The Vertical Structure of Low-Frequency Atmospheric Flows

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The Global Weather Experiment (GWE) of early 1979 deployed augmented observational systems that offered, for the first time, truly global coverage at least on the largest (planetary wave) scales of the atmospheric circulation. Analysis techniques were subsequently developed that merged these observations with the output of continually running numerical models to obtain data sets consistent with the physical and dynamical laws built into the models. Research with these data sets has provided new insights on planetary-scale circulation features which vary slowly over intra- seasonal to seasonal periods. Dr. Nogues-Paegle will use a 10-year data set, which was prepared with state-of-the-art techniques for assimilating observations into numerical model solutions, to look at the vertical structure of such circulation features. The vertical structure detected will provide an indication as to the relative roles of local and remote energy sources in the excitation and maintenance of the quasi-stationary waves composing these features. The results should guide the development of general circulation models so they simulate seasonal and intraseasonal changes more accurately. Such improved predictions will have enhanced credibility and utility in the framing of environmental policy and economic resource allocation decisions.