Abstract
Sensitivity of the tropical easterly jet (TEJ) to the distribution and
magnitude of tropical latent heating was examined using an aqua-planet
configuration of the Community Atmosphere Model, version 3.1 (CAM-
3.1), of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). A series of
aqua-planet simulations show that the wind speeds associated with the TEJ
are directly controlled by the magnitude and location of tropical heating.
Specifically, heating in the off-equator and higher tropical latitudes is able
to generate strong easterlies. In contrast, a single heat source in the equa-
torial region, even with high magnitude, does not force strong easterlies.
However, heating in the higher tropical latitudes is not-relevant to explain
the structure of the TEJ while equatorial heating is crucial for the realistic
vertical and meridional structures of the TEJ. The location of peak zonal
wind is influenced by the off-equatorial heating near the TEJ. In a realistic
model configuration, it is shown that a zonally elongated precipitation band
in the Pacific Ocean warm pool is important for the eastward extent of the
TEJ.
