Evidence for wave resonance as a key mechanism for generating high-amplitude quasi-stationary waves in boreal summer
- Several recent northern hemisphere summer extremes have been linked to persistent high-amplitude wave patterns (e.g. heat waves in Europe 2003, Russia 2010 and in the US 2011, Floods in Pakistan 2010 and Europe 2013). Recently quasi-resonant amplification (QRA) was proposed as a mechanism that, when certain dynamical conditions are fulfilled, can lead to such high-amplitude wave events. Based on these resonance conditions a detection scheme to scan reanalysis data for QRA events in boreal summer months was implemented. With this objective detection scheme we analyzed the occurrence and duration of QRA events and the associated atmospheric flow patterns in 1979-2015 reanalysis data. We detect a total number of 178 events for wave 6, 7 and 8 and find that during roughly one-third of all high amplitude events QRA conditions were met for respective waves. Our analysis reveals a significant shift for quasi-stationary waves 6 and 7 towards high amplitudes during QRA events, lagging first QRA-detection by typically one week. The resultsSeveral recent northern hemisphere summer extremes have been linked to persistent high-amplitude wave patterns (e.g. heat waves in Europe 2003, Russia 2010 and in the US 2011, Floods in Pakistan 2010 and Europe 2013). Recently quasi-resonant amplification (QRA) was proposed as a mechanism that, when certain dynamical conditions are fulfilled, can lead to such high-amplitude wave events. Based on these resonance conditions a detection scheme to scan reanalysis data for QRA events in boreal summer months was implemented. With this objective detection scheme we analyzed the occurrence and duration of QRA events and the associated atmospheric flow patterns in 1979-2015 reanalysis data. We detect a total number of 178 events for wave 6, 7 and 8 and find that during roughly one-third of all high amplitude events QRA conditions were met for respective waves. Our analysis reveals a significant shift for quasi-stationary waves 6 and 7 towards high amplitudes during QRA events, lagging first QRA-detection by typically one week. The results provide further evidence for the validity of the QRA hypothesis and its important role in generating high amplitude waves in boreal summer.…
| Author details: | Kai KornhuberORCiDGND, Vladimir PetoukhovGND, Stefan PetriORCiD, Stefan RahmstorfORCiDGND, Dim CoumouORCiDGND |
|---|---|
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3399-6 |
| ISSN: | 0930-7575 |
| ISSN: | 1432-0894 |
| Title of parent work (English): | Climate dynamics : observational, theoretical and computational research on the climate system |
| Publisher: | Springer |
| Place of publishing: | New York |
| Publication type: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Date of first publication: | 2016/11/05 |
| Publication year: | 2016 |
| Release date: | 2022/04/08 |
| Tag: | Atmospheric dynamics; Extreme weather; Rossby waves; Wave resonance |
| Volume: | 49 |
| Number of pages: | 19 |
| First page: | 1961 |
| Last Page: | 1979 |
| Funding institution: | German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [01LN1304A]; European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF); Land Brandenburg |
| Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Umweltwissenschaften und Geographie |
| DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 55 Geowissenschaften, Geologie / 550 Geowissenschaften |
