University of Tasmania
Browse
81122 Characterizing the zonally asymmetric component of the SH circulation.pdf (1.5 MB)

Characterizing the zonally asymmetric component of the SH circulation

Download (1.5 MB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 14:37 authored by William HobbsWilliam Hobbs, Raphael, MN
Much research concerning the Southern Hemisphere (SH) zonally asymmetric circulation has focused on the Pacific-South American mode (PSA) or the major zonal waves. However, these large-scale decompositions may mask important local variability. In this paper the monthto- month variability explained by the zonal waves 1 and 3 is examined, and an alternative representation of the SH circulation is presented based on two quasi-stationary anticyclones in the sub-Antarctic western hemisphere. These anticyclones are related to the zonal waves, but features of their variability are masked by the zonal wave decomposition; in particular, the anticyclones’ strengths are not positively covariant. They are also compared with the leading Principal Components of the SH atmosphere. We show that they capture variance independent of the Southern Annular Mode. Additionally, they explain a generally greater fraction of the variability than the PSA, and in a manner that also includes information regarding spatial variability. These results have implications for analysis of the atmosphericforcing of western Antarctic climate.

History

Publication title

Climate Dynamics

Volume

35

Issue

5

Pagination

859-873

ISSN

0930-7575

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Springer

Place of publication

New York

Rights statement

Copyright 2009 The Author

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts)

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC