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A New Framework for Near‐Surface Wind Convergence Over the Kuroshio Extension and Gulf Stream in Wintertime: The Role of Atmospheric Fronts
Author(s) -
Parfitt Rhys,
Seo Hyodae
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1029/2018gl080135
Subject(s) - extratropical cyclone , gulf stream , climatology , convergence zone , forcing (mathematics) , geology , atmosphere (unit) , sea surface temperature , convergence (economics) , surface pressure , environmental science , meteorology , oceanography , geography , economic growth , economics
It is well known that the wintertime time‐mean surface wind convergence patterns over the Kuroshio Extension and Gulf Stream show significant imprints of the underlying oceanic fronts. Previous studies have suggested that this collocation results from a time‐mean response to sea level pressure forcing from sea surface temperature gradients. However, more recent work has illustrated this phenomenon is heavily influenced by extratropical cyclones, although exact mechanisms are still debated. The purpose of this study is to introduce a new framework that explicitly distinguishes between two separate components in their contribution to the time‐mean surface wind convergence, that associated with and without atmospheric fronts. It is then argued that this distinction can help better explain the mechanisms driving the Kuroshio Extension and Gulf Stream influence on the atmosphere.