The importance of surface pressure changes in the response of the atmosphere to zonally-symmetric thermal and mechanical forcing

Haynes, P. H. and Shepherd, T. G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6631-9968 (1989) The importance of surface pressure changes in the response of the atmosphere to zonally-symmetric thermal and mechanical forcing. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 115 (490). pp. 1181-1208. ISSN 1477-870X doi: 10.1002/qj.49711549002

Abstract/Summary

he classical problem of the response of a balanced, axisymmetric vortex to thermal and mechanical forcing is re-examined, paying special attention to the lower boundary condition. The correct condition is DΦ/Dt = 0, where Φ is the geopotential and D/Dt the material derivative, which explicitly accounts for a mass redistribution as part of the mean-flow response. This redistribution is neglected when using the boundary condition Dp/Dt = 0, which has conventionally been applied in this problem. It is shown that applying the incorrect boundary condition, and thereby ignoring the surface pressure change, leads to a zonal wind acceleration δū/δt that is too strong, especially near the surface. The effect is significant for planetary-scale forcing even when applied at tropopause level. A comparison is made between the mean-flow evolution in a baroclinic life-cycle, as simulated in a fully nonlinear, primitive-equation model, and that predicted by using the simulated eddy fluxes in the zonally-symmetric response problem. Use of the correct lower boundary condition is shown to lead to improved agreement.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/32988
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	Royal Meteorological Society
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