The impact of uncertainties in surface layer physics on the atmospheric general circulation is comparatively unexplored. Here the sensitivity of the zonal-mean circulation to reduced air-sea momentum roughness ($Z_{0m}$) at low flow speed is investigated with the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3). In an aquaplanet framework with prescribed sea surface temperatures, the response to reduced $Z_{0m}$ resembles the La Ni$\tilde{\text{n}}$a minus El Ni$\tilde{\text{n}}$o response to El Ni$\tilde{\text{n}}$o Southern Oscillation variability with: i) a poleward shift of the mid-latitude westerlies extending all the way to the surface; ii) a weak poleward shift of the subtropical descent region; and iii) a weakening of the Hadley circulation, which is generally also accompanied by a poleward shift of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the tropical surface easterlies. Mechanism-denial experiments show this response to be initiated by the reduction of tropical latent and sensible heat fluxes, effected by reducing $Z_{0m}$. The circulation response is elucidated by considering the effect of the tropical energy fluxes on the Hadley circulation strength, the upper tropospheric critical layer latitudes, and the lower-tropospheric baroclinic eddy forcing. The ITCZ shift is understood via moist static energy budget analysis in the tropics. The circulation response to reduced $Z_{0m}$ carries over to more complex setups with seasonal cycle, full complexity of atmosphere-ice-land-ocean interaction, and a slab ocean lower boundary condition. Hence, relatively small changes in the surface parameterization parameters can lead to a significant circulation response.
Variations in zonal surface temperature gradients and zonally asymmetric tropical overturning circulations (Walker circulations) are examined over a wide range of climates simulated with an idealized atmospheric general circulation model (GCM). The asymmetry in the tropical climate is generated by an imposed ocean energy flux, which does not vary with climate. The range of climates is simulated by modifying the optical thickness of an idealized longwave absorber (representing greenhouse gases). The zonal surface temperature gradient in low latitudes generally decreases as the climate warms in …
The variability of the zonal-mean large-scale extratropical circulation is often studied using individual modes obtained from empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses. The prevailing reduced-order model of the leading EOF (EOF1) of zonal-mean zonal wind, called the annular mode, consists of an eddy-mean flow interaction mechanism that results in a positive feedback of EOF1 onto itself. However, a few studies have pointed out that under some circumstances in observations and GCMs, strong couplings exist between EOF1 and EOF2 at some lag times, resulting in decaying-oscillatory, or propagati…
The zonal-mean atmospheric flow of an idealized terrestrial planet is analyzed using both numerical simulations and zonally symmetric theories, focusing largely on the limit of low planetary rotation rate. Two versions of a zonally symmetric theory are considered, the standard Held-Hou model, which features a discontinuous zonal wind at the edge of the Hadley cell, and a variant with continuous zonal wind but discontinuous temperature. The two models have different scalings for the boundary latitude and zonal wind. Numerical simulations are found to have smoother temperature profiles than eith…
A general circulation model of intermediate complexity with an idealized earthlike aquaplanet setup is used to study the impact of changes in the oceanic heat transport on the global atmospheric circulation. Focus is put on the Lorenz energy cycle and the atmospheric mean meridional circulation. The latter is analysed by means of the Kuo-Eliassen equation. The atmospheric heat transport compensates the imposed oceanic heat transport changes to a large extent in conjunction with significant modification of the general circulation. Up to a maximum about 3PW, an increase of the oceanic heat trans…
Zonal asymmetries control the response of atmospheric blocking to Arctic warming in an aquaplanet experiment
University of Trento（特伦托大学）；Istituto Universitario Superiore di Pavia（帕维亚高等大学研究所）；University of Exeter（埃克塞特大学）；Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento（特伦托大学农业食品环境中心）
An atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) with idealized and complete physics has been used to evaluate the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) jet. In idealized physics, the role of upper tropospheric friction has been found to be important in getting realistic upper tropospheric zonal wind patterns in response to heating. In idealized physics, the location and strength of the TEJ as a response to Gill heating has been studied. Though the Gill model is considered to be widely successful in capturing the lower tropospheric response, it is found to be inadequate in explaining the location and str…
Meridional energy transport extremes and the general circulation of Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes: dominant weather regimes and preferred zonal wavenumbers
Using the horizontal neutral wind observations from the MIGHTI instrument onboard NASA's ICON (Ionospheric Connection Explorer) spacecraft with continuous coverage, we determine the climatology of the mean zonal and meridional winds and the associated mean circulation at low- to middle latitudes ($10^\circ$S-40$^{\circ}$N) for Northern Hemisphere {summer} solstice conditions between 90 km and 200 km altitudes, specifically on 20 June 2020 solstice as well as for a one-month period from 8 June-7 July 2020 {and for Northern winter season from 16 December 2019-31 January 2020, which spans a 47-da…
When studying tropical cyclones using the $f$-plane, axisymmetric, gradient balanced model, there arises a second-order elliptic equation for the transverse circulation. Similarly, when studying zonally symmetric meridional circulations near the equator (the tropical Hadley cells) or the katabatically forced meridional circulation over Antarctica, there also arises a second order elliptic equation. These elliptic equations are usually derived in the pressure coordinate or the potential temperature coordinate, since the thermal wind equation has simple non-Jacobian forms in these two vertical c…
A quasi-geostrophic intermediate complexity model is considered, providing a schematic representation of the baroclinic conversion processes which characterize the physics of the mid-latitudes atmospheric circulation. The model is relaxed towards a given latitudinal temperature profile, which acts as baroclinic forcing, controlled by a parameter TE determining the forced equator-to-pole temperature gradient. As TE increases, a transition takes place from a stationary regime to a periodic regime, and eventually to an earth-like chaotic regime where evolution takes place on a strange attractor. …
At the cloud top level of Venus (65-70 km altitude) the atmosphere rotates 60 times faster than the underlying surface, a phenomenon known as superrotation. Whereas on Venus's dayside the cloud top motions are well determined and Venus general circulation models predict a mean zonal flow at the upper clouds similar on both day and nightside, the nightside circulation remains poorly studied except for the polar region. Here we report global measurements of the nightside circulation at the upper cloud level. We tracked individual features in thermal emission images at 3.8 and 5.0 $\mathrm{μm}$ o…
Future changes in the location of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) due to climate change are of high interest since they could substantially alter precipitation patterns in the tropics and subtropics. Although models predict a future narrowing of the ITCZ during the 21st century in response to climate warming, uncertainties remain large regarding its future position, with most past work focusing on the zonal-mean ITCZ shifts. Here we use projections from 27 state-of-the-art climate models (CMIP6) to investigate future changes in ITCZ location as a function of longitude and season, in …
A simple analytical model is developed for the current induced by the wind and modified by surface wind-waves in the oceanic surface layer, based on a first-order turbulence closure and including the effect of a vortex force representing the Stokes drift of the waves. The shear stress is partitioned between a component due to shear in the current, which is reduced at low turbulent Langmuir number ($La_t$), and a wave-induced component, which decays over a depth proportional to the dominant wavelength. The model reproduces the apparent reduction of the friction velocity and enhancement of the r…
Poleward trends in seasonal-mean latitudes of tropical cyclones (TCs) have been identified in direct observations from 1980 to present. Paleoclimate reconstructions also indicate poleward-equatorward migrations over centennial to millennial timescales. Hadley circulation (HC) is often both implicitly and explicitly invoked to provide dynamical linkages to these shifts, although no direct analysis of concurrent changes in the recent period has been presented. Here the observational TC record (1981-2016) and the ERA-Interim, JRA55 and MERRA2 reanalyses are studied to examine potential relationsh…
We present a set of idealised numerical experiments of a solstitial aquaplanet ocean and examine the thermodynamic and dynamic implications of surface gravity waves (SGWs) upon its mean state. The aquaplanet's oceanic circulation is dominated by an equatorial zonal jet and four Ekman driven meridional overturning circulation (MOC) cells aligned with the westerly atmospheric jet streams and easterly trade winds in both hemispheres. Including SGW parameterization (representing modulations of air-sea momentum fluxes, Langmuir circulation and Stokes-Coriolis force) increases mixed layer vertical m…
A new method of regime shift detection in the correlation coefficient is proposed. The method is designed to find multiple change-points with unknown locations in time series. It signals a possible regime shift in real time and allows for its monitoring. The method is tested on randomly generated time series with predefined change-points. It is applied to examine structural changes in the Bering Sea climate. A major shift is found in 1967, which coincides with a transition from a zonal type of atmospheric circulation to a meridional one. The roles of the Siberian and Alaskan centers of action …
Recent studies found that atmospheric superrotation (i.e., west-to-east winds over the equator) on tidally locked planets can modify the phase of planetary waves. But, a clear relationship between the superrotation and the magnitude of the phase shift was not examined. In this study, we re-investigate this problem using a two-dimensional (2D) linear shallow water model with a specified uniform zonal flow. We find that the degree of the phase shift is a monotonic but nonlinear function of the strength of the mean flow, and the phase shift has two limits of -$π$ and +$π$. The existence of these …
