Abstract
AbstractA possibly important dynamical process for the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) convective initiation is proposed. An MJO event during the “CINDY2011” field campaign is triggered by eastward‐moving lower‐tropospheric mixed Rossby‐gravity (MRG) wave packets, and its leading precursor is predominance of upper‐tropospheric MRGs in the Indian Ocean (IO). Simple three‐dimensional model experiments reveal that the upper‐tropospheric MRGs in the IO are amplified particularly in the western IO (WIO) by their westward advection and wave accumulation due to the upper‐level convergence in mean easterlies of the Walker circulation. The model also predicts downward dispersion of the amplified upper‐tropospheric MRGs and resultant lower‐tropospheric MRG wave packet formation. This MRG evolution consistently explains the MJO initiation process during CINDY2011, which is further verified by ray tracing for MRGs. Upper‐tropospheric circumnavigating Kelvin waves assist the proposed mechanism by promoting MRG‐wave accumulation (advection) in their westerly (easterly) phases via enhanced zonal convergence and weakened easterlies (enhanced easterlies).
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