Propagating Annular Modes: Empirical Orthogonal Functions, Principal Oscillation Patterns, and Time Scales

The two leading empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of zonal-mean zonal wind describe north–south fluctuations, and intensification and narrowing, respectively, of the midlatitude jet. Under certain circumstances, these two leading EOFs cannot be regarded as independent but are in fact manifestations of a single, coupled, underlying mode of the dynamical system describing the evolution in time of zonal wind anomalies. The true modes are revealed by the principal oscillation patterns (POPs). The leading mode and its associated eigenvalue are complex, its structure involves at least two EOFs, and it describes poleward (or equatorward) propagation of zonal-mean zonal wind anomalies. In this propagating regime, the principal component (PC) time series associated with the two leading EOFs decay nonexponentially, and the response of the system to external forcing in a given EOF does not depend solely on the PC decorrelation time nor on the projection of the forcing onto that EOF. These considerations are illustrated using results from an idealized dynamical core model. Results from Southern Hemisphere ERA-Interim data are partly consistent with the behavior of the model’s propagating regime. Among other things, these results imply that the time scale that determines the sensitivity of a model to external forcing might be different from the decorrelation time of the leading PC and involves both the rate of decay of the dynamical mode and the period associated with propagation.

Hydrophilic Interpolymer Associates as a Satellite Product of Reactions of Formation of Interpolymer Complexes

It is shown, that reaction between polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl caprolactam leads to formation of wide range of different products. Besides classic interpolymer complexes and physically cross-linked hydrogels, the intermediates are formed. Those intermediates, particularly, include hydrophilic interpolymer associates, i.e. semistable polymer networks existing in dynamical mode, which is characterized by continuous process of formation/destroying of hydrogen bonds. Other intermediate products are relatively stable fragments of the polymer networks or associates stabilized by hydrogen bonds.

Mechanisms of Meridional Teleconnection Observed between a Summer Monsoon System and a Subtropical Anticyclone. Part I: The Pacific–Japan Pattern

Summertime atmospheric circulation over the midlatitude western North Pacific (WNP) is influenced by anomalous convective activity near the Philippines. This meridional teleconnection, observed in monthly anomalies and known as the Pacific–Japan (PJ) pattern, is characterized by zonally elongated cyclonic and anticyclonic anomalies around the enhanced convection center and to its northeast, respectively, in the lower troposphere, with an apparent poleward phase tilt with height. The authors’ idealized two-layer linear model, whose basic state consists of a zonal subtropical jet and a pair of a monsoon system and a subtropical anticyclone, can simulate a PJ-like response against diabatic heating located between the pair. Each of the observed and simulated patterns can gain energy through barotropic and baroclinic conversions from the zonally varying baroclinic mean flow, in an efficiency comparable with that of energy generation due to the anomalous diabatic heating, indicating a characteristic of the pattern as a dry dynamical mode. In fact, the conversion efficiency is sensitive to the location of the anomaly pattern relative to the climatological-mean flow. Furthermore, the second-least damped mode identified in the idealized model bears certain resemblance with the observed PJ pattern, indicating its modal characteristics as well as a critical importance of these features in the mean field for the pattern. In addition to the PJ pattern, another meridional teleconnection pattern with high efficiency for its energy conversion is identified observationally in association with anomalous convection near the Bonin Islands. The anomalous circulation of the PJ pattern, in turn, can intensify the anomalous convective activity near the Philippines through enhancing evaporation and moisture convergence and dynamically inducing anomalous ascent. It is thus hypothesized that the PJ pattern can be regarded as a moist dynamical mode that sustains itself both via dry energy conversion and interaction with moist processes.