Clouds Associated with the Madden–Julian Oscillation: A New Perspective from CloudSat

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 3032-3051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Riley ◽  
Brian E. Mapes ◽  
Stefan N. Tulich
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Longwave Radiation ◽  
Western Hemisphere ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Local Phase ◽  
Kelvin Wave ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
The Indian Ocean

Abstract The evolution of total cloud cover and cloud types is composited across the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) using CloudSat data for June 2006–May 2010. Two approaches are used to define MJO phases: 1) the local phase is determined at each longitude and time from filtered outgoing longwave radiation, and 2) the global phase is defined using a popular real-time multivariate MJO (RMM) index, which assigns the tropics to an MJO phase each day. In terms of local phase, CloudSat results show a familiar evolution of cloud type predominance: in the growing stages shallow clouds coexist with deep, intense, but narrow convective systems. Widespread cloud coverage and rainfall appear during the active phases, becoming more anvil dominated with time, and finally suppressed conditions return. Results are compared to the convectively coupled Kelvin wave, which has a similar life cycle to the MJO. Convection in the MJO tends to be modulated more by moisture variations compared to the Kelvin wave. In terms of global phases, wide deep precipitating, anvil, cumulus congestus, and altocumulus types exhibit similar eastward propagation from the Indian Ocean to the central Pacific, while the narrow deep precipitating type only propagates to the Maritime Continent. These propagating types also show coherent Western Hemisphere signals. Generally, negative Western Hemisphere anomalies occur when anomalies are positive over the Indian Ocean. In both approaches, sampling leads to pictorial renderings of actual clouds across MJO phases. These mosaics provide an objective representation of the cloud field that was unavailable before CloudSat and serve as a reminder to the complex nature of the MJO’s multiscale features.

scholarly journals Kinematic and Precipitation Characteristics of Convective Systems Observed by Airborne Doppler Radar during the Life Cycle of a Madden–Julian Oscillation in the Indian Ocean

2014 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
pp. 1385-1402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Guy ◽  
David P. Jorgensen
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Dynamical Structure ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Tropical Ocean ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Toga Coare ◽  
Stratiform Precipitation ◽  
The Indian Ocean

Abstract This study presents characteristics of convective systems observed during the Dynamics of the Madden–Julian oscillation (DYNAMO) experiment by the instrumented NOAA WP-3D aircraft. Nine separate missions, with a focus on observing mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), were executed to obtain data in the active and inactive phase of a Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the Indian Ocean. Doppler radar and in situ thermodynamic data are used to contrast the convective system characteristics during the evolution of the MJO. Isolated convection was prominent during the inactive phases of the MJO, with deepening convection during the onset of the MJO. During the MJO peak, convection and stratiform precipitation became more widespread. A larger population of deep convective elements led to a larger area of stratiform precipitation. As the MJO decayed, convective system top heights increased, though the number of convective systems decreased, eventually transitioning back to isolated convection. A distinct shift of echo top heights and contoured frequency-by-altitude diagram distributions of radar reflectivity and vertical wind speed indicated that some mesoscale characteristics were coupled to the MJO phase. Convective characteristics in the climatological initiation region (Indian Ocean) were also apparent. Comparison to results from the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) in the western Pacific indicated that DYNAMO MCSs were linearly organized more parallel to the low-level shear and without strong cold pools than in TOGA COARE. Three-dimensional MCS airflow also showed a different dynamical structure, with a lack of the descending rear inflow present in shear perpendicularly organized TOGA COARE MCSs. Weaker, but deeper updrafts were observed in DYNAMO.

scholarly journals Zonal SST Difference as a Potential Environmental Factor Supporting the Longevity of the Madden–Julian Oscillation

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (18) ◽  
pp. 7549-7564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamaki Suematsu ◽  
Hiroaki Miura
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Western Pacific ◽  
Sst Gradient

An environment favorable for the development of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) was investigated by classifying MJO-like atmospheric patterns as MJO and regionally confined convective (RCC) events. Comparison of MJO and RCC events showed that even when preceded by a major convective suppression event, convective events did not develop into an MJO when large-scale buildup of moist static energy (MSE) was inhibited. The difference in the MSE accumulation between MJO and RCC is related to the contrasting low-frequency basic-state sea surface temperature (SST) pattern; the MJO and RCC events were associated with anomalously warm and cold low-frequency SSTs prevailing over the western to central Pacific, respectively. Differences in the SST anomaly field were absent from the intraseasonal frequency range of 20–60 days. The basic-state SST pattern associated with the MJO was characterized by a positive zonal SST gradient from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, which provided a long-standing condition that allowed for sufficient buildup of MSE across the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific via large-scale low-level convergence over intraseasonal and longer time scales. The results of this study suggest the importance of such a basic-state SST, with a long-lasting positive zonal SST gradient, for enhancing convection over a longer than intraseasonal time scale in realizing a complete MJO life cycle.

scholarly journals Some Aspects of Western Hemisphere Circulation and the Madden–Julian Oscillation

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 2027-2039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Roundy
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Phase Speed ◽  
Ocean Basin ◽  
Western Hemisphere ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Westerly Wind ◽  
Easterly Wind ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract Although the greatest variance in convection associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) occurs over the Indo-Pacific warm pool, the MJO is associated with substantial circulation patterns in the tropics and the extratropics of the Western Hemisphere. Reanalysis data suggest that upper-tropospheric easterly wind anomalies on the equator between 40° and 140°W precede 86% of active convective phases of MJO events greater than one standard deviation in amplitude over the Indian Ocean basin during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Composites of those MJO events that are preceded by westerly wind anomalies and those events preceded by easterly wind anomalies are compared. Results show that those events that are preceded by westerly wind anomalies fail to thrive and do not yield the amplitude in convection or the canonical atmospheric circulation response that is associated with those preceded by easterly wind. The composite of events preceded by easterly winds reveals that these winds amplify coincident with arrival of an anticyclone into the tropics from a wave train that extends across the middle latitudes of the Pacific Ocean and North America. The resultant easterlies then radiate eastward across Africa to the Indian Ocean basin at the phase speed of convectively coupled Kelvin waves, where they are joined by other anticyclones propagating into the tropics, apparently facilitating westward outflow from the amplifying Indian Ocean basin convection.

scholarly journals The Influence of the Madden–Julian Oscillation on Canadian Wintertime Surface Air Temperature

2009 ◽  
Vol 137 (7) ◽  
pp. 2250-2262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai Lin ◽  
Gilbert Brunet
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Surface Air Temperature ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Sea Level Pressure ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Rossby Wave Train

Using the homogenized Canadian historical daily surface air temperature (SAT) for 210 relatively evenly distributed stations across Canada, the lagged composites and probability of the above- and below-normal SAT in Canada for different phases of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the winter season are analyzed. Significant positive SAT anomalies and high probability of above-normal events in the central and eastern Canada are found 5–15 days following MJO phase 3, which corresponds to an enhanced precipitation over the Indian Ocean and Maritime Continent and a reduced convective activity near the tropical central Pacific. On the other hand, a positive SAT anomaly appears over a large part of northern and northeastern Canada about 5–15 days after the MJO is detected in phase 7. An analysis of the evolution of the 500-hPa geopotential height and sea level pressure anomalies indicates that the Canadian SAT anomaly is a result of a Rossby wave train associated with the tropical convection anomaly of the MJO. Hence, the MJO phase provides useful information for the extended-range forecast of Canadian winter surface air temperature. This result also provides an important reference for numerical model verifications.

scholarly journals Simulation of the Madden–Julian Oscillation in the NCAR CCM3 Using a Revised Zhang–McFarlane Convection Parameterization Scheme

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 4046-4064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang J. Zhang ◽  
Mingquan Mu
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Parameterization Scheme ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Shallow Convection ◽  
Time Period ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Convection Parameterization

Abstract This study presents the simulation of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the NCAR CCM3 using a modified Zhang–McFarlane convection parameterization scheme. It is shown that, with the modified scheme, the intraseasonal (20–80 day) variability in precipitation, zonal wind, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is enhanced substantially compared to the standard CCM3 simulation. Using a composite technique based on the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, the paper demonstrates that the simulated MJOs are in better agreement with the observations than the standard model in many important aspects. The amplitudes of the MJOs in 850-mb zonal wind, precipitation, and OLR are comparable to those of the observations, and the MJOs show clearly eastward propagation from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. In contrast, the simulated MJOs in the standard CCM3 simulation are weak and have a tendency to propagate westward in the Indian Ocean. Nevertheless, there remain several deficiencies that are yet to be addressed. The time period of the MJOs is shorter, about 30 days, compared to the observed time period of 40 days. The spatial scale of the precipitation signal is smaller than observed. Examination of convective heating from both deep and shallow convection and its relationship with moisture anomalies indicates that near the mature phase of the MJO, regions of shallow convection developing ahead of the deep convection coincide with regions of positive moisture anomalies in the lower troposphere. This is consistent with the recent observations and theoretical development that shallow convection helps to precondition the atmosphere for MJO by moistening the lower troposphere. Sensitivity tests are performed on the individual changes in the modified convection scheme. They show that both change of closure and use of a relative humidity threshold for the convection trigger play important roles in improving the MJO simulation. Use of the new closure leads to the eastward propagation of the MJO and increases the intensity of the MJO signal in the wind field, while imposing a relative humidity threshold enhances the MJO variability in precipitation.

scholarly journals Ice microphysics retrieval in the convective systems of the Indian Ocean during the CINDY–DYNAMO campaign

2015 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Martini ◽  
Nicolas Viltard ◽  
Scott M. Ellis ◽  
Emmanuel Fontaine
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Ice Microphysics

scholarly journals Impact of the Madden–Julian Oscillation on Summer Rainfall in Southeast China

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Zhang ◽  
Bizheng Wang ◽  
Qingcun Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Tropical Indian Ocean ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Madden Julian Oscillation ◽  
Energy Propagation ◽  
Southeast China ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Western Pacific

Abstract The impact of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on summer rainfall in Southeast China is investigated using the Real-time Multivariate MJO (RMM) index and the observational rainfall data. A marked transition of rainfall patterns from being enhanced to being suppressed is found in Southeast China (east of 105°E and south of 35°N) on intraseasonal time scales as the MJO convective center moves from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean. The maximum positive and negative anomalies of regional mean rainfall are in excess of 10% relative to the climatological regional mean. Such different rainfall regimes are associated with the corresponding changes in physical fields such as the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), moisture, and vertical motions. When the MJO is mainly over the Indian Ocean, the WPSH shifts farther westward, and the moisture and upward motions in Southeast China are increased. In contrast, when the MJO enters the western Pacific, the WPSH retreats eastward, and the moisture and upward motions in Southeast China are decreased. It is suggested that the MJO may influence summer rainfall in Southeast China through remote and local dynamical mechanisms, which correspond to the rainfall enhancement and suppression, respectively. The remote role is the energy propagation of the Rossby wave forced by the MJO-related heating over the Indian Ocean through the low-level westerly waveguide from the tropical Indian Ocean to Southeast China. The local role is the northward shift of the upward branch of the anomalous meridional circulation when the MJO is over the western Pacific, which causes eastward retreat of the WPSH and suppressed moisture transport toward Southeast China.

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