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Role of cloud radiative feedback in the Madden–Julian oscillation dynamics: a trio-interaction model analysis

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Abstract

The authors expand the original wave dynamic-moisture (WM) model by implementing the cloud radiative feedback (CRF) to study the role of the CRF in the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in comparison with the role of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) process. The linear instability analysis is used to elucidate the reactions of the WM mode, WM-CRF mode, WM-PBL mode, and WM-PBL-CRF mode. Compared with the stationary and damped WM mode, the CRF can present an important instability source for all wavenumbers without the planetary-scale selection and tends to slow down the planetary-scale eastward propagation. On the other hand, the PBL process, with the planetary-scale selection, can destabilize the eastward propagation while accelerate the eastward propagation of the planetary-scale oscillation. When the PBL and the CRF processes are both included, the unstable mode is achieved and period is nearly 20–90 days, consistent with the observations. Both the WM and the WM-CRF modes present unrealistic coupled Kelvin–Rossby wave structure, which disagrees with the observations. These caveats can be remitted in the WM-PBL mode and the WM-PBL-CRF mode. The PBL can couple the Kelvin and Rossby waves and present the observed geopotential low in front of the convective center. The CRF, however, can make the phase relation between the precipitation anomalies and pressure anomalies changed in the presence of PBL process.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding authors states that all data and materials as well as software application support their published claims and comply with field standards.

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Funding

This research was jointly funded by the Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (Grant No. 2020B0301030004), the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (STEP) program (Grant No. 2019QZKK0102), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41975107, 91937302, and 41790475), and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant Nos. 2019YFC1509100 and 2016YFA0601801).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences & Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Can Cao & Zhiwei Wu

  2. Earth System Modeling and Climate Dynamics Research Center, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China

    Can Cao

  3. School of Atmospheric Sciences Sun Yat-Sen University, Key Laboratory of Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean System Ministry of Education, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, 519082, China

    Fei Liu

  4. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Zhiwei Wu

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  1. Can Cao
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  2. Fei Liu
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  3. Zhiwei Wu
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Contributions

Can Cao did the model runs and data analysis and prepared the manuscript. Fei Liu designed the experiments and did the data analysis and contributed to manuscript preparation. Zhiwei Wu assisted in manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to Fei Liu.

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Cao, C., Liu, F. & Wu, Z. Role of cloud radiative feedback in the Madden–Julian oscillation dynamics: a trio-interaction model analysis. Theor Appl Climatol 145, 489–499 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-021-03641-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-021-03641-w

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