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The influence of large-scale forcing on the katabatic wind regime at Adélie Land, Antarctica

  • Large-Scale Circulation
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Summary

The Adélie Land coastal section of East Antarctica is known for strong katabatic winds. Although the primary forcing of these persistent drainage flows has been attributed to the radiative cooling of the sloping ice topography, effects of ambient horizontal pressure gradients can play a central role in shaping the Antarctic surface wind regime as well. Oberrvations of the katabatic wind at the near-coastal Adélie Land station D-10 have been sorted into strong and weak wind classes. Concurrent radiosonde ascents at nearby Dumont D'Urville have been used to depict the timeaveraged large scale conditions accompanying the katabatic wind classes. Results suggest that strong katabatic wind cases are associated with low pressure over the coastal margin and easterly upper level motions. Numerical simulations have been conducted to examine the effect of prescribed large scale forcing on the evolution of the katabatic wind. The model runs indicate that the ambient environment plays a key role in the development and intensity of the katabatic wind regime.

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Author notes

  1. T. R. Parish

    Present address: Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Wyoming, 82071, Laramie, WY, USA

  2. P. Pettré

    Present address: METEO-FRANCE, Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Toulouse, France

  3. G. Wendler

    Present address: Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, 99701, Fairbanks, Alaska

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    1. T. R. Parish
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    2. P. Pettré
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    3. G. Wendler
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    Parish, T.R., Pettré, P. & Wendler, G. The influence of large-scale forcing on the katabatic wind regime at Adélie Land, Antarctica. Meteorl. Atmos. Phys. 51, 165–176 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01030492

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01030492

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