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A Census of Atmospheric Variability From Seconds to Decades
Author(s) -
Williams Paul D.,
Alexander M. Joan,
Barnes Elizabeth A.,
Butler Amy H.,
Davies Huw C.,
Garfinkel Chaim I.,
Kushnir Yochanan,
Lane Todd P.,
Lundquist Julie K.,
Martius Olivia,
Maue Ryan N.,
Peltier W. Richard,
Sato Kaoru,
Scaife Adam A.,
Zhang Chidong
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl075483
Subject(s) - stratosphere , climatology , environmental science , troposphere , atmosphere (unit) , hydrosphere , north atlantic oscillation , teleconnection , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geology , geography , el niño southern oscillation , biosphere , physics , astronomy
Abstract This paper synthesizes and summarizes atmospheric variability on time scales from seconds to decades through a phenomenological census. We focus mainly on unforced variability in the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. In addition to atmosphere‐only modes, our scope also includes coupled modes, in which the atmosphere interacts with the other components of the Earth system, such as the ocean, hydrosphere, and cryosphere. The topics covered include turbulence on time scales of seconds and minutes, gravity waves on time scales of hours, weather systems on time scales of days, atmospheric blocking on time scales of weeks, the Madden–Julian Oscillation on time scales of months, the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation on time scales of years, and the North Atlantic, Arctic, Antarctic, Pacific Decadal, and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillations on time scales of decades. The paper serves as an introduction to a special collection of Geophysical Research Letters on atmospheric variability. We hope that both this paper and the collection will serve as a useful resource for the atmospheric science community and will act as inspiration for setting future research directions.