COLA Report 70
A Model for Transient Eddy Momentum Fluxes in the Upper Troposphere
Timothy DelSole
September 1999
Abstract
A parameterization for transient eddy momentum fluxes is constructed based on
the hypothesis that planetary waves radiating from low-level baroclinic eddies
act effectively as a random forcing of the upper troposphere. The response of
the upper troposphere is modeled by a linear, barotropic, nondivergent vorticity
model with Rayleigh friction and scale-selective damping. The added dissipation
crudely represents the effect of orographically induced gravity wave drag, verticle
diffusion, and other processes needed to balance momentum fluxes reasonably
well and can be understood physically from balance constraints and Rossby wave
theory.
Complete copies of this report are available from:
Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies
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(301) 595-7000
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jperez@cola.iges.org
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last update: 28 October 1999
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