The Hadley circulation as a radiative-convective instability

Hadley cell simulations over a tropical ocean are reported that suggest that the emission and absorption of thermal radiation by clouds plays an important role in the dynamics of the Hadley circulation. In particular, inclusion of interactions between clouds and radiation causes the tropical atmosph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the atmospheric sciences 2000-05, Vol.57 (9), p.1286-1297
Main Author: RAYMOND, D. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmosphere
Clouds
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
General circulation. Atmospheric waves
Meteorology
Ocean currents
Sea surface temperature
Thermal radiation
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Summary:Hadley cell simulations over a tropical ocean are reported that suggest that the emission and absorption of thermal radiation by clouds plays an important role in the dynamics of the Hadley circulation. In particular, inclusion of interactions between clouds and radiation causes the tropical atmosphere to become unstable to large-scale convective circulations driven by differential radiative heating between cloudy and clear regions, even when the sea surface temperature and the solar forcing do not vary with latitude or time.
ISSN:0022-4928
1520-0469
DOI:10.1175/1520-0469(2000)057<1286:thcaar>2.0.co;2