Open AccessDownward migration of extratropical zonal wind anomalies
Author(s) -
Plumb R. Alan,
Semeniuk Kirill
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2002jd002773
Subject(s) - extratropical cyclone , stratosphere , troposphere , climatology , forcing (mathematics) , atmospheric sciences , quasi biennial oscillation , arctic oscillation , geology , zonal flow (plasma) , rossby wave , oscillation (cell signaling) , northern hemisphere , physics , plasma , quantum mechanics , biology , tokamak , genetics
We show (in confirmation of previous work) using one‐ and three‐dimensional models that extratropical zonal wind anomalies, produced by fluctuating Rossby wave forcing in the troposphere, appear first in the stratosphere, and migrate downward into the troposphere. By systematically eliminating wave reflection and “downward control” through an induced meridional circulation, it is shown that the downward migration is dependent on neither process. Rather, the mechanism appears to rely on local wave, mean‐flow interaction just as in the similar downward migration evident in the tropical quasi‐biennial oscillation. In particular, these results imply that the similar downward migration observed in the Arctic Oscillation should not be taken to indicate any controlling influence of the stratosphere on the troposphere.