Tropical Waves in a GCM with Zonal Symmetry

Abstract

Abstract Tropical wave phenomena have been examined in the last 520 days of two 15-year runs of a low-resolution general circulation model (CCMO). The model boundary conditions were simplified to all-land, perpetual equinox, and no topography. The two runs were for fixed soil moisture at 75% and 0% , the so-called “wet” and “dry” models. Both models develop well-defined ITCZs with low-level convergence erratically concentrated along the equator. Highly organized eastward-propagating waves are detectable in both models with different wave speeds depending on the presence of moisture. The wave amplitudes (in, e.g., vertical velocity) are many orders of magnitude stronger in the wet model. The waves have a definite transverse nature as precipitation (low-level convergence) patches tend to move systematically north and south across the equator. In the wet model the waves are distinctly nondispersive and the transit time for passage around the earth is about 50 days, consistent with the Madden–Julian frequency...