Vertical Propagation Of Planetary Waves Research Articles

Influence of autumn Kara Sea ice on the subsequent winter minimum temperature over the Northeast China

AbstractMany previous studies have examined the influence of Arctic sea ice on the weather/climate of the Northern Hemisphere. However, the precursor signals of Arctic sea ice regarding East Asian winter low temperatures, which are important for climate prediction, have received little attention. This study identified an out‐of‐phase relationship between the autumn sea ice area of the Kara Sea (SICK) and subsequent winter minimum temperature in Northeast China (NEC) during 1979–2019, that is, diminished SICK facilitates cooling anomalies at NEC. Further results showed that the Arctic Oscillation (AO) acts as a bridge in the linkage between the autumn SICK and minimum temperature in NEC. Diminished autumn SICK leads to a weakened polar vortex in both the troposphere and the stratosphere in the subsequent winter through vertical propagation of planetary waves, contributing to a negative phase of the AO. Accordingly, the SICK is followed by anomalous Rossby wave train that originates from Mediterranean Sea and propagates eastward to Northeast Asia. Thus, the SICK has substantially influences on the Mongolia cyclone and minimum temperature in NEC by modulation of the AO. Moreover, the shrinking SICK could lead to the upper‐level decelerated westerly anomalies at East Asia through altering the equator‐to‐pole temperature gradient and induce negative minimum temperature anomalies at NEC. The results of this study have importance regarding the prediction of low temperature anomalies over NEC.

ENSO teleconnections in terms of non-NAO and NAO atmospheric variability

The validity of the long-held understanding or assumption that El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has a remote influence on the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the January–February–March (JFM) months has been questioned recently. We examine this claim further using atmospheric data filtered to separate the variability orthogonal and parallel to NAO. This decomposition of the atmospheric fields is based on the Principal Component/Empirical Orthogonal Function method whereby the leading mode of the sea-level pressure in the North Atlantic sector is recognised as the NAO, while the remaining variability is orthogonal (unrelated) to NAO. Composite analyses indicate that ENSO has statistically significant links with both the non-NAO and NAO variability at various atmospheric levels. Additional bootstrap tests carried out to quantify the uncertainty and statistical significance confirm these relationships. Consistent with previous studies, we find that an ENSO teleconnection in the NAO-related variability is characterised by lower-stratospheric eddy heat flux anomalies (related to the vertical propagation of planetary waves) which appear in November–December and strengthen through JFM. Under El Niño (La Niña), there is constructive (destructive) interference of anomalous eddy heat flux with the climatological pattern, enhancing (reducing) fluxes over the northern Pacific and Barents Sea areas. We further show that the teleconnection of extreme El Niño is essentially a non-NAO phenomenon. Some non-linearity of the teleconnections is suggested, with El Niño including more NAO-related variability than La Niña, but the statistical significance is degraded due to weaker signals and smaller sample sizes after the partitioning. Our findings have implications for the general understanding of the nature of ENSO teleconnections over the North Atlantic, as well as for refining methods to characterise and evaluate them in models.

Relative Effects of the Greenhouse Gases and Stratospheric Ozone Increases on Temperature and Circulation in the Stratosphere over the Arctic

Using a stratosphere-resolving general circulation model, the relative effects of stratospheric ozone and greenhouse gases (GHGs) increase on the temperature and circulation in the Arctic stratosphere are examined. Results show that stratospheric ozone or GHGs increase alone could result in a cooling and strengthening extratropical stratosphere during February, March and April. However, the contribution of stratospheric ozone increases alone on the cooling and strengthening Arctic stratosphere is approximately 2 fold that of the GHGs increase alone. Model simulations suggested that the larger responses of the Arctic stratosphere to the ozone increase alone are closely related to the wave fluxes in the stratosphere, rather than the wave activity in the stratosphere. In response to the ozone increase, the vertical propagation of planetary waves from the troposphere into the mid-latitude stratosphere weakens, mainly contributed by its wavenumber-1 component. The impeded planetary waves tend to result from the larger zonal wind shear and vertical gradient of the buoyancy frequency. The magnitudes of anomalies in the zonal wind shear and buoyancy frequency in response to GHGs increase alone are smaller than in response to the ozone increase, which is in accordance with the larger contribution of stratospheric ozone to the temperature and circulation in the Arctic stratosphere.

Impact of October Snow Cover in Central Siberia on the Following Spring Extreme Precipitation Frequency in Southern China

Spring extreme precipitation poses great challenges to agricultural production and economic development in southern China. From the perspective of prediction, the relationship between spring extreme precipitation frequency (SEPF) in southern China and preceding autumn snow cover over Eurasia is investigated. The results indicate that the southern China SEPF is significantly correlated with October snow cover in central Siberia. Corresponding to reduced October snow cover, the vertical propagation of planetary waves is suppressed, which leads to a strengthened stratospheric polar vortex from October to following December. The signal of the anomalous stratospheric polar vortex propagates downward to the surface, contributing to a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)-like pattern in December. The southwesterlies in the northern Eurasia-eastern Arctic associated with the positive NAO induce sea ice loss in the Barents–Kara seas in January–February, which then tends to enhance the vertical propagation of planetary waves by constructively interfering with the climatological wavenumber-1 component. Therefore, the stratosphere polar vortex is significantly weakened in spring, which further contributes to a negative Arctic Oscillation (AO)-like pattern in the troposphere. The negative spring AO is related to an anomalous cyclone in East Asia, which induces upward motion and moisture convergence in southern China, consequently providing favorable dynamic and moisture conditions for extreme precipitation in the region. The snow cover signal in central Siberia in the preceding October provides a potential source for the prediction of spring extreme precipitation variability in southern China with two seasons in advance.

Modulation of the Westerly and Easterly Quasi-Biennial Oscillation Phases on the Connection between the Madden–Julian Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation

Previous studies have revealed the relationship between the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the Arctic Oscillation (AO). The MJO phase 2/3 is followed by the positive AO phase, and the MJO phase 6/7 is followed by the negative AO phase. This study reveals that the MJO phase 6/7–AO connection is modulated by the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) through both tropospheric and stratospheric pathways during boreal winter. The MJO 2/3 phase and AO relationship is favored in both QBO easterly (QBOE) and westerly (QBOW) years because of the MJO-triggered tropospheric Rossby wave train from the tropics toward the polar region. The AO following the MJO 6/7 phase shifts to negative in QBOW years, but the MJO–AO connection diminishes in QBOE years. In QBOW years, the Asian-Pacific jet is enhanced, leading to more evident poleward propagation of tropospheric Rossby wave train, which contributes to the tropospheric pathway of the AO–MJO 6/7 connection. Besides, the enhanced Asian-Pacific jet in QBOW years is favorable for vertical propagation of planetary waves into the stratosphere in MJO phase 6/7, leading to negative AO, which indicates the stratospheric pathway of the AO–MJO 6/7 connection.

Three-dimensional dynamic features of two arctic oscillation types

We investigated the differences between stratospheric (S-type) and tropospheric (T-type) Arctic Oscillation (AO) events on the intraseasonal time scale, in terms of their influences on surface air temperature (SAT) over the Northern Hemisphere and the dynamic features associated with their spatial structures. S-type AO events showed a stratosphere-troposphere coupled structure, while T-type events exhibited a stratosphere-troposphere uncoupled structure. The annular SAT anomalies over the Northern Hemisphere were found to be associated with S-type AO events, whereas such an annular feature was substantially destructed in T-type AO events. The different horizontal structures in the troposphere of the two types could mainly be attributed to transient eddy feedback forcing. As for the vertically uncoupled structure of Ttype events, the underlying dynamical features that differentiate them from S-type events lie in the vertical propagation of zonally confined Rossby waves. In T-type events, the zonally confined Rossby wave packets can emanate from the significant height anomalies over Northeast Asia, where one vertical waveguide exists, and then propagate upward into the stratosphere. In contrast, such a vertical propagation was not evident for S-type events. The stratospheric anomalies associated with the upward injection of the zonally confined Rossby waves from the troposphere in T-type events can further induce the anomalous vertical propagation of planetary waves (PWs) through the interference between the climatological-mean PWs and anomalous PWs, leading to the final stratosphere-troposphere uncoupled structure of T-type events.

Latitudinal height couplings between single tropopause and 500 and 100 hPa within the Southern Hemisphere

AbstractIn order to provide further insights into the relationships between the tropopause and different mandatory levels, this paper discusses the coupling between standardized tropopause height anomalies (STHAs) and standardized 500‐hPa and 100‐hPa height anomalies (S5HAs and S1HAs, respectively) within the ‘climatic year’ for three sets of upper‐air stations located approximately along 20°S, 30°S and 45°S. Data used in this research consists in a radiosonde database spanning the period 1973–2007. The mandatory levels are supposed to be included in each radiosonde profile. The tropopause, on the other hand, is calculated from the significant levels available for each sounding using the lapse rate definition. After applying a selection procedure, a basic statistical analysis combined with Fourier analysis is carried out in order to build up the standardized variables. Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) in S‐mode are used to get the normal modes of oscillation as well as their time evolution, for STHA/S5HA as well as for STHA/S1HA coupling, separately, within the aforementioned latitudes.Overall, there are definite cycles in the time evolution associated with each EOF structure at all three latitudes, the semi‐annual wave playing the most important role in most of the cases. Nevertheless, 20°S seems to be the only latitude driven by diabatic heating cycles in the middle atmosphere. Certainly, EOF1 at this latitude has a semi‐annual behaviour and seems to be strongly influenced by the tropical convection seasonality. Apparently, the convectively driven release of latent heat in the middle troposphere affects the time evolution of the EOF1 structure. By contrast, the vertical propagation of planetary waves is raised as a possible explanation for the EOF1 and EOF2 behaviour at latitudes beyond 20°S, in view of the close connection existent between the semi‐annual oscillation (SAO) and the reversion in the direction of the zonal wind. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

The Role of Dynamics in Solar Forcing

This paper reviews the solar influence on climate through stratospheric dynamical processes. There are two possible processes, both being a consequence of the wave-mean flow interaction in the upper stratosphere. One involves changes in the vertical propagation of planetary waves and the resultant tropospheric circulation change in the extratropics of the winter hemisphere. The other involves change in the global meridional circulation in the stratosphere and associated convective activity change in the tropics. These processes have been discussed on an 11-year solar cycle, but they are also applicable for centennial-scale solar influence on climate.

Stratospheric Vacillations and the Major Warming over Antarctica in 2002

Abstract The conditions that lead to the major warming over Antarctica in late September 2002 are examined. In many respects, the warming resembled wave-2 warmings seen in the Northern Hemisphere; the winter cyclonic circulation was split into two smaller cyclones by a large amplitude planetary wave disturbance that appeared to propagate upward from the troposphere. However, in addition to this classic warming mechanism, distinctive stratospheric vacillations occurred throughout the preceding winter months. These vacillations in wave amplitude, Eliassen–Palm fluxes, and zonal-mean zonal winds are examined. By comparison with a numerical model experiment, it is shown that the vacillation is accompanied by a systematic weakening of the westerly winds over the season. This preconditions the Antarctic circulation, and it is argued that it allows anomalously strong vertical propagation of planetary waves from the troposphere into the stratosphere. By contrast, a survey of previous winters shows that stratospheric westerlies usually vary much more gradually, with vacillations only occurring for short periods of time, if at all, in a given winter. Similar vacillations in a numerical model of the stratosphere only occur if the forcing amplitude is above a certain value. However, the level of winter-mean wave activity entering the stratosphere during 2002 is not unprecedented, and there is still some uncertainty over the cause of the onset and persistence of the vacillation and, ultimately, the major warming.

Observations of a Major Stratospheric Warming during December 1984

Abstract A major stratospheric sudden warming occurred in the Northern Hemisphere during late December 1984, one of the earliest times such an event has been observed during winter. The seasonal evolution of the stratospheric circumpolar vortex during this winter is strongly affected by this disruption, particularly in the lower stratosphere, and normal midwinter conditions are not reestablished until mid-February. The anomalous postwarming state has a pronounced effect on the vertical propagation of planetary waves from the troposphere.

Lower ionospheric disturbances observed in long-distance VLF transmission at middle latitude

An attempt is made to investigate disturbances in the relative phase of long-distance, cesium-controlled, VLF radio wave propagation from NLK (Jim Creek, U.S.A.) to HCM (Nishinomiya, Japan). The propagation path covers a longitudinal range of about 100° and ranges from L~ 1.2 to L ~ 3.2 in invariant latitude. VLF phase disturbances following major geomagnetic storms indicate that the altitudinal and latitudinal extents of ionization enhancement in the D-region depend on the strength of the storm. The after-effect observed in the night-time VLF phase becomes pronounced especially in winter condition of the D-region. There is another type of VLF phase disturbance in the night-time which is not related to storm but associated with the winter anomaly observed in the daytime at middle latitudes (40°–45°N) but below L = 2. This result suggests that the enhanced ionization occurs in the D-region above about 80 km not only in the daytime but also in the night-time for a group of winter anomalous days. It is likely that the main cause of the enhanced ionization is related to the vertical propagation of planetary waves into the mesosphere, resulting in a sudden warming.

The effect of dissipation on the vertical propagation of planetary waves in the vicinity of critical levels

Planetary waves are excited at an initial time by the switch-on of vertical motion at the base of a stratified, isothermal atmosphere on a β-plane. Dissipation in the form of linear drag and Newtonian cooling is allowed for. Simple zonal wind profifes are used with linear shear and critical or zero wind levels. Dissipation rapidly dampens out residual time-dependent motion such that a steady state is reached in no more than a few weeks at all heights. Dissipation also permits the absorption of significant amounts of planetary-wave energy such that the basic flow cannot be considered invariant with time. The need for more accurate estimates of dissipation time scales in the upper atmosphere is pointed out. An important step toward this end will be a final solution to the problem of the photochemistry of ozone.

Vertical propagation of planetary rossby waves through an atmosphere with Newtonian cooling

A linearized model for the vertical propagation of Rossby waves through an atmosphere with Newtonian cooling is derived. The nature of the vertical propagation depends on the time scale for Newtonian cooling and for horizontal advection by a mean wind, various approximate models being defined according to the relative magnitude of these two time scales. A solution is obtained for the vertical propagation of stationary Rossby waves with Newtonian cooling through a constant mean wind atmosphere. Such waves are highly attenuated for very weak westerly mean winds and are least attenuated for westerly winds of strength somewhat below the propagation cutoff velocity. This attenuation greatly reduces the possible upward vertical propagation of planetary waves through the terrestrial atmosphere near the equinoxes and is quantitatively significant throughout the winter.