Midlatitude Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction in an Idealized Coupled Model

• Main Authors: S. Kravtsov, A. W. Robertson
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.23.9467; http://www.atmos.ucla.edu/tcd/PREPRINTS/coupled_web.ps

Interannual-to-interdecadal ocean-atmosphere interaction in midlatitudes is studied using an idealized coupled model consisting of eddy-resolving two-layer quasigeostrophic oceanic and atmospheric components with a simple diagnostic oceanic mixed layer. The model solutions exhibit structure and variability qualitatively resembling some aspects of the observed climate variability over the North Atlantic. The atmospheric climatology is characterized by a zonally-modulated climatological jet. The single basin oceanic climatology consists of a midlatitude double jet, representing the Gulf Stream and Labrador currents, which are parts of the subtropical and subpolar gyres respectively. The leading