of 550 and 700 Pascal levels. As a further support for the zonal wave number 2 structure, there is no significant 3.5-day oscillation in all the height levels in the 290-320 E longitude region which is similar to what observed in the 35-60E longitude sector. A detailed investigation of this 3.5 day oscillation will be presented also for other periods of different years.

The 2014 southeast Brazil austral summer drought: regional scale mechanisms and teleconnections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coelho, Caio A. S.; de Oliveira, Cristiano Prestrelo; Ambrizzi, Tércio; Reboita, Michelle Simões; Carpenedo, Camila Bertoletti; Campos, José Leandro Pereira Silveira; Tomaziello, Ana Carolina Nóbile; Pampuch, Luana Albertani; Custódio, Maria de Souza; Dutra, Lívia Marcia Mosso; Da Rocha, Rosmeri P.; Rehbein, Amanda

2016-06-01

The southeast region of Brazil experienced in austral summer 2014 a major drought event leading to a number of impacts in water availability for human consumption, agricultural irrigation and hydropower production. This study aims to perform a diagnostic analysis of the observed climate conditions during this event, including an inspection of the occurred precipitation anomalies in the context of previous years, and an investigation of possible relationships with sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation patterns. The sea surface temperature analysis revealed that the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean region near the coast of southeast Brazil showed strong negative association with precipitation over southeast Brazil, indicating that increased sea temperatures in this ocean region are consistent with reduced precipitation as observed in summer 2014. The circulation analysis revealed prevailing anti-cyclonic anomalies at lower levels (850 hPa) with northerly anomalies to the west of southeast Brazil, channeling moisture from the Amazon towards Paraguay, northern Argentina and southern Brazil, and drier than normal air from the South Atlantic Ocean towards the southeast region of Brazil. This circulation pattern was found to be part of a large-scale teleconnection wave train linked with the subsidence branch of the Walker circulation in the tropical east Pacific, which in turn was generated by an anomalous tropical heat source in north/northeastern Australia. A regional Hadley circulation with an ascending branch to the south of the subsidence branch of the Walker circulation in the tropical east Pacific was identified as an important component connecting the tropical and extratropical circulation. The ascending branch of this Hadley circulation in the south Pacific coincided with an identified Rossby wave source region, which contributed to establishing the extratropical component of the large-scale wave train connecting the south Pacific and the Atlantic region surrounding southeast Brazil. This connection between the Pacific and the Atlantic was confirmed with Rossby ray tracing analyses. The local circulation response was associated to downward air motion (subsidence) over Southeast Brazil, contributing to the expressive negative precipitation anomalies observed during summer 2014, and leading to a major drought event in the historical context. The analysis of atmospheric and oceanic patterns of this event helped defining a schematic framework leading to the observed drought conditions in southeast Brazil, including the involved teleconnections, blocking high pressure, radiative and humidity transport effects.

Periodic measure for the stochastic equation of the barotropic viscous gas in a discretized one-dimensional domain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benseghir, Rym, E-mail: benseghirrym@ymail.com, E-mail: benseghirrym@ymail.com; Benchettah, Azzedine, E-mail: abenchettah@hotmail.com; Raynaud de Fitte, Paul, E-mail: prf@univ-rouen.fr

2015-11-30

A stochastic equation system corresponding to the description of the motion of a barotropic viscous gas in a discretized one-dimensional domain with a weight regularizing the density is considered. In [2], the existence of an invariant measure was established for this discretized problem in the stationary case. In this paper, applying a slightly modified version of Khas’minskii’s theorem [5], we generalize this result in the periodic case by proving the existence of a periodic measure for this problem.

Equatorial waves in some CMIP5 coupled models (with stratosphere)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maury, Pauline; Lott, François; Guez, Lionel

2013-04-01

The Kelvin and the Rossby Gravity Waves (RGWs) packets that dominate the day to day variability in the low equatorial stratosphere (50hPa) are analyzed in 7 ESMs that participate to CMIP5 and that include a well resolved stratosphere. The results are compared to ERAI. Two models are also used to quantify better (i) the impact of the QBO on these waves (MPI-P and MPI-MR), and (ii) the impact of convection (IPSL-CM5A and CM5B). In the stratosphere all models present quite coherent Kelvin waves and RGWs packets, which is good think since these waves dominate the day to day variability in the low stratosphere. The errors on these freely propagating waves seem therefore less pronounced then the differences seen by others on the convectively coupled waves in the troposphere. The difference between the models nevertheless stay very large, the models with a QBO have more pronounced waves, and represent better their life-cycle (this is particularly true for the RGWs). The sensitivity to the convection of the rather slow waves analysed here is not as pronounced as was found in the past for may be faster waves, but is nevertheless confirmed when we look at the same model with two drastically different convection parameterization. In the same spirit, the sensitivity of the RGWs to the QBO is confirmed by comparing almost the same model runs, one with a QBO and one without. Having a QBO nevertheless does not guarantee that the waves are realistic in all respects, as shows for instance the Temperature signature due to the RGWs in the UKMO model. There also seems to have an issue when the resolution changes drastically, the MRI model behaving quite differently from the other models when it comes to the simulations of these equatorial waves.

High frequency variations of the main magnetic field: convergence of observations and theory (Petrus Peregrinus Medal Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jault, Dominique

2013-04-01

Understanding the main magnetic field variations has been hindered by the discrepancy between the periods (from months to years) of the simplest linear wave phenomena and the relatively long time intervals (10 to 100 years) over which magnetic field changes can be confidently monitored. A theoretical description of short-period waves within the Earth's fluid core is at hand. Quasi-geostrophic inertial waves (akin to Rossby waves in the atmosphere) are slightly modified in the presence of magnetic fields and torsional oscillations consist of differential motion between coaxial rigid cylindrical annuli. Torsional oscillations are sensitive to the whole magnetic field that they shear in the course of their propagation. From their modelling, we have thus gained an estimate for the magnetic field strength in the core interior. There is now ongoing work to extend the theoretical framework to longer times. Furthermore, data collected from the Swarm constellation of three satellites to be launched this year by ESA will permit to better separate the internal and external magnetic signals. We may thus dream to detect quasi-geostrophic inertial waves. As the spectral ranges of theoretical models and observations begin to overlap, we can now go beyond the understanding of the magnetic field variations as the juxtaposition of partial models, arranged as a set of nested Matryoshka dolls. This talk will give illustrations for this statement, among which the question of induction in the lower mantle.

Internal solitary waves on the Saya de Malha bank of the Mascarene Plateau: SAR observations and interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

New, A. L.; Magalhaes, J. M.; da Silva, J. C. B.

2013-09-01

Energetic Internal Solitary Waves (ISWs) were recently discovered radiating from the central region of the Mascarene Plateau in the south-western Indian Ocean (da Silva et al., 2011). SAR imagery revealed the two-dimensional structure of the waves which propagated for several hundred kilometres in deep water both to the east and west of a sill, located near 12.5°S, 61°E between the Saya de Malha and Nazareth banks. These waves were presumed to originate from the disintegration of a large lee wave formed on the western side of the sill at the time of maximum barotropic flow to the west. In the present paper we focus instead on ISWs propagating in the shallow water above the Saya da Malha (SM) bank (to the north of the sill), rather than on those propagating in deep water (here denominated as type-I or -II waves if propagating to the west or east respectively). Analysis of an extended SAR image dataset reveals strong sea surface signatures of complex patterns of ISWs propagating over the SM bank arising from different sources. We identify three distinct types of waves, and propose suitable generation mechanisms for them using synergy from different remotely sensed datasets, together with analyses of linear phase speeds (resulting from local stratification and bathymetry). In particular, we find a family of ISWs (termed here A-type waves) which results from the disintegration of a lee wave which forms on the western slopes of SM. We also identify two further wave trains (B- and C-type waves) which we suggest result from refraction of the deep water type-I and -II waves onto the SM bank. Therefore, both B- and C-type waves can be considered to result from the same generation source as the type-I and -II waves. Finally, we consider the implications of the ISWs for mixing and biological production over the SM bank, and provide direct evidence, from ocean colour satellite images, of enhanced surface chlorophyll over a shallow topographic feature on the bank, which is consistent with the breaking of the ISWs.

Internal waves and rectification in a linearly stratified fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérenne, Nicolas; Renouard, Dominique P.

Laboratory experiments were performed in a 13-m diameter rotating tank equipped with a continuous shelf break geometry and a central piston-like plunger. The fluid density was linearly stratified. The amplitude and period of the plunger, the rotation rate of the platform and the stratification are the parameters of the problem. The density fluctuations at six stations above and at mid-depth of the slope, along with dye visualization of the flow, were recorded. A limited set of experiments showed that a barotropic periodical forcing generated a first mode baroclinic wave which initially appears at the slope and propagates offshore. The likely presence of internal energy rays either slightly above, or immediately along the slope, is in agreement with previous analytical, laboratory and selected oceanic observations. In the former case, the stratification was such that the slope flow at mid-depth was supercritical while in the latter case, slope flow at mid-depth was critical. Rotation tended to decrease the amplitude of the generated internal wave. Also, non-linear processes were likely to act upon these waves for their normalized amplitude tended to decrease as the forcing increased (for similar forcing period, rotation rate and stratification). After the internal wave reflected from the plunger reaches the slope, there is a complex non-stationary regime with an occurrence of internal wave breaking in the vicinity of the slope. Thus there was an appearance of localized patches of turbulence and mixing. These events appeared both in dye visualization and in density fluctuations records. The subsequent mixing, or else the combined effect of topographical rectification and mixing, led to the appearance of a distinct Lagrangian transport, localized in the first few centimeters above the slope and oriented so as to leave the shallow waters on the right of its displacement.

On the generation and evolution of internal solitary waves in the southern Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Daquan; Zhan, Peng; Kartadikaria, Aditya; Akylas, Triantaphyllos; Hoteit, Ibrahim

2015-04-01

Satellite observations recently revealed the existence of trains of internal solitary waves in the southern Red Sea between 16.0°N and 16.5°N, propagating from the centre of the domain toward the continental shelf [Da silva et al., 2012]. Given the relatively weak tidal velocity in this area and their generation in the central of the domain, Da Silva suggested three possible mechanisms behind the generation of the waves, namely Resonance and disintegration of interfacial tides, Generation of interfacial tides by impinging, remotely generated internal tidal beams and for geometrically focused and amplified internal tidal beams. Tide analysis based on tide stations data and barotropic tide model in the Red Sea shows that tide is indeed very weak in the centre part of the Red Sea, but it is relatively strong in the northern and southern parts (reaching up to 66 cm/s). Together with extreme steep slopes along the deep trench, it provides favourable conditions for the generation of internal solitary in the southern Red Sea. To investigate the generation mechanisms and study the evolution of the internal waves in the off-shelf region of the southern Red Sea we have implemented a 2-D, high-resolution and non-hydrostatic configuration of the MIT general circulation model (MITgcm). Our simulations reproduce well that the generation process of the internal solitary waves. Analysis of the model's output suggests that the interaction between the topography and tidal flow with the nonlinear effect is the main mechanism behind the generation of the internal solitary waves. Sensitivity experiments suggest that neither tidal beam nor the resonance effect of the topography is important factor in this process.

Teleconnection, Regime Shift, and Predictability of Climate Extremes: A Case Study for the Russian Heat Wave and Pakistan Flood in Summer 2010

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, W. K.; Reale, O.; Kim, K.

2011-01-01

In this talk, we present observational evidence showing that the two major extremes events of the summer of 2010, i.e., the Russian heat wave and the Pakistan flood were physically connected. We find that the Pakistan flood was contributed by a series of unusually heavy rain events over the upper Indus River Basin in July-August. The rainfall regimes shifted from an episodic heavy rain regime in mid-to-late July to a steady heavy rain regime in August. An atmospheric Rossby wave associated with the development of the Russian heat wave was instrumental in spurring the episodic rain events , drawing moisture from the Bay of Bengal and the northern Arabian Sea. The steady rain regime was maintained primarily by monsoon moisture surges from the deep tropics. From experiments with the GEOS-5 forecast system, we assess the predictability of the heavy rain events associated with the Pakistan flood. Preliminary results indicate that there are significantly higher skills in the rainfall forecasts during the episodic heavy rain events in July, compared to the steady rain period in early to mid-August. The change in rainfall predictability may be related to scale interactions between the extratropics and the tropics resulting in a modulation of rainfall predictability by the circulation regimes.

Hemispheric asymmetries in the quasibiennial oscillation signature on the mid- to high-latitude circulation of the stratosphere.

PubMed

Peña-Ortiz, C; García-Herrera, R; Ribera, P; Calvo, N

2008-12-01

The quasibiennial oscillation (QBO) dominates the variability of the equatorial stratosphere and also affects the circulation and temperature of the extratropical region. In this paper we review previous work showing that the mid- to high-latitude circulation is weaker (stronger) when QBO easterlies (westerlies) dominate in the low equatorial stratosphere. The accepted explanation for the extratropical QBO signature is based on the QBO modulation of upward propagating planetary Rossby waves. This mechanism is consistent with the strong seasonality observed in the extratropical QBO. The largest QBO signature in the northern extratropical stratosphere occurs during winter when the dominating westerly wind allows the penetration of planetary waves in the northern stratosphere. However, during the southern winter, planetary waves do not disrupt the southern stratospheric vortex and the largest QBO signature is found during the late spring (November). To further illustrate these mechanisms, we analyze the QBO signature on the mid- to high-latitude circulation of the stratosphere using data from the ERA-40 reanalysis. The extratropical signature in both hemispheres is evaluated as a function of the latitude-height structure of the zonal wind in the tropical region in order to determine how the extratropical response depends on the vertical phase structure of the tropical QBO. We also analyze the QBO impact on planetary wave activity in order to determine how this modulation can explain the observed extratropical QBO signal.

The impacts of the atmospheric annular mode on the AMOC and its feedback in an idealized experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santis, Wlademir; Aimola, Luis; Campos, Edmo J. D.; Castellanos, Paola

2018-03-01

The interdecadal variability of the atmospheric and oceanic meridional overturning circulation is studied, using a coupled model with two narrow meridional barriers representing the land and a flat bottomed Aquaplanet. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis are used in the atmospheric and oceanic meridional overturning cells, revealing the atmospheric interdecadal variability is dominated by an annular mode, in both hemispheres, which introduces in the ocean a set of patterns of variability. The most energetic EOFs in the ocean are the barotropic responses from the annular mode. The interaction between the heat anomalies, due to the barotropic response, and the thermohaline circulation of each basin leads to a resonance mechanism that feeds back to the atmospheric forcing, modulating the annular mode spectrum. Besides the barotropic response, the annular mode introduces anomalies of salinity and temperature in the subtropical Atlantic that affects its upper buoyancy. These anomalies are incorporated within the ocean circulation and advected until the areas of deep sinking in the northern Atlantic, impacting on its overturning circulation as well.

P-CSI v1.0, an accelerated barotropic solver for the high-resolution ocean model component in the Community Earth System Model v2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiaomeng; Tang, Qiang; Tseng, Yuheng; Hu, Yong; Baker, Allison H.; Bryan, Frank O.; Dennis, John; Fu, Haohuan; Yang, Guangwen

2016-11-01

In the Community Earth System Model (CESM), the ocean model is computationally expensive for high-resolution grids and is often the least scalable component for high-resolution production experiments. The major bottleneck is that the barotropic solver scales poorly at high core counts. We design a new barotropic solver to accelerate the high-resolution ocean simulation. The novel solver adopts a Chebyshev-type iterative method to reduce the global communication cost in conjunction with an effective block preconditioner to further reduce the iterations. The algorithm and its computational complexity are theoretically analyzed and compared with other existing methods. We confirm the significant reduction of the global communication time with a competitive convergence rate using a series of idealized tests. Numerical experiments using the CESM 0.1° global ocean model show that the proposed approach results in a factor of 1.7 speed-up over the original method with no loss of accuracy, achieving 10.5 simulated years per wall-clock day on 16 875 cores.

Longitudinal Variation and Waves in Jupiter's South Equatorial Wind Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon-Miller, Amy A.; Choi, David; Rogers, John H.; Gierasch, Peter J.; Allison, Michael D.; Adamoli, Gianluigi; Mettig, Hans-Joerg

2012-01-01

A detailed study of the chevron-shaped dark spots on the strong southern equatorial wind jet near 7.5 S planetographic latitude shows variations in velocity with longitude and time. The presence of the large anticyclonic South Equatorial Disturbance (SED) has a profound effect on the chevron velocity, causing slower velocities to its east and accelerations over distance from the disturbance. The chevrons move with velocities near the maximum wind jet velocity of approx 140 m/s, as deduced by the history of velocities at this latitude and the magnitude of the symmetric wind jet near 7 N latitude. Their repetitive nature is consistent with a gravity-inertia wave (n = 75 to 100) with phase speed up to 25 m/s, relative to the local flow, but the identity of this wave mode is not well constrained. However, for the first time, high spatial resolution movies from Cassini images show that the chevrons oscillate in latitude with a 6.7 +/- 0.7-day period. This oscillating motion has a wavelength of approx 20 and a speed of 101 +/- 3 m/s, following a pattern similar to that seen in the Rossby wave plumes of the North Equatorial Zone, and possibly reinforced by it. All dates show chevron latitude variability, but it is unclear if this larger wave is present during other epochs, as there are no other suitable time series movies that fully delineate it. In the presence of mUltiple wave modes, the difference in dominant cloud appearance between 7 deg N and 7.5 deg S is likely due to the presence of the Great Red Spot, either through changes in stratification and stability or by acting as a wave boundary.

A Lagrangian analysis of a sudden stratospheric warming - Comparison of a model simulation and LIMS observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierce, R. B.; Remsberg, Ellis E.; Fairlie, T. D.; Blackshear, W. T.; Grose, William L.; Turner, Richard E.

1992-01-01

Lagrangian area diagnostics and trajectory techniques are used to investigate the radiative and dynamical characteristics of a spontaneous sudden warming which occurred during a 2-yr Langley Research Center model simulation. The ability of the Langley Research Center GCM to simulate the major features of the stratospheric circulation during such highly disturbed periods is illustrated by comparison of the simulated warming to the observed circulation during the LIMS observation period. The apparent sink of vortex area associated with Rossby wave-breaking accounts for the majority of the reduction of the size of the vortex and also acts to offset the radiatively driven increase in the area occupied by the 'surf zone'. Trajectory analysis of selected material lines substantiates the conclusions from the area diagnostics.

Particle rings and astrophysical accretion discs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lovelace, R. V. E., E-mail: RVL1@cornell.edu; Romanova, M. M., E-mail: romanova@astro.cornell.edu

Norman Rostoker had a wide range of interests and significant impact on the plasma physics research at Cornell during the time he was a Cornell professor. His interests ranged from the theory of energetic electron and ion beams and strong particle rings to the related topics of astrophysical accretion discs. We outline some of the topics related to rings and discs including the Rossby wave instability which leads to formation of anticyclonic vortices in astrophysical discs. These vorticies are regions of high pressure and act to trap dust particles which in turn may facilitate planetesimals growth in proto-planetary disks andmore » could be important for planet formation. Analytical methods and global 3D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations have led to rapid advances in our understanding of discs in recent years.« less

Assessing the vertical structure of baroclinic tidal currents in a global model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timko, Patrick; Arbic, Brian; Scott, Robert

2010-05-01

Tidal forcing plays an important role in many aspects of oceanography. Mixing, transport of particulates and internal wave generation are just three examples of local phenomena that may depend on the strength of local tidal currents. Advances in satellite altimetry have made an assessment of the global barotropic tide possible. However, the vertical structure of the tide may only be observed by deployment of instruments throughout the water column. Typically these observations are conducted at pre-determined depths based upon the interest of the observer. The high cost of such observations often limits both the number and the length of the observations resulting in a limit to our knowledge of the vertical structure of tidal currents. One way to expand our insight into the baroclinic structure of the ocean is through the use of numerical models. We compare the vertical structure of the global baroclinic tidal velocities in 1/12 degree HYCOM (HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model) to a global database of current meter records. The model output is a subset of a 5 year global simulation that resolves the eddying general circulation, barotropic tides and baroclinic tides using 32 vertical layers. The density structure within the simulation is both vertically and horizontally non-uniform. In addition to buoyancy forcing the model is forced by astronomical tides and winds. We estimate the dominant semi-diurnal (M2), and diurnal (K1) tidal constituents of the model data using classical harmonic analysis. In regions where current meter record coverage is adequate, the model skill in replicating the vertical structure of the dominant diurnal and semi-diurnal tidal currents is assessed based upon the strength, orientation and phase of the tidal ellipses. We also present a global estimate of the baroclinic tidal energy at fixed depths estimated from the model output.

Modelling extreme climatic events in Guadalquivir Estuary ( Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgado, Juan; Moreno-Navas, Juan; Pulido, Antoine; García-Lafuente, Juan; Calero Quesada, Maria C.; García, Rodrigo

2017-04-01

Extreme climatic events, such as heat waves and severe storms are predicted to increase in frequency and magnitude as a consequence of global warming but their socio-ecological effects are poorly understood, particularly in estuarine ecosystems. The Guadalquivir Estuary has been anthropologically modified several times, the original salt marshes have been transformed to grow rice and cotton and approximately one-fourth of the total surface of the estuary is now part of two protected areas, one of them is a UNESCO, MAB Biosphere Reserve. The climatic events are most likely to affect Europe in forthcoming decades and a further understanding how these climatic disturbances drive abrupt changes in the Guadalquivir estuary is needed. A barotropic model has been developed to study how severe storm events affects the estuary by conducting paired control and climate-events simulations. The changes in the local wind and atmospheric pressure conditions in the estuary have been studied in detail and several scenarios are obtained by running the model under control and real storm conditions. The model output has been validated with in situ water elevation and good agreement between modelled and real measurements have been obtained. Our preliminary results show that the model demonstrated the capability describe of the tide-surge levels in the estuary, opening the possibility to study the interaction between climatic events and the port operations and food production activities. The barotropic hydrodynamic model provide spatially explicit information on the key variables governing the tide dynamics of estuarine areas under severe climatic scenarios . The numerical model will be a powerful tool in future climate change mitigation and adaptation programs in a complex socio-ecological system.

Hawaii Ocean Mixing Experiment: Program Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Richard D.; Chao, Benjamin F. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

It is becoming apparent that insufficient mixing occurs in the pelagic ocean to maintain the large scale thermohaline circulation. Observed mixing rates fall a factor of ten short of classical indices such as Munk's "Abyssal Recipe." The growing suspicion is that most of the mixing in the sea occurs near topography. Exciting recent observations by Polzin et al., among others, fuel this speculation. If topographic mixing is indeed important, it must be acknowledged that its geographic distribution, both laterally and vertically, is presently unknown. The vertical distribution of mixing plays a critical role in the Stommel Arons model of the ocean interior circulation. In recent numerical studies, Samelson demonstrates the extreme sensitivity of flow in the abyssal ocean to the spatial distribution of mixing. We propose to study the topographic mixing problem through an integrated program of modeling and observation. We focus on tidally forced mixing as the global energetics of this process have received (and are receiving) considerable study. Also, the well defined frequency of the forcing and the unique geometry of tidal scattering serve to focus the experiment design. The Hawaiian Ridge is selected as a study site. Strong interaction between the barotropic tide and the Ridge is known to take place. The goals of the Hawaiian Ocean Mixing Experiment (HOME) are to quantify the rate of tidal energy loss to mixing at the Ridge and to identify the mechanisms by which energy is lost and mixing generated. We are challenged to develop a sufficiently comprehensive picture that results can be generalized from Hawaii to the global ocean. To achieve these goals, investigators from five institutions have designed HOME, a program of historic data analysis, modeling and field observation. The Analysis and Modeling efforts support the design of the field experiments. As the program progresses, a global model of the barotropic (depth independent) tide, and two models of the baroclinic (depth varying) tide, all validated with near-Ridge data, will be applied, to reveal the mechanisms of tidal energy conversion along the Ridge, and allow spatial and temporal integration of the rate of conversion. Field experiments include a survey to identify "hot spots" of enhanced mixing and barotropic to baroclinic conversion, a Nearfield study identifying the dominant mechanisms responsible for topographic mixing, and a Farfield program which quantifies the barotropic energy flux convergence at the Ridge and the flux divergence associated with low mode baroclinic waves radiation. The difference is a measure of the tidal power available for mixing at the Ridge. Field work is planned from years 2000 through 2002, with analysis and modeling efforts extending through early 2006. If successful, HOME will yield an understanding of the dominant topographic mixing processes applicable throughout the global ocean. It will advance understanding of two central problems in ocean science, the maintenance of the abyssal stratification, and the dissipation of the tides. HOME data will be used to improve the parameterization of dissipation in models which presently assimilate TOPEX-POSEIDON observations. The improved understanding of the dynamics and spatial distribution of mixing processes will benefit future long-term programs such as CLIVAR.

Origin of seasonal predictability for summer climate over the Northwestern Pacific

PubMed Central

Kosaka, Yu; Xie, Shang-Ping; Lau, Ngar-Cheung; Vecchi, Gabriel A.

2013-01-01

Summer climate in the Northwestern Pacific (NWP) displays large year-to-year variability, affecting densely populated Southeast and East Asia by impacting precipitation, temperature, and tropical cyclones. The Pacific–Japan (PJ) teleconnection pattern provides a crucial link of high predictability from the tropics to East Asia. Using coupled climate model experiments, we show that the PJ pattern is the atmospheric manifestation of an air–sea coupled mode spanning the Indo-NWP warm pool. The PJ pattern forces the Indian Ocean (IO) via a westward propagating atmospheric Rossby wave. In response, IO sea surface temperature feeds back and reinforces the PJ pattern via a tropospheric Kelvin wave. Ocean coupling increases both the amplitude and temporal persistence of the PJ pattern. Cross-correlation of ocean–atmospheric anomalies confirms the coupled nature of this PJIO mode. The ocean–atmosphere feedback explains why the last echoes of El Niño–Southern Oscillation are found in the IO-NWP in the form of the PJIO mode. We demonstrate that the PJIO mode is indeed highly predictable; a characteristic that can enable benefits to society. PMID:23610388

Kawase & McDermott revisited with a proper ocean model.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jochum, Markus; Poulsen, Mads; Nuterman, Roman

2017-04-01

A suite of experiments with global ocean models is used to test the hypothesis that Southern Ocean (SO) winds can modify the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). It is found that for 3 and 1 degree resolution models the results are consistent with Toggweiler & Samuels (1995): stronger SO winds lead to a slight increase of the AMOC. In the simulations with 1/10 degree resolution, however, stronger SO winds weaken the AMOC. We show that these different outcomes are determined by the models' representation of topographic Rossby and Kelvin waves. Consistent with previous literature based on theory and idealized models, first baroclinic waves are slower in the coarse resolution models, but still manage to establish a pattern of global response that is similar to the one in the eddy-permitting model. Because of its different stratification, however, the Atlantic signal is transmitted by higher baroclinic modes. In the coarse resolution model these higher modes are dissipated before they reach 30N, whereas in the eddy-permitting model they reach the subpolar gyre undiminished. This inability of non-eddy-permitting ocean models to represent planetary waves with higher baroclinic modes casts doubt on the ability of climate models to represent non-local effects of climate change. Ideas on how to overcome these difficulties will be discussed.

Leading modes of tropical Pacific subsurface ocean temperature and associations with two types of El Niño.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhiyuan; Ren, Baohua; Zheng, Jianqiu

2017-02-17

Using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the monthly tropical Pacific subsurface ocean temperature anomalies (SOTA) from 1979 to 2014, we detected three leading modes in the tropical Pacific subsurface temperature. The first mode has a dipole pattern, with warming in the eastern Pacific and cooling in the western Pacific, and is closely related to traditional El Niño. The second mode has a monopole pattern, with only warming in the central Pacific subsurface. The third mode has a zonal tripole pattern, with warming in the off-equatorial central Pacific and cooling in the far eastern Pacific and western Pacific. The second and third modes are both related to El Niño Modoki. Mode 1 is linked with a Kelvin wave that propagates from the central to the eastern Pacific and is induced by the anomalous westerlies that propagate from the western to the central Pacific. Mode 2 is also linked with a Kelvin wave that propagates from the western to the central Pacific induced by the enhancement of westerlies over the western Pacific. Mode 3 is linked with a Rossby wave that propagates from the central to the western Pacific driven by the anomalous easterlies over the eastern Pacific.

Corrigendum to "Energetics of the Martian Atmosphere Using the Mars Analysis Correction Data Assimilation (MACDA) Dataset" [Icarus 276 (2016) 1-20

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battalio, Michael; Szunyogh, Istvan; Lemmon, Mark

2018-03-01

A coding error resulted in the barotropic energy conversion (BTEC) term taking the wrong sign throughout the paper. All figures showing BTEC, whether as an average or an instantaneous field, should have the sign swapped. This change alters the following conclusions: BTEC acts as a source of eddy kinetic energy on the upstream side of the storm tracks, namely in Acidalia Planitia and Utopia Planitia, and as a sink just upstream of the highest topography. BTEC is a weak source of eddy kinetic energy closer to the surface, but is a strong source above 10 Pa. The main conclusion that waves decay by BTEC and that waves in high opacity situations grow via BTEC remains, but there is also a positive contribution toward the EKE by the BTEC during the growth periods of waves, even in low-opacity situations. These changes make the resulting BTEC more inline to that of other modeling efforts (Barnes et al., 1993; Greybush et al., 2013; Tabataba-vakili et al., 2015), observations (e.g., Banfield et al., 2004), and terrestrial studies (Chang, 2001; Chang et al., 2002; Decker and Martin, 2005; Ahmadi-Givi et al., 2014; Herrera et al., 2016). The new BTEC also slightly modifies the residue shown in Fig. 6, but the qualitative conclusions for the residue remain unchanged.

Revisiting tropical instability wave variability in the Atlantic ocean using SODA reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Decco, Hatsue Takanaca; Torres Junior, Audalio Rebelo; Pezzi, Luciano Ponzi; Landau, Luiz

2018-03-01

The spatial and temporal variability of energy exchange in Tropical Instability Waves (TIWs) in the Atlantic Ocean were investigated. A spectral analysis was used to filter the 5-day mean results from Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) reanalysis spanning from 1958 to 2008. TIWs were filtered over periods of 15 to 60 days and between wavelengths of 4 and 20 longitude degrees. The main approach of this study was the use of bidirectionally filtered TIW time series as the perturbation fields, and the difference in these time series from the SODA total results was considered to be the basic state for energetics analysis. The main result was that the annual cycle (period of 360 days) was the main source of variability of the waves, and the semi-annual cycle (period of 180 days) was a secondary variation, which indicated that TIWs occurred throughout the year but with intensity that varies seasonally. In SODA, barotropic instability acts as the mechanism that feeds and extracts energy to/from TIWs at equatorial Atlantic. Baroclinic instability is the main mechanism that extracts energy from TIWs to the equatorial circulation north of the Equator. All TIW patterns of variability were observed western of 10° W. The present study reveals new evidences regarding TIW variability and suggests that future investigations should include a detailed description of TIW dynamics as part of Atlantic Ocean equatorial circulation.

Extratropical Cyclones Leading to Extreme Weather Events over Central and Eastern North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentley, Alicia M.

Cool-season extreme weather events (EWEs) occurring over central and eastern North America are typically associated with strong extratropical cyclones (ECs) that are governed by varying combinations of baroclinic, diabatic, and barotropic processes. This dissertation investigates the climatology, evolution, and predictability of ECs leading to EWEs over central and eastern North America, and provides a foundation on which to compare ECs leading to EWEs to ordinary ECs forming over and traversing the same regions. A climatology of ECs leading to EWEs over central and eastern North America during October-March 1979-2016 reveals that these ECs typically form 1) in the lee of the Rocky Mountains, 2) over the south central U.S., and 3) along the east coast of North America at latitudes equatorward of the typical genesis locations of ordinary ECs. ECs leading to EWEs included in the climatology form most frequently in November and March, when the seasonal alignment of baroclinic and convectively driven forcings occurs. Consistent with previous studies of North American ECs, the location and frequency of ECs leading to EWEs are partially determined by the states of the Pacific-North American pattern and the North Atlantic Oscillation. Metrics representing baroclinic, diabatic, and barotropic processes are formulated in this dissertation and are used to determine the combinations of baroclinic, diabatic, and barotropic processes associated with the formation and maintenance of ordinary ECs and ECs leading to EWEs. These metrics reveal that ECs leading to EWEs are associated with contributions from baroclinic, diabatic, and barotropic processes that are 1) similar to those associated with ordinary ECs at the time of formation (t0) and 2) considerably larger than those associated with ordinary ECs at the time of maximum intensity (tmax). Baroclinic processes typically contribute more than diabatic and barotropic processes throughout the evolution of ECs leading to EWEs. Diabatic processes typically contribute more during the intensification of ECs leading to EWEs than during their maintenance after tmax, whereas barotropic processes typically contribute more during the maintenance of ECs leading to EWEs after tmax than during their intensification. The relative contributions from baroclinic, diabatic, and barotropic processes during the evolution of ECs leading to EWEs are also shown to differ based on their genesis location. The 1.0° NOAA Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) reforecast dataset is used in this dissertation to evaluate the forecast skill associated with ordinary ECs and ECs leading to EWEs at 0-192-h lead times. Ordinary ECs are consistently too slow and left of track in the GEFS, and are often too weak at longer lead times. ECs leading to EWEs are consistently too weak, fast, and right of track in the GEFS at longer lead times, and consistently too strong, slow, and left of track at shorter lead times. The positions of ordinary ECs are forecast with less skill and more spread than the positions of ECs leading to EWEs in the GEFS, whereas the intensities of ordinary ECs and ECs leading to EWEs are forecast with similar skill and spread. Locations over central and eastern North America where the positions and intensities of ordinary ECs and ECs leading to EWEs are frequently forecast with relatively low and high skill and spread in the GEFS are also identified.

An assessment of TropFlux and NCEP air-sea fluxes on ROMS simulations over the Bay of Bengal region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Dipanjan; Sil, Sourav; Jana, Sudip; Pramanik, Saikat; Pandey, P. C.

2017-12-01

This study presents an assessment of the TropFlux and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis air-sea fluxes in simulating the surface and subsurface oceanic parameters over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) region during 2002-2014 using the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS). The assessment has been made by comparing the simulated fields with in-situ and satellite observations. The simulated surface and subsurface temperatures in the TropFlux forced experiment (TropFlux-E) show better agreement with the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis (RAMA) and Argo observations than the NCEP forced experiment (NCEP-E). The BoB domain averaged sea surface temperature (SST) simulated in the NCEP-E is consistently cooler than the satellite SST, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.79 °C. Moreover, NCEP-E shows a limitation in simulating the observed seasonal cycle of the SST due to substantial underestimation of the pre-monsoon SST peak. These limitations are mostly due to the lower values of the NCEP net heat flux. The seasonal and interannual variations of SST in the TropFlux-E are better comparable to the observations with correlations and skills more than 0.80 and 0.90 respectively. However, SST is overestimated during summer monsoon periods mainly due to higher net heat flux. The superiority of TropFlux forcing over the NCEP reanalysis can also be seen when simulating the interannual variabilities of the magnitude and vertical extent of Wyrtki jets at two equatorial RAMA buoy locations. The jet is weaker in the NCEP-E relative to the TropFlux-E and observations. The simulated sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) from both the experiments are able to capture the regions of positive and negative SSHA with respect to satellite-derived altimeter data with better performance in the TropFlux-E. The speed of the westward propagating Rossby wave along 18°N in the TropFlux-E is found to be about 4.7 cm/s, which is close to the theoretical phase speed of Rossby waves.

Greenland meltwater experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsen, S. M.; Schmith, T.

2012-04-01

We explore the climatic response to additional Greenland Ice Sheet melting in the EC-EARTH coupled climate model. As reference runs, we use an ensemble of two simulations from 1850 to present with historic forcing. For each of these we pick the years 1935,1950 and 1965, respectively as initial conditions for perturbed experiments with an additional freshwater forcing of 0.1 Sv distributed uniformly around Greenland , a plausible value in the upper end of future Greenland ice sheet melt estimates. We find give no evidence for abrupt transitions associated with tipping points in the Atlantic overturning circulation and mid-latitude heat transport. In fact, modelled decline in overturning in response to the additional forcing does not project onto a comparable reduction in the mid latitude (36N) ocean heat transport. This result points to an ongoing watermass transformation in the subpolar region and Arctic Mediterranean as a whole and a continued thermal mode of operation of the overturning. At the northern boundary of the subpolar region (60N) the response in overturning shows a contrasting increase in intensity along with an increase in heat transport. Whereas the latter may be expected as a result of freshwater capping and subsurface warming in the subpolar region, the increased overturning at 60N is more difficult to explain. In order to assess this in more detail we have quantified the individual thermohaline exchange components of light and dense water masses across the Greenland-Scotland Ridge. We find that the intensified overturning at 60N is reflected in increased transports of light Atlantic Water to the Nordic Seas. However, the vertical, thermohalinie overturning loop is not equally strengthened. On the contrary, we model a decline in the denser parts of the outflow, the overflows in the Denmark Strait and Faroe Bank Channel and a strong increase in the polar outflow in the Denmark Strait. We observe a gradual transition from a vertical mode of operation with 70% of the Atlantic Inflow being transformed to dense overflow towards a state approaching an equal contribution of the vertical and horizontal thermohaline circulation loops after 20-30 years. Along with this transition we find an overall decline in the intensity of the barotropic gyre circulation of the Nordic Seas reflecting in part a reduced winter deepening of the mixed layer. Thus, we may seek to explain this transition as a result of more efficient lateral mixing of the Atlantic Inflow during its cyclonic circulation around the basin margins. Finally, we show that the associated atmospheric response is a standing Rossby wave train reflected in the mean tropospheric thickness anomaly field with a through over Labrador Sea, a ridge over Barents Sea and a minor through over eastern Europe. Corresponding anomalies are found in the surface temperature field.

Odessa Tsunami of 27 June 2014: Observations and Numerical Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šepić, Jadranka; Rabinovich, Alexander B.; Sytov, Victor N.

2018-04-01

On 27 June, a 1-2-m high wave struck the beaches of Odessa, the third largest Ukrainian city, and the neighbouring port-town Illichevsk (northwestern Black Sea). Throughout the day, prominent seiche oscillations were observed in several other ports of the Black Sea. Tsunamigenic synoptic conditions were found over the Black Sea, stretching from Romania in the west to the Crimean Peninsula in the east. Intense air pressure disturbances and convective thunderstorm clouds were associated with these conditions; right at the time of the event, a 1.5-hPa air pressure jump was recorded at Odessa and a few hours earlier in Romania. We have utilized a barotropic ocean numerical model to test two hypotheses: (1) a tsunami-like wave was generated by an air pressure disturbance propagating directly over Odessa ("Experiment 1"); (2) a tsunami-like wave was generated by an air pressure disturbance propagating offshore, approximately 200 km to the south of Odessa, and along the shelf break ("Experiment 2"). Both experiments decisively confirm the meteorological origin of the tsunami-like waves on the coast of Odessa and imply that intensified long ocean waves in this region were generated via the Proudman resonance mechanism while propagating over the northwestern Black Sea shelf. The "Odessa tsunami" of 27 June 2014 was identified as a "beach meteotsunami", similar to events regularly observed on the beaches of Florida, USA, but different from the "harbour meteotsunamis", which occurred 1-3 days earlier in Ciutadella (Baleares, Spain), Mazara del Vallo (Sicily, Italy) and Vela Luka (Croatia) in the Mediterranean Sea, despite that they were associated with the same atmospheric system moving over the Mediterranean/Black Sea region on 23-27 June 2014.

Internal waves and modern and ancient hiatuses in pelagic caps of Pacific guyots and seamounts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Neil; Simmons, Harper; Lear, Carrie

2013-04-01

Locations of recent non-deposition and ancient hiatuses in the pelagic caps of guyots and seamounts are compared with paleotemperature and physiographic information to speculate on the character of internal tidal waves in the upper Pacific Ocean through the Cenozoic. Internal tidal waves are generated where the ocean barotropic tide passes over the Hawaiian and other major ridges in the Pacific basin. Drill core and geophysical evidence for sediment accumulation, non-deposition or erosion are used to classify broadly sites as either accumulating or eroding/non-depositing in the recent geological past. When these classified sites are compared against results of a numerical model of the internal tide field (Simmons, Ocean Mod. 2008), the sites accumulating particles over the past few million years are all found to lie away from beams of the modeled internal tide, while those that have not been accumulating are in areas of high internal wave energy. Given the correspondence to modern internal wave conditions, we examine whether internal tides can explain ancient hiatuses at the drill sites. For example, Late Cenozoic pelagic caps on guyots among the Marshall Islands contain two hiatuses of broadly similar age, but the dates of the first pelagic sediments deposited following each hiatus do not correlate between guyots, suggesting that they originate not from universal factors (e.g., water chemistry) but local, probably physical factors, such as internal tides. We investigate how changing boundary conditions such as ocean temperature and basin physiography may have affected the geometry and vigour of internal tides through the Cenozoic. Changes in the geometry of ridges underlying the Solomon, Bonin and Marianas Island chains caused by plate tectonics and subsidence may be responsible for sediment hiatuses at these far-field guyot sites.

Jet-front systems nearing strongly stratified region in differentially heated, rotating stratified annulus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolland, Joran; Achatz, Ulrich

2017-04-01

The differentially heated, rotating annulus configuration has been used for a long time as a model system of the earth troposphere. It can easily reproduce thermal wind and baroclinic waves in the laboratory. It has recently been shown numerically that provided the Rossby number, the rotation rate and the Brunt-Väisälä frequency were well chosen, this configuration also reproduces the spontaneous emission of gravity waves by jet front systems [1]. This offers a very practical configuration in which to study an important process of emission of atmospheric gravity waves. It has also been shown experimentally that this configuration can be modified in order to add the possibility for the emitted wave to reach a strongly stratified region [2]. It thus creates a system containing a model troposphere where gravity waves are spontaneously emitted and can propagate to a model stratosphere. For this matter a stratification was created using a salinity gradient in the experimental apparatus. Through double diffusion, this generates a strongly stratified layer in the middle of the flow (the model stratosphere) and two weakly stratified region in the top and bottom layers (the model troposphere). In this poster, we present simulations of this configuration displaying baroclinic waves in the top and bottom layers. We aim at creating jet front systems strong enough that gravity waves can be spontaneously emitted. This will thus offer the possibility of studying the wave characteristic and mechanisms in emission and propagation in details. References [1] S. Borchert, U. Achatz, M.D. Fruman, Spontaneous Gravity wave emission in the differentially heated annulus, J. Fluid Mech. 758, 287-311 (2014). [2] M. Vincze, I. Borcia, U. Harlander, P. Le Gal, Double-diffusive convection convection and baroclinic instability in a differentially heated and initially stratified rotating system: the barostrat instability, Fluid Dyn. Res. 48, 061414 (2016).

Experimental study of inertial waves in a spherical shell induced by librations of the inner sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoff, Michael; Harlander, Uwe; Jahangir, Saad; Egbers, Christoph

2015-04-01

Many planetary bodies do not rotate with a constant velocity but undergo rotations with superposed oscillations called longitudinal librations. This is the case e.g. for the Earth's moon, Mars' moon, Mercury and many other moons of Jupiter and Saturn and some of them have a solid inner core and a molten outer core. It is worth to know the interaction between the libration of the core and the interior of the fluid to understand tidal heating, fluid mixing, and the generation of magnetic fields. Here we present an experimental investigation of inertial waves in a spherical shell. The shell rotates with a mean angular velocity Ω around its vertical axis overlaid by a time periodic oscillation of the inner sphere in the range 0 < ω < 2Ω, in order to excite inertial waves with a known frequency. We want to show the influence of the libration amplitude ɛ on different libration frequencies ω and how efficient libration is, to excite inertial waves in the given frequency range. For low ω and high ɛ instability starts to grow and, beside the excited inertial waves, several low frequency structures can be found. Quantitative PIV analyses of the horizontal plane in the co-rotation frame show clear spiral structures with different wave numbers for high libration amplitudes due to strong shear, similar to differential rotation. Another question, we like to address, is whether high libration amplitudes can also excite very low frequency Rossby wave structures? If the frequency increases, it can be seen from Poincaré plots that large attractor windows for inertial waves appear. We want to show PIV analyses for such flows dominated by wave attractors. It is known that for large excitation frequencies subharmonic parametric instability starts to grow and triads will be excited. Our experimental data show hints for the existence of triads and preliminary results will be discussed.

In search of discernible infrasound emitted by numerically simulated tornadoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schecter, David A.

2012-09-01

The comprehensive observational study of Bedard (2005) provisionally found that the infrasound of a tornado is discernible from the infrasound of generic cloud processes in a convective storm. This paper discusses an attempt to corroborate the reported observations of distinct tornado infrasound with numerical simulations. Specifically, this paper investigates the infrasound of an ordinary tornado in a numerical experiment with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System, customized to simulate acoustic phenomena. The simulation has no explicit parameterization of microphysical cloud processes, but creates an unsteady tornado of moderate strength by constant thermal forcing in a rotational environment. Despite strong fluctuations in the lower corner flow and upper outflow regions, a surprisingly low level of infrasound is radiated by the vortex. Infrasonic pressure waves in the 0.1 Hz frequency regime are less intense than those which could be generated by core-scale vortex Rossby (VR) waves of modest amplitude in similar vortices. Higher frequency infrasound is at least an order of magnitude weaker than expected based on infrasonic observations of tornadic thunderstorms. Suppression of VR waves (and their infrasound) is explained by the gradual decay of axial vorticity with increasing radius from the center of the vortex core. Such non-Rankine wind-structure is known to enable the rapid damping of VR waves by inviscid mechanisms, including resonant wave-mean flow interaction and "spiral wind-up" of vorticity. Insignificant levels of higher frequency infrasound may be due to oversimplifications in the computational setup, such as the neglect of thermal fluctuations caused by phase transitions of moisture in vigorous cloud turbulence.

Weak wind-wave/tide interaction over fixed and moveable bottoms: a formulation and some preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagan, B. A.; Alvarez, O.; Izquierdo, A.

2005-05-01

The formulation of weak wind-wave/low-frequency current interaction is discussed comprehensively as applied to fixed- and moveable-bottom cases. It involves (1) a dependence of the drag coefficient on the ratio between wave and current bottom friction velocity amplitudes, (2) the resistance law for the oscillatory, rough, turbulent bottom boundary layer (BBL) which accounts for the usually neglected effects of rotation and the phase difference between the bottom stress and the friction-free current velocity, (3) the expression for the BBL depth in terms of the bottom Rossby number and (4) the bottom roughness predictor of Grant and Madsen (J. Geophys. Res., 87 (1982) 469) in the version of Tolman (J. Phys. Oceanogr., 24 (1994) 994). The formulation is implemented in the UCA (University of Cadiz) 2D nonlinear, high-resolution, hydrodynamic model and used to study the influence of wind-wave/tide interaction, bottom mobility and the improved flow-resistance description on the M 2 tidal dynamics of Cadiz Bay. The inclusion of either of the first two factors can cause the drag coefficient to increase significantly over its reference value. If the third factor is included, changes in the drag coefficient are quite moderate. This is because the effect of rotation is opposite in sign to the effect of phase difference, so that these effects taken together very nearly balance. The reason why bottom mobility has such an important influence on shallow-water tidal dynamics as wind-wave/tide interaction has, is the occurrence of the large irregular variations in the drag coefficient that accompany sediment motion.

Two-dimensional numerical simulations of shoaling internal solitary waves at the ASIAEX site in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, K. G.; Warn-Varnas, A.

2015-05-01

The interaction of barotropic tides with Luzon Strait topography generates some of the world's largest internal solitary waves which eventually shoal and dissipate on the western side of the northern South China Sea. Two-dimensional numerical simulations of the shoaling of a single internal solitary wave at the site of the Asian Seas International Acoustic Experiment (ASIAEX) have been undertaken in order to investigate the sensitivity of the shoaling process to the stratification and the underlying bathymetry and to explore the influence of rotation. The bulk of the simulations are inviscid; however, exploratory simulations using a vertical eddy-viscosity confined to a near bottom layer, along with a no-slip boundary condition, suggest that viscous effects may become important in water shallower than about 200 m. A shoaling solitary wave fissions into several waves. At depths of 200-300 m the front of the leading waves become nearly parallel to the bottom and develop a very steep back as has been observed. The leading waves are followed by waves of elevation (pedestals) that are conjugate to the waves of depression ahead and behind them. Horizontal resolutions of at least 50 m are required to simulate these well. Wave breaking was found to occur behind the second or third of the leading solitary waves, never at the back of the leading wave. Comparisons of the shoaling of waves started at depths of 1000 and 3000 m show significant differences and the shoaling waves can be significantly non-adiabatic even at depths greater than 2000 m. When waves reach a depth of 200 m, their amplitudes can be more than 50% larger than the largest possible solitary wave at that depth. The shoaling behaviour is sensitive to the presence of small-scale features in the bathymetry: a 200 m high bump at 700 m depth can result in the generation of many mode-two waves and of higher mode waves. Sensitivity to the stratification is considered by using three stratifications based on summer observations. They primarily differ in the depth of the thermocline. The generation of mode-two waves and the behaviour of the waves in shallow water is sensitive to this depth. Rotation affects the shoaling waves by reducing the amplitude of the leading waves via the radiation of long trailing inertia-gravity waves. The nonlinear-dispersive evolution of these inertia-gravity waves results in the formation of secondary mode-one wave packets.

A study of the dynamics of the equatorial lower stratosphere by use of ultra-long-duration balloons, 1. Planetary scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vial, F.; Hertzog, A.; Mechoso, C. R.; Basdevant, C.; Cocquerez, P.; Dubourg, V.; Nouel, F.

2001-10-01

In the late southern winter of 1998, Center National d'Études Spatiales (CNES), the French Space Agency, released six 10-m-diameter, superpressure balloons from a location near Quito, Ecuador. Three balloons collapsed soon after launching, but the remaining three drifted westward for a few weeks at altitudes between 19 and 20 km. Two of those balloons crossed the Pacific Ocean before falling above the ``maritime continent,'' while the other completed a revolution around the Earth and crossed the Pacific for a second time before its final fall. Despite the small number and the relatively short duration of the flights, the balloons provided a unique in situ data set for the lower equatorial stratosphere. This part 1 of a two-part paper describes this data set and analyzes outstanding features in the planetary scales. Part 2 focuses on gravity-wave scale. It is argued that balloon trajectories over the Pacific are primarily determined by the westward drift during the easterly phase of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and the meridional velocity field of a mixed Rossby-gravity (Yanai) wave with an apparent period of 4 days and zonal wave number 4. This wave appears to have two episodes of amplification during the balloon flights. It is also argued that the balloons show evidence of oscillations with periods between 2 and 4 days and of a Kelvin wave with an apparent period close to 10 days and zonal wave number 1. In this way, the balloon behavior provided a pictorial view of air parcel trajectory in the equatorial lower stratosphere. It is stated that larger balloon campaigns can provide excellent in situ data sets for studies on the dynamics and composition of the middle atmosphere.

Assessment of the ocean circulation in the Azores region as predicted by a numerical model assimilating altimeter data from Topex/Poseidon and ERS-1 satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mailly, T.; Blayo, E.; Verron, J.

1997-10-01

Two years of altimetric data from Topex/Poseidon (October 1992-September 1994) and ERS-1 (October 1992-December 1993) were assimilated into a numerical model of the North Atlantic. The results of these simulations are analysed in the Azores region to assess the performance of our model in this particular region. Maps of instantaneous dynamic topography and transports show that the model performs well in reproducing the velocities and transports of the Azores Front. Drifter data from the Semaphore experiment are also used to study the correlation between the drifter velocities and the corresponding model velocities. Some interesting oceanographic results are also obtained by examining the seasonal and interannual variability of the circulation and the influence of bathymetry on the variability of the Azores Front. Thus, on the basis of our two year experiment, it is possible to confirm the circulation patterns proposed by previous studies regarding the seasonal variations in the origin of the Azores Current. Moreover, it is shown that the Azores Current is quite narrow in the first year of assimilation (1992-1993), but becomes much wider in the second year (1993-1994). The role of the bathymetry appears important in this area since the mesoscale activity is shown to be strongly related to the presence of topographic slopes. Finally, spectral analyses of sea-level changes over time and space are used to identify two types of wave already noticed in other studies: a wave with (300 km)-1 wave number and (120 days)-1 frequency, which is characteristic of mesoscale undulation, and a wave with (600 km)-1 wave number and (250 days)-1 frequency which probably corresponds to a Rossby wave generated in the east of the basin.

Observations and Numerical Modelling of Strong Meteotsunami of 13 June 2013 on the East Coast of the USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fine, I.; Sepic, J.; Rabinovich, A.; Thomson, R.

2014-12-01

A strong "derecho" (rapidly moving lines of convectively induced intense thunderstorms) was generated over the Midwestern United States on 12-13 June 2013 and propagated across the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. Three hours after the derecho crossed the Atlantic coast, a ~2-m high meteotsunami wave was reported to have hit the New Jersey coast. Significant tsunami-like oscillations, with wave heights of ~0.6 m, were also recorded by a number of tide-gauges located along the eastern seaboard from Nova Scotia to South Carolina, at Bermuda, and by open-ocean DART 44402. These observations triggered the tsunami-alert mode of the DART station. Intense air pressure disturbances (with pressure change of 3-6 hPa in 20 min) and strong winds were observed at a number of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) stations to be propagating simultaneously with the derecho system, indicating that the pressure disturbances were the primary cause for the sea level oscillations in Chesapeake and Delaware bays. The air pressure disturbance continued to propagate seaward over the continental shelf, thereby generating long waves via Proudman resonance at those areas of the shelf where the propagation speed of the air pressure disturbance matched the long wave speed. Upon reaching the shelf break, the long-waves were partly transmitted (reaching Bermuda 5 hours later) and partly reflected (returning to the east coast of the US and Canada 3 to 6 hours later). A numerical barotropic ocean model forced with idealized air pressure and wind fields was used successfully to simulate the event. The meteotsunami arrival times and maximum wave heights obtained from the model closely match the measured values and confirm initial assumptions regarding the partitioning between transmitted and reflected meteotsunami waves.

Frequency-dependent behavior of the barotropic and baroclinic modes of zonal jet variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheshadri, A.; Plumb, R. A.

2016-12-01

Stratosphere-troposphere interactions are frequently described in terms of the leading modes of variability, i.e. the annular modes. An idealized dynamical core model is used to explore the differences between the low- and high- frequency (periods greater and less than 30 days) behavior of the first two principal components of zonal mean zonal wind and eddy kinetic energy, i.e., the barotropic/baroclinic annular modes of variability of the extratropical circulation. The modes show similar spatial characteristics in the different frequency ranges considered, however the ranking of the modes switches in some cases from one range to the other. There is some cancelation in the signatures of eddy heat flux and eddy kinetic energy in the leading low-pass and high-pass filtered zonal wind mode, partly explaining their small signature in the total. At low frequencies, the first zonal wind mode describes latitudinal shifts of both the midlatitude jet and its associated storm tracks, and the persistence of zonal wind anomalies appears to be sustained primarily by a baroclinic, rather than a barotropic, feedback. On shorter time scales, the behavior is more complicated and transient.

A Note on the Barotropic Response of Sea Level to Time-Dependent Wind Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Lee-Lueng; Davidson, Roger A.

1995-01-01

This study examines the extent to which sea level variations at periods between 30 days and 1 year and spatial scales greater than 1000 km can be described by the wind- driven linear barotropic vorticity dynamics. The TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetric observations of sea level and the wind products of the National Meteorological Center are used as the database for the study. Each term of the linear barotropic vorticity equation was evaluated by averaging over regions of 10 deg x 10 deg. In most of the open ocean the result of the analysis suggests that the sea level variabilities at the scales considered cannot be fully described by the equation; the apparent net vorticity change is more than what can be explained by the local wind stress curl. In the few regions where the wind stress curl is strong enough to balance the vorticity budget, predominantly in the northeast Pacific and the southeast Pacific, the balance is basically achieved in terms of the time-dependent topographic Sverdrup relation, namely, the balance between the advection of the planetary vorticity plus the topography-induced vorticity and the forcing by the wind stress curl.

Identification of extreme precipitation threat across midlatitude regions based on short-wave circulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shih-Yu; Davies, Robert E.; Gillies, Robert R.

2013-10-01

most severe thunderstorms, producing extreme precipitation, occur over subtropical and midlatitude regions. Atmospheric conditions conducive to organized, intense thunderstorms commonly involve the coupling of a low-level jet (LLJ) with a synoptic short wave. The midlatitude synoptic activity is frequently modulated by the circumglobal teleconnection (CGT), in which meridional gradients of the jet stream act as a guide for short Rossby waves. Previous research has linked extreme precipitation events with either the CGT or the LLJ but has not linked the two circulation features together. In this study, a circulation-based index was developed by combining (a) the degree of the CGT and LLJ coupling, (b) the extent to which this CGT-LLJ coupling connects to regional precipitation and (c) the spatial correspondence with the CGT (short wave) trending pattern over the recent 32 years (1979-2010). Four modern-era global reanalyses, in conjunction with four gridded precipitation data sets, were utilized to minimize spurious trends. The results are suggestive of a link between the CGT/LLJ trends and several recent extreme precipitation events, including those leading to the 2008 Midwest flood in U.S., the 2011 tornado outbreaks in southeastern U.S., the 2010 Queensland flood in northeastern Australia, and to the opposite side the 2012 central U.S. drought. Moreover, an analysis of three Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models from the historical experiments points to the role of greenhouse gases in forming the CGT trends during the warm season.

Projected Changes in Persistent Extreme Warm-Season Weather Events: The Role of Quasi-Resonant Amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, M. E.; Rahmstorf, S.; Kornhuber, K.; Steinman, B. A.; Miller, S. K.; Coumou, D.

2017-12-01

Persistent episodes of extreme weather in the Northern Hemisphere summer are typically associated with high-amplitude quasi-stationary atmospheric Rossby waves with zonal wavenumbers. Such disturbances are favoured by the phenomenon of Quasi-Resonant Amplification (QRA). A fingerprint for the occurrence of QRA can be defined in terms of the zonally-averaged surface temperature field. Examining future state-of-the-art (CMIP5) climate model projections we find that such events are likely to increase by 50% over the next century under business-as-usual carbon emissions, but there is considerable variation among climate models, with some models predicting a near tripling of QRA events by the end of the century. These results are strongly dependent on assumptions regarding the prominence of changes in radiative forcing associated with anthropogenic aerosols over the next century.

Scale Dependend Investigations of the Dynamic State Index Concerning the QG-Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Annette; Névir, Peter

2017-04-01

The Dynamic State Index (DSI) indicates local deviations of the atmospheric flow field from a steady wind solution based on the primitive equations under adiabatic and inviscid conditions. We represent generalizations of the DSI for reduced models given by the quasi-geostrophic theory and the Rossby-model. By applying a Fourier transformation to the circumpolar geopotential height field we demonstrate the characteristic dipole structure of the DSI-field related to atmospheric waves. Furthermore, by applying data of the COSMO-DE model of the German Weather Service (DWD), we compare the vertical profile of all three DSI-parameters concerning classes with and without precipitation. We work out that the relation to precipitation decreases with increasing approximation, but in all scales, it can be shown that the DSI is highly correlated to diabatic processes.

Nonlinear Eddy-Eddy Interactions in Dry Atmospheres Macroturbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ait Chaalal, F.; Schneider, T.

2012-12-01

The statistical moment equations derived from the atmospheric equation of motions are not closed. However neglecting the large-scale eddy-eddy nonlinear interactions in an idealized dry general circulation model (GCM), which is equivalent to truncating the moment equations at the second order, can reproduce some of the features of the general circulation ([1]), highlighting the significance of eddy-mean flow interactions and the weakness of eddy-eddy interactions in atmospheric macroturbulence ([2]). The goal of the present study is to provide new insight into the rôle of these eddy-eddy interactions and discuss the relevance of a simple stochastic parametrization to represent them. We investigate in detail the general circulation in an idealized dry GCM, comparing full simulations with simulations where the eddy-eddy interactions are removed. The radiative processes are parametrized through Newtonian relaxation toward a radiative-equilibrium state with a prescribed equator to pole temperature contrast. A convection scheme relaxing toward a prescribed convective vertical lapse rate mimics some aspects of moist convection. The study is performed over a wide range of parameters covering the planetary rotation rate, the equator to pole temperature contrast and the vertical lapse rate. Particular attention is given to the wave-mean flow interactions and to the spectral budget. It is found that the no eddy-eddy simulations perform well when the baroclinic activity is weaker, for example for lower equator to pole temperature contrasts or higher rotation rates: the mean meridional circulation is well reproduced, with realistic eddy-driven jets and energy-containing eddy length scales of the order of the Rossby deformation radius. For a stronger baroclinic activity the no eddy-eddy model does not achieve a realistic isotropization of the eddies, the meridional circulation is compressed in the meridional direction and secondary eddy-driven jets emerge. In addition, the baroclinic wave activity does not reach the upper troposphere in association with a very weak or absent Rossby wave absorption in the upper subtropical troposphere. Understanding these deficiencies and the rôle of the eddy-eddy nonlinear interactions in determining the mean meridional circulation paves the way to the development of stochastic third order moments parametrizations, to eventually build GCMs that directly solve for the flow statistics and that could provide a deeper understanding of anthropogenic and natural climate changes. [1] O'Gorman, P. A., & Schneider, T. 2007, Geophysical Research Letters, 34, 22801 [2] Schneider, T., and C. C. Walker, 2006, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 63, 1569-1586.

Anisotropic dissipation of the global internal tide from a higher-order multiscale barotropic tidal simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehipour, Hesam; Peltier, W. Richard

2013-04-01

Increasing recognition of the importance of the diapycnal mixing induced by the dissipation of internal tides excited by the interaction of the barotropic tide with bottom topography has begun to attract increasing attention. The partition of the dissipation of the barotropic tide between that related to the internal tide and that related to bottom friction is also of considerable interest as this partition has been shown to shift significantly between the modern and Last Glacial Maximum tidal regimes [Griffiths and Peltier, 2008, 2009] . Ocean general circulation models, though clearly unable to explicitly resolve small scale mixing processes, currently rely on the introduction of an appropriate parameterization of the contribution to such mixing due to dissipation of the internal tidal. One widely-used parameterization of this kind (which is currently employed in POP2) is that proposed by Jayne and St. Laurent [GRL 2001] and is based on topographic roughness. This contrasts with the parameterization of Carrere and Lyard [GRL 2003] and Lyard [Ocean Dynamics, 2006] which also considers the flow direction with respect to the topographic features. Both of these parameterizations require the tuning of parameters to arrive at sensible tidal amplitudes. We have developed an original higher order barotropic tidal model based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method applied on global triangular grids [Salehipour et al., submitted to Ocean Modelling] in which we parameterize the energy conversion to baroclinic tides by introducing an anisotropic internal tide drag [Griffiths and Peltier GRL 2008, Griffiths and Peltier J Climate 2009] which also considers the time dependent angle of attack of the barotropic tidal flow on abyssal topographic features but requires no tuning parameters. The model is massively parallelized which enables very high resolution modeling of global barotropic tides as well as the implementation of local grid refinement. In this paper we will present maps of energy dissipation for different tidal constituents using grids with resolutions up to 1/18° in coastal regions as well as in areas with high gradients in the bottom topography. The discontinuous Galerkin formulation provides important energy conservation properties as well as enabling the accurate representation of sharp topographic gradients without smoothing, a feature well matched to the multi-scale problem of the dissipation of the internal tide. We will describe the detailed energy budgets delivered by this model under both modern and Last Glacial Maximum oceanographic conditions, including relative sea level and internal density stratification effects. The results of the simulations will be illustrated with global maps with enhanced resolution for the internal tidal dissipation which may be exploited in the parameterization of vertical mixing. We will use the reconstructed paleotopography of the ICE-5G model of Peltier [Annu. Rev. Earth Planet Sci. 2004] as well as the more recent refinement (ICE-6G) to compute the characteristics of the LGM tidal regime and will compare these characteristics to those of the modern ocean.

Influence of the surface drag coefficient (young waves) on the current structure of the Berre lagoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseenko, Elena; Roux, Bernard; Kharif, Christian; Sukhinov, Alexander; Kotarba, Richard; Fougere, Dominique; Chen, Paul Gang

2013-04-01

Due to the shallowness, currents and hydrodynamics of Berre lagoon (South of France) are closely conditioned by the bottom topography, and wind affects the entire water column, as for many other Mediterranean lagoons (Perez-Ruzafa, 2011). Wind stress, which is caused by moving atmospheric disturbance, is known to have a major influence in lagoon water circulation. According to the numerical simulation for the main directions of the wind: N-NW, S-SE and W (wind speed of 80 km/h) it is observed that the current is maximal alongshore in the wind direction; the bottom nearshore current being larger in shallower area. This fact is coherent with fundamental principle of wind-driven flows in closed or partially closed basins which states that in shallow water the dominant force balance is between surface wind stress and bottom friction, yielding a current in the direction of the wind (Mathieu et al, 2002, Hunter and Hearn, 1987; Hearn and Hunter,1990). A uniform wind stress applied at the surface of a basin of variable depth sets up a circulation pattern characterized by relatively strong barotropic coastal currents in the direction of the wind, with return flow occurring over the deeper regions (Csanady, 1967; Csanady, 1971). One of the key parameters characterizing the wind stress formulation is a surface drag coefficient (Cds). Thus, an effect of a surface drag coefficient, in the range 0.0016 - 0.0032, will be analyzed in this work. The value of surface drag coefficient Cds = 0.0016 used in our previous studies (Alekseenko et al., 2012), would correspond to mature waves (open sea). But, in the case of semi-closed lagoonal ecosystem, it would be more appropriate to consider "young waves" mechanism. A dependency of this coefficient in terms of the wind speed is given by Young (1999) in both cases of mature waves and young waves. For "young waves" generated at a wind speed of 80 km/h, Cds = 0.0032. So, the influence of Cds on the vertical profile of the velocity in the water column is analyzed in the range 0.0016 - 0.0032. For the three main wind directions considered in this work, for a wind speed of 80 km/h, the complex current structure of the Berre lagoon is analysed. In the nearshore zones, strong alongshore downwind currents are generated, reaching values of the order of 1m/s (up to 1.5 m/s) at the free surface, and 0.5 - 0.6 m/s at the bottom. References Alekseenko E., B. Roux, A. Sukhinov, R. Kotarba, D. Fougere. Coastal hydrodynamics in a windy lagoon; submitted to Computers and Fluids, oct. 2012 Csanady G. T.: Large-scale motion in the Great Lakes, Journal of Geophysical Research, 72(16), 4151-4161, 1967. Csanady G. T. : Baroclinic boundary currents and long edge-waves in basins with sloping shores. J. Physical Oceanography 1(2):92-104, 1971. Hunter, J.R. and Hearn, C.J.: Lateral and vertical variations in the wind-driven circulations in long, shallow lakes, Journal of Geophysical Research, 92 (C12), 1987. Hearn, C.J. and Hunter, J.R.: A note on the equivalence of some two- and three-dimensional models of wind-driven barotropic flow in shallow seas, Applied Mathematical Modelling, 14, 553-556, 1990. Mathieu P.P., Deleersnijder E., Cushman-Roisin B., Beckers J.M. and Bolding K.: The role of topography in small well-mixed bays, with application to the lagoon of Mururoa. Continental Shelf research, 22(9), 1379-1395, 2002. A. Pérez-Ruzafa, C. Marcos, I.M. Pérez-Ruzafa (2011). Mediterranean coastal lagoons in an ecosystem and aquatic resources management context//Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, Volume 36, Issues 5-6, 2011, Pages 160-166 Young I.R., Wind generated ocean waves. Ocean Engineering Series Editors. Elsevier, 1999, ISBN: 0-08-043317-0.

Wave-Modulated CO2 Condensation in Mars' Polar Atmosphere From MGS/TES & MOLA and MRO/MCS.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banfield, D. J.

2016-12-01

In Mars' polar night, atmospheric temperatures fall low enough to cause CO2 condensation. This has been empirically demonstrated by Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), which identified reflections from above the surface, and MGS Radio Science (RS) and Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's (MRO) Mars Climate Sounder (MCS), all of which showed polar night temperature profiles that were super-saturated. Detailed analysis of TES temperature profiles as well as numerical modeling both suggest that the stationary and traveling waves on the polar vortices are strong enough to significantly modulate the CO2 cloud condensation. However the extent to which this is actually occurring has not been quantified. The polar night CO2 condensation represents a significant amount of energy deposition, even if it were uniformly distributed. If instead it is concentrated in the cold sectors of the various waves, this can be a tremendous perturbation not only to the wave amplitudes (clipping them from going much below the CO2 condensation temperature), but also impacting their ability to transport heat and momentum poleward and upward, and thus it may also impact the maintenance and shape of the polar vortex itself. Mars' polar vortices remain barotropically unstable throughout the winter in spite of large amplitude waves in their vicinity. We have identified when and where the various waves (with their specific amplitudes and phases) in the vicinity of the polar vortex should modulate the CO2 condensation (see Figure of a meridional cross-section showing where no clouds are expected (blue), clouds should be ubiquitous (green) and waves should be required to form clouds (red)). We have also correlated this with the distribution of the actual observed cloud identifications from MGS MOLA and MRO MCS. We find only poor correlations between the MGS/TES identified wave modulated condensation predictions and actual simultaneous cloud identifications from MGS/MOLA. We will discuss the results of a similar study using only MRO/MCS to analyze the mean atmospheric temperature, the stationary and traveling waves along the polar vortex, and the actual locations where CO2 condensation is evident.

Elementary dispersion analysis of some mimetic discretizations on triangular C-grids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korn, P., E-mail: peter.korn@mpimet.mpg.de; Danilov, S.; A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Moscow

2017-02-01

Spurious modes supported by triangular C-grids limit their application for modeling large-scale atmospheric and oceanic flows. Their behavior can be modified within a mimetic approach that generalizes the scalar product underlying the triangular C-grid discretization. The mimetic approach provides a discrete continuity equation which operates on an averaged combination of normal edge velocities instead of normal edge velocities proper. An elementary analysis of the wave dispersion of the new discretization for Poincaré, Rossby and Kelvin waves shows that, although spurious Poincaré modes are preserved, their frequency tends to zero in the limit of small wavenumbers, which removes the divergence noisemore » in this limit. However, the frequencies of spurious and physical modes become close on shorter scales indicating that spurious modes can be excited unless high-frequency short-scale motions are effectively filtered in numerical codes. We argue that filtering by viscous dissipation is more efficient in the mimetic approach than in the standard C-grid discretization. Lumping of mass matrices appearing with the velocity time derivative in the mimetic discretization only slightly reduces the accuracy of the wave dispersion and can be used in practice. Thus, the mimetic approach cures some difficulties of the traditional triangular C-grid discretization but may still need appropriately tuned viscosity to filter small scales and high frequencies in solutions of full primitive equations when these are excited by nonlinear dynamics.« less

Magnetic reversals from planetary dynamo waves.

PubMed

Sheyko, Andrey; Finlay, Christopher C; Jackson, Andrew

2016-11-24

A striking feature of many natural dynamos is their ability to undergo polarity reversals. The best documented example is Earth's magnetic field, which has reversed hundreds of times during its history. The origin of geomagnetic polarity reversals lies in a magnetohydrodynamic process that takes place in Earth's core, but the precise mechanism is debated. The majority of numerical geodynamo simulations that exhibit reversals operate in a regime in which the viscosity of the fluid remains important, and in which the dynamo mechanism primarily involves stretching and twisting of field lines by columnar convection. Here we present an example of another class of reversing-geodynamo model, which operates in a regime of comparatively low viscosity and high magnetic diffusivity. This class does not fit into the paradigm of reversal regimes that are dictated by the value of the local Rossby number (the ratio of advection to Coriolis force). Instead, stretching of the magnetic field by a strong shear in the east-west flow near the imaginary cylinder just touching the inner core and parallel to the axis of rotation is crucial to the reversal mechanism in our models, which involves a process akin to kinematic dynamo waves. Because our results are relevant in a regime of low viscosity and high magnetic diffusivity, and with geophysically appropriate boundary conditions, this form of dynamo wave may also be involved in geomagnetic reversals.

Response of near-surface currents in the Indian Ocean to the anomalous atmospheric condition in 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utari, P. A.; Nurkhakim, M. Y.; Setiabudidaya, D.; Iskandar, I.

2018-05-01

Anomalous ocean-atmosphere conditions were detected in the tropical Indian Ocean during boreal spring to boreal winter 2015. It was suggested that the anomalous conditions were characteristics of the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) event. The purpose of this investigation was to investigate the response of near-surface currents in the tropical Indian Ocean to the anomalous atmospheric condition in 2015. Near-surface current from OSCAR (Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real Time) reanalysis data combined with the sea surface temperature (SST) data from OISST – NOAA, sea surface height (SSH) and surface winds from the ECMWF were used in this investigation. The analysis showed that the evolution of 2015 pIOD started in June/July, peaked in the September and terminated in late November 2015. Correlated with the evolution of the pIOD, easterly winds anomalies were detected along the equator. As the oceanic response to these easterly wind anomalies, the surface currents anomalously westward during the peak of the pIOD. It was interesting to note that the evolution of 2015 pIOD event was closely related to the ocean wave dynamics as revealed by the SSH data. Downwelling westward propagating Rossby waves were detected in the southwestern tropical Indian Ocean. Once reached the western boundary of the Indian Ocean, they were redirected back into interior Indian Ocean and propagating eastward as the downwelling Kelvin waves.

Synoptic Formation of Double Tropopauses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chengji; Barnes, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Double tropopauses are ubiquitous in the midlatitude winter hemisphere and represent the vertical stacking of two stable tropopause layers separated by a less stable layer. By analyzing COSMIC GPS data, reanalysis, and eddy life cycle simulations, we demonstrate that they often occur during Rossby wave breaking and act to increase the stratosphere-to-troposphere exchange of mass. We further investigate the adiabatic formation of double tropopauses and propose two mechanisms by which they can occur. The first mechanism operates at the tropopause break in the subtropics where the higher tropical tropopause sits on one side of the break and the lower extratropical tropopause sits on the other. The double tropopauses are then formed by differential meridional advection of the higher and lower tropopauses on the two sides of the tropopause break. We show that anticyclonic wave breaking can form double tropopauses mainly by providing stronger poleward advection of the higher tropopause in its poleward lobe. Cyclonic wave breaking mainly forms double tropopauses by providing stronger equatorward advection of the lower tropopause in its equatorward lobe. We demonstrate in the COSMIC GPS data and reanalysis that about half of the double tropopauses in the Northern Hemisphere winter can be directly attributed to such differential advection. For the second mechanism, adiabatic destabilization of the air above the tropopause contributes to the formation of a double tropopause. In this case, a tropopause inversion layer is necessary for this destabilization to result in a double tropopause.

The energy spectrum in a barotropic atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurgansky, M. V.

2008-03-01

In a forced-dissipative barotropic model of the atmosphere on a spherical planet, by following mathematical techniques in (Thompson, P. D.: The equilibrium energy spectrum of randomly forced two-dimensional turbulence, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 30, 1593-1598, 1973) but applying them in a novel context of the discrete spectrum on a rotating sphere, the "minus 2" energy spectrum for wavenumbers much greater than a characteristic wavenumber of the baroclinic forcing has been obtained if the forcing is taken in the simplest and most fundamental form. Some observation-based atmospheric kinetic energy spectra, with their slopes lying between "minus 2" and "minus 3" laws, are discussed from the perspective of the deduced "minus 2" energy spectrum.

Connecting the dots: a versatile model for the atmospheres of tidally locked Super-Earths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carone, L.; Keppens, R.; Decin, L.

2014-11-01

Radiative equilibrium temperatures are calculated for the troposphere of a tidally locked Super-Earth based on a simple greenhouse model, using Solar system data as a guideline. These temperatures provide in combination with a Newtonian relaxation scheme thermal forcing for a 3D atmosphere model using the dynamical core of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology global circulation model. Our model is of the same conceptional simplicity than the model of Held & Suarez and is thus computationally fast. Furthermore, because of the coherent, general derivation of radiative equilibrium temperatures, our model is easily adaptable for different planets and atmospheric scenarios. As a case study relevant for Super-Earths, we investigate a Gl581g-like planet with Earth-like atmosphere and irradiation and present results for two representative rotation periods of Prot = 10 d and Prot = 36.5 d. Our results provide proof of concept and highlight interesting dynamical features for the rotating regime 3 < Prot < 100 d, which was shown by Edson et al. to be an intermediate regime between equatorial superrotation and divergence. We confirm that the Prot = 10 d case is more dominated by equatorial superrotation dynamics than the Prot = 36.5 d case, which shows diminishing influence of standing Rossby-Kelvin waves and increasing influence of divergence at the top of the atmosphere. We argue that this dynamical regime change relates to the increase in Rossby deformation radius, in agreement with previous studies. However, we also pay attention to other features that are not or only in partial agreement with other studies, like, e.g. the number of circulation cells and their strength, the role and extent of thermal inversion layers, and the details of heat transport.

Large-Scale, Extratropical Weather Systems within Mars' Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery L.

2013-04-01

During late autumn through early spring, extratropical regions on Mars exhibit profound mean zonal equator-to-pole thermal contrasts. The imposition of this strong meridional temperature variation supports intense eastward-traveling, synoptic weather systems (i.e., transient baroclinic/barotropic waves) within Mars' extratropical atmosphere. Such disturbances grow, mature and decay within the east-west varying seasonal-mean midlatitude jet stream (i.e., the polar vortex) on the planet. Near the surface, the weather disturbances indicated large-scale spiraling "comma"-shaped dust cloud structures and scimitar-shaped dust fronts, indicative of processes associated with cyclo-/fronto-genesis. The weather systems occur during specific seasons on Mars, and in both hemispheres. The northern hemisphere (NH) disturbances are significantly more intense than their counterparts in the southern hemisphere (SH). Further, the NH weather systems and accompanying frontal waves appear to have significant impacts on the transport of tracer fields (e.g., particularly dust and to some extent water species (vapor/ice) as well). And regarding dust, frontal waves appear to be key agents in the lifting, lofting, organization and transport of this particular atmospheric aerosol. In this paper, a brief background and supporting observations of Mars' extratropical weather systems is presented. This is followed by a short review of the theory and various modeling studies (i.e., ranging from highly simplified, mechanistic and full global circulation modeling investigations) which have been pursued. Finally, a discussion of outstanding issues and questions regarding the character and nature of Mars' extratropical traveling weather systems is offered.

Large-Scale Extratropical Weather Systems in Mars' Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery L.

2013-01-01

During late autumn through early spring, extratropical regions on Mars exhibit profound mean zonal equator-to-pole thermal contrasts. The imposition of this strong meridional temperature variation supports intense eastward-traveling, synoptic weather systems (i.e., transient baroclinic/barotropic waves) within Mars' extratropical atmosphere. Such disturbances grow, mature and decay within the east-west varying seasonal-mean midlatitude jet stream (i.e., the polar vortex) on the planet. Near the surface, the weather disturbances indicated large-scale spiraling "comma"-shaped dust cloud structures and scimitar-shaped dust fronts, indicative of processes associated with cyclo-/fronto-genesis. The weather systems occur during specific seasons on Mars, and in both hemispheres. The northern hemisphere (NH) disturbances are significantly more intense than their counterparts in the southern hemisphere (SH). Further, the NH weather systems and accompanying frontal waves appear to have significant impacts on the transport of tracer fields (e.g., particularly dust and to some extent water species (vapor/ice) as well). And regarding dust, frontal waves appear to be key agents in the lifting, lofting, organization and transport of this particular atmospheric aerosol. In this paper, a brief background and supporting observations of Mars' extratropical weather systems is presented. This is followed by a short review of the theory and various modeling studies (i.e., ranging from highly simplified, mechanistic and full global circulation modeling investigations) which have been pursued. Finally, a discussion of outstanding issues and questions regarding the character and nature of Mars' extratropical traveling weather systems is offered.

Sea level forecasts for Pacific Islands based on Satellite Altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, H.; Merrifield, M. A.; Thompson, P. R.; Widlansky, M. J.; Marra, J. J.

2017-12-01

Coastal flooding at tropical Pacific Islands often occurs when positive sea level anomalies coincide with high tides. To help mitigate this risk, a forecast tool for daily-averaged sea level anomalies is developed that can be added to predicted tides at tropical Pacific Island sites. The forecast takes advantage of the observed westward propagation that sea level anomalies exhibit over a range of time scales. The daily near-real time altimetry gridded data from Archiving, Validation, and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic (AVISO) is used to specify upstream sea level at each site, with lead times computed based on mode-one baroclinic Rossby wave speeds. To validate the forecast, hindcasts are compared to tide gauge and nearby AVISO gridded time series. The forecast skills exceed persistence at most stations out to a month or more lead time. The skill is highest at stations where eddy variability is relatively weak. The impacts on the forecasts due to varying propagation speed, decay time, and smoothing of the AVISO data are examined. In addition, the inclusion of forecast winds in a forced wave equation is compared to the freely propagating results. Case studies are presented for seasonally high tide events throughout the Pacific Island region.

The boreal winter Madden-Julian Oscillation's influence on summertime precipitation in the greater Caribbean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, Scott; Gamble, Douglas W.

2016-07-01

Precipitation totals in the greater Caribbean are known to be affected by interannual variability. In particular, dry conditions in the spring-summer have been physically linked to the positive phase of North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the literature. In this study, it was found through regression analysis that an active Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) in winter geographically focused over the Maritime Continent contributes to a positive NAO in March via the generation of Rossby waves in the Northern Hemisphere. Specifically, a negative Pacific-North American pattern develops in the winter and transitions to an Atlantic pattern in spring. The positive NAO is a transient feature of this evolving wave train, but a center of significant positive 200 hPa geopotential heights is entrenched over the southeast U.S. throughout the February to May time period and is manifested as high pressure at the surface. The southern flank of this system increases the speeds of the trade winds and leads to a cooling of the Caribbean sea surface temperatures and, thus, convection suppression and reduced precipitation. Thus, this study advances our understanding of the climate of the greater Caribbean by using climate teleconnections to relate the MJO to rainfall in the region.

The Thermal Phase Curve Offset on Tidally and Nontidally Locked Exoplanets: A Shallow Water Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Penn, James; Vallis, Geoffrey K, E-mail: jp492@exeter.ac.uk, E-mail: g.vallis@exeter.ac.uk

2017-06-20

Using a shallow water model with time-dependent forcing, we show that the peak of an exoplanet thermal phase curve is, in general, offset from the secondary eclipse when the planet is rotating. That is, the planetary hot spot is offset from the point of maximal heating (the substellar point) and may lead or lag the forcing; the extent and sign of the offset are functions of both the rotation rate and orbital period of the planet. We also find that the system reaches a steady state in the reference frame of the moving forcing. The model is an extension ofmore » the well-studied Matsuno–Gill model into a full spherical geometry and with a planetary-scale translating forcing representing the insolation received on an exoplanet from a host star. The speed of the gravity waves in the model is shown to be a key metric in evaluating the phase curve offset. If the velocity of the substellar point (relative to the planet’s surface) exceeds that of the gravity waves, then the hot spot will lag the substellar point, as might be expected by consideration of forced gravity wave dynamics. However, when the substellar point is moving slower than the internal wave speed of the system, the hottest point may lead the passage of the forcing. We provide an interpretation of this result by consideration of the Rossby and Kelvin wave dynamics, as well as, in the very slowly rotating case, a one-dimensional model that yields an analytic solution. Finally, we consider the inverse problem of constraining planetary rotation rate from an observed phase curve.« less

Prediction of Tidal Elevations and Barotropic Currents in the Gulf of Bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnamasari, Rika; Ribal, Agustinus; Kusuma, Jeffry

2018-03-01

Tidal elevation and barotropic current predictions in the gulf of Bone have been carried out in this work based on a two-dimensional, depth-integrated Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC-2DDI) model for 2017. Eight tidal constituents which were obtained from FES2012 have been imposed along the open boundary conditions. However, even using these very high-resolution tidal constituents, the discrepancy between the model and the data from tide gauge is still very high. In order to overcome such issues, Green’s function approach has been applied which reduced the root-mean-square error (RMSE) significantly. Two different starting times are used for predictions, namely from 2015 and 2016. After improving the open boundary conditions, RMSE between observation and model decreased significantly. In fact, RMSEs for 2015 and 2016 decreased 75.30% and 88.65%, respectively. Furthermore, the prediction for tidal elevations as well as tidal current, which is barotropic current, is carried out. This prediction was compared with the prediction conducted by Geospatial Information Agency (GIA) of Indonesia and we found that our prediction is much better than one carried out by GIA. Finally, since there is no tidal current observation available in this area, we assume that, when tidal elevations have been fixed, then the tidal current will approach the actual current velocity.

Demarcating Circulation Regimes of Synchronously Rotating Terrestrial Planets within the Habitable Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haqq-Misra, Jacob; Wolf, Eric. T.; Joshi, Manoj; Zhang, Xi; Kopparapu, Ravi Kumar

2018-01-01

We investigate the atmospheric dynamics of terrestrial planets in synchronous rotation within the habitable zone of low-mass stars using the Community Atmosphere Model. The surface temperature contrast between the day and night hemispheres decreases with an increase in incident stellar flux, which is opposite the trend seen in gas giants. We define three dynamical regimes in terms of the equatorial Rossby deformation radius and the Rhines length. The slow rotation regime has a mean zonal circulation that spans from the day to the night sides, which occurs for planets around stars with effective temperatures of 3300–4500 K (rotation period > 20 days), with both the Rossby deformation radius and the Rhines length exceeding the planetary radius. Rapid rotators have a mean zonal circulation that partially spans a hemisphere and with banded cloud formation beneath the substellar point, which occurs for planets orbiting stars with effective temperatures of less than 3000 K (rotation period < 5 days), with the Rossby deformation radius less than the planetary radius. In between is the Rhines rotation regime, which retains a thermally direct circulation from the day side to the night side but also features midlatitude turbulence-driven zonal jets. Rhines rotators occur for planets around stars in the range of 3000–3300 K (rotation period ∼5–20 days), where the Rhines length is greater than the planetary radius but the Rossby deformation radius is less than the planetary radius. The dynamical state can be observationally inferred from a comparison of the morphologies of the thermal emission phase curves of synchronously rotating planets.

Meso-beta scale numerical simulation studies of terrain-induced jet streak mass/momentum perturbations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Yuh-Lang; Kaplan, Michael L.

1995-01-01

Mesoscale model simulations provide insight into the complex jet streak adjustments on 11-12 July 1981 that preceded the first of two significant gravity wave events to have been generated over the Rocky Mountains in Montana. Simulations employing a variety of terrain treatments indicate that prior to wave formation, geostrophic adjustment processes modified the structure of the mid-upper tropospheric jet streak by creating secondary jetlets to the southeast of the polar jet streak in proximity to the gravity wave generation region. This simulated restructuring of the mid-upper tropospheric jet streak is the result of a four stage process. During stage 1, the wind adjusts to the mass field as the jet streak exit region propagates into the inflection point between the upstream trough and downstream ridge in the height field. Stage 2 is initiated as the mass field is forced to adjust to the new ageostrophic wind field created during stage 1. Stage 3 is defined by a second geostrophic adjustment process occurring in a similar manner but to the south and east of the adjustment which occurs during stage 1. A low-level mesoscale jetlet is formed during stage 4 in response to the low-level pressure falls that are established during stage 3. The perturbation of this jetlet, caused by orographically-induced adiabatic and diabatic physical processes, is the likely mechanism responsible for the generation of the first and second episode of observed gravity waves. The dynamics responsible for this wave episode are discussed as differential surface sensible heating inducing an orographically-forced mountain-plains solenoid, resulting in the formation of additional mesoscale jetlets and internal gravity waves. Also discussed is how convective latent heating modifies the numerically simulated terrain-induced internal gravity waves, especially their amplitude and phase velocities, which provide better agreement with those wave characteristics observed in nature. Finally, the three-dimensional linear response of a zonally uniform barotropic flow in a vertically unbounded, continuously stratified, Boussinesq atmosphere which is perturbed from geostrophic equilibrium is investigated.

The source of 90-day oscillations at Wake Island

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchum, Gary T.

1995-01-01

Energetic 90-day oscillations of sea level have been intermittently observed at Wake Island in the western tropical Pacific during the past 2 decades. The oscillations tend to occur about 1.5 years after El Nino-Southern Oscillation events, to have amplitudes of 10-15 cm, and to persist for about 1 year. Sea surface heights from the Geosat altimeter are used to establish that these signals take the form of Rossby waves and have an energy source near the Big Island of Hawaii, which lies 40 deg of longitude to the east. Sea level and upper layer currents from an eddy-resolving numerical model are examined and suggest that the energy source is eddies generated off the Big Island of Hawaii. These eddies appear to be associated with westward currents that intermittently impinge on the island. Several alternate hypotheses are also discussed and rejected.

Predicting Regional Drought on Sub-Seasonal to Decadal Time Scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Siegfried; Wang, Hailan; Suarez, Max; Koster, Randal

2011-01-01

Drought occurs on a wide range of time scales, and within a variety of different types of regional climates. It is driven foremost by an extended period of reduced precipitation, but it is the impacts on such quantities as soil moisture, streamflow and crop yields that are often most important from a users perspective. While recognizing that different users have different needs for drought information, it is nevertheless important to understand that progress in predicting drought and satisfying such user needs, largely hinges on our ability to improve predictions of precipitation. This talk reviews our current understanding of the physical mechanisms that drive precipitation variations on subseasonal to decadal time scales, and the implications for predictability and prediction skill. Examples are given highlighting the phenomena and mechanisms controlling precipitation on monthly (e.g., stationary Rossby waves, soil moisture), seasonal (ENSO) and decadal time scales (PD and AMO).

Summer precipitation variability over South America on long and short intraseasonal timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Paula L. M.; Vera, Carolina S.

2014-10-01

A dipole pattern in convection between the South Atlantic convergence zone and the subtropical plains of southeastern South America characterizes summer intraseasonal variability over the region. The dipole pattern presents two main bands of temporal variability, with periods between 10 and 30 days, and 30 and 90 days; each influenced by different large-scale dynamical forcings. The dipole activity on the 30-90-day band is related to an eastward traveling wavenumber-1 structure in both OLR and circulation anomalies in the tropics, similar to that associated with the Madden-Julian oscillation. The dipole is also related to a teleconnection pattern extended along the South Pacific between Australia and South America. Conversely, the dipole activity on the 10-30-day band does not seem to be associated with tropical convection anomalies. The corresponding circulation anomalies exhibit, in the extratropics, the structure of Rossby-like wave trains, although their sources are not completely clear.

Could the 2012 Drought in Central U.S. Have Been Anticipated? A Review of NASA Working Group Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, S.-Y. Simon; Barandiaran, Danny; Hilburn, Kyle; Houser, Paul; Oglesby, Bob; Pan, Ming; Pinker, Rachel; Santanello, Joe; Schubert, Siegfried; Wang, Hailan;

High-latitude filtering in a global grid-point model using model normal modes. [Fourier filters for synoptic weather forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takacs, L. L.; Kalnay, E.; Navon, I. M.

1985-01-01

A normal modes expansion technique is applied to perform high latitude filtering in the GLAS fourth order global shallow water model with orography. The maximum permissible time step in the solution code is controlled by the frequency of the fastest propagating mode, which can be a gravity wave. Numerical methods are defined for filtering the data to identify the number of gravity modes to be included in the computations in order to obtain the appropriate zonal wavenumbers. The performances of the model with and without the filter, and with a time tendency and a prognostic field filter are tested with simulations of the Northern Hemisphere winter. The normal modes expansion technique is shown to leave the Rossby modes intact and permit 3-5 day predictions, a range not possible with the other high-latitude filters.

Ozone Temporal Variability in the Subarctic Region: Comparison of Satellite Measurements with Numerical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shved, G. M.; Virolainen, Ya. A.; Timofeyev, Yu. M.; Ermolenko, S. I.; Smyshlyaev, S. P.; Motsakov, M. A.; Kirner, O.

2018-01-01

Fourier and wavelet spectra of time series for the ozone column abundance in the atmospheric 0-25 and 25-60 km layers are analyzed from SBUV satellite observations and from numerical simulations based on the RSHU and EMAC models. The analysis uses datasets for three subarctic locations (St. Petersburg, Harestua, and Kiruna) for 2000-2014. The Fourier and wavelet spectra show periodicities in the range from 10 days to 10 years and from 1 day to 2 years, respectively. The comparison of the spectra shows overall agreement between the observational and modeled datasets. However, the analysis has revealed differences both between the measurements and the models and between the models themselves. The differences primarily concern the Rossby wave period region and the 11-year and semiannual periodicities. Possible reasons are given for the differences between the models and the measurements.

Weekly cycles of formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere over Northern Eurasia: anthropogenic or natural?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitnov, S. I.; Mokhov, I. I.

2017-11-01

Using data from the OMI (Aura) satellite instrument, the weekly cycles in the regional atmospheric contents of formaldehyde (CH2O) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over European Russia (ER) and Western Siberia (WS) are investigated. The weekly signals in the regional CH2O content are found to be in the opposite phase over ER and WS, but in phase with the weekly signals in the regional surface temperatures in the corresponding regions. Contrary with CH2O, the weekly signals in the regional NO2 content over ER and WS are in phase, manifesting themselves as the "weekend effects" with minima on Sunday and maxima on weekdays. The antiphase weekly signals in the regional CH2O contents over ER and WS can be associated with the dependence of biogenic isoprene emission on the regional surface temperature, influenced by the long Rossby-type waves.

Reduced interdecadal variability of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation under global warming.

PubMed

Cheng, Jun; Liu, Zhengyu; Zhang, Shaoqing; Liu, Wei; Dong, Lina; Liu, Peng; Li, Hongli

2016-03-22

Interdecadal variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC-IV) plays an important role in climate variation and has significant societal impacts. Past climate reconstruction indicates that AMOC-IV has likely undergone significant changes. Despite some previous studies, responses of AMOC-IV to global warming remain unclear, in particular regarding its amplitude and time scale. In this study, we analyze the responses of AMOC-IV under various scenarios of future global warming in multiple models and find that AMOC-IV becomes weaker and shorter with enhanced global warming. From the present climate condition to the strongest future warming scenario, on average, the major period of AMOC-IV is shortened from ∼50 y to ∼20 y, and the amplitude is reduced by ∼60%. These reductions in period and amplitude of AMOC-IV are suggested to be associated with increased oceanic stratification under global warming and, in turn, the speedup of oceanic baroclinic Rossby waves.

Phase synchronization of baroclinic waves in a differentially heated rotating annulus experiment subject to periodic forcing with a variable duty cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Read, P. L.; Morice-Atkinson, X.; Allen, E. J.; Castrejón-Pita, A. A.

2017-12-01

A series of laboratory experiments in a thermally driven, rotating fluid annulus are presented that investigate the onset and characteristics of phase synchronization and frequency entrainment between the intrinsic, chaotic, oscillatory amplitude modulation of travelling baroclinic waves and a periodic modulation of the (axisymmetric) thermal boundary conditions, subject to time-dependent coupling. The time-dependence is in the form of a prescribed duty cycle in which the periodic forcing of the boundary conditions is applied for only a fraction δ of each oscillation. For the rest of the oscillation, the boundary conditions are held fixed. Two profiles of forcing were investigated that capture different parts of the sinusoidal variation and δ was varied over the range 0.1 ≤δ≤1 . Reducing δ was found to act in a similar way to a reduction in a constant coupling coefficient in reducing the width of the interval in forcing frequency or period over which complete synchronization was observed (the "Arnol'd tongue") with respect to the detuning, although for the strongest pulse-like forcing profile some degree of synchronization was discernible even at δ=0.1 . Complete phase synchronization was obtained within the Arnol'd tongue itself, although the strength of the amplitude modulation of the baroclinic wave was not significantly affected. These experiments demonstrate a possible mechanism for intraseasonal and/or interannual "teleconnections" within the climate system of the Earth and other planets that does not rely on Rossby wave propagation across the planet along great circles.

Relative contributions of synoptic and intraseasonal variations to strong cold events over eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Lei; Wu, Renguang; Jiao, Yang

2018-06-01

The present study investigates the relative roles of intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) and synoptic variations in strong cold events over eastern China during the boreal winter. The ISOs and synoptic variations explain about 55% and 20% of the total area-mean temperature anomaly in eastern China, respectively. The advection of synoptic winds on synoptic temperature gradients has a leading contribution to the temperature decrease before the cold events and thus the synoptic variations are important in determining the time of peak cold anomalies. The ISOs have a larger role in sustaining the cold events. The height anomalies associated with ISOs and synoptic variations are manifested as Rossby wave trains propagating along the polar front jet over the Eurasian continent before the cold events. They both contribute to the deepening of the East Asian trough and the development of cold events. Compared to the ISO wave train, the synoptic wave train has a smaller spatial scale and moves faster. There are obvious intraseasonal signals in the stratosphere about 1 week before the cold events over eastern China. Large negative height anomalies associated with the weakening of the polar vortex are observed over the North Atlantic. These anomalies move eastwards and propagate downwards after reaching the west coast of Europe. The downward moving stratospheric signal triggers height anomalies in the troposphere over the entrance region of the polar front jet. Then the anomalies propagate towards East Asia along the wave train, contributing to the intensification of the Siberian high and the East Asian trough and the occurrence of cold events over eastern China.

The Role of the Indian Ocean Sector for Prediction of the Coupled Indo-Pacific System: Impact of Atmospheric Coupling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hackert, E. C.; Busalacchi, A. J.; Carton, J.; Murtugudde, R.; Arkin, P.; Evans, M. N.

2017-01-01

Indian Ocean (IO) dynamics impact ENSO predictability by influencing wind and precipitation anomalies in the Pacific. To test if the upstream influence of the IO improves ENSO validation statistics, a combination of forced ocean, atmosphere, and coupled models are utilized. In one experiment, the full tropical Indo-Pacific region atmosphere is forced by observed interannual SST anomalies. In the other, the IO is forced by climatological SST. Differences between these two forced atmospheric model experiments spotlight a much richer wind response pattern in the Pacific than previous studies that used idealized forcing and simple linear atmospheric models. Weak westerlies are found near the equator similar to earlier literature. However, at initialization strong easterlies between 30 deg. S to 10 deg. S and 0 deg. N to 25 deg. N and equatorial convergence of the meridional winds across the entire Pacific are unique findings from this paper. The large-scale equatorial divergence west of the dateline and northeasterly-to-northwesterly cross-equatorial flow converging on the equator east of the dateline in the Pacific are generated from interannual IO SST coupling. In addition, off-equatorial downwelling curl impacts large-scale oceanic waves (i.e., Rossby waves reflect as western boundary Kelvin waves). After 3 months, these downwelling equatorial Kelvin waves propagate across the Pacific and strengthen the NINO3 SST. Eventually Bjerknes feedbacks take hold in the eastern Pacific which allows this warm anomaly to grow. Coupled forecasts for NINO3 SST anomalies for 1993-2014 demonstrate that including interannual IO forcing significantly improves predictions for 3-9 month lead times.

The role of the Indian Ocean sector for prediction of the coupled Indo-Pacific system: Impact of atmospheric coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hackert, E. C.; Busalacchi, A. J.; Carton, J.; Murtugudde, R.; Arkin, P.; Evans, M. N.

2017-04-01

Indian Ocean (IO) dynamics impact ENSO predictability by influencing wind and precipitation anomalies in the Pacific. To test if the upstream influence of the IO improves ENSO validation statistics, a combination of forced ocean, atmosphere, and coupled models are utilized. In one experiment, the full tropical Indo-Pacific region atmosphere is forced by observed interannual SST anomalies. In the other, the IO is forced by climatological SST. Differences between these two forced atmospheric model experiments spotlight a much richer wind response pattern in the Pacific than previous studies that used idealized forcing and simple linear atmospheric models. Weak westerlies are found near the equator similar to earlier literature. However, at initialization strong easterlies between 30°S-10°S and 0°N-25°N and equatorial convergence of the meridional winds across the entire Pacific are unique findings from this paper. The large-scale equatorial divergence west of the dateline and northeasterly-to-northwesterly cross-equatorial flow converging on the equator east of the dateline in the Pacific are generated from interannual IO SST coupling. In addition, off-equatorial downwelling curl impacts large-scale oceanic waves (i.e., Rossby waves reflect as western boundary Kelvin waves). After 3 months, these downwelling equatorial Kelvin waves propagate across the Pacific and strengthen the NINO3 SST. Eventually Bjerknes feedbacks take hold in the eastern Pacific which allows this warm anomaly to grow. Coupled forecasts for NINO3 SST anomalies for 1993-2014 demonstrate that including interannual IO forcing significantly improves predictions for 3-9 month lead times.

Near-surface energy transfers from internal tide beams to smaller vertical scale motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, S.; Staquet, C.; Carter, G. S.; Luther, D. S.

2016-02-01

Mechanical energy capable of causing diapycnal mixing in the ocean is transferred to the internal wave field when barotropic tides pass over underwater topography and generate internal tides. The resulting internal tide energy is confined in vertically limited structures, or beams. As internal tide beams (ITBs) propagate through regions of non-uniform stratification in the upper ocean, wave energy can be scattered through multiple reflections and refractions, be vertically trapped, or transferred to non-tidal frequencies through different nonlinear processes. Various observations have shown that ITBs are no longer detectable in horizontal kinetic energy beyond the first surface reflection. Importantly, this implies that some of the internal tide energy no longer propagates in to the abyssal ocean and consequently will not be available to maintain the density stratification. Using the NHM, a nonlinear and nonhydrostatic model based on the MITgcm, simulations of an ITB propagating up to the sea surface are examined in order to quantify the transformation of ITB energy to other motions. We compare and contrast the transformations enabled by idealized, smoothly-varying stratification with transformations enabled by realistic stratification containing a broad-band vertical wavenumber spectrum of variations. Preliminary two-dimensional results show that scattering due to small-scale structure in realistic stratification profiles from Hawaii can lead to energy being vertically trapped near the surface. Idealized simulations of "locally" generated internal solitary waves are analyzed in terms of energy flux transfers from the ITB to solitary waves, higher harmonics, and mean flow. The amount of internal tide energy which propagates back down after near-surface reflection of the ITB in different environments is quantified.

Atmospheric blocking as a traffic jam in the jet stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, N.; Huang, S. Y.

2017-12-01

It is demonstrated using the ERA-Interim product that synoptic to intraseasonal variabilities of extratropical circulation in the boreal storm track regions are strongly affected by the zonal convergence of the column-integrated eastward flux of local wave activity (LWA). In particular, from the multi-year daily samples of LWA fluxes, we find that the wintertime zonal LWA flux in the jet exit regions tends to maximize for an intermediate value of column-averaged LWA. This is because an increasing LWA decelerates the zonal flow, eventually weakening the eastward advection of LWA. From theory we argue that large wave events on the decreasing side of the flux curve with increasing LWA cannot be maintained as a stable steady state. Consistent with this argument, observed states corresponding to that side of flux curve often exhibit local wave breaking and blocking events. A close parallelism exists for the traffic flow problem, in which the traffic flux (traffic density times traffic speed) is often observed to maximize for an intermediate value of traffic density. This is because the traffic speed is controlled not only by the imposed speed limit but also by the traffic density — an increasingly heavy traffic slows down the flow naturally and eventually decreases the flux. Once the flux starts to decrease with an increasing traffic density, a traffic jam kicks in suddenly (Lighthill and Whitham 1955, Richards 1956). The above idea is demonstrated by a simple conceptual model based on the equivalent barotropic PV contour design (Nakamura and Huang 2017, JAS), which predicts a threshold of blocking onset. The idea also suggests that the LWA that gives the `flux capacity,' i.e., the maximum LWA flux at a given location, is a useful predictor of local wave breaking/block formation.

An A-train climatology of extratropical cyclone clouds and precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naud, C. M.; Booth, J.; Del Genio, A. D.; van den Heever, S. C.; Posselt, D. J.

2016-12-01

It is demonstrated using the ERA-Interim product that synoptic to intraseasonal variabilities of extratropical circulation in the boreal storm track regions are strongly affected by the zonal convergence of the column-integrated eastward flux of local wave activity (LWA). In particular, from the multi-year daily samples of LWA fluxes, we find that the wintertime zonal LWA flux in the jet exit regions tends to maximize for an intermediate value of column-averaged LWA. This is because an increasing LWA decelerates the zonal flow, eventually weakening the eastward advection of LWA. From theory we argue that large wave events on the decreasing side of the flux curve with increasing LWA cannot be maintained as a stable steady state. Consistent with this argument, observed states corresponding to that side of flux curve often exhibit local wave breaking and blocking events. A close parallelism exists for the traffic flow problem, in which the traffic flux (traffic density times traffic speed) is often observed to maximize for an intermediate value of traffic density. This is because the traffic speed is controlled not only by the imposed speed limit but also by the traffic density — an increasingly heavy traffic slows down the flow naturally and eventually decreases the flux. Once the flux starts to decrease with an increasing traffic density, a traffic jam kicks in suddenly (Lighthill and Whitham 1955, Richards 1956). The above idea is demonstrated by a simple conceptual model based on the equivalent barotropic PV contour design (Nakamura and Huang 2017, JAS), which predicts a threshold of blocking onset. The idea also suggests that the LWA that gives the `flux capacity,' i.e., the maximum LWA flux at a given location, is a useful predictor of local wave breaking/block formation.

Quasi-biennial variation of equatorial waves as seen in satellite remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zeyu

The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in zonal winds in the lower stratosphere at the Equator is the most prominent inter-annual variation signal in the middle atmosphere. Theoretically, it is driven by the drag from the damping of equatorial waves including the equatorially trapped planetary scale waves, such as Kelvin waves propagating eastward and Rossby-gravity waves propagating westward, inertio-gravity waves and gravity waves. In current research, the tem-perature data collected by the SABER/TIMED mission in 2002-2009 are used to investigate the equatorial waves activities. The Fast Fourier Synoptic Mapping (FFSM) method is applied to delineate planetary wave components with the zonal wavenumber spanning over -6 to +6, hereby, positive (negative) wavenumber is assigned to westward (eastward) propagating waves. Limited by the SABER/TIMED sampling scheme, only the waves with periods longer than one day can be resolved. Focusing on the height region 70-10 hPa where the QBO signal is most significant, it is clearly observed that the composite activity of all the eastward waves exhibit QBO like variation. Specifically, for each QBO cycle, the activity at 50 hPa level is characterized by the occurrence of a substantially clear minimum that coincides to the fast downward propagation of the westerly phase, the typical pattern of the QBO phenomenon. Phase speed spectra are derived by using the FFSM analysis results. And vertical shear of the zonal wind is derived by using the rawinsonde data at Singapore. Comparison of the phase speed spectra and the wind shear indicates that the minimum is due to the westerly shear below 30 hPa. Between the minimum, significant wave activities emerge, thus the property for the components are investigated. Results show that in height range 70-10 hPa, both wave 1 to wave 3 are prominent during the inter-minimum period for each QBO cycle. At 50 hPa level, wave 1 component exhibits amplitude spectral peak at three kinds of period, 8, 11 and 20 day. Meanwhile, shifting to shorter period is seen as wave number increases, for example, the 20-day period spectrum is attenuated substantially for wave 2 and wave 3 components. Moreover, results also show that although with small amplitude, wave 4 and wave 5 with shorter periods of 4-7 days are discernable in particular in the inter-minimum period. Further details will be presented in the talk.

Note on the equivalence of a barotropic perfect fluid with a k-essence scalar field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arroja, Frederico; Sasaki, Misao

In this brief report, we obtain the necessary and sufficient condition for a class of noncanonical single scalar field models to be exactly equivalent to barotropic perfect fluids, under the assumption of an irrotational fluid flow. An immediate consequence of this result is that the nonadiabatic pressure perturbation in this class of scalar field systems vanishes exactly at all orders in perturbation theory and on all scales. The Lagrangian for this general class of scalar field models depends on both the kinetic term and the value of the field. However, after a field redefinition, it can be effectively cast inmore » the form of a purely kinetic k-essence model.« less

Effect of the Earth's rotation on subduction processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, B. W.; Rodkin, M. V.; Sasorova, E. V.

2017-09-01

The role played by the Earth's rotation is very important in problems of physics of the atmosphere and ocean. The importance of inertia forces is traditionally estimated by the value of the Rossby number: if this parameter is small, the Coriolis force considerably affects the character of movements. In the case of convection in the Earth's mantle and movements of lithospheric plates, the Rossby number is quite small; therefore, the effect of the Coriolis force is reflected in the character of movements of the lithospheric plates. Analysis of statistical data on subduction zones verifies this suggestion.

Mechanisms of flow and water mass variability in Denmark Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moritz, Martin; Jochumsen, Kerstin; Quadfasel, Detlef; Mashayekh Poul, Hossein; Käse, Rolf H.

2017-04-01

The dense water export through Denmark Strait contributes significantly to the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Overflow water is transported southwestward not only in the deep channel of the Strait, but also within a thin bottom layer on the Greenland shelf. The flow on the shelf is mainly weak and barotropic, exhibiting many recirculations, but may eventually contribute to the overflow layer in the Irminger Basin by spilling events in the northern Irminger Basin. Especially the circulation around Dohrn Bank and the Kangerdlussuaq Trough contribute to the shelf-basin exchange. Moored observations show the overflow in Denmark Strait to be stable during the last 20 years (1996-2016). Nevertheless, flow variability was noticed on time scales of eddies and beyond, i.e. on weekly and interannual scales. Here, we use a combination of mooring data and shipboard hydrographic and current data to address the dominant modes of variability in the overflow, which are (i) eddies, (ii) barotropic pulsations of the plume, (iii) lateral shifts of the plume core position, and (iv) variations in vertical extension, i.e. varying overflow thickness. A principle component analysis is carried out and related to variations in sea surface height and wind stress, derived from satellite measurements. Furthermore, a test for topographic waves is performed. Shelf contributions to the overflow core in the Irminger Basin are identified from measurements of temperature and salinity, as well as velocity, which were obtained during recent cruises in the region. The flow and water mass pattern obtained from the observational data is compared to simulations in a high resolution regional model (ROMS), where tracer release experiments and float deployments were carried out. The modelling results allow a separation between different atmospheric forcing modes (NAO+ vs NAO- situations), which impact the water mass distribution and alter the dense water pathways on the Greenland shelf. Finally, the results are discussed with respect to other regional model studies on the circulation in the northern Irminger Basin.

The importance of non-quasigeostrophic forcing during the development of a blocking anticyclone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsou, Chih-Hua; Smith, Phillip J.

1990-01-01

This study examines the impact of non-quasigeostrophic (NQG) processes during the development of a blocking anticyclone (January 21, 1979 over the southern tip of Greenland) and a precursor, upstream intense cyclone (January 18, 1979). Energy quantities and height tendencies determined from quasigeostrophic estimates are compared with the same quantities obtained from more general formulations. GLA FGGE Level III-b analysis on a 4 deg lat by 5 deg long grid was used to obtain energetics results. It is concluded that NQG processes strengthened the intensity of the block and a precursor explosive cyclone and that a portion of this increase resulted from enhanced baroclinic conversion of eddy potential to eddy kinetic energy and reduced barotropic energy conversion from eddy to zonal flow. It is suggested that NQG vorticity advection, instead of moderating wave developments, enhanced the block development, and it is also suggested that QG forcing might not have been adequate to produce the observed block development.

Acoustic resonances in cylinder bundles oscillating in a compressibile fluid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, W.H.; Raptis, A.C.

1984-12-01

This paper deals with an analytical study on acoustic resonances of elastic oscillations of a group of parallel, circular, thin cylinders in an unbounded volume of barotropic, compressible, inviscid fluid. The perturbed motion of the fluid is assumed due entirely to the flexural oscillations of the cylinders. The motion of the fluid disturbances is first formulated in a three-dimensional wave form and then casted into a two-dimensional Helmholtz equation for the harmonic motion in time and in axial space. The acoustic motion in the fluid and the elastic motion in the cylinders are solved simultaneously. Acoustic resonances were approximately determinedmore » from the secular (eigenvalue) equation by the method of successive iteration with the use of digital computers for a given set of the fluid properties and the cylinders' geometry and properties. Effects of the flexural wavenumber and the configuration of and the spacing between the cylinders on the acoustic resonances were thoroughly investigated.« less

Cold Episodes, Their Precursors and Teleconnections in the Central Peruvian Andes (1958-2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulca, J. C.; Vuille, M. F.; Trasmonte, G.; Silva, Y.; Takahashi, K.

2014-12-01

The Mantaro valley (MV) is located in the central Peruvian Andes. Occasionally, cold episodes are observed during the austral summer (January-March), which strongly damage crops. However, little is known about the causes and impacts of such cold episodes in the MV. The main goal of this study is thus to characterize cold episodes in the MV and assess their large-scale circulation and teleconnections over South America (SA) during austral summer. To identify cold events in the MV daily minimum temperature for the period 1958-2009 from Huayao station, located within the MV was used. We defined a cold episode as the period when daily minimum temperature drops below the 10-percentile for at least one day. Several gridded reanalysis and satellite products were used to characterize the large-scale circulation, cloud cover and rainfall over SA associated with these events for same period. Cold episodes in the MV are associated with positive OLR anomalies, which extend over much of the central Andes, indicating reduced convective cloud cover during these extremes, but also affirm the large-scale nature of these events. At the same time, northeastern Brazil (NEB) registers negative OLR anomalies, strong convective activity and enhanced cloud cover because displacement of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ) toward the northeast of its climatologic position. Further, it is associated with a weakening of the Bolivian High - Nordeste Low (BH-NL) system at upper levels, but also influenced by a low-level migratory high-pressure center develops at 30°S, 50°W; propagating from mid- to low latitudes as part of an extratropical Rossby wave train. In conclusion, cold episodes in the MV appear to be caused by radiative cooling associated with reduced cloudiness, rather than cold air advection. The reduced cloud cover in turn results from a robust large-scale pattern of westerly wind anomalies over central Peruvian Andes, inhibiting moisture influx, convective activity and hence cloud formation. At the same time NEB registers strong convective activity and enhanced cloud cover. This dipole is caused by a weakening of BH-NL system at upper levels, which is associated with a low-level migratory high-pressure center, propagating from mid- to low latitudes as part of an extratropical Rossby wave train.

How Do Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures Influence the Seasonal Distribution of Precipitation in the Equatorial Amazon?.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Rong; Dickinson, Robert E.; Chen, Mingxuan; Wang, Hui

2001-10-01

Although the correlation between precipitation over tropical South America and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the Pacific and Atlantic has been documented since the early twentieth century, the impact of each ocean on the timing and intensity of the wet season over tropical South America and the underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. Numerical experiments have been conducted using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model Version 3 to explore these impacts. The results suggest the following.1)Seasonality of SSTs in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic has an important influence on precipitation in the eastern Amazon during the equinox seasons. The eastern side of the Amazon is influenced both by the direct thermal circulation of the Atlantic intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and by Rossby waves. These processes are enhanced by the seasonal cycles of SSTs in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific. SSTs affect Amazon precipitation much less during the solstice seasons and in the western Amazon.2)The seasonality of SSTs in the Atlantic more strongly affects Amazon rainfall than does that of the Pacific. Without the former, austral spring in the eastern equatorial Amazon would be a wet season, rather than the observed dry season. As a consequence of the lag at that time of the southward seasonal migration of the Atlantic SSTs behind that of the insolation, the Atlantic ITCZ centers itself near 10°N, instead of at the equator, imposing subsidence and low-level anticyclonic flow over the eastern equatorial Amazon, thus drying the air above the planetary boundary layer and reducing the low-level moisture convergence. Consequently, convection in the eastern Amazon is suppressed despite strong surface heating.3)Seasonality of the SSTs in the tropical Pacific also tends to reduce precipitation in the eastern Amazon during both spring and fall. In spring, subsidence is enhanced not only through a zonal direct circulation, but also through Rossby waves propagating from the extratropical South Pacific to subtropical South America. This teleconnection strengthens the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) and the Nordeste low, in both cases reducing precipitation in the eastern Amazon. A direct thermal response to the Pacific SSTs enhances lower-level divergence and reduces precipitation from the northern tropical Atlantic to the northeastern Amazon.

Monsoon Variability in the Arabian Sea from Enhanced and Standard Horizontal Resolution Coupled Climate Models.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClean, J.; Veneziani, C.; Maltrud, M. E.; Taylor, M.; Bader, D. C.; Branstetter, M. L.; Evans, K. J.; Mahajan, S.

2016-02-01

The circulation of the upper ocean in the Arabian Sea switches direction seasonally due to the change in direction of the prevailing winds associated with the Indian Monsoon. Predictability of the monsoon circulation, however, is uncertain due to incomplete understanding of the physical processes operating on the monsoon and other time scales, particularly interannual and intraseasonal. We use the Community Earth System Model (CESM) with enhanced horizontal resolution in each of its components relative to standard coupled climate model resolution, to better understand these time scale interactions. A standard resolution CESM counterpart is used to assess how horizontal resolution impacts the depiction of these processes. In the enhanced resolution case, 0.25° Community Atmosphere Model 5 (CAM5) is coupled to, among other components, the tripolar nominal 0.1° Parallel Ocean Program 2 (POP2). The fine resolution CESM simulation was run for 85 years; constant 1850 preindustrial forcing was used throughout the run, allowing us to isolate internal variability of the coupled system. Model parameters were adjusted ("tuned") to produce an acceptably small top of the atmosphere radiation imbalance. The reversal of the Somali Current (SC), the western boundary current off northeast Africa, has typically been associated with that of the monsoon. The SC reverses from southwestward in boreal winter to northeastward in summer; coastal upwelling is induced by the summer monsoonal winds. Recently it has been shown from new observations that the SC starts to reverse prior to the monsoon switch. Westward propagating Rossby waves have been implicated as responsible for the early SC reversal. We will discuss the sequencing of remote and local forcing on the timing of the spring inter-monsoonal switch in the direction of the SC and the appearance of the Great Whirl off the Oman Coast. Particularly, we consider how the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) acts to modify the seasonal strength and variability of the western boundary current system including upwelling. We look for a connection between interannual upwelling variability and that of rainfall off the west coast of India. As well, we examine changes due to the IOD in the upper ocean temperature and salinity structure along the Rossby wave propagation route in the Arabian Sea.

Observed seasonal and interannual variability of the near-surface thermal structure of the Arabian Sea Warm Pool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, R. R.; Ramakrishna, S. S. V. S.

2017-06-01

The observed seasonal and interannual variability of near-surface thermal structure of the Arabian Sea Warm Pool (ASWP) is examined utilizing a reanalysis data set for the period 1990-2008. During a year, the ASWP progressively builds from February, reaches its peak by May only in the topmost 60 m water column. The ASWP Index showed a strong seasonal cycle with distinct interannual signatures. The years with higher (lower) sea surface temperature (SST) and larger (smaller) spatial extent are termed as strong (weak) ASWP years. The differences in the magnitude and spatial extent of thermal structure between the strong and weak ASWP regimes are seen more prominently in the topmost 40 m water column. The heat content values with respect to 28 °C isotherm (HC28) are relatively higher (lower) during strong (weak) ASWP years. Even the secondary peak in HC28 seen during the preceding November-December showed higher (lower) magnitude during the strong ASWP (weak) years. The influence of the observed variability in the surface wind field, surface net air-sea heat flux, near-surface mixed layer thickness, sea surface height (SSH) anomaly, depth of 20 °C isotherm and barrier layer thickness is examined to explain the observed differences in the near-surface thermal structure of the ASWP between strong and weak regimes. The surface wind speed is much weaker in particular during the preceding October and February-March corresponding to the strong ASWP years when compared to those of the weak ASWP years implying its important role. Both stronger winter cooling during weak ASWP years and stronger pre-monsoon heating during strong ASWP years through the surface air-sea heat fluxes contribute to the observed sharp contrast in the magnitudes of both the regimes of the ASWP. The upwelling Rossby wave during the preceding summer monsoon, post-monsoon and winter seasons is stronger corresponding to the weak ASWP regime when compared to the strong ASWP regime resulting in greater cooling of the near-surface layers during the summer monsoon season of the preceding year. On the other hand, the downwelling Rossby wave is stronger during pre-monsoon months during the strong ASWP regime when compared to weak ASWP regime leading to lesser cooling during strong ASWP regime.

Experimental studies of rotating exchange flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabe, B.; Smeed, D. A.; Dalziel, S. B.; Lane-Serff, G. F.

2007-02-01

Ocean basins are connected by straits and passages, geometrically limiting important heat and salt exchanges which in turn influence the global thermohaline circulation and climate. Such exchange can be modeled in an idealized way by taking into consideration the density-driven two-layer flow along a strait under the influence of rotation. We use a laboratory model of a lock exchange between two reservoirs of different density through a flat-bottom channel with a horizontal narrows, set up on two different platforms: a 1 m diameter turntable, where density interface position was measured by dye attenuation, and the 14 m diameter turntable at Coriolis/LEGI (Grenoble, France), where correlation imaging velocimetry, a particle imaging technique, allowed us to obtain for the first time detailed measurements of the velocity fields in these flows. The influence of rotation is studied by varying a parameter, Bu, a type of Burger number given by the ratio of the Rossby radius to the channel width at the narrows. In addition, a two-layer version of the Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Model (MICOM) is used, to study the cases with low Burger number. Results from experiments by Dalziel [1988. Two-layer hydraulics: maximal exchange flows. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, see also ] are also included for comparison. Time-mean exchange fluxes for any Bu are in close agreement with the inviscid zero-potential vorticity theory of Dalziel [1990. Rotating two-layer sill flows. In: Pratt, L.J. (Ed.), The Physical Oceanography of Sea Straits. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp. 343-371] and Whitehead et al. [1974. Rotating hydraulics of strait and sill flows. Geophysical Fluid Dynamics 6, 101-125], who found that fluxes for Bu>1 mainly vary with channel width, similar to non-rotating flow, but for Bu<1 are only limited by the Rossby radius. We also show theoretically that non-zero-potential vorticity results in only a small increase in the predicted exchange flux around Bu˜1. The flow characteristics are found to be very different for small and large Burger numbers: for Bu>1 a steady, two-layer flow was observed that persisted across the channel at the narrows with only some across-channel variation. The distribution of the Froude number is found to give some evidence for hydraulic control in a manner similar to that of non-rotating flows under the influence of bottom drag. Flow for Bu<0.5 does not appear to reach a steady state but instead is characterized by an unsteady, meandering current and several eddies in the strait. Similar instabilities also occur in wide oceanic straits, where several mechanisms, such as barotropic and baroclinic instability, have been proposed and could also be one cause of time variability in our experiments. Both the laboratory experiments and the MICOM results suggest that in the presence of bottom drag or side wall friction some features of the flow, such as the location of the channel crossing, become sensitive to the initial conditions. These effects differ in flows with Bu>1 and Bu<1.

Three-Dimensional Structure of the Circulation Induced by a Shoaling Topographic Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuta, G.; Hogg, N. G.

2003-12-01

Rectification of Rossby wave energy has been proposed as a mechanism for the maintenance of the recirculation cell of the Gulf Stream (Hogg 1988; Rizzoli et al. 1995). We investigated the three-dimensional structure of potential-vorticity flux and a mean flow induced by a topographic wave incident over a bottom slope analytically and numerically, focusing on the limit that bottom friction is the dominant dissipation process. In this limit it is shown that the topographic wave cannot be a steady source of the potential vorticity outside the bottom Ekman layer. Instead, the distribution of potential vorticity is determined from the initial transient of the topographic wave. This potential vorticity and the heat flux by the topographic wave at the bottom determine the mean flow, and give a relation between the horizontal and vertical scales of the mean flow. When the horizontal scale of the mean flow is larger than the internal deformation radius, the mean flow is almost constant with depth independent of whether or not the topographic wave is trapped near the bottom. Then the mean flow at the bottom is proportional to the divergence of vertically integrated Reynolds stress ∫ -D0 /line{u'v'} dz. This divergence, which is caused by bottom friction, is large when the group velocity, cg and the vertical scale, μ -1 of the wave motion are small. Thus the mean flow tends to be large where cg and μ -1 become small, and decreases as the topographic wave is dissipated by bottom friction. Since bottom friction also dissipates the mean flow, the mean flow asymptotes to a constant value as the friction becomes zero. These features of the potential-vorticity flux and the mean flow are reproduced in numerical experiments. It is also shown from the numerical experiment that the distribution of the mean flow depends on the amplitude of the wave because of the Doppler shift of the wave by the mean flow. These feature of the mean flow are preserved when we used stratification and bottom topography resembling to those over the continental slope near the Gulf Stream. The transport of the mean flow is about 20 Sv when the wave amplitude is about 2 cm/s. These numbers are similiar to those observed in the Gulf Stream region.

Wind-induced circulation in a large tropical lagoon: Chetumal Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacios, E.; Carrillo, L.

2013-05-01

Chetumal Bay is a large tropical lagoon located at the Mesoamerican Reef System. Windinduced circulation in this basin was investigated by using direct measurements of current, sea level, and 2d barotropic numerical model. Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP) transects covering the north of Chetumal Bay during two campaigns September 2006 and March 2007 were used. The 2d barotropic numerical model was ROMs based and wind forced. Wind information was obtained from a meteorological station located at ECOSUR Chetumal. Sea level data was collected from a pressure sensor deployed in the lagoon. A seasonal pattern of circulation was observed. From observations, during September 2006, a northward flow was shown in most part of the bay and a southward flow in the eastern coast was observed with velocities ranged from 6 cm s-1 to 36 cm s-1. In March 2007, the current pattern was more complex; divergences and converges were identified. The dominant circulation was northward in eastern portion, and southward in the central and western zone. The average current speed was 6 cm s-1 with maximum values of 26 -34 cm s-1. During September 2006 predominant wind was easternsoutheastern and during March 2007, northerly wind events were recorded. Sea level amplitude responded quickly to changes in the magnitude and direction of the wind. Results of sea level and circulation from the 2d barotropic numerical model agreed with observations at first approximation.

Shedding light on the eccentricity valley: Gap heating and eccentricity excitation of giant planets in protoplanetary disks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsang, David; Cumming, Andrew; Turner, Neal J., E-mail: dtsang@physics.mcgill.ca

2014-02-20

We show that the first order (non-co-orbital) corotation torques are significantly modified by entropy gradients in a non-barotropic protoplanetary disk. Such non-barotropic torques can dramatically alter the balance that, for barotropic cases, results in the net eccentricity damping for giant gap-clearing planets embedded in the disk. We demonstrate that stellar illumination can heat the gap enough for the planet's orbital eccentricity to instead be excited. We also discuss the 'Eccentricity Valley' noted in the known exoplanet population, where low-metallicity stars have a deficit of eccentric planets between ∼0.1 and ∼1 AU compared to metal-rich systems. We show that this featuremore » in the planet distribution may be due to the self-shadowing of the disk by a rim located at the dust sublimation radius ∼0.1 AU, which is known to exist for several T Tauri systems. In the shadowed region between ∼0.1 and ∼1 AU, lack of gap insolation allows disk interactions to damp eccentricity. Outside such shadowed regions stellar illumination can heat the planetary gaps and drive eccentricity growth for giant planets. We suggest that the self-shadowing does not arise at higher metallicity due to the increased optical depth of the gas interior to the dust sublimation radius.« less

Accurate Modelling of Surface Currents and Internal Tides in a Semi-enclosed Coastal Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, S. E.; Soontiens, N. K.; Dunn, M. B. H.; Liu, J.; Olson, E.; Halverson, M. J.; Pawlowicz, R.

2016-02-01

The Strait of Georgia is a deep (400 m), strongly stratified, semi-enclosed coastal sea on the west coast of North America. We have configured a baroclinic model of the Strait of Georgia and surrounding coastal waters using the NEMO ocean community model. We run daily nowcasts and forecasts and publish our sea-surface results (including storm surge warnings) to the web (salishsea.eos.ubc.ca/storm-surge). Tides in the Strait of Georgia are mixed and large. The baroclinic model and previous barotropic models accurately represent tidal sea-level variations and depth mean currents. The baroclinic model reproduces accurately the diurnal but not the semi-diurnal baroclinic tidal currents. In the Southern Strait of Georgia, strong internal tidal currents at the semi-diurnal frequency are observed. Strong semi-diurnal tides are also produced in the model, but are almost 180 degrees out of phase with the observations. In the model, in the surface, the barotropic and baroclinic tides reinforce, whereas the observations show that at the surface the baroclinic tides oppose the barotropic. As such the surface currents are very poorly modelled. Here we will present evidence of the internal tidal field from observations. We will discuss the generation regions of the tides, the necessary modifications to the model required to correct the phase, the resulting baroclinic tides and the improvements in the surface currents.

A Survey of Synoptic Waves over West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yuan-Ming; Thorncroft, Chris D.; Kiladis, George N.

2017-04-01

Motivated by the pronounced wave-to-wave variability in African easterly wave (AEW) circulation, the three-dimensional structure of synoptic waves over West Africa is revisited with an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) approach to isolate the dominant wave pattern. In this talk we present results of EOF analyses conducted with brightness temperature (Tb) derived from satellite observation and meridional wind at multiple levels from reanalysis data to examine the characteristics and variability of synoptic waves. The structure of waves is extracted by projecting the wind fields and Tb onto the principle components associated with EOF patterns of appropriately filtered parameters. The Tb EOF shows a confined AEW circulation centered around 7.5°N and a distinct evolution of convection within the wave in line with previous research. However, in striking contrast to the confined flow pattern in the Tb EOF, the EOF of 700-hPa meridional wind is distinguished by a meridionally broad AEW circulation. While the peak in circulation is centered around 10°N, there is marked cross-equatorial flow that is associated with an antisymmetric geopotential signature across the equator. This suggests the presence of a mixed Rossby-gravity wave (MRG) structure consistent with Matsuno's shallow water theory. Granted that the vast majority of studies on MRGs focus on the central and western Pacific region, this "hybrid" between AEWs and MRGs over West Africa and Atlantic sector has received little attention and more work regarding the nature and causes of its wave structure and behavior is needed. In addition, an upper-level synoptic wave is captured by EOFs of 200-hPa meridional wind. The kinematic fields reveal a continental-scale wave straddling the equator that resembles an MRG. This upper-level MRG appears to develop in situ over the Horn of Africa and intensifies as it moves across the continent. The associated lower-level structure shows an AEW-like circulation but with a larger spatial extent. This finding motivates the need for more in-depth investigations of synoptic wave variability over the region including an assessment of the direction of causality between the upper-level MRG and the lower-level AEW. This study highlights the various synoptic wave structures over West Africa and their interaction with AEWs. The results suggest the variability of AEW activity could be modulated by, in addition to the large-scale environment, other synoptic waves in the region. We will pursue the EOF approach to shed light on the characteristics and causes of the variability in synoptic wave activity over West Africa.

Influence of the May Southern annular mode on the South China Sea summer monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ting; Li, Jianping; Li, YanJie; Zhao, Sen; Zheng, Fei; Zheng, Jiayu; Yao, Zhixiong

2017-07-01

The possible impact of the May Southern Hemisphere (SH) annular mode (SAM) on the following South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon (SCSSM) is examined. A close inverse relationship between the two is revealed in the observations. The simultaneous South Pacific dipole (SPD), a dipole-like sea surface temperature anomaly pattern in the South Pacific, acts as the "oceanic bridge" to preserve the May SAM signal and prolong it into June-September. Observational evidence and numerical simulations both demonstrate that the SPD communicates its large thermal inertia signal to the atmosphere, regulating the Southern Pacific Subtropical Jet (SPSJ) variability over eastern Australia. Corresponding to the adjustment of circulation associated with the SPSJ is a prominent tripolar cross-Pacific teleconnection pattern stretching from the SH middle-high latitudes into the NH East Asia coastal region, referred to as the South-North Pacific (SNP) teleconnection pattern. Wave ray tracing analysis manifests that the SNP acts as the "atmospheric bridge" to propagate the related wave energy across the equator and into the Maritime Continent and SCS monsoon region, modulating the vertical motion and middle-lower tropospheric flows, and favoring the out-of-phase variation of the SCSSM. Therefore, the "coupled oceanic-atmospheric bridge" process and the related Rossby wave energy transmission are possible mechanisms for the significant influence of the May SAM on the variability of the following SCSSM. Therefore, the May SAM provides a fresh insight into the prediction of the SCSSM from the perspective of the SH high latitudes.

Diabatic modification of potential vorticity in extratropical cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chagnon, J.

2012-12-01

Representation of diabatic processes and their impact on extratropical cyclones is a likely source of skill degradation in operational numerical weather prediction systems. This investigation examines the source, structure, and magnitude of diabatic potential vorticity (PV) anomalies generated by small-scale and parameterized processes in both mesoscale and global model simulations of extratropical cyclones in the North Atlantic. Simulations of several cold season extratropical storms have been performed using the Met Office Unified Model. Several cases simulated were drawn from the DIAbatic influences on Mesoscale structures in ExTratropical cyclones (DIAMET) observational campaign during which the National Environmental Research Council (NERC) Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM) BAE-146 aircraft was deployed. The influence of specific modelled processes was quantified using a set of tracers, each of which represents a history of the PV contributed by a specific segment of the model (e.g., boundary-layer scheme, cloud microphysics, convection scheme , radiation, etc.). This presentation will highlight several differences and similarities in high and low resolution simulations. For example, in high resolution simulations, tropopause folds are sharpened by a tripolar PV anomaly arising from the convection, boundary-layer, and microphysics schemes; this structure is not present in coarser global model simulations. However, a dipole of PV straddling the tropopause is diagnosed in both coarse- and fine-resolution simulations. The PV dipole, which is strongly influenced by long-wave radiative cooling, increases the gradient of PV near the tropopause and therefore modifies the characteristics Rossby wave propagation and moist baroclinic wave growth.