The Dynamics of the Hadley Circulation and its Response to a Wide Range of Climate Changes: From a Hierarchy of Models to New Theories

哈德利环流的动态及其对大范围气候变化的响应：从模型层次到新理论

• 批准号: 1049201
• 负责人: Tapio Schneider
• 金额: $ 50.71万
• 依托单位: California Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-06-01 至 2015-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1049201&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dynamics; Hadley; Circulation; its; Response

This grant will fund research on the Hadley cell, an overturning atmospheric circulation with rising motion in the rainy regions near the equator and subsiding motions over the subtropics on either side of the equator. The Hadley cell is quite important for the climate of the tropics and subtropics, as regions under the subsiding branches of the circulation are characterized by arid or semi-arid climates. The research addresses the behavior of the Hadley cell, including its width, strength, and the central latitude of the rising motions, under a variety of simulated planetary climate states. The project has three main objectives: 1) To determine how the Hadley circulation changes over a wide range of climates, in order to place possible past, present, and future changes in a larger context. The research will determine, for example, whether the Hadley circulation generally widens as the climate warms, even in climates very different from the present. 2) To determine how the Hadley circulation responds to climate changes in climate simulations of increasing complexity, including simulations in which the world's surface is entirely ocean with no landmasses, ocean-only simulations including sea ice, and configurations with idealized continents. These simulations are intended to identify mechanisms through which the Hadley cell is influenced by external factors such the insolation changes associated with the ice age cycles. 3) To develop scientific theories that account for observed and simulated changes of the Hadley circulation.The issue of Hadley cell change in a warming climate has societal impacts, as observations and simulations suggest that the Northern and Southern Hemisphere Hadley cells may be widening due to global warming, which could result in aridification in some regions. In addition, the work will promote the education and training of the next generation of scientists by funding a postdoctoral scholar, two graduate students, and two summer undergraduate research fellows.

这笔赠款将资助对哈德利环流的研究，哈德利环流是一种翻转的大气环流，在赤道附近的多雨地区有上升运动，在赤道两侧的亚热带地区有下沉运动。 哈德利环流圈对热带和亚热带的气候非常重要，因为在环流下沉分支下的地区具有干旱或半干旱气候的特征。 该研究讨论了哈德利环流在各种模拟行星气候状态下的行为，包括其宽度、强度和上升运动的中心纬度。 该项目有三个主要目标：1）确定哈德利环流如何在广泛的气候范围内变化，以便将过去，现在和未来的可能变化置于更大的背景下。 例如，这项研究将确定哈德利环流是否会随着气候变暖而普遍扩大，即使在气候与现在非常不同的情况下。2)为了确定哈德利环流如何在日益复杂的气候模拟中对气候变化做出反应，包括模拟世界表面完全是海洋而没有陆地，只有海洋的模拟包括海冰，以及理想化大陆的配置。 这些模拟的目的是确定机制，通过这种机制，哈德利细胞是由外部因素，如与冰期周期相关的日照变化的影响。3)发展科学理论，解释观测和模拟的哈德利环流变化。气候变暖时哈德利环流变化的问题具有社会影响，因为观测和模拟表明，由于全球变暖，北方和南半球的哈德利环流可能正在扩大，这可能导致某些地区的干旱化。此外，该工作还将通过资助一名博士后学者、两名研究生和两名暑期本科研究员来促进下一代科学家的教育和培训。