Dynamics and Transport in the Tropospheric Equatorial Westerly Ducts

该项目将研究热带和中纬度之间的动力相互作用和示踪剂输送，特别是在北方冬季。在一年中的大部分时间里，赤道上对流层被一条东风带占据，除了冬季，在中东部海洋上存在西风。东风是向赤道传播定常Rossby波的有效屏障，因此冬季的“西风管”提供了一个开口，允许强烈的热带-温带相互作用。沃博士将对气象场和水汽观测进行动态分析，以了解通过这一管道的热带-温带相互作用如何影响热带对流，以及水蒸气(全球变暖的主要组成部分)、臭氧和微量气体在对流层上层的分布。这些微量物质直接通过辐射影响，通过改变的平衡循环间接地对地球气候施加深刻的控制。沃博士将使用一系列动力学和传输模型来为他的观测结果提供背景。

The project will investigate the dynamical interactions and tracer transports between the tropics and midlatitudes, especially during Northern winter. The equatorial upper troposphere is occupied by a belt of easterlies during much of the year, except winter, when westerly winds are present over the central/eastern oceans. The easterlies are an effective barrier for equatorward propagating stationary Rossby waves, and the wintertime "westerly duct" thus presents an opening that allows vigorous tropical-extratropical interaction. Dr. Waugh will conduct a dynamically oriented analysis of meteorological fields and water vapor observations to understand how tropical-extratropical interactions through this conduit impact tropical convection, and the upper tropospheric distribution of water vapor (a major component in global warming), ozone, and trace gases. These trace substances exert a profound control on the earth's climate, directly through radiative impacts, and indirectly, through the altered balanced circulation. Dr. Waugh will use a range of dynamical and transport models to provide context for his observational findings.