Mean-Flow Damping Forms the Buffer Zone of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation: 1D Theory

Match, Aaron; Fueglistaler, Stephan

doi:10.1175/JAS-D-19-0293.1

Advanced Search

Select up to three search categories and corresponding keywords using the fields to the right. Refer to the Help section for more detailed instructions.

Search our Collections & Repository

Advanced Search
Custom Query

All these words:

For very narrow results

This exact word or phrase:

When looking for a specific result

Any of these words:

Best used for discovery & interchangable words

None of these words:

Recommended to be used in conjunction with other fields

Language:

Dates

Publication Date Range:

to

Document Data

Title:

Document Type:

Library

Collection:

Series:

People

Author:

Clear All

Query Builder

Query box

Clear All

For additional assistance using the Custom Query please check out our Help Page

The NOAA IR serves as an archival repository of NOAA-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by NOAA or funded partners. As a repository, the NOAA IR retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.

i

Mean-Flow Damping Forms the Buffer Zone of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation: 1D Theory

2020
By Match, Aaron ; Fueglistaler, Stephan
Source: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 77(6), 1955-1967

[PDF-3.93 MB]

Details Supporting Files You May Also Like

Details:

Journal Title:

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Personal Author:

Match, Aaron ; Fueglistaler, Stephan

Match, Aaron ; Fueglistaler, Stephan Less -
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory) ; CIMES (Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System)

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory) ; CIMES (Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System) Less -
Description:

The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) is a descending pattern of alternating easterly and westerly winds in the tropical stratosphere. Upwelling is generally understood to counteract the descent of the QBO. The upwelling hypothesis holds that where upwelling exceeds the intrinsic descent rate of the QBO, the QBO cannot descend and a buffer zone forms. Descent-rate models of the QBO, which represent a highly simplified evolution of a QBO wind contour, support the upwelling hypothesis. Here, we show that the upwelling hypothesis and descent-rate models only correctly describe buffer zone formation in the absence of wave dissipation below critical levels. When there is wave dissipation below critical levels, the 1D QBO response to upwelling can be either to 1) reform below the upwelling, 2) undergo period-lengthening collapse, or 3) expand a preexisting buffer zone. The response depends on the location of the upwelling and the lower boundary condition. Mean-flow damping always forms a buffer zone. A previous study of reanalyses showed that there is mean-flow damping in the buffer zone due to horizontal momentum flux divergence. Therefore, the 1D model implicates lateral terms in buffer zone formation that it cannot self-consistently include.
Keywords:

[+]

Atmosphere Atmospheric Sciences Constraints Cycle Drag Parameterization Schemes Improvements Meteorology Model Qbo Waves
Source:

Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 77(6), 1955-1967
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-19-0293.1
Format:

PDF
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

Other
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

[+]

urn:sha256:642ad4a8775002adeff78b8a10106ed9d931fadd9d13d263a60d271a2ba2934b
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/29929/noaa_29929_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Machine Readable Version

xml

More +