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Disconnect Between Hadley Cell and Subtropical Jet Variability and Response to Increased CO 2
Author(s) -
Menzel Molly E.,
Waugh Darryn,
Grise Kevin
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 - 10.1029/2019gl083345
Subject(s) - hadley cell , subtropics , atmospheric sciences , momentum (technical analysis) , jet (fluid) , climatology , enhanced data rates for gsm evolution , environmental science , geology , physics , climate change , general circulation model , thermodynamics , oceanography , telecommunications , finance , fishery , computer science , economics , biology
Abstract The subtropical jet (STJ) is thought to coexist with the edge of the Hadley cell (HC). However, recent studies reveal that the location of the STJ is poorly correlated with the latitude of the poleward edge of the HC. Here we use output from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 to show that a weaker STJ is associated with a more poleward HC edge interannually, but there is a strengthening of the STJ and expansion of the HC in response to increased CO 2 . The HC expansion caused by increased CO 2 is much more rapid than the strengthening of the STJ. It is suggested that the differing response times and relationships between interannual variations and increased CO 2 are due to differing sensitivities of the HC and STJ to shifts in the eddy momentum fluxes.