Speaker: Katie Coughlin, Applied Mathematics
Title:
Date: Thursday, April 3, 2002
Time: 2:30 - 3:20pm
Place: Mechanical Engineering Building Room 250
Abstract. Theoretically, Rossby wave drag on the mean flow and the descent of critical surfaces accounts for the occurrence of stratospheric warming events. This is when stratospheric winds slow down and stratospheric temperatures rise. The use of EOF analysis in the upper atmosphere supports the idea that these decelerating wind anomalies in the stratosphere will tend to move towards the surface (eg. Baldwin and Dunkerton [2001] ). The question is, what happens when the signal reaches the troposphere? How can stratospheric anomalies influence the denser troposphere? In this analysis, the descent of stratospheric anomalies is assumed and linear quasi-geostrophic theory is used to describe the wave reaction in the troposphere. These simple, analytical results are then compared with observed tropospheric changes.
Everyone welcome!