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Tropical Gravity Wave Momentum Fluxes and Latent Heating DistributionsRecent satellite determinations of global distributions of absolute gravity wave (GW) momentum fluxes in the lower stratosphere show maxima over the summer subtropical continents and little evidence of GW momentum fluxes associated with the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). This seems to be at odds with parameterizations forGWmomentum fluxes, where the source is a function of latent heating rates, which are largest in the region of the ITCZ in terms of monthly averages. The authors have examined global distributions of atmospheric latent heating, cloud-top-pressure altitudes, and lower-stratosphere absolute GW momentum fluxes and have found that monthly averages of the lower-stratosphere GW momentum fluxes more closely resemble the monthly mean cloud-top altitudes rather than the monthly mean rates of latent heating. These regions of highest cloud-top altitudes occur when rates of latent heating are largest on the time scale of cloud growth. This, plus previously published studies, suggests that convective sources for stratospheric GW momentum fluxes, being a function of the rate of latent heating, will require either a climate model to correctly model this rate of latent heating or some ad hoc adjustments to account for shortcomings in a climate model's land-sea differences in convective latent heating.
Document ID
20150023376
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Geller, Marvin A.
(Stony Brook Univ. Stony Brook, NY, United States)
Zhou, Tiehan
(Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
Love, Peter T.
(Australian Antarctic Div. Kingston Tasmania, Australia)
Date Acquired
December 18, 2015
Publication Date
July 1, 2015
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Publisher: AMS
Volume: 72
Issue: 7
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN23287
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX11AR63A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
momentum
stratosphere
heating

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