Abstract
We describe a series of sensitivity experiments with a quasi-geostrophic model of the interaction of stationary planetary waves with the mean zonal flow in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The model is of the Matsuno type, which neglects wave-wave interaction and includes only a single zonal harmonic of the planetary wave spectrum in each simulation. We employed the model to investigate the source of the double-layer structure previously obtained by several authors for the stratospheric sudden warming with wavenumber one. Our results suggest that this characteristic of the model-produced warming is a property only of models without damping. When reasonable dissipation is included in the model, the double-layer structure disappears. This implies the importance of the drag parameterization in properly simulating warming events and, since the actual drag very probably is effected by breaking internal waves, it suggests that future analysis should include a specific representation of this effect. We also investigated the dependence of stratospheric warming on the structure of the zonal wind field. Our analyses show in particular that substantial reduction of the height of the polar night jet mitigates strongly against the occurrence of a sudden warming event.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrews, D. G., andMcIntyre, M. E. (1976),Planetary waves in horizontal and vertical shear: The generalized Eliassen-Palm relation and the mean-zonal acceleration. J. Atmos. Sci.33, 2031–2048.
Andrews, D. G., andMcIntyre, M. E. (1978),Generalized Eliassen-Palm and Charney-Drazin theorems for waves on axisymmetric mean flows in compressible atmosphere. J. Atmos. Sci.35, 175–185.
Boyd, J. P. (1976),The Non-interactions of waves with the zonally averaged flow on a spherical earth and the interrelationship of eddy fluxes of energy, heat and momentum. J. Atmos. Sci.33, 2285–2291.
Charney, J. G., andDrazin, P. G. (1961),Propagation of planetary scale disturbances from the lower into the upper atmosphere. J. Geophys. Res.66, 83–109.
Clark, J. H. E. (1970),A quasi-geostrophic model of the winter stratospheric circulation. Mon. Wea. Rev.98, 443–461.
Craig, R. A., andHering, W. S. (1959),The stratospheric warming of January–February 1957. J. Meteor.16, 91–107.
Dickinson, R. E. (1968),Planetary Rossby waves propagating vertically through weak westerly wind wave guides. J. Atmos. Sci.25, 984–1002.
Dickenson, R. E. (1968b),On the exact and approximate linear theory of vertically propagating planetary Rossby waves forced at a spherical lower boundary. Mon. Wea. Rev.,96, 405–415.
Dickenson, R. E. (1969),Vertical propagation of planetary Rossby waves, through an atmosphere with Newtonian cooling. J. Geophys. Res.,74, 984–1002.
Finger, F. G., andTeweles S. (1964),The mid-winter 1963 stratospheric warming and circulation change. J. Appl. Meteor.3, 1–15.
Fritz, S., andSoules, D. (1970),Large scale temperature changes in the stratosphere observed from Nimbus III. J. Atmos. Sci.27, 1091–1097.
Holton, J. R. (1975),The dynamic meteorology of the stratosphere and mesosphere. Meteorol. Monographs,15, Amer. Meteorol. Soc.
Holton, J. R. (1976),A semi-spectral numerical model for wave-mean flow interactions in the stratosphere: Application to sudden stratospheric warmings. J. Atmos. Sci.33, 1639–1649.
Holton, J. R. (1982),The role of gravity wave induced drag and diffusion in the momentum budget of the mesosphere. J. Atmos. Sci.39, 791–799.
Julian, R. P., andLabitzke K. (1965),A study of atmospheric eneretics during the January–February 1963 stratospheric warming. J. Atmos. Sci.22, 597–610.
Labitzke, K. (1972),The interaction between stratosphere and mesosphere in winter. J. Atmos. Sci.29, 1395–1399.
Labitzke, K. (1977),Interannual variability of the winter stratosphere in the northern hemisphere. Mon. Wea. Rev.105, 762–770.
Lindzen, R. S. (1971),Equatorial planetary waves in shear. Part. I: J. Atmos. Sci.28, 609–622.
Lindzen, R. S. (1981),Turbulence and stress owing to gravity wave and tidal breakdown. J. Geophs. Res.86, 9707–9714.
Matsuno, T. (1970).Vertical propagation of stationary planetary waves in the winter northern hemisphere. J. Atmos. Sci.27, 871–883.
Matsuno, T. (1971),A dynamical model of the stratospheric sudden warming. J. Atmos. Sci.28, 1479–1494.
McIntyre, M. E. (1972),Baroclinic instability of an idealized model of the polar night jet. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc.98, 730–744.
Miller, A. J., andJohnson K. W. (1970),On the interaction between the stratosphere and troposphere during the warming of December 1967–January 1968. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc.96, 24–31.
Peltier, W. R., andClark, T. L. (1979),The evolution and stability of finite-amplitude mountain waves. Part III: Surface wave drag and severe downslope windstorms. J. Atmos. Sci.36, 1498–1529.
Peltier, W. R., andClark T. L. (1980),Reply to comments on ‘The evolution and stability...Part II: Surface wave drag...’ by D. K. Lilly and J. B. Klemp. J. Atmos. Sci.37, 2122–2125.
Peltier, W. R., andClark, T. L. (1983),Nonlinear mountain waves in two and three spatial dimensions. Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc.,109, 527–548.
Quiroz, R. S. (1975),The stratospheric evolution of sudden warming in 1969–74 determined from measured infrared radiation fields. J. Atmos. Sci.32, 211–224.
Quiroz, R. S., Miller, A. J., andNagatani, R. M. (1975),A comparison of observed and simulated properties of sudden stratospheric warmings. J. Atmos. Sci.,32, 1723–1736.
Scherhag, R. (1952),Die Explosionsartigen Stratospharenerwarmungen des spatswinter 1951–52. Berichte des Deutschen Wetterdienst in der U.S.-Zone,38, 51–63.
Schoeberl, M. R., andStrobel, D. F. (1980),Numerical simulation of sudden stratospheric warmings. J. Atmos. Sci.37, 214–236.
Swartztrauber, P., andSweet, R. (1975),Efficient Fortran subprograms for the solution of elliptic partial differential equations. NCAR Technical Notes, TN/CA-109.
Teweles, S., andFinger, F. G. (1958),An abrupt change in stratospheric circulation beginning in mid-January 1958. Mon. Wea. Rev.86, 23–28.
Tung, K. K., andLindzen R. S. (1979),A theory of stationary long waves. Part I: A simple theory of blocking. Part II: Resonant Rossby waves in the presence of realistic vertical shears. Part III: Quasi-normal modes in a singular waveguide. Mon. Wea. Rev.107, 714–774.
Trenberth, K. E. (1973),Dynamic coupling of the stratosphere with the troposphere and sudden stratospheric warmings. Mon. Wea. Rev.,101, 306–322.
Uryu, M. (1974),Mean zonal flows induced by a vertically propagating Rossby wave packet. J. Meteorol. Soc. Japan52, 481–490.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Peltier, W.R., Chagnon, R. Sensitivity experiments with a quasi-geostrophic model of stratospheric sudden warming. PAGEOPH 123, 99–140 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00877052
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00877052