Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Projection of Tropical Cyclones on Wavenumber–Frequency-Filtered Equatorial Waves

Anantha Aiyyer Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

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Ademe Mekonnen Department of Energy and Environmental Systems, North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, North Carolina

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Carl J. Schreck III Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, North Carolina State University, and NOAA/National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, North Carolina

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Print Publication:
15 May 2012
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00451.1
Page(s):
3653–3658
Restricted access

Abstract

The impact of localized convection associated with tropical cyclones (TCs) on activity ascribed to equatorial waves is estimated. An algorithm is used to remove outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) signal in the vicinity of observed tropical cyclones, and equatorial wave modes are extracted using the standard wavenumber–frequency decomposition method. The results suggest that climatological activity of convection-coupled equatorial waves is overestimated where TC tracks are densest. The greatest impact is found for equatorial Rossby (ER)- and tropical depression (TD)-type waves followed by the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). The basins most affected are the eastern and western North Pacific Ocean where, on average, TCs may contribute up to 10%–15% of the climatological wave amplitude variance in these modes. In contrast, Kelvin waves are least impacted by the projection of TCs. The results are likely relevant for studies on the climatology of equatorial waves in observations and global climate model simulations and for those examining individual cases of TC genesis modulated by equatorial wave activity.

Corresponding author address: Anantha Aiyyer, Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8208, Raleigh, NC 27695. E-mail: aaiyyer@ncsu.edu

Abstract

The impact of localized convection associated with tropical cyclones (TCs) on activity ascribed to equatorial waves is estimated. An algorithm is used to remove outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) signal in the vicinity of observed tropical cyclones, and equatorial wave modes are extracted using the standard wavenumber–frequency decomposition method. The results suggest that climatological activity of convection-coupled equatorial waves is overestimated where TC tracks are densest. The greatest impact is found for equatorial Rossby (ER)- and tropical depression (TD)-type waves followed by the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). The basins most affected are the eastern and western North Pacific Ocean where, on average, TCs may contribute up to 10%–15% of the climatological wave amplitude variance in these modes. In contrast, Kelvin waves are least impacted by the projection of TCs. The results are likely relevant for studies on the climatology of equatorial waves in observations and global climate model simulations and for those examining individual cases of TC genesis modulated by equatorial wave activity.

Corresponding author address: Anantha Aiyyer, Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8208, Raleigh, NC 27695. E-mail: aaiyyer@ncsu.edu
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