Equatorial wave-mean flow interaction - A numerical study of the role of latitudinal shear

A time-dependent primitive equation model for an equatorial channel is used to assess the interaction of equatorial Kelvin and mixed Rossby-gravity waves with the mean flow. The proposed model involves a semiimplicit time-differencing scheme and a finite-difference grid in the meridional plane. It is shown that forced equatorial waves interact with mean flow to produce equatorial jets characterized by downward-moving westerly (Kelvin wave forcing) and easterly (mixed Rossby-gravity wave forcing) shear zones, respectively. For parameters characteristic of the observed waves in the equatorial stratosphere, the wave-mean flow interaction process always reduces the amplitude of any initial cross-equatorial mean wind shear. The mean flow profile tends to become symmetric about the equator as the interaction process continues.