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Evidence of a mean meridional circulation in the atmosphere from surface wind observations
Author(s) -
Tucker G. B.
Publication year - 1957
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.49708335703
Subject(s) - zonal and meridional , latitude , atmospheric sciences , circulation (fluid dynamics) , middle latitudes , northern hemisphere , atmosphere (unit) , climatology , flux (metallurgy) , geology , meridional flow , atmospheric circulation , southern hemisphere , meteorology , geodesy , physics , mechanics , materials science , metallurgy
Surface‐wind observations in the Northern Hemisphere are analysed and fields of mean meridional and zonal motion obtained. From these, profiles of mean meridional motion as a function of latitude are deduced. The results are consistent with a direct meridional circulation in low latitudes and an indirect circulation in mid‐latitudes, both attaining speeds of 1 to 2 m/sec at the surface. This scheme is found to be consistent with a decrease of upward flux of westerly momentum with height (convergence) in the surface layers in low latitudes and a decrease of downward flux in mid‐latitudes.