Abstract
Abstract The nonlinear equilibrium response to idealized low-latitude heating is examined and compared with the linear response using a spectral, equatorial β-plane shallow-water model. Three categories of mass forcing are considered: wave-only forcing, wave plus latitudinally symmetric “Hadley” zonal forcing centered on the equator, and wave plus latitudinally antisymmetric “monsoonal” zonal forcing. The forced zonal wavenumber index is either m =2 or m = 8; nonlinear effects “scatter” energy into harmonies m = 4 or 16. Sixteen distinct solutions are analyzed to identify the mechanistic relations between forcing patterns and flow responses. Significant nonlinear modifications occur for the latitudinally symmetric and antisymmetric zonal forcing runs; these are mainly the result of changes in the zonal and forced wave modes. In the four wave-only experiments, most nonlinear differences are small and due to the presence of higher harmonics, but a preference for easterly anomalous winds is noted. When zonal...
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