A review paper: contributions from the gravity and the Kelvin modes for the vertical motion response

Abstract

In earlier papers of a series of real data integrations of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM) with tropical heat anomalies display regions of pronounced subsidence and drying located several thousand kilometers westward poleward of the heating for cases of tropical Atlantic heating and tropical east Pacific heating. This highly predictable sinking response is established within the first five days of these integrations. The normal-modes of a set of nonlinear primitive equations for an atmosphere: Adiabatic, hydrostatic, incompressible, dry, without friction and viscosity are linearized about a basic state at rest and used to partition model response into gravity-inertia and Rossby modes. The emphasis of this review is given upon the contributions of the gravity and Kelvin modes for the vertical motion response.