scholarly journals Extratropical Summertime Response to Tropical Interannual Variability in an Idealized GCM

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (18) ◽  
pp. 7060-7079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. J. Hall ◽  
Hervé Douville ◽  
Laurent Li
Keyword(s):  
Linear Response ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Western Hemisphere ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Linear Wave ◽  
African Region ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract A primitive equation model is used to investigate the role of the tropics in generating seasonal-mean anomalies in the extratropics. A nudging technique is applied to guide selected tropical regions toward 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/Department of Energy Reanalysis (NCEP-2). The time-independent linear response to these tropical anomalies is calculated for extratropical basic states taken from reanalysis climatologies and also from the climatological states of Action de Recherche Petite Echelle Grande Echelle (ARPEGE) and Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMDZ) general circulation model simulations. For summer case studies, time-independent linear solutions show that some seasonal anomalies can be attributed to linear wave propagation from the tropics, especially for lower extratropical latitudes. If nudging is applied to the anomaly part of the tropical flow, the linear response shows little dependence on the basic state. Regional tropical nudging experiments display a global extratropical response. The persistent European summer anomaly in 2003 is partly attributable to a linear response to both Central American and West African monsoon circulations. The African region also triggers a wave train along the Asian subtropical jet. The model is then used in “simple GCM” mode to obtain extratropical responses that include a contribution from transient eddies. Tropical nudging improves the simple GCM's stationary wave climatology, and transient eddy forcing can produce substantial seasonal anomalies at high latitudes with better correspondence to some observed cases, especially in the Western Hemisphere, with stronger communication between the Asian monsoon and North America.

scholarly journals South Atlantic Variability Arising from Air–Sea Coupling: Local Mechanisms and Tropical–Subtropical Interactions

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (14) ◽  
pp. 3345-3365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylwia Trzaska ◽  
Andrew W. Robertson ◽  
John D. Farrara ◽  
Carlos R. Mechoso
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
South Atlantic ◽  
Ocean Dynamics ◽  
Shortwave Radiation ◽  
Tropical Atlantic ◽  
Shallow Clouds ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract Interannual variability in the southern and equatorial Atlantic is investigated using an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) coupled to a slab ocean model (SOM) in the Atlantic in order to isolate features of air–sea interactions particular to this basin. Simulated covariability between sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and atmosphere is very similar to the observed non-ENSO-related covariations in both spatial structures and time scales. The leading simulated empirical coupled mode resembles the zonal mode in the tropical Atlantic, despite the lack of ocean dynamics, and is associated with baroclinic atmospheric anomalies in the Tropics and a Rossby wave train extending to the extratropics, suggesting an atmospheric response to tropical SST forcing. The second non-ENSO mode is the subtropical dipole in the SST with a mainly equivalent barotropic atmospheric anomaly centered on the subtropical high and associated with a midlatitude wave train, consistent with atmospheric forcing of the subtropical SST. The power spectrum of the tropical mode in both simulation and observation is red with two major interannual peaks near 5 and 2 yr. The quasi-biennial component exhibits a progression between the subtropics and the Tropics. It is phase locked to the seasonal cycle and owes its existence to the imbalances between SST–evaporation and SST–shortwave radiation feedbacks. These feedbacks are found to be reversed between the western and eastern South Atlantic, associated with the dominant role of deep convection in the west and that of shallow clouds in the east. A correct representation of tropical–extratropical interactions and of deep and shallow clouds may thus be crucial to the simulation of realistic interannual variability in the southern and tropical Atlantic.

scholarly journals Dynamics of the Extratropical Response to a Tropical Atlantic SST Anomaly

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 560-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuanglin Li ◽  
Walter A. Robinson ◽  
Martin P. Hoerling ◽  
Klaus M. Weickmann
Keyword(s):  
Linear Response ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Linear Component ◽  
Tropical Atlantic ◽  
Transient Eddy ◽  
The North

Abstract Previous atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) experiments revealed that atmospheric responses to a tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) were asymmetric with respect to the sign of the SSTA. A positive SSTA produced a south–north dipole in geopotential heights, much like the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), while a negative SSTA yielded an eastward-propagating wave train, with the northern lobe of the NAO absent. Here these height responses are decomposed into components that are symmetric or antisymmetric with respect to the sign of the SSTA. The symmetric, or notionally linear, component is a nearly south–north dipole projecting on the NAO, while the antisymmetric, or notionally nonlinear, component is a different dipole. Experiments with a diagnostic linear baroclinic model (LBM) suggest that both components are maintained primarily by transient-eddy forcing. Dynamical mechanisms for the formation of the two components are explored using the LBM and a nonlinear barotropic vorticity equation model (BVM). Transient-eddy feedback is sufficient to explain the linear response. The NAO-like linear response occurs when the initial heating induces transient-eddy forcing in the exit of the Atlantic jet. The structure of the background absolute vorticity in this region is such that this transient-eddy forcing induces a nearly north–south dipole in anomalous geopotential heights. When the nonlinear self-interaction of this transient-induced low-frequency perturbation is included in the BVM, the dipole axis tilts to the east or west, resulting in a response that is nonlinear about the sign of the forcing.

scholarly journals Climatology and Variability of Precipitation in the Twentieth-Century Reanalysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (15) ◽  
pp. 5964-5981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Eun Lee ◽  
Michela Biasutti
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Great Accuracy ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Tropical Oceans ◽  
Twentieth Century Reanalysis

Abstract The performance of the Twentieth-Century Reanalysis (20CR) in reproducing observed monthly mean precipitation over the global domain is compared to that of comprehensive reanalyses that also assimilate upper-air and satellite observations [the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), ECMWF Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim), and NCEP–U.S. Department of Energy reanalysis (NCEP2)] and to that of an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) ensemble simulation [Global Ocean Global Atmosphere (GOGA)] that is forced with observed sea surface temperature (SST). Wintertime rainfall variability in the midlatitude continents and storm tracks is captured with great accuracy, similar to the comprehensive reanalyses, but summertime rainfall is not, probably in consequence of the greater importance of convection in the summer season. Over the tropics, the accuracy of all reanalyses is much less than over the midlatitudes. Over tropical land, the performance of 20CR is better than NCEP2 and similar to ERA-Interim and CFSR, but over the tropical oceans the most recent reanalyses perform significantly better. Across the twentieth century, the clearest gain from the assimilation of a denser observational dataset is the expansion of the area of good skill. A comparison of the accuracy and ensemble spread in the 20CR and GOGA ensembles highlights regions where SST forcing is a stronger source of skill than data assimilation for 20CR. In contrast, for some tropical regions such as the Sahel, the assimilation of sea level pressure is effective in constraining precipitation values—but model biases in the teleconnections with global SST limit the performance of 20CR.

scholarly journals A Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer HDO/H<sub>2</sub>O retrieval simulator for climate models

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 13827-13880
Author(s):  
R. D. Field ◽  
C. Risi ◽  
G. A. Schmidt ◽  
J. Worden ◽  
A. Voulgarakis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Satellite Measurement ◽  
Climate Simulations ◽  
Accurate Comparison ◽  
Free Running ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Short Time

Abstract. Retrievals of the isotopic composition of water vapor from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) have unique value in constraining moist processes in climate models. Accurate comparison between simulated and retrieved values requires that model profiles that would be poorly retrieved are excluded, and that an instrument operator be applied to the remaining profiles. Typically, this is done by sampling model output at satellite measurement points and using the quality flags and averaging kernels from individual retrievals at specific places and times. This approach is not reliable when the modeled meteorological conditions influencing retrieval sensitivity are different from those observed by the instrument at short time scales, which will be the case for free-running climate simulations. In this study, we describe an alternative, "categorical" approach to applying the instrument operator, implemented within the NASA GISS ModelE general circulation model. Retrieval quality and averaging kernel structure are predicted empirically from model conditions, rather than obtained from collocated satellite observations. This approach can be used for arbitrary model configurations, and requires no agreement between satellite-retrieved and modeled meteorology at short time scales. To test this approach, nudged simulations were conducted using both the retrieval-based and categorical operators. Cloud cover, surface temperature and free-tropospheric moisture content were the most important predictors of retrieval quality and averaging kernel structure. There was good agreement between the δD fields after applying the retrieval-based and more detailed categorical operators, with increases of up to 30‰ over the ocean and decreases of up to 40‰ over land relative to the raw model fields. The categorical operator performed better over the ocean than over land, and requires further refinement for use outside of the tropics. After applying the TES operator, ModelE had δD biases of −8‰ over ocean and −34‰ over land compared to TES δD, which were less than the biases using raw modeled δD fields.

Zonal Wave 3 Pattern in the Southern Hemisphere generated by tropical convection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rishav Goyal ◽  
Martin Jucker ◽  
Alex Sen Gupta ◽  
Harry Hendon ◽  
Matthew England
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Hadley Cell ◽  
Wave Source ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract A distinctive feature of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) extratropical atmospheric circulation is the quasi-stationary zonal wave 3 (ZW3) pattern, characterized by three high and three low-pressure centers around the SH extratropics. This feature is present in both the mean atmospheric circulation and its variability on daily, seasonal and interannual timescales. While the ZW3 pattern has significant impacts on meridional heat transport and Antarctic sea ice extent, the reason for its existence remains uncertain, although it has long been assumed to be linked to the existence of three major land masses in the SH extratropics. Here we use an atmospheric general circulation model to show that the stationery ZW3 pattern is instead driven by zonal asymmetric deep atmospheric convection in the tropics, with little to no role played by the orography or land masses in the extratropics. Localized regions of deep convection in the tropics form a local Hadley cell which in turn creates a wave source in the subtropics that excites a poleward and eastward propagating wave train which forms stationary waves in the SH high latitudes. Our findings suggest that changes in tropical deep convection, either due to natural variability or climate change, will impact the zonal wave 3 pattern, with implications for Southern Hemisphere climate, ocean circulation, and sea-ice.

scholarly journals Meridionally Extending Anomalous Wave Train over Asia During Breaks in the Indian Summer Monsoon

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uppara Umakanth ◽  
Ramesh K. Vellore ◽  
R. Krishnan ◽  
Ayantika Dey Choudhury ◽  
Jagat S. H. Bisht ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Indian Summer Monsoon ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Cyclonic Circulation ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Indian Landmass ◽  
Central Eastern

Abstract Anomalous interactions between the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) circulation and subtropical westerlies are known to trigger breaks in the ISM on subseasonal time-scales, characterised by a pattern of suppressed rainfall over central-north India, and enhanced rainfall over the foothills of the central–eastern Himalayas (CEH). An intriguing feature during ISM breaks is the formation of a mid-tropospheric cyclonic circulation anomaly extending over the subtropical and mid-latitude areas of the Asian continent. This study investigates the mechanism of the aforesaid Asian continental mid-tropospheric cyclonic circulation (ACMCC) anomaly using observations and simplified model experiments. The results of our study indicate that the ACMCC during ISM breaks is part of a larger meridional wave train comprising of alternating anticyclonic and cyclonic anomalies that extend poleward from the monsoon region to the Arctic. A lead–lag analysis of mid-tropospheric circulation anomalies suggests that the meridional wave-train generation is linked to latent heating (LH) anomalies over the CEH foothills, Indo-China, and the Indian landmass during ISM breaks. By conducting sensitivity experiments using a simplified global atmospheric general circulation model forced with satellite-derived three-dimensional LH, it is demonstrated that the combined effects of the enhanced LH over the CEH foothills and Indo-China and decreased LH over the Indian landmass during ISM breaks are pivotal for generating the poleward extending meridional wave train and the ACMCC anomaly. At the same time, the spatial extent of the mid-latitude cyclonic anomaly over Far-East Asia is also influenced by the anomalous LH over central–eastern China. While the present findings provide interesting insights into the role of LH anomalies during ISM breaks on the poleward extending meridional wave train, the ACMCC anomaly is found to have important ramifications on the daily rainfall extremes over the Indo-China region. It is revealed from the present analysis that the frequency of extreme rainfall occurrences over Indo-China shows a twofold increase during ISM break periods as compared to active ISM conditions.

The Freshening of Surface Waters in High Latitudes: Effects on the Thermohaline and Wind-Driven Circulations

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 896-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Fedorov ◽  
Marcelo Barreiro ◽  
Giulio Boccaletti ◽  
Ronald Pacanowski ◽  
S. George Philander
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waters ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Thermohaline Circulation ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Ocean General Circulation Model ◽  
Critical Parameters ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Oceanic Circulation ◽  
Meridional Overturning ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract The impacts of a freshening of surface waters in high latitudes on the deep, slow, thermohaline circulation have received enormous attention, especially the possibility of a shutdown in the meridional overturning that involves sinking of surface waters in the northern Atlantic Ocean. A recent study by Fedorov et al. has drawn attention to the effects of a freshening on the other main component of the oceanic circulation—the swift, shallow, wind-driven circulation that varies on decadal time scales and is closely associated with the ventilated thermocline. That circulation too involves meridional overturning, but its variations and critical transitions affect mainly the Tropics. A surface freshening in mid- to high latitudes can deepen the equatorial thermocline to such a degree that temperatures along the equator become as warm in the eastern part of the basin as they are in the west, the tropical zonal sea surface temperature gradient virtually disappears, and permanently warm conditions prevail in the Tropics. In a model that has both the wind-driven and thermohaline components of the circulation, which factors determine the relative effects of a freshening on the two components and its impact on climate? Studies with an idealized ocean general circulation model find that vertical diffusivity is one of the critical parameters that affect the relative strength of the two circulation components and hence their response to a freshening. The spatial structure of the freshening and imposed meridional temperature gradients are other important factors.

scholarly journals Pacific Influences on Tropical Atlantic Teleconnections to the Southern Hemisphere High Latitudes

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (18) ◽  
pp. 6425-6444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham R. Simpkins ◽  
Yannick Peings ◽  
Gudrun Magnusdottir
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Rossby Wave ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Wave Train ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Hadley Circulation ◽  
Walker Circulation ◽  
Tropical Atlantic ◽  
Dynamical Mechanism

Abstract Several recent studies have connected Antarctic climate variability to tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures (SST), proposing a Rossby wave response from the Atlantic as the primary dynamical mechanism. In this investigation, reanalysis data and atmospheric general circulation model experiments are used to further diagnose these dynamical links. Focus is placed on the possible mediating role of Pacific processes, motivated by the similar spatial characteristics of Southern Hemisphere (SH) teleconnections associated with tropical Atlantic and Pacific SST variability. During austral winter (JJA), both reanalyses and model simulations reveal that Atlantic teleconnections represent a two-mechanism process, whereby increased tropical Atlantic SST promotes two conditions: 1) an intensification of the local Atlantic Hadley circulation (HC), driven by enhanced interaction between SST anomalies and the ITCZ, that increases convergence at the descending branch, establishing anomalous vorticity forcing from which a Rossby wave emanates, expressed as a pattern of alternating positive and negative geopotential height anomalies across the SH extratropics (the so-called HC-driven components); and 2) perturbations to the zonal Walker circulation (WC), driven primarily by an SST-induced amplification, that creates a pattern of anomalous upper-level convergence across the central/western Pacific, from which an ENSO-like Rossby wave train can be triggered (the so-called WC-driven components). While the former are found to dominate, the WC-driven components play a subsidiary yet important role. Indeed, it is the superposition of these two separate but interrelated mechanisms that gives the overall observed response. By demonstrating an additional Pacific-related component to Atlantic teleconnections, this study highlights the need to consider Atlantic–Pacific interactions when diagnosing tropical-related climate variability in the SH extratropics.

scholarly journals The Response of a Simplified GCM to Axisymmetric Forcings: Applicability of the Fluctuation–Dissipation Theorem

2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (12) ◽  
pp. 3880-3898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Ring ◽  
R. Alan Plumb
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Quantitative Relationship ◽  
Model Atmosphere ◽  
Annular Mode ◽  
Annular Modes ◽  
Fluctuation Dissipation ◽  
Fluctuation Dissipation Theorem ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract Following on their previous work, in which they found the annular modes to be a preferred response of a simplified general circulation model atmosphere to a number of mechanical forcings, the authors now explore the quantitative relationship between forcing and response. In particular, the applicability of the fluctuation–dissipation theorem to this problem is investigated. First, the set of model trials is expanded by including runs in which the applied forcings are thermal rather than mechanical. For thermal forcings confined to the extratropics, “annular mode–like” responses, reminiscent of those found in earlier work, are found, but, as found in previous studies, the response is less like an annular mode when the forcing has significant amplitude in the tropics. Assuming small departures from the control climatology, and making a few further assumptions, the authors derive a theoretical relationship between forcing and response. This relationship is a statement of the fluctuation–dissipation theorem for this problem. The response of the model is found to be qualitatively consistent with the theoretical predictions. However, several aspects of the response diverge quantitatively from the theoretical expectation.

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