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Axisymmetric, nearly inviscid circulations in non‐condensing radiative‐convective atmospheres
Author(s) -
Caballero Rodrigo,
Pierrehumbert Raymond T.,
Mitchell Jonathan L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.271
Subject(s) - hadley cell , radiative transfer , lapse rate , inviscid flow , mechanics , physics , convection , radiative cooling , atmospheric circulation , atmospheric sciences , geology , meteorology , general circulation model , optics , oceanography , climate change
We study the steady‐state axisymmetric circulation of nearly inviscid, compressible atmospheres with no condensible component. Assuming simplified non‐grey radiative transfer and instantaneous adjustment to convective neutrality, we present an analytical theory for the depth, width and strength of the Hadley cell in terms of the planetary radius and rotation rate, insolation, optical depth and atmospheric composition. Under equatorially symmetric insolation, the Hadley cell width predicted by the present theory is generally very close to the Boussinesq, Newtonian cooling result of Held and Hou. We also introduce a new scaling theory for Hadley cell width under solstitial insolation conditions. The theory compares favourably with axisymmetric numerical results and also with full general‐circulation model simulations of Mars and Snowball Earth. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society