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Abstract
A set of short-term experiments using a regional atmospheric model (RAM) were carried out to investigate the response of tropical cyclone (TC) tracks to sea surface temperature (SST) in the western North Pacific. For 10 selected TC cases occurring during 2002–07, a warm and a cold run are performed with 2 and −2 K added to the SSTs uniformly over the model domain, respectively. The cases can be classified into three groups in terms of recurvature: recurved tracks in the warm and cold runs, a recurved track in the warm run and a nonrecurved track in the cold run, and nonrecurved tracks in both runs. Commonly the warm run produced northward movement of the TC faster than the cold run. The rapid northward migration can be mainly explained by the result that cyclonic circulation to the west of the TC is found in the steering flow in the warm run and it is not in the cold run. The beta effect is also activated under the warm SST environment. For the typical TC cases, a linear baroclinic model experiment is performed to examine how the cyclonic circulation is intensified in the warm run. The stationary linear response to diabatic heating obtained from the RAM experiment reveals that the intensified TC by the warm SST excites the cyclonic circulation in the lower troposphere to the west of the forcing position. The vorticity and thermodynamic equation analysis shows the detailed mechanism. The time scale of the linear response and the teleconnection are also discussed.
Abstract
A set of short-term experiments using a regional atmospheric model (RAM) were carried out to investigate the response of tropical cyclone (TC) tracks to sea surface temperature (SST) in the western North Pacific. For 10 selected TC cases occurring during 2002–07, a warm and a cold run are performed with 2 and −2 K added to the SSTs uniformly over the model domain, respectively. The cases can be classified into three groups in terms of recurvature: recurved tracks in the warm and cold runs, a recurved track in the warm run and a nonrecurved track in the cold run, and nonrecurved tracks in both runs. Commonly the warm run produced northward movement of the TC faster than the cold run. The rapid northward migration can be mainly explained by the result that cyclonic circulation to the west of the TC is found in the steering flow in the warm run and it is not in the cold run. The beta effect is also activated under the warm SST environment. For the typical TC cases, a linear baroclinic model experiment is performed to examine how the cyclonic circulation is intensified in the warm run. The stationary linear response to diabatic heating obtained from the RAM experiment reveals that the intensified TC by the warm SST excites the cyclonic circulation in the lower troposphere to the west of the forcing position. The vorticity and thermodynamic equation analysis shows the detailed mechanism. The time scale of the linear response and the teleconnection are also discussed.
Abstract
The summertime California Current System (CCS) is characterized by energetic mesoscale eddies, whose sea surface temperature (SST) and surface current can significantly modify the wind stress and Ekman pumping. Relative importance of the eddy–wind interactions via SST and surface current in the CCS is examined using a high-resolution (7 km) regional coupled model with a novel coupling approach to isolate the small-scale air–sea coupling by SST and surface current. Results show that when the eddy-induced surface current is allowed to modify the wind stress, the spatially averaged surface eddy kinetic energy (EKE) is reduced by 42%, and this is primarily due to enhanced surface eddy drag and reduced wind energy transfer. In contrast, the eddy-induced SST–wind coupling has no significant impact on the EKE. Furthermore, eddy-induced SST and surface current modify the Ekman pumping via their crosswind SST gradient and surface vorticity gradient, respectively. The resultant magnitudes of the Ekman pumping velocity are comparable, but the implied feedback effects on the eddy statistics are different. The surface current-induced Ekman pumping mainly attenuates the amplitude of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, acting to reduce the eddy activity, while the SST-induced Ekman pumping primarily affects the propagation. Time mean–rectified change in SST is determined by the altered offshore temperature advection by the mean and eddy currents, but the magnitude of the mean SST change is greater with the eddy-induced current effect. The demonstrated remarkably strong dynamical response in the CCS system to the eddy-induced current–wind coupling indicates that eddy-induced current should play an important role in the regional coupled ocean–atmosphere system.
Abstract
The summertime California Current System (CCS) is characterized by energetic mesoscale eddies, whose sea surface temperature (SST) and surface current can significantly modify the wind stress and Ekman pumping. Relative importance of the eddy–wind interactions via SST and surface current in the CCS is examined using a high-resolution (7 km) regional coupled model with a novel coupling approach to isolate the small-scale air–sea coupling by SST and surface current. Results show that when the eddy-induced surface current is allowed to modify the wind stress, the spatially averaged surface eddy kinetic energy (EKE) is reduced by 42%, and this is primarily due to enhanced surface eddy drag and reduced wind energy transfer. In contrast, the eddy-induced SST–wind coupling has no significant impact on the EKE. Furthermore, eddy-induced SST and surface current modify the Ekman pumping via their crosswind SST gradient and surface vorticity gradient, respectively. The resultant magnitudes of the Ekman pumping velocity are comparable, but the implied feedback effects on the eddy statistics are different. The surface current-induced Ekman pumping mainly attenuates the amplitude of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, acting to reduce the eddy activity, while the SST-induced Ekman pumping primarily affects the propagation. Time mean–rectified change in SST is determined by the altered offshore temperature advection by the mean and eddy currents, but the magnitude of the mean SST change is greater with the eddy-induced current effect. The demonstrated remarkably strong dynamical response in the CCS system to the eddy-induced current–wind coupling indicates that eddy-induced current should play an important role in the regional coupled ocean–atmosphere system.
Abstract
Ice bands are frequently observed over marginal ice zones in polar seas. A typical ice-band pattern has a regular spacing of about 10 km and extends over 100 km in the marginal ice zone. Further, the long axis of an ice band lies to the left (right) with respect to the wind direction in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere. Here, the study shows that the resonance between ice-band pattern propagation and internal inertia–gravity waves below the sea ice well explains the ice-band pattern formation. Internal waves are generated by the difference between the stress on the open water and the stress on ice-covered water. This in turn reinforces the formation of an ice-band pattern with a regular band spacing. Specifically, the authors have found the following: 1) A band spacing on the order of 10 km is selected by the resonance condition in which the ice-band pattern propagation speed coincides with the phase speed of internal inertia–gravity waves. 2) The ice bands tend to develop favorably when the wind direction and the band propagation direction are nearly parallel. The velocity acceleration caused by the periodic differential stress associated with the ice bands, driven by the wind parallel to the band propagation direction, is important. The wind direction may turn to the left (right) slightly in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere as a result of the Coriolis force acting on ice. Satellite images confirmed that the band spacing of the ice-band pattern in the polar seas is consistent with this theory.
Abstract
Ice bands are frequently observed over marginal ice zones in polar seas. A typical ice-band pattern has a regular spacing of about 10 km and extends over 100 km in the marginal ice zone. Further, the long axis of an ice band lies to the left (right) with respect to the wind direction in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere. Here, the study shows that the resonance between ice-band pattern propagation and internal inertia–gravity waves below the sea ice well explains the ice-band pattern formation. Internal waves are generated by the difference between the stress on the open water and the stress on ice-covered water. This in turn reinforces the formation of an ice-band pattern with a regular band spacing. Specifically, the authors have found the following: 1) A band spacing on the order of 10 km is selected by the resonance condition in which the ice-band pattern propagation speed coincides with the phase speed of internal inertia–gravity waves. 2) The ice bands tend to develop favorably when the wind direction and the band propagation direction are nearly parallel. The velocity acceleration caused by the periodic differential stress associated with the ice bands, driven by the wind parallel to the band propagation direction, is important. The wind direction may turn to the left (right) slightly in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere as a result of the Coriolis force acting on ice. Satellite images confirmed that the band spacing of the ice-band pattern in the polar seas is consistent with this theory.
Abstract
The mechanism responsible for the annual cycle of the flow through the straits of the Japan Sea is investigated using a two-layer model. Observations show maximum throughflow from summer to fall and minimum in winter, occurring synchronously at the three major straits: Tsushima, Tsugaru, and Soya Straits. This study finds the subpolar winds located to the north of Japan as the leading forcing agent, which first affects the Soya Strait rather than the Tsushima or Tsugaru Straits. The subpolar winds generate baroclinic Kelvin waves along the coastlines of the subpolar gyre, affect the sea surface height at the Soya Strait, and modify the flow through the strait. This causes barotropic adjustment to occur inside the Japan Sea and thus affect the flow at the Tsugaru and Tsushima Straits almost synchronously. The barotropic adjustment mechanism explains well why the observations show a similar annual cycle at the three straits. The annual cycle at the Tsugaru Strait is further shown to be weaker than that in the other two straits based on frictional balance around islands, that is, frictional stresses exerted around an island integrate to zero. In the Tsugaru Strait, the flows induced by the frictional integrals around the northern (Hokkaido) and southern (Honshu) islands are in opposite directions and tend to cancel out. Frictional balance also suggests that the annual cycle at the Tsugaru Strait is likely in phase with that at the Soya Strait because the length scale of the northern island is much shorter than that of the southern island.
Abstract
The mechanism responsible for the annual cycle of the flow through the straits of the Japan Sea is investigated using a two-layer model. Observations show maximum throughflow from summer to fall and minimum in winter, occurring synchronously at the three major straits: Tsushima, Tsugaru, and Soya Straits. This study finds the subpolar winds located to the north of Japan as the leading forcing agent, which first affects the Soya Strait rather than the Tsushima or Tsugaru Straits. The subpolar winds generate baroclinic Kelvin waves along the coastlines of the subpolar gyre, affect the sea surface height at the Soya Strait, and modify the flow through the strait. This causes barotropic adjustment to occur inside the Japan Sea and thus affect the flow at the Tsugaru and Tsushima Straits almost synchronously. The barotropic adjustment mechanism explains well why the observations show a similar annual cycle at the three straits. The annual cycle at the Tsugaru Strait is further shown to be weaker than that in the other two straits based on frictional balance around islands, that is, frictional stresses exerted around an island integrate to zero. In the Tsugaru Strait, the flows induced by the frictional integrals around the northern (Hokkaido) and southern (Honshu) islands are in opposite directions and tend to cancel out. Frictional balance also suggests that the annual cycle at the Tsugaru Strait is likely in phase with that at the Soya Strait because the length scale of the northern island is much shorter than that of the southern island.
Abstract
This study investigates the regional atmospheric response to the Kuroshio Extension (KE) using a combination of multiple satellite observations and reanalysis data from boreal winter over a period of at least a decade. The goal is to understand the relationship between KE variations and atmospheric responses at low frequencies. A climate index is used to measure the interannual to decadal KE variability, which leaves remarkable imprints on the mesoscale sea surface temperature (SST). Clear spatial coherence between the SST signals and frontal-scale atmospheric variables, including surface wind convergence, vertical velocity, precipitation, and clouds, is identified by linear regression analysis. Consistent with previous studies, the penetrating effect of the KE variability on the free atmosphere is found. The westward tilt of the atmospheric response above the KE near 500 hPa is revealed. The difference in the associations of frontal-scale air temperature and geopotential height with the KE variability between the satellite observations and the reanalysis data suggests an imperfect interpretation of frontal-scale oceanic forcing on the overlying atmosphere in the reanalysis assimilation system.
Abstract
This study investigates the regional atmospheric response to the Kuroshio Extension (KE) using a combination of multiple satellite observations and reanalysis data from boreal winter over a period of at least a decade. The goal is to understand the relationship between KE variations and atmospheric responses at low frequencies. A climate index is used to measure the interannual to decadal KE variability, which leaves remarkable imprints on the mesoscale sea surface temperature (SST). Clear spatial coherence between the SST signals and frontal-scale atmospheric variables, including surface wind convergence, vertical velocity, precipitation, and clouds, is identified by linear regression analysis. Consistent with previous studies, the penetrating effect of the KE variability on the free atmosphere is found. The westward tilt of the atmospheric response above the KE near 500 hPa is revealed. The difference in the associations of frontal-scale air temperature and geopotential height with the KE variability between the satellite observations and the reanalysis data suggests an imperfect interpretation of frontal-scale oceanic forcing on the overlying atmosphere in the reanalysis assimilation system.
Abstract
Two methods of computing the time-mean divergence and vorticity from satellite vector winds in rain-free (RF) and all-weather (AW) conditions are investigated. Consequences of removing rain-contaminated winds on the mean divergence and vorticity depend strongly on the order in which the time-average and spatial derivative operations are applied. Taking derivatives first and averages second (DFAS_RF) incorporates only those RF winds measured at the same time into the spatial derivatives. While preferable mathematically, this produces mean fields biased relative to their AW counterparts because of the exclusion of convergence and cyclonic vorticity often associated with rain. Conversely, taking averages first and derivatives second (AFDS_RF) incorporates all RF winds into the time-mean spatial derivatives, even those not measured coincidentally. While questionable, the AFDS_RF divergence and vorticity surprisingly appears qualitatively consistent with the AW means, despite using only RF winds. The analysis addresses whether the AFDS_RF method accurately estimates the AW mean divergence and vorticity.
Model simulations indicate that the critical distinction between these two methods is the inclusion of typically convergent and cyclonic winds bordering rain patches in the AFDS_RF method. While this additional information removes some of the sampling bias in the DFAS_RF method, it is shown that the AFDS_RF method nonetheless provides only marginal estimates of the mean AW divergence and vorticity given sufficient time averaging and spatial smoothing. Use of the AFDS_RF method is thus not recommended.
Abstract
Two methods of computing the time-mean divergence and vorticity from satellite vector winds in rain-free (RF) and all-weather (AW) conditions are investigated. Consequences of removing rain-contaminated winds on the mean divergence and vorticity depend strongly on the order in which the time-average and spatial derivative operations are applied. Taking derivatives first and averages second (DFAS_RF) incorporates only those RF winds measured at the same time into the spatial derivatives. While preferable mathematically, this produces mean fields biased relative to their AW counterparts because of the exclusion of convergence and cyclonic vorticity often associated with rain. Conversely, taking averages first and derivatives second (AFDS_RF) incorporates all RF winds into the time-mean spatial derivatives, even those not measured coincidentally. While questionable, the AFDS_RF divergence and vorticity surprisingly appears qualitatively consistent with the AW means, despite using only RF winds. The analysis addresses whether the AFDS_RF method accurately estimates the AW mean divergence and vorticity.
Model simulations indicate that the critical distinction between these two methods is the inclusion of typically convergent and cyclonic winds bordering rain patches in the AFDS_RF method. While this additional information removes some of the sampling bias in the DFAS_RF method, it is shown that the AFDS_RF method nonetheless provides only marginal estimates of the mean AW divergence and vorticity given sufficient time averaging and spatial smoothing. Use of the AFDS_RF method is thus not recommended.
Abstract
This study focused on an explosive cyclone migrating along the southern periphery of the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension in the middle of January 2013 and examined how those warm currents played an active role in the rapid development of the cyclone using a high-resolution coupled atmosphere–ocean regional model. The evolutions of surface fronts of the simulated cyclone resemble the Shapiro–Keyser model. At the time of the maximum deepening rate, strong mesoscale diabatic heating areas appear over the bent-back front and the warm front east of the cyclone center. Diabatic heating over the bent-back front and the eastern warm front is mainly induced by the condensation of moisture imported by the cold conveyor belt (CCB) and the warm conveyor belt (WCB), respectively. The dry air parcels transported by the CCB can receive large amounts of moisture from the warm currents, whereas the very humid air parcels transported by the WCB can hardly be modified by those currents. The well-organized nature of the CCB plays a key role not only in enhancing surface evaporation from the warm currents but also in importing the evaporated vapor into the bent-back front. The imported vapor converges at the bent-back front, leading to latent heat release. The latent heating facilitates the cyclone’s development through the production of positive potential vorticity in the lower troposphere. Its deepening can, in turn, reinforce the CCB. In the presence of a favorable synoptic-scale environment, such a positive feedback process can lead to the rapid intensification of a cyclone over warm currents.
Abstract
This study focused on an explosive cyclone migrating along the southern periphery of the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension in the middle of January 2013 and examined how those warm currents played an active role in the rapid development of the cyclone using a high-resolution coupled atmosphere–ocean regional model. The evolutions of surface fronts of the simulated cyclone resemble the Shapiro–Keyser model. At the time of the maximum deepening rate, strong mesoscale diabatic heating areas appear over the bent-back front and the warm front east of the cyclone center. Diabatic heating over the bent-back front and the eastern warm front is mainly induced by the condensation of moisture imported by the cold conveyor belt (CCB) and the warm conveyor belt (WCB), respectively. The dry air parcels transported by the CCB can receive large amounts of moisture from the warm currents, whereas the very humid air parcels transported by the WCB can hardly be modified by those currents. The well-organized nature of the CCB plays a key role not only in enhancing surface evaporation from the warm currents but also in importing the evaporated vapor into the bent-back front. The imported vapor converges at the bent-back front, leading to latent heat release. The latent heating facilitates the cyclone’s development through the production of positive potential vorticity in the lower troposphere. Its deepening can, in turn, reinforce the CCB. In the presence of a favorable synoptic-scale environment, such a positive feedback process can lead to the rapid intensification of a cyclone over warm currents.
Abstract
The response of the atmospheric boundary layer to fronts of sea surface temperature (SST) is characterized by correlations between wind stress divergence and the downwind component of the SST gradient and between the wind stress curl and the crosswind component of the SST gradient. The associated regression (or coupling) coefficients for the wind stress divergence are consistently larger than those for the wind stress curl. To explore the underlying physics, the authors introduce a linearized model of the atmospheric boundary layer response to SST-induced modulations of boundary layer hydrostatic pressure and vertical mixing in the presence of advection by a background Ekman spiral. Model solutions are a strong function of the SST scale and background advection and recover observed characteristics. The coupling coefficients for wind stress divergence and curl are governed by distinct physics. Wind stress divergence results from either large-scale winds crossing the front or from a thermally direct, cross-frontal circulation. Wind stress curl, expected to be largest when winds are parallel to SST fronts, is reduced through geostrophic spindown and thereby yields weaker coupling coefficients.
Abstract
The response of the atmospheric boundary layer to fronts of sea surface temperature (SST) is characterized by correlations between wind stress divergence and the downwind component of the SST gradient and between the wind stress curl and the crosswind component of the SST gradient. The associated regression (or coupling) coefficients for the wind stress divergence are consistently larger than those for the wind stress curl. To explore the underlying physics, the authors introduce a linearized model of the atmospheric boundary layer response to SST-induced modulations of boundary layer hydrostatic pressure and vertical mixing in the presence of advection by a background Ekman spiral. Model solutions are a strong function of the SST scale and background advection and recover observed characteristics. The coupling coefficients for wind stress divergence and curl are governed by distinct physics. Wind stress divergence results from either large-scale winds crossing the front or from a thermally direct, cross-frontal circulation. Wind stress curl, expected to be largest when winds are parallel to SST fronts, is reduced through geostrophic spindown and thereby yields weaker coupling coefficients.
Abstract
Contemporary climate science seeks to understand the rate and magnitude of a warming global climate and how it impacts regional variability and teleconnections. One of the key drivers of regional climate is the observed reduction in end of summer sea-ice extent over the Arctic. Here the authors show that interannual variations between the September Arctic sea-ice concentration, especially in the East Siberian Sea, and the maximum Okhotsk sea-ice extent in the following winter are positively correlated, which is not explained by the recent warming trend only. An increase of sea ice both in the East Siberian Sea and the Okhotsk Sea and corresponding atmospheric patterns, showing a seesaw between positive anomalies of sea level pressures over the Arctic Ocean and negative anomalies over the midlatitudes, are related to cold anomalies over the high-latitude Eurasian continent. The patterns of atmospheric circulation and air temperatures are similar to those of the annually integrated Arctic Oscillation (AO). The negative annual AO forms colder anomalies in autumn sea surface temperatures both over the East Siberian Sea and the Okhotsk Sea, which causes heavy sea-ice conditions in both seas through season-to-season persistence.
Abstract
Contemporary climate science seeks to understand the rate and magnitude of a warming global climate and how it impacts regional variability and teleconnections. One of the key drivers of regional climate is the observed reduction in end of summer sea-ice extent over the Arctic. Here the authors show that interannual variations between the September Arctic sea-ice concentration, especially in the East Siberian Sea, and the maximum Okhotsk sea-ice extent in the following winter are positively correlated, which is not explained by the recent warming trend only. An increase of sea ice both in the East Siberian Sea and the Okhotsk Sea and corresponding atmospheric patterns, showing a seesaw between positive anomalies of sea level pressures over the Arctic Ocean and negative anomalies over the midlatitudes, are related to cold anomalies over the high-latitude Eurasian continent. The patterns of atmospheric circulation and air temperatures are similar to those of the annually integrated Arctic Oscillation (AO). The negative annual AO forms colder anomalies in autumn sea surface temperatures both over the East Siberian Sea and the Okhotsk Sea, which causes heavy sea-ice conditions in both seas through season-to-season persistence.
Abstract
Boreal winter (November–March) extreme flux events in the Kuroshio Extension region (KER) of the northwestern Pacific and the Gulf Stream region (GSR) of the northwestern Atlantic are analyzed and compared, based on NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), NCEP–NCAR reanalysis, and NOAA Twentieth Century Reanalysis data, as well as the observationally derived OAFlux dataset. These extreme flux events, most of which last less than 3 days, are characterized by cold air outbreaks (CAOs) with an anomalous northerly wind that brings cold and dry air from the Eurasian and North American continents to the KER and GSR, respectively. A close relationship between the extreme flux events over KER (GSR) and the Aleutian low pattern (ALP) [east Atlantic pattern (EAP)] is found with more frequent occurrence of the extreme flux events during a positive ALP (EAP) phase and vice versa. A further lag-composite analysis suggests that the ALP (EAP) is associated with accumulated effects of the synoptic winter storms accompanied by the extreme flux events and shows that the event-day storms tend to have a preferred southeastward propagation path over the North Pacific (Atlantic), potentially contributing to the southward shift of the storm track over the eastern North Pacific (Atlantic) basin during the ALP (EAP) positive phase. Finally, lag-regression analyses indicate a potential positive influence of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies along the KER (GSR) on the development of the extreme flux events in the North Pacific (Atlantic).
Abstract
Boreal winter (November–March) extreme flux events in the Kuroshio Extension region (KER) of the northwestern Pacific and the Gulf Stream region (GSR) of the northwestern Atlantic are analyzed and compared, based on NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), NCEP–NCAR reanalysis, and NOAA Twentieth Century Reanalysis data, as well as the observationally derived OAFlux dataset. These extreme flux events, most of which last less than 3 days, are characterized by cold air outbreaks (CAOs) with an anomalous northerly wind that brings cold and dry air from the Eurasian and North American continents to the KER and GSR, respectively. A close relationship between the extreme flux events over KER (GSR) and the Aleutian low pattern (ALP) [east Atlantic pattern (EAP)] is found with more frequent occurrence of the extreme flux events during a positive ALP (EAP) phase and vice versa. A further lag-composite analysis suggests that the ALP (EAP) is associated with accumulated effects of the synoptic winter storms accompanied by the extreme flux events and shows that the event-day storms tend to have a preferred southeastward propagation path over the North Pacific (Atlantic), potentially contributing to the southward shift of the storm track over the eastern North Pacific (Atlantic) basin during the ALP (EAP) positive phase. Finally, lag-regression analyses indicate a potential positive influence of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies along the KER (GSR) on the development of the extreme flux events in the North Pacific (Atlantic).
