Roles of Rossby and Gravity Waves on Circulation Associated with Tropical and Subtropical Heating

Abstract

In order to resolve the contradiction between the theories proposed by Rodwell and Hoskins (1996) and Chen et al. (2001), a linear response of global/hemispherical atmosphere to a subtropical heat source is studied, using two different numerical models. The first model treats the response as a linear combination of wave components (Hough functions), which are eigenmodes of the homogeneous equations. The second model is based on quasi-geostrophic approximation.
First, the response to zonally uniform heat source is investigated. In the case of the heat source centered at the equator, geopotential and zonal wind perturbation fields are expressed by Rossby and Kelvin modes, while vertical and meridional flows are represented by gravity modes. On the other hand, the case of the heat source centered off the equator reveals that the cell reaching winter hemisphere is dominant due to mixed Rossby-gravity mode.
Second, the response to zonally localized heat source centered at 25°N is investigated. The validity of quasi-geostrophic approximation in the subtropics is verified. It is found that the geopotential and horizontal wind perturbation fields can be expressed only by Rossby modes, while the contribution of gravity modes is stronger for the vertical flow. On the basis of these results we calculate the response in the observed basic wind, but the wavetrain shown in Chen et al. (2001) cannot be reproduced. On the other hand, the descent west or northwest of the heat source, which is examined in Rodwell Hoskins (1996), appears in the resting basic field as well as in the basic zonal flow. The mechanism producing this descent is discussed in detail.