5.2. Observations of convectively coupled KWs
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Transcript of 5.2. Observations of convectively coupled KWs
5.2. Observations of convectively coupled KWs
• KW propagating along the equatorial belt.
• Power spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves.
• Composite structures of KWs and associated dynamical and thermodynamical fields.
• Interaction of KWs with mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over Central Africa.
• Source of KWs over South America.
Kelvin wave over the Pacific warm pool
Movie of CLAUS Tb in May 1998
Kelvin wave over the Amazon
Movie of CLAUS Tb in May 1998
Kelvin wave over equatorial Africa
Movie of CLAUS Tb in May 1998
1998 CLAUS Brightness Temperature 5ºS-5º N
CLAUS TbAveraged 15ºS-15ºN, 1983–2005Symmetric component
Wave-number frequency spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves
Courtesy of G. Kiladis
Westward Power Eastward Power
1.25 Days
96 Days
Wave-number frequency spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves
Kelvin
Wave-number frequency spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves
90 m
8 m
Wave-number frequency spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves
Dispersion curves superimposed
25 m
Wave-number frequency spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves
Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR)Average: 15ºS-15ºN, 1979–2001 Symmetric componentBackground removed
Wheeler and Kiladis, 1999
Wave-number frequency spectrum of convectively coupled equatorial waves
Kelvin wave over the Indian Ocean
Kelvin-domain-filtered symmetric OLR variance
All seasons
Wheeler et al. 2000
Peak variance at 0o, 90oE.Broad region of variance extending across the IO and into the western PO.KWs events can occur any time of the year.
Kelvin-domain-filtered symmetric OLR variance
All seasons
Wheeler et al. 2000
KWs over the Indian Ocean Wheeler et al. 2000
Kelvin wave over the Pacific Ocean
Kelvin-domain-filtered total OLR variance
May to September
Kelvin wave over the Pacific Ocean
May to September
14 m s-1
OLRLa
g (d
ays)
OLR (red: increased cloudiness); ECMWF 1000-hPa u, v (vectors), z (contours)
Horizontal structure
Horizontal structure
Observed KWs: Vertical structure, TStraub and Kiladis 2003
Wave Motion
Temperature at Majuro (radiosonde, 7N, 171E)
Observed KWs: Vertical structure, q
Wave Motion
Straub and Kiladis 2003
Specific humidity at Majuro (radiosonde, 7N, 171E)
Kelvin wave over Central Africa
Kelvin-domain-filtered symetric OLR variance in Spring (MAM)
Kelvin-domain-filtered symetric OLR variance in Spring (MAM)
Kelvin-wave-filtered OLR variance
8
12
255090 Wheeler and Kiladis 1999The Kelvin wave domain is represented by the green polygon
AA EA IO PO
(5oS-5oN) meridional mean Kelvin wave filtered OLR variance
• Peaks from the Amazon-Atlantic (AA) in March to the Pacific ocean (PO) in June.
• Strongest signal over Equatorial Africa (EA) in April
Role of the surface favoring the Kelvin wave growth.
Equatorial position of the ITCZ in spring.
Horizontal structure
L
H
OLR (shading, W/m2)
Wind at 850 hPa (vector, m/s)
Surface Pressure (contours, Pa)
•OLR and dynamical signal centered on the equator along the ITCZ.•Winds are primarily zonal.•Low pressure (convergence) and easterlies to east of lowest OLR•High pressure (divergence) and westerlies to west of lowest OLR
cat3
Solution of the shallow water model
Convection is collocated with the theoretical convergence region
Comparison with theoretical structure
Wavelength :
50 ≤ ≤ 90°(longitude) ⇨ Zonal wavenumber :4 ≤ k ≤ 7Period of 5-6 days:8 ≤ c ≤ 18 ms-1
8
12
2550
90
Characterization in the spectrum
Wheeler and Kiladis 1999
Vertical structure
OLR (Wm-2)
q (g/kg)moistdry
T (degK)coldwarm
Pre
ssur
e (h
Pa)
Lower troposphere: •Moist collocated with the lowest OLR.•Dry is to the west of lowest OLR.
Upper troposphere: moist is to the west of lowest OLR.
progression from shallow to deep convection followed by stratiform clouds.
Lower troposphere: •Warm is to the east of lowest OLR.•Cold is to the west of lowest OLR.
Upper troposphere: warm is collocated with lowest OLR.
Observed Kelvin wave morphology
Wave MotionStraub and Kiladis 2003
Kiladis et al., 2009
Generalized evolution of a convectively coupled equatorial wave
Interaction with MCSs and diurnal cycle
CLAUS Tb1997
Kelvin waves12 m/s
MCSs20 m/s
Kelvin wave impact on the MCSs
(1984-2002) Composite MCS surface cover, 2 classes (sizes) considered : – The smallest, effective radius < 200 km – The biggest, effective radius > 480 km
• no or weak perturbation of the small MCSs by KW
• Strong modulation of the big MCSs by the Kelvin wave
• Convection is essentially triggered by the orography
• Kelvin wave impact mostly on the organization of the MCSs
Tim
e (h
ours
)
Small MCSs Big MCSs
Brightness temperature• Mar-Apr 1984-2002• averaged from 5°S-5°N
Diurnal cycle of the convection
MCSs are triggered near and on the relief
Diurnal cycle marked every day
Enhancement of the convection evident during the wave active phase, especially over the Congo Basin
Mean diurnal cycle
Composite Anomalies
tim
e (h
ours
)
Negative OLR
Positive OLR
Origin of KWs over South America
Courtesy of George Kiladis
Liebmann et al., 2009
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day-4
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day-3
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day-2
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day-1
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day 0
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day+1
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day+2
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
OLR and 200 hPa Flow Regressed against Kelvin-filtered OLR (scaled -20 W m2) at eq, 60W for January-June 1979-2004
Day+3
Streamfunction (contours 5 X 105 m2 s-1)Wind (vectors, largest around 5 m s-1)
OLR (shading starts at +/- 6 W s-2), negative blue
The dates are then separated by additional criteria before compositing:
“Pacific” cases: 3 days before key date Kelvin-filteredOLR more than 16 Wm-2 below mean at 95W, 2.5N
“South America” cases: 3 days before key date, 30-day high-pass filtered OLR more than 50 Wm-2 below mean at 60W, 20S.
Period: Nov 1979-May 200653 Pacific cases
48 South America cases4 common cases
Dates are found with a 1.5 standard deviationsnegative OLR anomalies at 60W, Eq.
Conclusions for South America
• There are at least two mechanisms that force Kelvin waves over South America
a) upper levels disturbance propagating along the equator from the Pacific
b) lower levels cold surge from southern South America:
(e.g., Garreaud and Wallace 1998; Garreaud 2000)
• Not all South American (cold) events force Kelvin waves
• Some Kelvin waves may be initiated in-situ