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Article
Article Type:
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Baroclinic Adjustment and Dissipative Control of Storm Tracks

Lenka Novak Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

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Maarten H. P. Ambaum Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

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Ben J. Harvey Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

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Print Publication:
01 Sep 2018
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-17-0210.1
Page(s):
2955–2970
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Abstract

The steady-state response of a midlatitude storm track to large-scale extratropical thermal forcing and eddy friction is investigated in a dry general circulation model with a zonally symmetric forcing. A two-way equilibration is found between the relative responses of the mean baroclinicity and baroclinic eddy intensity, whereby mean baroclinicity responds more strongly to eddy friction whereas eddy intensity responds more strongly to the thermal forcing of baroclinicity. These seemingly counterintuitive responses are reconciled using the steady state of a predator–prey relationship between baroclinicity and eddy intensity. This relationship provides additional support for the well-studied mechanism of baroclinic adjustment in Earth’s atmosphere, as well as providing a new mechanism whereby eddy dissipation controls the large-scale thermal structure of a baroclinically unstable atmosphere. It is argued that these two mechanisms of baroclinic adjustment and dissipative control should be used in tandem when considering storm-track equilibration.

© 2018 American Meteorological Society. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).

Current affiliation: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

Corresponding author: Lenka Novak, lenka@caltech.edu

Abstract

The steady-state response of a midlatitude storm track to large-scale extratropical thermal forcing and eddy friction is investigated in a dry general circulation model with a zonally symmetric forcing. A two-way equilibration is found between the relative responses of the mean baroclinicity and baroclinic eddy intensity, whereby mean baroclinicity responds more strongly to eddy friction whereas eddy intensity responds more strongly to the thermal forcing of baroclinicity. These seemingly counterintuitive responses are reconciled using the steady state of a predator–prey relationship between baroclinicity and eddy intensity. This relationship provides additional support for the well-studied mechanism of baroclinic adjustment in Earth’s atmosphere, as well as providing a new mechanism whereby eddy dissipation controls the large-scale thermal structure of a baroclinically unstable atmosphere. It is argued that these two mechanisms of baroclinic adjustment and dissipative control should be used in tandem when considering storm-track equilibration.

© 2018 American Meteorological Society. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).

Current affiliation: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

Corresponding author: Lenka Novak, lenka@caltech.edu
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