A kinematic mechanism for positive feedback between synoptic eddies

• Main Authors: Nao, Hong-li Ren, Fei-fei Jin, Jong-seong Kug, Jing-xia Zhao, Juhyun Park
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation; ren
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.367.4134; http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/met/Faculty/jff/2009_02 A Kinematic Mechanism for Positive Feedback between Synoptic Eddies and NAO.pdf

[1] A kinematic mechanism for the positive feedback between the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and synoptic eddies are depicted based on observational data analyses. Using three-point rescaled covariance statistics of bandpass-filtered (2–8 days) synoptic eddy fields, we examined observed eddy structure changes associated with wintermean NAO anomalous flow. It is demonstrated that the NAO flow anomalies systematically deform the structures of recurring synoptic eddies to generate seasonal-mean eddyvorticity flux anomalies predominately directed to the lefthand side of the NAO flow anomalies. These anomalous eddy-vorticity fluxes converge into the cyclonic center and diverge from the anticyclonic center of the anomalous NAO flow, and thus enhance the NAO flow. Citation: Ren, H.-L.