Energy Budget of Wave Disturbances over the Marshall Islands During the Years of 1956 and 1958

Abstract

Based on the data in the Marshall Islands obtained in 1956 and 1958, vertical velocities and heat source associated with tropical wave disturbances are estimated and the energy transformation of the disturbances are examined. An approximate estimate of the upward transport of sensible and latent heat by small-scale convective motions is also obtained. Eddy available potential energy is generated by the heat of condensation and is transformed to the eddy kinetic energy in the upper troposphere centered about 300 mb. Energy flux is upward above the level about 300 mb and downward below that level. Other terms of energy transformations such as the conversions from mean kinetic energy and from mean potential energy are one or two order of magnitude smaller than terms of generation and conversion of eddy available potential energy. The sensible and the latent heat supplied from the sea surface is transported upward by the cumulus convecsions and strong convective transport corresponds to the upward motion of the large-scale disturbances. A non-dimensional heating parameter *(p) is also obtained and is compared with that used in theoretical studies.

3-5 Day-Period Disturbances Coupled with Convection over the Tropical Pacific Ocean

“…Recently, Lau and Lau (1990) utilized the 1980-1987 ECMWF analysis data to study statistically the synoptic-scale disturbances over the tropical oceans. Their results agreed with those by Nitta (1972) about the energetics of the western Pacific wave disturbances. From a theoretical point of view, Holton (1971) constructed a diagnostic model to study the characteristics of easterly waves.…”

“…These phenomena include ENSO (El Nino and Southern Oscillation), Madden and Julian Oscillation Julian, 1971 and1972), large-scale disturbances such as super cloud clusters, easterly waves and typhoons, and mesoscale disturbances such as cloud clusters and squall lines, etc. Numerical experiments suggest that phenomena with scales less than the MaddenJulian oscillation (30-60 day period and wavenumber one) appear to be organized and maintained by the convection-disturbance coupled mechanisms.…”

“…As for the maintenance mechanism of the TDtype disturbances, Nitta (1972) performed an energy budget analysis using 1956/58 special upper air observations over the tropical western Pacific and showed that they are maintained through diabatic heating attributed to the cumulus convective activity. Recently, Lau and Lau (1990) utilized the 1980-1987 ECMWF analysis data to study statistically the synoptic-scale disturbances over the tropical oceans.…”

Relationship between convection over Central America and the intensity of the jet stream bearing on the 1999 December European storms

“…First, from the daily precipitation data (see for instance Figure 4(a)), an estimation of a 2D maximum heating field is obtained by a basic linear relation: a maximum heating of 5 K day −1 corresponds to 1 cm day −1 . These values fall within the range of estimated heating maxima from retrieval algorithms (4-6 K day −1 for 1 cm day −1 can be found in Tao et al (2001)) and from diagnostic budget studies over different geographic locations (4-10 K day −1 in 1 cm day −1 is suggested by Reed and Recker (1971); see also Nitta (1972), Johnson (1976), Thompson et al (1979), Chong and Hauser (1990) and Lin and Johnson (1996)). …”

Upper atmosphere tidal oscillations due to latent heat release in the tropical troposphere

“…For t z z we utilize the empirical formula of Hong and Wang (1980), which is based on the work of Reed and Recker (1971) and Nitta (1972):…”