Identification

Title

Thermally Driven and Eddy-Driven Jet Variability in Reanalysis

Abstract

Two important dynamical processes influence the extratropical zonal wind field: angular momentum transport by the thermally direct Hadley circulation (thermal-driving T) and momentum flux convergence by atmospheric waves (eddies) that develop in regions of enhanced baroclinicity (eddy-driving E). The relationship between extratropical zonal wind variability and these driving processes is investigated using 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis (ERA-40) data. Indices representing the processes (iT and iE) are defined based on vertically integrated diabatic heating and meridional convergence of the meridional flux of zonal momentum by eddies, respectively. Zonal wind signatures associated with these indices are identified via composite analysis. In the Atlantic sector, zonal wind variability is mainly associated with momentum flux convergence by baroclinic eddies, supporting the established view that the Atlantic jet is primarily eddy driven. In the Pacific sector, zonal wind variability is associated with both driving processes, evidence that the Pacific jet is both thermally driven and eddy driven. The thermally driven Pacific signature reflects changes in jet strength (intensity and longitudinal extent) with some resemblance to the zonal wind anomalies of the Pacific--North America (PNA) pattern. The eddy-driven signature reflects a latitudinal shift of the jet exit region in both sectors that resembles the zonal wind anomalies of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) or West Pacific (WP) patterns.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d72n52x4

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

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code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

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geoscientificInformation

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Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

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East bounding longitude

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Temporal reference

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End position

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date type

publication

effective date

2012-03-01T00:00:00Z

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Copyright 2012 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be "fair use" under Section 107 or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 USC, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the Society's permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form on servers, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statements, requires written permission or license from the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policies, available from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or amspubs@ametsoc.org. Permission to place a copy of this work on this server has been provided by the AMS. The AMS does not guarantee that the copy provided here is an accurate copy of the published work.

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None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2025-07-15T21:36:55.372756

Metadata language

eng; USA