A note on the relationship between large scale energy functions and characteristics of climate

✍ Scribed by R. F. T. Smith

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 559 KB
• Volume: 99
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0035-9009
• DOI: 10.1002/qj.49709942211

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A study has been made of large‐scale energy functions using 500 mb height and 500–1,000 mb thickness data for 1954–1956 and associated synoptic charts in order to consider further the relationship between blocking anticyclones and eddy kinetic energy (K′) as proposed by Everson and Davies (1970). For the winter of 1955–1956, K′ displayed much larger amplitude variations with a longer period than those for the winter 1954–1955. The difference in weather was also quite marked, the 55–56 winter being dominated by blocking anticyclones whilst the 54–55 winter was comparatively mild. The onset of large‐scale blocking activity generally coincided with minima of K′ as anticipated.

It was further found that a minimum of K′ coupled with a relatively low value of zonal kinetic energy (K̄) and a significant land‐sea temperature contrast was generally followed by European blocking, whereas a minimum of K′ in other circumstances was not.