Eddy Activity Sensitivity to Changes in the Vertical Structure of Baroclinicity

Abstract

Abstract The relation between the mean meridional temperature gradient and eddy fluxes has been addressed by several eddy flux closure theories. However, these theories give little information on the dependence of eddy fluxes on the vertical structure of the temperature gradient. The response of eddies to changes in the vertical structure of the temperature gradient is especially interesting since global circulation models suggest that as a result of greenhouse warming, the lower-tropospheric temperature gradient will decrease whereas the upper-tropospheric temperature gradient will increase. The effects of the vertical structure of baroclinicity on atmospheric circulation, particularly on the eddy activity, are investigated. An idealized global circulation model with a modified Newtonian relaxation scheme is used. The scheme allows the authors to obtain a heating profile that produces a predetermined mean temperature profile and to study the response of eddy activity to changes in the vertical structure of baroclinicity. The results indicate that eddy activity is more sensitive to temperature gradient changes in the upper troposphere. It is suggested that the larger eddy sensitivity to the upper-tropospheric temperature gradient is a consequence of large baroclinicity concentrated in upper levels. This result is consistent with a 1D Eady-like model with nonuniform shear showing more sensitivity to shear changes in regions of larger baroclinicity. In some cases, an increased temperature gradient at lower-tropospheric levels might decrease the eddy kinetic energy, and it is demonstrated that this might be related to the midwinter minimum in eddy kinetic energy observed above the northern Pacific.