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The hemispheric eddy flux of water vapor and its implications for the mechanics of the general circulation

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Summary

A study of the vertically integrated eddy flux of water, vapor in the northern hemisphere for summer, winter and the entire year of 1950 is presented. Tables and graphs of zonally averaged numerical values extracted from maps of the analyses of the zonal eddy and meridional eddy components for the hemisphere are reproduced and discussed in the light of various meteorological considerations. It is found that the southward transport of water vapor by theHadley type meridional circulation in the tropics does not imply a comparable importance of this cell for hemispheric momentum and zonal kinetic energy considerations as is assumed in classical general circulation theories.

Zusammenfassung

Es wird eine Untersuchung über die vertikale, integrierte Störungsbewegung von Wasserdampf in der nördlichen Halbkugel für den Sommer, für den Winter und für das ganze Jahr 1950 vorgelegt. Tabellen und graphische Darstellungen zonaler Durchschnittszahlenwerte, die aus analysierten Karten abgeleitet wurden, werden im Hinblick auf verschiedene meteorologische Beziehungen diskutiert. Es wurde festgestellt, daß der nach Süden gerichtete Transport von Wassrdampf durch eine meridionale Zirkulation in derHadleyschen Art in den Tropen dieser Zelle keine besondere Bedeutung für die Betrachtungen der hemisphärischen Bewegung und der zonalen kinetischen Energie verschafft, wie im allgemeinen in der klassischen Zirkulationstheorie angenommen wird.

Résumé

On présente une étude du transport perturbé de la vapeur d'eau intégré verticalement dans l'hémisphère nord pour l'été, l'hiver et l'année 1950 entière. Les tableaux et diagrammes des valeurs numériques, moyennes zonales, extraits des cartes d'analyses des transports zonal et méridional perturbés pour l'hémisphère, sont reproduits et discutés à la lumière des diverses considérations météorologiques. On a trouvé que le transport de la vapeur d'eau effectué par la circulation méridionale du typeHadley dans les régions tropicales n'implique pas une importance comparable à celle de la même cellule quand on considère la quantité du mouvement et de l'énergie cinétique zonale comme il est assumé dans les théories classiques de la circulation générale.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., USA

    Victor P. Starr & José P. Peixoto

  2. University of Lisbon, Portugal

    Victor P. Starr & José P. Peixoto

Authors
  1. Victor P. Starr
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  2. José P. Peixoto
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With 8 Figures

The research reported in this paper has been made possible through the support of the U.S. Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories under contract AF 19 (628)-2408.

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Starr, V.P., Peixoto, J.P. The hemispheric eddy flux of water vapor and its implications for the mechanics of the general circulation. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biokl. A. 14, 111–130 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247235

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247235

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