Editorial Type:
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Article Type:
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The Climatology of the Middle Atmosphere in a Vertically Extended Version of the Met Office’s Climate Model. Part II: Variability

Scott M. Osprey National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

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Lesley J. Gray National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

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Steven C. Hardiman Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Neal Butchart Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Andrew C. Bushell Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Tim J. Hinton Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JAS3338.1
Page(s):
3637–3651
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Abstract

Stratospheric variability is examined in a vertically extended version of the Met Office global climate model. Equatorial variability includes the simulation of an internally generated quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and semiannual oscillation (SAO). Polar variability includes an examination of the frequency of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSW) and annular mode variability. Results from two different horizontal resolutions are also compared. Changes in gravity wave filtering at the higher resolution result in a slightly longer QBO that extends deeper into the lower stratosphere. At the higher resolution there is also a reduction in the occurrence rate of sudden stratospheric warmings, in better agreement with observations. This is linked with reduced levels of resolved waves entering the high-latitude stratosphere. Covariability of the tropical and extratropical stratosphere is seen, linking the phase of the QBO with disturbed NH winters, although this linkage is sporadic, in agreement with observations. Finally, tropospheric persistence time scales and seasonal variability for the northern and southern annular modes are significantly improved at the higher resolution, consistent with findings from other studies.

Corresponding author address: Scott Osprey, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, United Kingdom. Email: s.osprey@physics.ox.ac.uk

Abstract

Stratospheric variability is examined in a vertically extended version of the Met Office global climate model. Equatorial variability includes the simulation of an internally generated quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and semiannual oscillation (SAO). Polar variability includes an examination of the frequency of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSW) and annular mode variability. Results from two different horizontal resolutions are also compared. Changes in gravity wave filtering at the higher resolution result in a slightly longer QBO that extends deeper into the lower stratosphere. At the higher resolution there is also a reduction in the occurrence rate of sudden stratospheric warmings, in better agreement with observations. This is linked with reduced levels of resolved waves entering the high-latitude stratosphere. Covariability of the tropical and extratropical stratosphere is seen, linking the phase of the QBO with disturbed NH winters, although this linkage is sporadic, in agreement with observations. Finally, tropospheric persistence time scales and seasonal variability for the northern and southern annular modes are significantly improved at the higher resolution, consistent with findings from other studies.

Corresponding author address: Scott Osprey, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, United Kingdom. Email: s.osprey@physics.ox.ac.uk

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