Large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions in a simplified coupled model of the midlatitude wintertime circulation
- Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
Midlatitude ocean-atmosphere interactions are studied in simulations from a simplified coupled model that includes synoptic-scale atmospheric variability, ocean current advection of sea surface temperature (SST), and air-sea heat exchange. Although theoretical dynamical ([open quotes]identical twin[close quotes]) predictions using this model have shown that the SST anomalies in this model indeed influence the atmosphere, it is found here that standard cross-correlation and empirical orthogonal function analyses of monthly mean model output yield the standard result, familiar from observational studies, that the atmosphere forces the ocean with little or no feedback. Therefore, these analyses are inconclusive and leave open the question of whether anomalous SST is influencing the atmosphere. In contrast, the authors find that compositing strong warm events of model SST is a useful indicator of ocean forcing the atmosphere. The authors present additional evidence for oceanic influence on the atmosphere, namely, that ocean current advection appears to enhance the persistence of model SST anomalies through a feedback effect that is absent when only heat flux is allowed to influence SST anomaly evolution. Models with more complete physics must ultimately be used to conclusively demonstrate these results. 26 refs., 27 figs., 5 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5644679
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences; (United States), Vol. 49:4; ISSN 0022-4928
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
CLIMATE MODELS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
ADVECTION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
HEAT FLUX
METEOROLOGY
MONTHLY VARIATIONS
PREDICTION EQUATIONS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
EQUATIONS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SIMULATION
VARIATIONS
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