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A Modeling Strategy for the Investigation of the Effect of Mesoscale SST Variability on Atmospheric Dynamics
Author(s) -
Jia Yinglai,
Chang Ping,
Szunyogh Istvan,
Saravanan R.,
Bacmeister Julio T.
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1029/2019gl081960
Subject(s) - mesoscale meteorology , sea surface temperature , middle latitudes , climatology , atmospheric model , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , geology , meteorology , oceanography , physics
An efficient modeling strategy is proposed for the investigation of the effect of the sea surface temperature (SST) mesoscale variability on atmospheric dynamics. Two ensembles of numerical simulations are generated with a high‐resolution atmospheric global circulation model coupled to a slab ocean model. The two ensembles differ only in the treatment of the SST data used for the specification of the SST initial conditions and the estimation of the oceanic heat transport: one of the ensembles is generated by retaining, while the other by filtering, the mesoscale SST variability. The effect of mesoscale SST variability is assessed by comparing the two ensembles. The strategy is illustrated by simulation experiments with the Community Earth System Model, with a focus on the processes of the NH midlatitudes. The results suggest that ocean mesoscale variability has a significant effect on the jet streams, large‐scale flow, and midlatitude storm tracks.