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Toward the Dynamical Convergence on the Jet Stream in Aquaplanet AGCMs

Journal Article · · Journal of Climate
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)
  2. Cornell University
+ Show Author Affiliations
Systematic sensitivity of the jet position and intensity to horizontal model resolution is identified in several aquaplanet AGCMs, with the coarser resolution producing a more equatorward eddy-driven jet and a stronger upper tropospheric jet intensity. As the resolution of the models increases to 50km or finer, the jet position and intensity show signs of convergence within each model group. The mechanism for this convergence behavior is investigated using a hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian finite-amplitude wave activity budget developed for the upper tropospheric absolute vorticity. The result suggests that the poleward shift of the 33 eddy-driven jet with higher resolution can be attributed to the smaller effective diffusivity of the model in the midlatitudes that allows more wave activity to survive the dissipation and to reach the subtropical critical latitude for wave breaking. The enhanced subtropical wave breaking and associated irreversible vorticity mixing act to maintain a more poleward peak of the vorticity gradient, and thus a more poleward jet. Being over-dissipative, the coarse-resolution AGCMs misrepresent the nuanced nonlinear aspect of the midlatitude eddy-mean flow interaction, giving rise to the equatorward bias of the eddy-driven jet. In accordance with the asymptotic behavior of effective diffusivity of Batchelor turbulence in the large Peclet number limit, the upper tropospheric effective diffusivity of the aquaplanet AGCMs displays signs of convergence in the midlatitude towards a value of ~107 m2 s-1 for the ?2 diffusion. This provides a dynamical underpinning for the convergence of the jet stream observed in these AGCMs at high resolution.
Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1773114
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-111542
Journal Information:
Journal of Climate, Journal Name: Journal of Climate Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 28
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

jet position
horizontal model resolution
AGCM