Dynamics of the Tropical Middle Atmosphere: A Tutorial Review*

Abstract

The general circulation of the tropical stratosphere, mesosphere and lowermost thermosphere is discussed at a tutorial level. Observations of the quasi‐biennial and semiannual oscillations by both in situ and satellite techniques are first reviewed. The basic dynamics controlling the zonal‐mean component of the circulation are then discussed. The role of radiative diabatic cooling in constraining the zonal‐mean circulation in the middle atmosphere is emphasized. It is shown that the effectiveness of this radiative constraint is reduced at low latitudes, allowing for the sustained mean flow accelerations over long periods of time characteristic of the quasi‐biennial and semiannual oscillations in the tropics.

The current view is that the dominant driving for the equatorial mean flow accelerations seen in the middle atmosphere derives from vertically‐propagating waves. This process is illustrated here in its simplest context, i.e. the Plumb (1977) model of the interaction of monochromatic internal gravity waves with the mean flow (based on earlier work of Lindzen and Holton, 1968; Holton and Lindzen, 1972). It is shown that the dynamics illustrated by this simple model can serve as the basis for an explanation of the quasi‐biennial oscillation.

The paper then describes some of recent developments in the theory of the quasi‐biennial and semiannual oscillations, including aspects related to the interaction between tropics and midlatitudes in the middle atmosphere. The paper concludes with a discussion of the effects of the long period dynamical variations in the tropical circulation on the chemical composition of the stratosphere.     

The westerly acceleration phase of the stratospheric quasi‐biennial oscillation as revealed in FGGE analyses: Research note

Abstract

The initial development of the westerly acceleration phase of the tropical quasi‐biennial oscillation in late 1979 was examined using FGGE analyses at the 20‐ and 10‐mb levels. The analysed winds were found to undergo strong equatorially‐centred westerly accelerations. These accelerations are narrower in meridional extent than those expected to result from the interaction of the Wallace‐Kousky Kelvin wave with the mean flow.     

Non‐linear coupling between modes in a low‐dimensional model of ENSO

Abstract

An intermediate coupled model of the tropical Pacific ocean‐atmosphere system was reduced by projecting the non‐linear model onto a truncated basis set of its own empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). For moderate coupling strengths, the simulated El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability consists of a dominant quasi‐quadrennial mode with a period of approximately four years and a smaller quasi‐biennial mode at a period of approximately two years. In the absence of a seasonal cycle, the leading two EOFs capture the dynamics of the leading interannual mode, with a further two EOFs being required to capture the secondary oscillation. The presence of seasonal forcing increases the EOF requirement by two, the leading pair of EOFs being dominated by the annual cycle. Normal mode analysis of the reduced models indicates that the quasi‐biennial mode manifests itself, even though it is linearly stable, by non‐linear coupling to the quasi‐quadrennial mode. The nonlinearity does not produce the quasi‐biennial signal unless the spatial degrees of freedom associated with the linear quasi‐biennial mode are present. Other linearly stable modes also couple non‐linearly to the leading interannual mode and to the seasonal cycle, but the quasi‐biennial mode is favoured over other, less‐damped linear modes because of its proximity to a multiple of the quasi‐quadrennial frequency.     

Laterally‐propagating Rossby waves in the easterly acceleration phase of the quasi‐biennial oscillation

Abstract

It is shown that oscillating mean flow solutions exist in the one‐dimensional Holton‐Lindzen (1972) model in the presence of a single Kelvin wave, mean flow diffusion, and an easterly zonal force per unit mass that is constant in height and time except at those points in the time‐height cross‐section where the latitudinally‐integrated mean flow is less than some prescribed easterly value. The latter forcing is intended to crudely represent the absorption of quasi‐stationary planetary Rossby waves at the tropical zero‐wind line. Our results suggest an alternative, and somewhat simpler, possible interpretation of the quasi‐biennial mean zonal wind oscillation in the equatorial lower stratosphere.     

The vertical structure of the quasi‐biennial oscillation: Observations and theory

Abstract

Rocketsonde observations of the zonal wind over Ascension Island (8°S) were analysed to obtain the amplitude and phase of the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) in the height range 25–58 km. It was found that the amplitude peaked at about 30km and decreased rapidly above 40km. In fact, above 45 km there is no clear evidence that a QBO actually exists.

A number of simulations using the Holton‐Lindzen model of the QBO were performed. It was found that when the waves in the model were damped with Dickinson's (1973) Newtonian cooling, the simulated QBO extended to higher levels than actually observed. However, when the wavelength‐dependent cooling rates of Fels(1981) were used, a fairly realistic vertical structure resulted.     

QBO的变化特征及其与广西气候变化的关系

利用平流层月矢量平均纬向风资料,分析了平流层风场的准两年振荡（ＱＢＯ）的演变特征,找出ＱＢＯ与广西气候变化的一些关系。     

大气季节内振荡的活动与El Nino

用广东省４７个测站１９５４－１９９０年各月的平均气温、降水、日照时数的标准化资料分别作按时间点分解的主分量分析,取其前６个主分量作为各测站的气候特征量,用相关系数－重心法作聚类分析,作出各月、全年综合要素的气候分区。结果表明：（１）将广东各月分为有较显著差异的５个区,则冬半年（１０－翌年４月）各月的分区形式较类似且规律性明显,夏半年（５－９月）各月的分区逐月变化明显,且分区形式差别较大。（２）若用６个自然季节的平均气温、降水、日照时数标准化资料分别作主分量分析,各取前３个主分量作为全年气候分区的特征量,则广东全年的气候区可分为东南沿海、西南沿海、西北内陆３个区。     

平流层大气臭氧含量变化特征

利用卫星观测臭氧总含量TOMS（第7版）资料，分析了平流层臭氧含量的变化特征，结果表明，全球臭氧总含量呈下降趋势，准两年振荡是臭氧变化中除年周期外的最显著的变化周期。     

Multi-scale analysis of global temperature changes and trend of a drop in temperature in the next 20 years

Summary A novel multi-timescale analysis method, Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), is used to diagnose the variation of the annual mean temperature data of the global, Northern Hemisphere (NH) and China from 1881 to 2002. The results show that: (1) Temperature can be completely decomposed into four timescales quasi-periodic oscillations including an ENSO-like mode, a 6–8-year signal, a 20-year signal and a 60-year signal, as well as a trend. With each contributing ration of the quasi-periodicity discussed, the trend and the 60-year timescale oscillation of temperature variation are the most prominent. (2) It has been noticed that whether on century-scale or 60-year scales, the global temperature tends to descend in the coming 20 years. (3) On quasi 60-year timescale, temperature abrupt changes in China precede those in the global and NH, which provides a denotation for global climate changes. Signs also show a drop in temperature in China on century scale in the next 20 years. (4) The dominant contribution of CO₂ concentration to global temperature variation is the trend. However, its influence weight on global temperature variation accounts for no more than 40.19%, smaller than those of the natural climate changes on the rest four timescales. Despite the increasing trend in atmospheric CO₂ concentration, the patterns of 20-year and 60-year oscillation of global temperature are all in falling. Therefore, if CO₂ concentration remains constant at present, the CO₂ greenhouse effect will be deficient in counterchecking the natural cooling of global climate in the following 20 years. Even though the CO₂ greenhouse effect on global climate change is unsuspicious, it could have been excessively exaggerated. It is high time to re-consider the trend of global climate changes.     

Oceanic tides over the Newfoundland and Scotian Shelves from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry

Abstract

A modified response analysis in the form of an orthotide parametrization is used to derive major semi‐diurnal and diurnal tidal constituents over the Newfoundland and Scotian Shelves from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data. The orthotide formulation simultaneously solves for eight major semi‐diurnal and diurnal constituents, and has an accuracy of better than ～1.5 cm for each constituent. Tidal elevations are derived from the altimeter data on the ascending and descending satellite ground tracks, and interpolated using the method of statistical interpolation. The semi‐diurnal constituents (M₂, S₂ and N₂) compare favourably with available in‐situ observations and a numerical model. The diurnals (K₁ and O₁) are not as accurate as the semi‐diurnals, especially in the nearshore environment. The paper demonstrates the ability of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry to provide accurate tidal data over a continental shelf.     

Airborne measurements of the ocean's Ku‐band radar cross‐section at low incidence angles

Abstract

Ocean backscatter data obtained with a K_u‐band airborne radar are presented along with coincident altimeter and directional wave spectral estimates. These data were collected using one sensor, NASA's radar ocean wave spectrometer (ROWS). The measurements are compared with an electromagnetic scattering model for perfectly conducting Gaussian random surfaces. The normalized radar cross‐section (NRCS) data cover those incidence angles (0–20°) where both quasi‐specular and Bragg scattering mechanisms are expected. Under certain conditions, identification and separation of these two mechanisms is possible. The scanning radar allows observations of the azimuthal variations in NRCS that are at times indicative of short‐scale wave generation in the wind direction.     

Predictability as a function of scale

Abstract

The forecast skill of the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) operational global forecast/analysis system is assessed as a function of scale for the traditional forecast variable of 500‐hPa geopotential height using results from January 2002. These results are compared to an earlier analysis of forecasts from the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) which indicated unexpectedly enhanced skill at high wavenumbers (small scales) especially in the mean forecast component identified with local topographical structures. The global rms error for the CMC forecasts is dominated by the transient component compared to the mean and continues to grow with time during the six days of the forecast. Geographically the transient error grows most rapidly in middle and high latitude regions of large natural variability. The relative error behaves differently and grows most rapidly initially in tropical regions and is inferred to exhibit both climatological and flow‐dependent error growth.

In terms of spherical harmonic two‐dimensional wavenumber n, low wavenumber (large scale) 500‐hPa geopotential height structures are dominated by the mean component but beyond wavenumber 10 to 15 the transient component dominates and exhibits an approximately n–5 spectral slope consistent with a quasi‐two dimensional turbulence enstrophy cascading subrange. Error grows slowly for the large scales dominated by mean climatological structures but these are not of interest for daily weather forecasting. Transient error grows rapidly at small scales and penetrates toward larger scales with time in keeping with the expected predictability behaviour. An expression of the form f(n, τ) = 1 – e–^τ/^τp(n) is fitted to the growth of relative error as a function of wavenumber and forecast range and gives a scale dependent predictability timescale for the transient component that varies as τ_p ? n^?3/2, although the generality of the relationship is not known.

The mean component at intermediate/high wavenumbers exhibits an apparent region of enhanced skill in the CMC system apparently connected to the topography. The result supports the possibility that some small‐scale mean flow structures, although containing only a minor amount of variance, are maintained in the face of errors in other scales. The results do not support the level of enhanced skill found in an earlier analysis of ECMWF results suggesting them to be an artefact of the analysis/forecast system in use at the time.     

Baroclinic oscillations of tidal frequency at ocean weather station P

Abstract

We analyse time series records of isopleth depths derived from two extended sequences of hourly and bi‐hourly sampled profiles taken at Ocean Weather Station P during the summers of 1961 and 1969. Vertical displacements to 240‐m depth are mainly of semidiurnal frequency with r.m.s. amplitudes of 1–4 m. Displacements at diurnal and near‐inertial frequencies are typically less than a metre and have little statistical significance. Within the semidiurnal band, motions appear to be predominantly at the principal solar (S₂) rather than the principal lunar (M₂) semidiurnal frequency. The phase of the M₂ baroclinic tide is roughly equal to that of the M₂ barotropic tide (as extrapolated from coastal and seamount observations); phases of other constituents differ appreciably from barotropic values.     

近百年东亚季风长期变化中主周期振荡的奇异谱分析

运用海平面气压场资料，计算１８７３—１９９０年的东亚冬、夏季风强度指数，并利用奇异谱分析方法（ＳＳＡ）对这百年的东亚季风长期变化的周期活动进行了研究。研究表明：东亚冬、夏季风都存在准２ａ（ＱＢＯ）、３—６ａ（ＬＦＯ）的年际振荡，１６—１８ａ（ＩＤＯ）的年代际振荡和长期变化趋势。各振荡分量都具有年代际的差别，这种特征ＱＢＯ表现得最典型。冬季风的ＱＢＯ在１９２０年代前振幅较小，且大约呈现１２ａ的大振幅和６ａ的小振幅波状的周期变化；夏季风的ＱＢＯ振幅变化与冬季风相反，且大约呈现６ａ的大振幅和３ａ的小振幅波状的周期变化。夏季风中的年代际变化影响较小。     

A numerical model of the internal tide in knight inlet,British Columbia

Abstract

A two‐dimensional, hydrostatic numerical model of the tides in Knight Inlet is compared with observations of velocity and density obtained from three cyclesonde moorings. The observations from a fourth cyclesonde mooring were used to provide boundary data at the open end of the model. The time period in the fjord that the model simulates was a period of high, freshwater runoff, so that the fjord had a distinct, surface layer. The use of high, vertical resolution was avoided by attaching a homogeneous, fresh, surface layer to the top of the model. The density equation was linearized about a mean, fixed density field, and the mixing of density was not allowed.

The model reproduces the semidiurnal (M₂, S₂ and N₂) and diurnal (K₁ and O₁) velocity and density signals in the inlet. The shallow‐water constituents (M₄ and MK₃) are reproduced even though the density equation has been linearized. The fortnightly constituent (MSf) is poorly simulated. When the advection terms in the momentum equation are set to zero, the basic features of the semidiurnal and diurnal constituents are still reproduced, but the shallow‐water constituents are poorly simulated.

The energy flux along the inlet of the M₂ internal tide is insensitive to the advective terms in the momentum equation. The total rate of dissipation of M₂ energy is similar to the energy flux in the M₂ internal tide near the sill, which implies that, according to the model, most of the energy removed from the barotropic tide is fed into the internal tide. The majority of the energy in the M₂ internal tide is dissipated close to the sill of the inlet, but enough of the energy makes its way to the head of the inlet to reflect and set up a recognizable standing wave pattern.     

Temporal variations of atmospheric tides over Athens,Greece

Summary The mean daily march of pressure (hourly values) for each month of the 96 year period 1894–1989 in Athens, Greece is studied using Fourier analysis. The annual variation of the harmonic parameters (amplitude, time of maximum,x andy-components) is examined. The globally excited 2nd and 3rd harmonics show in general the same behaviour as in other places of the Earth. Similar features show the corresponding parameters of the daily solar radiation march. The first harmonic displays some local characteristics. The long period fluctuations study revealed statistically significant trends in most parameters of the 2nd harmonic, most strikingly the 0.5 h shift in the time of its maximum during the 20th century. Power spectrum analysis showed the existence of a biennial oscillation inB ₁, thex-component of the first harmonic, but this oscillation is mainly confined to the second half of the entire period. A periodicity of about 6 years which could be associated to the Southern Oscillation was also found inB ₁ while inA ₁, they-component, a periodicity close to the 11-year solar cycle and another one close to the nutation of the Earth's axis are present. The lunar tides are too small to be detected by the same methods. However the semilunar tide was revealed to be 10–20 times smaller than the semisolar.With 8 Figures     

A tidal model of the northeast pacific

Abstract

The development of a tidal model for the west coast of Canada is described. The model is intermediate in resolution between coarse‐gridded global models and fine‐gridded local models; it provides a good representation of the main shelf regions and also includes a substantial area of the neighbouring ocean. The physical processes relevant to tides in both deep and shallow water are included. Calculations have been carried out for the M₂ and K₁ constituents and the model results were compared with extensive tide‐gauge observations and empirically based charts. For M₂, the agreement between model results and observations is generally excellent, but for K₁, which contains more small‐scale variability, the model results are not quite so good. The variability in K₁ is associated with tidally generated continental shelf waves. Examination of the computed currents and energy fluxes suggests that shelf‐wave components are present in the model solution but, for the Vancouver Island shelf, their propagation is not reproduced accurately. This may be due to deficiencies in the model and/or to the influences of stratification and mean currents, which are neglected here. The model predicts that shelf‐wave components should also occur in diurnal tides on the Alaskan shelf.

The significance of the tide‐generating potential and advection are also examined and further work proposed.     

热带东风急流的气候学和中期振荡

本文用13年夏半年(5—10月)月平均风场和两年逐日风场资料研究了200hPa南亚热带东风急流的气候学特征和中期振荡过程。研究表明,南亚夏季热带东风急流显著的非季节性变动和年际差异与低纬对流层高层大尺度环流变化和南亚夏季风活动密切相关,相对于多年平均而言,存在5类异常的东风急流。 各种分析表明,热带东风带存在三种主要的中期振荡。准50天周期振荡与夏季南亚对流层上部大尺度散度场的变化相关联,表现为十分显著的向南的位相传播。准50天和25天振荡均存在显著的年际变化。准50天周期振荡系统性不强的年份,准25天周期振荡是低纬行星波的主要振荡,在东风急流区除表现为系统性向西传播外也表现为向南的位相传播。准双周振荡在东风带一般向西传播。      

Medium-range oscillations in the summer tropical easterlies at 200 hPa

By the use of space-time spectral analysis and band-pass filter, some of the features of the medium-range Oscillations in the summer tropical easterlies (10oS-20o) at 200 hPa are investigated based on a two-year (1980 and 1982) wind (u, v) data set for the period from May to September. Space-time power spectral analysis shows that the total energy of the westward moving waves was the largest and that of the standing waves and eastward moving waves was relatively small in the 200 hPa easterlies; the total energy of the eastward moving waves was at minimum at 10oN. Three kind of the medium-range oscillations with about 50 day, 25 day and quasi-biweekly periods were found in the easterlies, which all show a remarkable interannual variation and latitudinal differences in these two years. The wave energy of zonal wind is mainly associated with the planetary waves (1-3), which all may make important contributions to the 50 day and 25 day oscillations in different years or different latitudes. The quasi-biweekly oscillation is mainly related to the synoptic waves (4-6). In equatorial region, the 50 day oscillation was dominant with a eastward phase propagation in 1982 while the dominant oscillation in 1980 was of 25day period with a westward phase propagations in 1980. Both of them are of the mode of zonal wavenumber 1. Strong westward 50 day oscillation was found in 10oN-20oN in these two years. Regular propagations of the meridional wind 50 day oscillation were also found in the easterlies.The 50 day and 25 day oscillation of zonal wind all demonstrate southward phase propagation over the region of the South Asia monsoon and northward phase propagation near interational date line, where are the climatic mean position of the tropical upper-tropospheric easterly jet and the tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT), respectively.     

Seasonal predictions based on two dynamical models

Abstract

Two dynamical models are used to perform a series of seasonal predictions. One model, referred to as GCM2, was designed as a general circulation model for climate studies, while the second one, SEF, was designed for numerical weather prediction. The seasonal predictions cover the 26‐year period 1969–1994. For each of the four seasons, ensembles of six forecasts are produced with each model, the six runs starting from initial conditions six hours apart. The sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly for the month prior to the start of the forecast is persisted through the three‐month prediction period, and added to a monthly‐varying climatological SST field.

The ensemble‐mean predictions for each of the models are verified independently, and the two ensembles are blended together in two different ways: as a simple average of the two models, denoted GCMSEF, and with weights statistically determined to minimize the mean‐square error (the Best Linear Unbiased Estimate (BLUE) method).

The GCMSEF winter and spring predictions show a Pacific/North American (PNA) response to a warm tropical SST anomaly. The temporal anomaly correlation between the zero‐lead GCMSEF mean‐seasonal predictions and observations of the 500‐hPa height field (Z₅₀₀) shows statistically significant forecast skill over parts of the PNA area for all seasons, but there is a notable seasonal variability in the distribution of the skill. The GCMSEF predictions are more skilful than those of either model in winter, and about as skilful as the better of the two models in the other seasons.

The zero‐lead surface air temperature GCMSEF forecasts over Canada are found to be skilful (a) over the west coast in all seasons except fall, (b) over most of Canada in summer, and (c) over Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec in the fall. In winter the skill of the BLUE forecasts is substantially better than that of the GCMSEF predictions, while for the other seasons the difference in skill is not statistically significant.

When the Z₅₀₀ forecasts are averaged over months two and three of the seasons (one‐month lead predictions), they show skill in winter over the north‐eastern Pacific, western Canada and eastern North America, a skill that comes from those years with strong SST anomalies of the El Niño/La Niña type. For the other seasons, predictions averaged over months two and three show little skill in Z₅₀₀ in the mid‐latitudes. In the tropics, predictive skill is found in Z₅₀₀ in all seasons when a strong SST anomaly of the El Niño/La Niña type is observed. In the absence of SST anomalies of this type, tropical forecast skill is still found over much of the tropics in months two and three of the northern hemisphere spring and summer, but not in winter and fall.