scholarly journals Analyzing Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Using Mass Fluxes Calculated from Weather Balloon Measurements: North Atlantic Region as a Case Study

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1439
Author(s):  
Michael Connolly ◽  
Ronan Connolly ◽  
Willie Soon ◽  
Víctor M. Velasco Herrera ◽  
Rodolfo Gustavo Cionco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Hadley Cell ◽  
Atlantic Sector ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns ◽  
Mass Fluxes ◽  
Circulation Patterns ◽  
Atmospheric Mass

In recent decades, efforts to investigate atmospheric circulation patterns have predominantly relied on either semi-empirical datasets (i.e., reanalyses) or modeled output (i.e., global climate models, GCMs). While both approaches can provide important insights, there is a need for more empirical data to supplement these approaches. In this paper, we demonstrate how the application of relatively simple calculations to the basic measurements from a standard weather balloon radiosonde can provide a vertical profile of the horizontal atmospheric mass fluxes. These mass fluxes can be resolved into their meridional (north/south) and zonal (east/west) components. This provides a new useful empirical tool for analyzing atmospheric circulations. As a case study, we analyze the results for a selected five stations along a fairly constant meridian in the North Atlantic sector from 2015–2019. For each station, we find the atmospheric mass flux profiles from the lower troposphere to mid-stratosphere are surprisingly coherent, suggesting stronger interconnection between the troposphere and stratosphere than previously thought. Although our five stations span a region nominally covered by the classical polar, Ferrel and Hadley meridional circulation cells, the results are inconsistent with those expected for polar and Ferrel cells and only partially consistent with that of a Hadley cell. However, the region is marked by very strong prevailing westerly (west to east) mass fluxes for most of the atmosphere except for the equatorial surface easterlies (“trade winds”). We suggest that the extension of the techniques of this case study to other stations and time periods could improve our understanding of atmospheric circulation patterns and their time variations.

scholarly journals Recent Trends in the Recurrence of North Atlantic Atmospheric Circulation Patterns

Complexity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascal Yiou ◽  
Julien Cattiaux ◽  
Aurélien Ribes ◽  
Robert Vautard ◽  
Mathieu Vrac
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns ◽  
The North ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Circulation Patterns ◽  
Long Term Trends ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Climate Events

A few types of extreme climate events in the North Atlantic region, such as heatwaves, cold spells, or high cumulated precipitation, are connected to the recurrence of atmospheric circulation patterns. Understanding those extreme events requires assessing long-term trends of the atmospheric circulation. This paper presents a set of diagnostics of the intra- and interannual recurrence of atmospheric patterns. Those diagnostics are devised to detect trends in the stability of the circulation and the return period of atmospheric patterns. We detect significant emerging trends in the winter circulation, pointing towards a potential increased predictability. No such signal seems to emerge in the summer. We find that the winter trends in the dominating atmospheric patterns and their recurrences do not depend of the patterns themselves.

Linkages between atmospheric circulation, climate and streamflow in the northern North Atlantic: research prospects

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Kingston ◽  
D. M. Lawler ◽  
G. R. McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns ◽  
The North ◽  
Circulation Patterns ◽  
Northwest Europe ◽  
The North Atlantic Oscillation

This paper evaluates the relationships between atmospheric circulation, climate and streamflow in the northern North Atlantic region over the last century and especially the last 50 years. Improved understanding of climatic influences on streamflow is vital given the great importance of fluvial processes to natural systems and water resources, especially in the light of recent and predicted climate change. The main focus lies with climatic and hydrologic implications of the major circulation patterns in the northern North Atlantic, namely the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Arctic Oscillation (AO). The studies reviewed here reveal key relationships between circulation, climate and streamflow across the northern North Atlantic, allowing the construction of a simple conceptual model for this system. Generally positive NAO/AO-streamflow relationships are found in northwest Europe and northeast USA, with both positive and negative NAO/AO-streamflow linkages apparent for parts of eastern Canada. To help promote a better understanding of the system, several research gaps are identified and critically examined, including: the spatial scope and coverage of investigations; data quality and homogeneity; appropriateness of analytical techniques; and the need for greater knowledge and technique sharing between hydrology and climatology, particularly regarding the rigorous characterization of atmospheric circulation patterns. Among these, the development of seasonally varying, or mobile, NAO indices, to capture variations in subseasonal, seasonal and annual movements in the centres of action, and the need to develop analyses of more hydrologically meaningful climate variables beyond conventional time averaged statistics, are deemed particularly important.

The Transient Atmospheric Circulation Response to North Atlantic SST and Sea Ice Anomalies

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 4751-4767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Deser ◽  
Robert A. Tomas ◽  
Shiling Peng
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Diabatic Heating ◽  
Phase Relationship ◽  
Maximum Amplitude ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Initial Response ◽  
Atlantic Sector ◽  
Equilibrium Response

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the transient evolution of the wintertime atmospheric circulation response to imposed patterns of SST and sea ice extent anomalies in the North Atlantic sector using a large ensemble of experiments with the NCAR Community Climate Model version 3 (CCM3). The initial adjustment of the atmospheric circulation is characterized by an out-of-phase relationship between geopotential height anomalies in the lower and upper troposphere localized to the vicinity of the forcing. This initial baroclinic response reaches a maximum amplitude in ∼5–10 days, and persists for 2–3 weeks. Diagnostic results with a linear primitive equation model indicate that this initial response is forced by diabatic heating anomalies in the lower troposphere associated with surface heat flux anomalies generated by the imposed thermal forcing. Following the initial baroclinic stage of adjustment, the response becomes progressively more barotropic and increases in both spatial extent and magnitude. The equilibrium stage of adjustment is reached in 2–2.5 months, and is characterized by an equivalent barotropic structure that resembles the hemispheric North Atlantic Oscillation–Northern Annular Mode (NAO–NAM) pattern, the model’s leading internal mode of circulation variability over the Northern Hemisphere. The maximum amplitude of the equilibrium response is approximately 2–3 times larger than that of the initial response. The equilibrium response is primarily maintained by nonlinear transient eddy fluxes of vorticity (and, to a lesser extent, heat), with diabatic heating making a limited contribution in the vicinity of the forcing.

scholarly journals The sensitivity of snowfall to weather states over Sweden

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Norin ◽  
Abhay Devasthale ◽  
Tristan S. L'Ecuyer
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic Oscillation ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Cyclonic Circulation ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns ◽  
The North ◽  
Circulation Patterns ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
The North Atlantic Oscillation

Abstract. For a high latitude country like Sweden snowfall is an important contributor to the regional water cycle. Furthermore, snowfall impacts surface properties, affects atmospheric thermodynamics, has implications for traffic and logistics management, disaster preparedness, and also impacts climate through changes in surface albedo and turbulent heat fluxes. For Sweden it has been shown that large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns, or weather states, are important for precipitation variability. Although the link between atmospheric circulation patterns and precipitation has been investigated for rainfall there are no studied focused on the sensitivity of snowfall to weather states over Sweden. In this work we investigate the response of snowfall to eight selected weather states. These weather states consist of four dominant wind directions together with cyclonic and anti-cyclonic circulation patterns and enhanced positive and negative phases of the North Atlantic oscillation. The presented analysis is based on multiple data sources, such as ground-based radar measurements, satellite observations, spatially-interpolated in situ observations, and reanalysis data. The data from these sources converge to underline the sensitivity of falling snow over Sweden to the different weather states. In this paper we examine both average snowfall intensities and snowfall accumulations associated with the different weather states. It is shown that even though the heaviest snowfall intensities occur during conditions with winds from the southwest, the largest contribution to snowfall accumulation arrives from winds from the southeast. Large differences in snowfall due to variations in the North Atlantic oscillation are shown as well as a strong effect of cyclonic and anti-cyclonic circulation patterns. Satellite observations are used to reveal the vertical structures of snowfall during the different weather states.

Decadal changes in North Atlantic atmospheric circulation patterns recorded by sand spits since 1800 CE

Geomorphology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 281 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clément Poirier ◽  
Bernadette Tessier ◽  
Éric Chaumillon ◽  
Xavier Bertin ◽  
Mikkel Fruergaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns ◽  
Circulation Patterns
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