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Vertical structure of the wind field during the Special Observing Period I of the Global Weather ExperimentThe vertical structure of the global atmosphere is analyzed for selected periods of the Special Observing Period I (SOP-I) for the Global Weather Experiment (GWE). The analysis consists of projection of the stream-function and velocity potential at 200 and 850 mb on spherical harmonics and of the wind and height fields on the normal modes of a linearized form of the primitive equations for a basic state at rest. The kinematic vertical structure is discussed in terms of correlation coefficients of the 200 mb and 850 mb winds and analysis of the internal and external normal modes of the primitive equations. The reliability of the results is checked by applying the same analysis methods to data sets obtained from three different institutions: Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), and Goddard Laboratory for the Atmospheres (GLA). It is found that, on a global basis, vertically reversing circulations are as important as the equivalent barotropic structures. For the verticaly reversing components, the gravity and mixed Rossby-gravity modes have contributions of the same order of magnitude as those of the Rossby modes in tropical latitudes.
Document ID
19870039751
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Paegle, J. N.
(Utah Univ. Salt Lake City, UT, United States)
Paegle, J.
(Utah, University Salt Lake City, United States)
Zhen, Z.
(Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Central Meteorological Bureau, Beijing People's Republic of China, United States)
Sampson, G.
(National Weather Service Salt Lake City, UT, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1986
Publication Information
Publication: Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics
Volume: 35
Issue: 3 19
ISSN: 0177-7971
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
87A27025
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-127
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-82-19198
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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