Note on the eddy kinetic energy distribution in relation to the jet stream

Abstract

In a very interesting and well-written paper Kao and Hurley [1962] presented some data on the distribution of mean total and eddy kinetic energy in the vicinity of the jet stream throughout the year. Their findings go very well with results obtained from other studies of the jet stream structure [Reiter, 1961a, 1962]. A few of these jet stream characteristics, which might help to interpret some of the results obtained by Kao and Hurley, will be pointed out here. The most significant findings are the north-eastward shift of the maximums of mean eddy kinetic energy as compared with the position of the maximums of the mean total kinetic energy. Kao and Hurley account for such a shift by considering a jet stream model with a sinusoidal meridional wind profile, upon which a standing and a traveling wave are superimposed simultaneously.