Review of research on wave mean flow interactions using FGGE data

Comparison is made between the conventional Eulerian diagnostics of wave mean flow interactions in the atmosphere and the diagnostics introduced by Andrews and McIntyre (1976). In the latter, the meridional circulation is represented by a residual circulation, and the eddy torque in the zonal momentum equation by the Eliassen-Palm (1960) flux divergence (or equivalently, by the poleward eddy flux of geostrophic potential vorticity). It is found that, while the new diagnostics are useful in studying stratospheric warmings and transports of conservative quantities, the conventional diagnostics are more useful in studying global energetics and wave mean flow interactions in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Case studies diagnosed with FGGE IIIb data are presented to illustrate this point. Kung and Tanaka's (1983) comparisons of the atmospheric energy cycle for SOP-1 and SOP-2, estimated with the use of the ECMWF and GFDL FGGE IIIb data bases, are used to assess the uncertainty in calculations of energetics based on the use of FGGE IIIb data. These results demonstrate the high degree of model dependence in the FGGE IIb data sets.