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Comments on ‘Spatial structure of ultra‐low frequency variability of the flow in a simple atmospheric circulation model’ by I. N. James and P. M. James (October 1992, 118, 1211–1233.)
Author(s) -
Feldstein Steven B.,
Robinson Walter A.
Publication year - 1994
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.49712051714
Subject(s) - climatology , gcm transcription factors , latitude , zonal flow (plasma) , atmospheric circulation , general circulation model , flow (mathematics) , circulation (fluid dynamics) , low latitude , atmospheric sciences , mean flow , simple (philosophy) , environmental science , geology , meteorology , climate change , geography , physics , geodesy , philosophy , plasma , mechanics , oceanography , turbulence , quantum mechanics , tokamak , epistemology
James and James (1992) examine internally generated interannual variability in a multi‐level primitive‐equation model. The authors claim that the variability in the global mean relative angular velocity is associated with fluctuations in the mid‐latitude zonally‐averaged zonal winds. We question this relationship, and present results from an aqua‐planet GCM which indicate that, instead, the global mean relative angular velocity is primarily related to changes in the tropical zonally‐averaged zonal winds. Furthermore, we also question whether the ‘ultra‐low‐frequency variability’ examined by James and James is not simply just ‘climate noise’.